DC Heads Back to School, Here’s What To Watch

Happy first day of D.C. public school! But it’s not all name games and first day outfits.

D.C. Public Schools are working through a lot of changes as they figure out how to deal with new tech, chronic absenteeism, and toughest of all, vapes. Here are a few things we’ll be keeping an eye on as the District heads back to school this week:

Banning Vapes

Montgomery County has approved a $2 million plan to install vape detectors in all high schools. They piloted the program in five high schools last year after an uptick of kids vaping in the bathrooms. However, some are skeptical about the program, saying the detectors can be triggered by things like perfume and might not be 100% accurate. D.C. also recently put a ban on businesses selling vapes within a quarter-mile of any middle or high school.

Chronic Absenteeism Struggle

Students in D.C. are skipping school more than ever. Last year, 43% of D.C. public school students were “chronically absent,” meaning they partially or fully missed at least 10% of all school days. These numbers are up there with some of the highest absentee rates in the country. D.C. has been working to implement various mental health and safety programs to improve this. We’ll have to see if they work.

Cell Phones Are Out

DMV schools are increasingly worried about cell phone use in classrooms after studies showed they disrupt all sorts of developmental processes. Fairfax County is piloting a program to lock cell phones away during the day in several schools, and have banned phones in classrooms at all others. Also, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order for schools to establish cell phone-free policies by January.