DC public schools under grand jury probe over attendance, graduation records

In the latest scandal to befall D.C. public schools, a special grand jury probe is reviewing the district’s attendance rates, graduation rates and truancy records.

“The use of a special grand jury is unusual,” Fox News reported in a Sunday article. “Fox News is told a judge must approve the creation of such a panel, which can conduct a sweeping investigation and issue a detailed report on its findings even if prosecutors ultimately file no criminal charges.”

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro has not confirmed or denied the investigation, but she has called out youth crime and disruptive behavior in the area as a result of school truancy, according to the article.

“D.C. schools have been through major embarrassment before, including the Ballou High School graduation scandal, which exposed students receiving diplomas without meeting attendance or coursework requirements,” observed Spreely News. “That episode shook trust across the system and left a long shadow over every discussion about graduation integrity.”

‘We make all school data public’

Pirro also told reporters at a May news conference that she wanted district records related to curfew violations and chronic truancy, but the Washington Post “reported that the city did not voluntarily turn over those records,” according to Fox News.

However, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office argued it was fulfilling all requirements in making information available.

“Our focus remains on welcoming students and families back for a strong start to the new school year, and that is what we want our principals and teachers focused on as well,” the mayor’s office said. “We make all school data public and will continue to do so.”

After Ballou High School came under investigation in 2018, other area high schools became implicated, according to the Fox News report.

“The investigation found that about one-third of D.C. students who graduated in 2017 had not actually met the requirements for a diploma, according to the Washington Post. District officials later said they tightened enforcement of attendance standards.”

Meanwhile, absenteeism remains a challenge for the district, which enrolls more than 50,000 students across 117 schools.

About one-third of the district’s K-12 students – approximately 16,000 children – were considered truant during the 2023-24 academic year, according to the Washington Post.

As previously reported by Heartlander News, the city instituted a curfew for juveniles last fall after “several weeks of disorderly juvenile behavior” during Halloween weekend, according to the mayor’s office.