WASHINGTON — Mayor Muriel Bowser is taking aim at truancy and chronic absenteeism in the District, introducing new legislation Wednesday that will uplift families and keep D.C. youth safe and in school.
The Utilizing Partnerships, Local Interventions for Truancy and Safety (UPLIFT) Amendment Act of 2024 focuses on early intervention, alternative in-school placements, enhanced family engagement, and accountability to keep young people safe, in school and engaged.
"We know that the safest place for our young people is in schools," Bowser said. "Not only is school the safest place for our young people, it is also where they connect with trusted and caring adults who can assess their needs and make sure they have what they need to be safe, healthy and happy. This is about working together as a community to put meaningful interventions in place that better support young people and their families."
Additionally, the legislation will establish stronger accountability when it comes to truancy and chronic absenteeism.
Bower's administration says UPLIFT will:
- Streamline and strengthen the District's truancy referral process, by activating the Department of Human Services (DHS) to support students and families, prior to referrals to the Child and Family Services Agency or the Court.
- Establish temporary alternative school placement as an alternative-to-suspension model for students (Grades 6 - 12) involved in serious incidents.
- Fine-tune the District's approach to discipline by defining allowable suspensions for serious safety incidents for middle school students (Grades 6-8), clarifying definitional language, and allowing a designee of the head of a local education agency (LEA) to approve suspensions for more than 20 cumulative days.
- Increase parental accountability by requiring parents or guardians to participate in a mandatory family group conference, and any identified rehabilitative services, with the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services when their child is charged with a gun crime or a crime of violence.
- Limit diversion for youth charged with committing a dangerous crime while armed or having available a knife, pistol, firearm, or imitation firearm.
- Ensure the Court has greater insight and oversight of youth charged with a crime of violence or dangerous crime while armed by narrowing the scope of youth eligible for Consent Decrees and Deferred Disposition Agreements.
The Bowser administration also plans to continue emphasizing out-of-school time programming and adding social-emotional learning standards, including continuing to bring back School Resource Officers to the school communities, and training to strengthen programs such as the DC SChool Connect microtransit program.
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