Outcry as Michigan high school asks girls to share details of menstrual cycles
Students required to disclose information if they wish to make up swimming days lost because of their periods A Michigan high school is facing scrutiny after parents raised concerns over a gym class policy requiring female students to disclose information about their menstrual cycles if they want to make up swimming days missed because of their periods. Under the policy, which appears in a…
Michigan's chronic absenteeism rate has declined slightly, yet more than a quarter of students still miss significant portions of school annually. Last year, 27.2% of K-12 students in the state were classified as chronically absent, a 0.7% decrease from the previous year. The absenteeism rate has been consistently high nationwide.
Michigan's struggles are compounded by difficulties in math and reading, with third-grade reading scores hitting a 12-year low in 2025. A student is considered chronically absent if they miss at least 10% of the school year, which equates to 18 or more days in a typical 180-day calendar year. The state's chronic absenteeism rate has been steadily dropping since peaking at 38.5% in the 2021-22 school year.
State Superintendent Glenn Maleyko emphasized the importance of student engagement in learning, citing the benefits of consistent school attendance. Despite the progress, more work remains to be done. The Michigan Department of Education highlights student boredom, economic instability, and health issues as contributing factors to absenteeism.
Schools employ various strategies to encourage attendance, such as transportation assistance, communication with families, and incentives for perfect attendance. However, the responsibility to improve attendance cannot be shouldered by schools alone.
Written by urgent.news from Chalkbeat's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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