Need some advise re:school truancy.

[jimbo]

My kids missed a week of school twice this year and I"m receiving letters about a hearing. What's the deal with these? They have all been excused absences.

[nate]

Just speculating but they might want to confirm that they were legit and not the kids faking the excuse letters or something.

[mtangelsfan]

The school needs their money.  Absences cost the schools bank.

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

The school needs their money.  Absences cost the schools bank.

 

That's my guess.  I had a friend who used to ditch a lot.  The school kept getting on his mom and she did what she could but like most single parents she had to go to work (started early) and couldn't make sure her teenage son went to school.  The school/city/state threatened legal action against her and she ended up taking PTO and going to school with him for a week.  It worked in the end as she embarrassed the **** out of him but in the case of parents who are doing what they can on a day to day basis it was a bit ridiculous they threatened legal action.  Had her son not gotten it together she had no further options since she had to work to put food on the table and couldn't babysit him all day.   

[Schildog]

stop reporting truancy is the easiest solution to the money problem.

[mtangelsfan]

I am pretty sure they have to report it. 

[Lou]

they probably think your kid should be going to school

[HaloCory22]

they probably think your kid should be going to school

Do we really want kids going to public school though?

[jimbo]

From time to time my kids will miss school due to a necessary med appt. In the case of the 2 weeks of missed school, it was for reasons that far out benefit them more so than what 16 step division problem being taught that particular week.

[gotbeer]

From time to time my kids will miss school due to a necessary med appt. In the case of the 2 weeks of missed school, it was for reasons that far out benefit them more so than what 16 step division problem being taught that particular week.

 

So since it was a medical appointment.   Is it safe to say it's Obama's fault?  

[mp170.6]

What type of hearing is this?  I've never heard of that. 

[halomatt]

School Attendance Review meeting? As others have said, there are attendance laws that schools are enforcing.  Yeah, it's about the money, but there always compromises that can be worked out.  For example, at our school site we have those meetings, but we also offer the students the opportunity to make those days up at Saturday School. 

 

It really doesn't matter if they are "excused absences" or not.  Schools need to recoup their time and money.  I'm sure it can't be helped at times, but it's always better to get the kids to school.

[mtangelsfan]

School Attendance Review meeting? As others have said, there are attendance laws that schools are enforcing.  Yeah, it's about the money, but there always compromises that can be worked out.  For example, at our school site we have those meetings, but we also offer the students the opportunity to make those days up at Saturday School. 

 

It really doesn't matter if they are "excused absences" or not.  Schools need to recoup their time and money.  I'm sure it can't be helped at times, but it's always better to get the kids to school.

 

This is not necessarily true.  If the missing time was spent on a trip to a place that a child could learn.  Friend of mine took their daughter to Thailand and Cambodia for two weeks.  The experience and cultural ideas she learned there is going to be much more than what two weeks of school would do.

[JAHV76]

I'm pretty certain California does measure funding based upon attendance but there are potential funding shortfalls for schools that do not successfully have a high rate of graduation. There a lot of studies that support absenteeism has an impact on the student's likelihood to graduate.

[wopphil]

they probably think your kid should be going to school

Yep. If you don't want to deal with CPS, comply with the laws.

Edited April 22, 2015 by wopphil

[mp170.6]

School Attendance Review meeting? As others have said, there are attendance laws that schools are enforcing. 

 

That's what I'm confused about.  How does a school "enforce" anything as far as the parents are concerned?

[BaseballMom]

My kids missed a week of school twice this year and I"m receiving letters about a hearing. What's the deal with these? They have all been excused absences.

 

Is it a SARB hearing?  You usually won't have a hearing until you have many unexcused absences.  Are these the canned generic letters that are automatically sent?  If they are, those are parent notifications that are required by law.

[BaseballMom]

You might also want to ask about Independent Study if they are going to be out for 5 days or more.  They don't have to offer it, but some of our schools do when it's appropriate for the student.  

[Blarg]

*advice

Missing school is a bad thing.

[Lou]

Do we really want kids going to public school though?

hell yes!

those burgers aren't going to flip themselves

[Lou]

This is not necessarily true.  If the missing time was spent on a trip to a place that a child could learn.  Friend of mine took their daughter to Thailand and Cambodia for two weeks.  The experience and cultural ideas she learned there is going to be much more than what two weeks of school would do.

that's what summer is for

[mtangelsfan]

that's what summer is for

 

Not really, can't get around very well during monsoon season in Cambodia

[mp170.6]

School attendance for kids isn't optional, no matter how many excuse letters some parents write. 

 

Schools try to find a way to resolve it before going to the courts.

 

Can you offer specifics on how schools try to "resolve" this? 

 

When I went to public school, all they did was call the parents by phone, and maybe schedule an in-person meeting.  That was it.  None of it carried formal titles such as "hearings".

Edited April 22, 2015 by mp170.6

[Lou]

Not really, can't get around very well during monsoon season in Cambodia

i highly doubt he went to Cambodia

[nate]

MTs friend had a holiday in Cambodia.