Michigan Schools Fight Absenteeism With Clean Clothes
Attendance plays a key factor in a student's success, but many children in Michigan are not making it to school. While there may be several reasons why a child is absent from school, having clean clothes to wear shouldn't be one of them. And some Michigan schools are getting on board with a new incentive to combat that problem.
Whirlpool Program Looks to Help Absenteeism in Michigan Schools
According to a release from the Whirlpool company, absenteeism can be connected to students not having clean clothing. So they have created the Care Counts Laundry Program. Also according to the release:
“By installing washers and dryers in schools in underserved communities since 2015, the Whirlpool Care Counts laundry program has been proven to increase students’ attendance rates and grades,”
The Care Counts program is currently in over 100 schools across 40 states. And the company's website says it's committed to expanding the program to all 50 states and doubling the number of schools by 2028. The website also states:
“One in five students don’t have access to clean clothes, making them more likely to miss school," the website said. "Kids who miss school are seven times more likely to drop out."
Michigan Schools Implement Whirlpool's Care Counts Program
According to the Detroit Free Press, two Michigan schools now have washers and dryers installed thanks to the Care Counts program. Dickinson East Elementary School in Hamtramck and Walt Whitman Elementary School in Pontiac are two of the newest schools to implement the program. Whirlpool also provides laundry soap and dryer sheets.
The program works by having a trusted teacher, administrator or parent liaison to act as a Program Leader. The process of laundering student clothes varies by school. Most schools ask parents to sign up for time slots, so they can come in to do laundry when it is most convenient for their schedule.