Nearly 84% of Detroit district high schoolers were paid for attendance this year

June 3, 2026

Detroit Public School Community District paid nearly 84% of its high school students with $100 Visa gift cards for maintaining perfect attendance during five-day cycles between January and March, with approximately 12,800 students receiving at least one payment out of a possible $1,000 total. The initiative contributed to a 10 percentage point decrease in chronic absenteeism among high schoolers, dropping from 64% last year to 54% this year. The program proved more successful at reaching neighborhood school students compared to the previous year when application and exam schools dominated participation, though it primarily benefited students who already had good attendance rather than those with severe absence problems.

Who is affected

Approximately 12,800 Detroit Public School Community District high school students who received payment
15,247 total high school students enrolled across 26 DPSCD high schools
Students at neighborhood high schools (who saw increased participation compared to last year)
Students at application or exam schools
Students at Pershing High School specifically (62% participation in 2025-26 vs 16% in 2024-25)
Chronically absent students and dramatically chronically absent students
Middle school students in grades 6-8 (potentially affected by proposed expansion)

What action is being taken

DPSCD is paying students $100 Visa gift cards for perfect attendance in five-day cycles
The district is calculating eligibility in one-week cycles (changed from two-week cycles last year)
Students are advocating for themselves by checking their attendance data and following up with teachers, principals, and the superintendent

Why it matters

The program addresses chronic absenteeism, a persistent challenge in Detroit and similar communities facing systemic issues like poverty. While DPSCD still has a chronic absenteeism rate of 60.9%, the district has outpaced the rest of Michigan in reducing rates since the COVID pandemic. The 10 percentage point reduction in high school chronic absenteeism demonstrates progress, though the program has proven more effective at maintaining good attendance among already-engaged students rather than reaching the dramatically absent population who miss 45 or more days of school. The initiative also encourages student self-advocacy around attendance tracking.

What's next

The district has recommended expanding the program to middle school students (grades 6-8) next school year
If approved by the board, middle schoolers would receive $50 for each week of perfect attendance from January through March
The board will vote on adopting this proposal (presented in the budget proposal last month)

Read full article from source: bridgedetroit.com