As Boston gets ready for the new school year, city officials will be door knocking on doors to motivate students with a history of chronic absenteeism to return to the classroom.
"During last school year, the [Re-Engagement Center] met with nearly 750 students," Wu said during a press conference Wednesday. "This year, we have about 50 canvassers, volunteers from the city, BPS, community organizations and knocking about 300 doors."
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The city's projections estimate that there was between a 4 and 6% decrease in chronic absenteeism between the 2022-2023 school year and last year, and then a 7 to 10% decrease "if we look at those rates over the last two years, Wu said.
"That is huge, especially at a time when across the country other districts are seeing absenteeism go up," Wu said. "We are seeing it go down in Boston because of these efforts."
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Classes in Boston begin Thursday.