Education

How a washing machine reduced absenteeism at this Detroit school

Michigan Public | By Stateside Staff

Published April 18, 2018 at 5:42 PM EDT

The washing machine at A.L Holmes Academy of Blended Learning

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Before the washing machine was available to students, Mitchell said more than 50 percent of students would miss at least 2 days a month of school. Now, that number has dropped to 33 percent and suspensions have been cut in half.

Courtesy of Tammy Mitchell

The AL Holmes student store which acts as a free closet for students

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The school also has a stash of extra uniforms and articles of clothing that students can use when needed.

Courtesy of Tammy Mitchell

It's no secret that kids who aren't sitting in class aren't learning, and Detroit has the highest rate of chronic absenteeism in the country, according to a 2016 Associated Press report.

We hear policy recommendations and deep-dive discussions about how to boost school attendance, but, as first reported in Chalkbeat Detroit, one Detroit school has a different solution: a washing machine.

The A.L Holmes Academy of Blended Learning installed a washing machine at the school and yes, it has already made a difference.

Tammy Mitchell, principal of A.L Holmes Academy of Blended Learning, joined Stateside to explain.

Listen above to hear where the idea came from, the difference it's made, and what other schools can take away from this creative solution.

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