The More You Learn, the More You Earn!

Attending school every day and on time significantly increases your child’s chances of succeeding in school and graduating from high school....Every day counts!

Parents and Caregivers of Elementary School Students
It’s important to start talking with your children about the importance getting to school on time every day. Here’s why being at school every day counts.

• Starting in kindergarten, too many absences (PDF) can cause students to fall behind in school.¹
• Missing 10 percent (or about 18 days) can make it harder to learn to read.²
• Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two days every few weeks.¹

What you can do (PDF)

Parents and Caregivers of Middle and High School Students
Even as children grow up and become more independent, it is still important to reinforce the importance of being at school on time every day and attending every class. Here’s why being at school every day counts.

• Sixth-grade students who are chronically absent (PDF) are less likely to graduate.³ Learn more (PDF)
• A ninth grader who misses more than nine days per semester is less likely to graduate.⁴ Learn more (PDF)
• A high school graduate earns at least $9,000 per year more than a high school dropout.⁵

What you can do (PDF) 

About the Campaign
The Citywide Truancy Taskforce, co-chaired by De’Shawn Wright, Deputy Mayor for Education, and the Honorable Zoe Bush, presiding judge, Family Court of the District of Columbia Superior Court, is charged with developing and implementing initiatives to reduce truancy and promote school attendance in the District of Columbia.

The taskforce is composed of education, human services, and public safety stakeholders. In February 2012, the taskforce launched a District-wide public awareness media campaign to promote the importance of school attendance.

Press Release: February 9, 2012 - Mayor Gray Announces New Ad Campaign Promoting School Attendance (PDF)

Download radio ads for parents and caregivers
• English (MP3)
• Spanish (MP3)

Download bus and transit ads featuring students from DC
• Future Mechanical Engineer – English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)
• Future Social Worker (PDF)
• Future Shoe Designer (PDF)
• Future Lawyer (PDF)
• Future Architect (PDF)

Download bus shelter ad for parents and community (PDF)

For more information about the campaign, send a message to dme@dc.gov.

Sources:

¹ Attendance Works and Reach Out and Read, Inc.
² ECLS-K data analyzed by National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP)
³ Baltimore Education Research Consortium SY 2009-2010
⁴ Allensworth & Easton, What Matters for Staying On-Track and Graduating in Chicago Public Schools, Consortium on Chicago School Research at University of Chicago, July 2007
⁵ US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2011). The Condition of Education 2011 (NCES 2011–033), Table A-17-1.