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Council presses MCPS on attendance impacts from immigration‑enforcement activity
Summary
Members asked whether absences tied to immigration enforcement were being excused and how schools should support affected families; MCPS said absences are not being systematically unexcused and emphasized outreach, community partnerships, and the blunt effect that both excused and unexcused absences have on chronic‑absenteeism counts.
Several council members raised concerns that immigration‑enforcement (ICE) activity near bus stops and in neighborhoods is keeping children from attending school. They asked MCPS whether those absences were being excused and what supports the district offers families affected by enforcement activity.
MCPS staff responded that schools are not instructed to withhold excusing absences in those circumstances and emphasized that chronic absenteeism calculations treat excused and unexcused absences the same for the purpose of the measure. "That that's not accurate" to say schools are told not to excuse those absences, a presenter said in response to the question. Staff recommended systemwide messaging to dispel misconceptions and increase family confidence that schools will not collaborate with enforcement at school properties.
Members asked for clarity about how the district supports families who avoid bus stops or alter travel because of enforcement activity and how community partners can be enlisted to provide consistent, visible presence. MCPS staff described partnerships (DHHS, community schools, family engagement staff) and said many schools have local external partners that can be engaged to help families and provide safe passage to and from school.
