DPS Enrollment 76% For Start Of School Year

DETROIT (WWJ) - Student enrollment in the Detroit Public Schools was up by the end of the first week of school.

Too many DPS parents need to push their children to go to school, but district spokesman Steve Wasko says it is the law.

Wasko says on the upside though, first day response was nearly double from Fall of 2010. This year 43,000 students were enrolled, and by week's end more than 50,000 students were counted ---  equaling a 76 percent enrollment rate.

"The importance of 76 percent is that the state requires 75 percent attendance on any given day for all school districts to give full funding," said Wasko.

In an effort to increase the attendance numbers, the Detroit Public Schools' attendance agents are out knocking on doors at the homes of students who have unexcused absences from class.

Attendance agent Steven Bland had visited 20 homes by the time Newsradio 950 spoke with him on Detroit's northwest side Monday afternoon.

The reasons why students are absent vary, according to Bland, but he says they're not always playing hooky.

In cases where a student left home for school, but then decided to just skip for the day, Bland says the case can be referred to Juvenile Court whenever necessary.

"A lot of kids are not with the school system anymore and we want to know if they're not. Some kids have the clothing issue and some people traditionally start school a little later than they're supposed to and so when we come out, it kind of encourages them to go to school," said Bland.