Chronic absenteeism has been an issue in Wisconsin schools since the pandemic. But in Milwaukee, nearly 1,000 students enrolled in public school have not attended a single day this year.
MPS social workers have made phone calls and home visits to try to connect with parents and students, but many families have been unresponsive, said Nicole Cain, MPS manager of school social work and community services.
“We have been working with the DA’s office just to determine how to address these kids,” Cain said. “The majority are high school aged, and so our concern is the drop-out rate of this population.”
Records show one of the missing Milwaukee students was 15-year-old Erik J. Mendoza. Mendoza was charged with first-degree intentional homicide in the Oct. 25 beating death of 5-year-old Prince McCree. McCree’s body was found in a dumpster after being reported missing by his mother the day before.
Mendoza hasn’t attended school since Fall 2019, when he would have been about 12 years old.