Need some advise re:school truancy.

[deepdrive]

Yeah, it's all about the money. All the other reasons they give you are BS to try to make it look like it's not all about the money. But, it is.

 

Next time do the independent study so they get paid and they won't care what your kid is doing.

 

Oh, and Saturday school: 3-4 hours of playing games, watching movies and eating pizza. All to add to your education, of course (your education being: it's all about the money).

Edited April 22, 2015 by deepdrive

[Lou]

wtf is independent study?

[BaseballMom]

The teacher assigns work for the student and the parent has make sure the student does all the work.  If they demonstrate that they learned the skill and did the work while they were gone, the absences are excused and the district gets the ADA funding.  It's only appropriate for short time and students who are independent learners.

[Lou]

thanks, bbm

[mp170.6]

Here it's all about the BECCA bill.   

 

Districts and juvenile courts have protocols they are required to follow by law. 

 

I'm assuming Cali has something similar. 

 

I'm assuming this is all new to you because you and your friends never reached a level beyond where your school had to "call the parents by phone, and maybe schedule an in-person meeting".

 

Back then, I don't think they clamped down nearly as hard. 

 

Still confused as to what a truancy "hearing" entails.  Is this merely a meeting between principal and parents, or something that is forwarded to the court system?

[BaseballMom]

Truancy is a big problem.  We are an elementary district and you wouldn't believe how many people think it's no big deal if their kids miss 20 or more days of school a year.  When children miss school, they miss instruction and fall behind.  Then they don't want to go to school because they are behind. It becomes a vicious cycle.  

 

In California students are considered habitual truants if they have 5 or more unexcused absences.  There are school teams that usually include the principal, school nurse, counselor, etc. They are usually helpful in discovering the reasons for the truancy and putting steps in place to stop it.  Sometimes parents don't even realize how many times their students have been absent until they get one of the automatic letters.

 

Our Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) consists of 2 principals, a police officer, a social worker, a nurse, a probation officer and a few people from community outreach organizations.  oh, and me...

[wopphil]

Truancy is a big problem. We are an elementary district and you wouldn't believe how many people think it's no big deal if their kids miss 20 or more days of school a year. When children miss school, they miss instruction and fall behind. Then they don't want to go to school because they are behind. It becomes a vicious cycle.

This is nicely stated BBM. And yet it is sad that this has to be pointed out to some.

[nate]

I am amazed that people just pull their kids out of school for vacations and stuff.  Like school really isn't important to them.  Then again that is why truancy rules exist.

[mtangelsfan]

I am amazed that people just pull their kids out of school for vacations and stuff.  Like school really isn't important to them.  Then again that is why truancy rules exist.

 

This is just silly.  You are acting like there could never be anything better for the kid than to sit in a classroom for eight hours and getting maybe 10 minutes of personal instruction during those 8 hours. 

 

I would give up a month of that for one week in a different culture actual learning stuff.  Or a week in DC going to the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian or going to the Badlands and seeing fossils.  Sure the best time to do those things are in the summer but sometimes that time doesn't work for the people who actually have to pay for the kids to be able to go to those places. 

 

We aren't talking about kids just skipping school and hanging out at the rec center.

[Blarg]

I missed a good part of my fourth grade year from chronic bouts of strep throat. So much so I have no recollection of who my teacher was.

By the end of November I had read my entire history book and for the few weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas break I answered all of the questions. Math and English homework was sent home but I never recieved much classroom instruction. This ended up costing me later on as the gaps were never filled in and by fifth grade I was lagging behind in math and never did catch up on textbook English. What in the hell is a participle?

There were no truancy hearings, I was out sick and by doctor's orders in some cases. Mid way into the 6th grade I had my appendix out and that signaled the end of the throat issues. That was another entire month missing school.

Cez is right, worksheets never replace teachers.

[mtangelsfan]

I have parents who have their kids do that, and it's great they think it's worth it. Some teachers are even willing to create an impromptu correspondence course for kids who miss that much school to work on and turn in the day they get back.  I don't, personally.  I assign little to no homework because we do everything in class.  As meaningless as you think teachers are collectively, there are some of us who actually spend the whole hour every day teaching, and all of that missing instructional time can't be substituted with reading textbooks and doing worksheets independently by the student.   

