Enrolling kids in preschool isn't enough. To close the achievement gap, we need to make sure they show up

A recent study revealed that DC’s preschoolers miss a whole lot of school. Universal preschool may not mean much if the kids who need it most aren’t there, but getting them there can be complicated.

Almost 1 in 5 DC preschoolers had more than 10 unexcused absences last year, according to a study recently released by DC Action for Children, a nonprofit that focuses on disadvantaged children in DC. And because that figure doesn’t count excused absences, it almost certainly understates the problem...