 

Anyhoo, the truancy issues we're talking about have little to nothing to do with your family or any family you know.  You obviously don't understand, and that's a good thing.  

 

I do not think they are meaningless at all.  There is a huge gap between that and thinking that missing a week doing something educational and worthwhile won't mess a kid's future up. 

 

Let me ask this, what do you do if a kid is going to miss a week? 

[nate]

This is just silly.  You are acting like there could never be anything better for the kid than to sit in a classroom for eight hours and getting maybe 10 minutes of personal instruction during those 8 hours. 

 

I would give up a month of that for one week in a different culture actual learning stuff.  Or a week in DC going to the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian or going to the Badlands and seeing fossils.  Sure the best time to do those things are in the summer but sometimes that time doesn't work for the people who actually have to pay for the kids to be able to go to those places. 

 

We aren't talking about kids just skipping school and hanging out at the rec center.

 

I didn't know one on one learning was the only way to learn.

 

That is what the summer is for, or spring break.

[mtangelsfan]

Obey the government..................

 

or else.

[Blarg]

That was off tangent and without cause.

[mtangelsfan]

That was off tangent and without cause.

 

So like 75% of your posts.

 

[nate]

Anyway MT, you must really have some shitty schools out there based on some of the other things you say because both Arcadia and here have been much more invested in the kids and executing a proper education than you have expressed.

[Blarg]

Anyway MT, you must really have some shitty schools out there based on some of the other things you say because both Arcadia and here have been much more invested in the kids and executing a proper education than you have expressed.

Most rankings put Montana a little below California while Wisconsin ranks in the top ten of high school locker rooms.

[mtangelsfan]

You forget I went to school in SoCal and the kids' school here has been awesome.  They worked with my friends daughter and had her write a paper and do a presentation for the rest of her class.

 

If my kids miss they work with them too.  Its a small school so they are pretty easy going, they aren't all butt-hurt if they miss a day and they usually don't.  Each of my boys have had perfect attendance quarters several times.  However, we did take them to Hawaii last spring, they don't have spring break here, they only get a four day weekend, so they missed four days of school and they both were on the A honor roll at the end of the year so no, I'm not too worried about it.

[Blarg]

Montana runs in a different time zone than most of the US, about four decades late.

This is not a bad thing.

[Richard]

*advice

Missing school is a bad thing.

 

EnglishCop thanks you.

[mp170.6]

I think kids are more perceptive than we realize and can see through the BS when teachers use their paid sick time as vacation days.  I remember my teachers doing this a lot, apparently with no opposition from the administrators. 

 

So if teachers can be truant and still get paid, what example does that set for the kids?

[arch stanton]

Are there substitute students?

[mp170.6]

I know there are some teachers who do that, but it's literally 3X as much work to prepare sub plans as it is to just teach.  In short, it's more work to miss days, and I don't know any at my school who do unless it's completely necessary.  It's different in richer districts, I'm sure.  

 

I don't remember substitute teachers doing much except sitting there and having us watch movies or do tedious make-work assignments like crossword puzzles. 

 

That's commendable you actually make plans.  +1 for cezero

[Blarg]

The sub pool is truly a gamble for most teachers. You can get one that will follow the lesson plan and keep the class on task or get the incompetent type that looses control of the class and gets nothing accomplished. My wife has had substitutes that raided her fridge and shelves and dolled out candy to the kids for no reason. For that reason she will go to school sick, not trusting a complete stranger in her room. You cannot make sub requests for anyone you trust, it is completely random.

[wopphil]

You forget I went to school in SoCal and the kids' school here has been awesome. They worked with my friends daughter and had her write a paper and do a presentation for the rest of her class.

If my kids miss they work with them too. Its a small school so they are pretty easy going, they aren't all butt-hurt if they miss a day and they usually don't. Each of my boys have had perfect attendance quarters several times. However, we did take them to Hawaii last spring, they don't have spring break here, they only get a four day weekend, so they missed four days of school and they both were on the A honor roll at the end of the year so no, I'm not too worried about it.

This is totally different than missing so much school you are being required to participate in a truancy hearing. I think most everyone would agree that missing four days for a family vacation - particularly where you have no spring break and your kids are excellent students - is perfectly ok.