Calling all teachers! I need advice please

[Mrs. Ciz]

I am a middle school English teacher. I have never given students their work ahead of an absence. Before Google Classroom, I gave them a daily absent sheet with worksheets and handouts attached when they returned to school. Now that we use Google Classroom, I post a daily absent sheet with worksheets, handouts and notes attached for absent students at the end of each day.

 

[T.G.I.Friday]

Double check that your district doesn’t have a form or process in place. We have a form for an ‘approved absence for educational travel’ or something similar. The district requires that it be submitted 2 weeks before the planned absence. I think it’s just a formality in case you have missed a lot of days, but we use the form 2 weeks out as the notice.

 

[lowlight]

I would assume if such unexcused absences are allowed, there would be a specific process in place. Ask your Principal.

There are public schools that don’t allow unexcused absences? I’ve never heard of that, how does that work?

 

[kymom99]

There are public schools that don’t allow unexcused absences? I’ve never heard of that, how does that work?

Local board makes attendance policy. If a student has too many unexcused absences, truancy charges can be filed.

 

[texaslover]

As a current teacher, I've never given work ahead of time to take on vacation and complete unless a parent is totally adament. I won't send home graded work because that is used to measure proficiency in a specific skill and it can't be guaranteed that a student will do it without help. I won't send home work on concepts that will be taught while the student is out because that just leads to misconceptions and confusion. I usually will just say make sure to read each day and have a parent ask W questions about what they read and they can practice already learned skills such as multiplication facts. Also writing or journaling about the vacation each day will keep up their writing and grammar skills.

If a parent demands actual worksheets (which we don't use very much anymore) I will copy random things out of any workbooks I have around but 9 times out of 10 I never receive them back and when I ask the child they say they never did them .

 

[lowlight]

Local board makes attendance policy. If a student has too many unexcused absences, truancy charges can be filed.

Yes, sorry the person I was replying to may have misused the term unexcused absences which confused me. Truancy is law, chronic absences is more relevant here for a vacation since the parent is excusing the absence. Thank you.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

There are public schools that don’t allow unexcused absences? I’ve never heard of that, how does that work?

chronic absences is more relevant here for a vacation since the parent is excusing the absence. Thank you.

In my state they do define what becomes truant but leave it up to each district to make determinations here. The OP lives in an area where they are more lax IIRC

I think you're the one confusing (with all due respect) terminology. Unexcused absence is defined as whatever is not excused. Just because a parent calls it in does not make it excused. That may be your confusion. For my state they do leave it up to each district to define what is and isn't excused. Too many unexcused means a student is truant.

 

[gardenrooms]

I taught 2nd Grade but also did a lot of 2/3 combos. I asked my parents to let me know as soon as they had scheduled an absence, including appointments. (And I let them know this at Back to School Night - if you have a handout, you might check that).

My reason was that I was almost daily introducing new concepts (yes, even in 2nd Grade) and I would often reschedule introducing something if I knew a child who might struggle with that concept was going to be absent. Make-up instruction is never as in depth as the original instruction - there just aren't enough hours in the day. (Plus that takes time away from the other children.) 2nd Grade, and to a lesser degree, 3rd Grade) is very hands on. I can't speak to 6th Grade.

This did not excuse the absence (except for an appointment, of course), it just helped me keep the child's progress on track.

I'd just ask my children's teachers how they would like this handled.

 

[gotomu212]

There are public schools that don’t allow unexcused absences? I’ve never heard of that, how does that work?

I’m sure it’s different everywhere but here an excused absence means you can make up the assignment/test you missed, an unexcused absence means you get a zero in any assignment/test given or due when you are out. Additionally an unexcused absence means you cannot participate in sports/extra curricular for the number of days you were out (if you miss 2 days, you can‘t participate for 2 days upon returning).

 

[tvguy]

There are public schools that don’t allow unexcused absences? I’ve never heard of that, how does that work?

It's called truancy. School attendance is mandatory in California Normally it isn't someone going on vacation, but even in that case, the parents could find themselves explaining the situation to a Judge. And in the District I live in, we have open enrollment where parents camp out to get their kids in specific schools. If your child has a slot in a school with a waiting list, an unexcused absence can mean they lose their slot in that school when they come back. And of course the motivation is largely money, because if your child doesn't attend a day, the school doesn't get the per diem from the state, and if your child doesn't complete the minimum instruction days, they don't advance to the next grade.
My kids were in private high school. It was a popular option for some parents who wanted to take their kids out of school for vacations. My son graduated in 2005 and teachers were required to give students in that situation the work to complete, and they had to accept it. My daughter is 4 years younger, and over her tenure at that school, the policy got less friendly to students taking time off for vacation, finally to the point that by 2009 vacation time was no longer allowed. That changed because the organization that accredits private schools said that school that did allow vacation time would lose their accreditation. And that was because Universities began questioning the validity of the course work of students who missed too much instruction time.
Now, the only option for parents to avoid truancy charges in the public schools is to dis-enroll their child, and set up home schooling for their child during the time they will be away from school, then re-enroll them when they return, and hope they can get them in the school of their choice.

 

[tvguy]

Yes, sorry the person I was replying to may have misused the term unexcused absences which confused me. Truancy is law, chronic absences is more relevant here for a vacation since the parent is excusing the absence. Thank you.

Truancy here is defined as too many unexcused absences. A parent here does not have the power to excuse their child's absence. "Unexcused absence" is the term used in the law here.

 

[tvguy]

Yes, sorry the person I was replying to may have misused the term unexcused absences which confused me. Truancy is law, chronic absences is more relevant here for a vacation since the parent is excusing the absence. Thank you.

FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WEBSITE

What is the difference between an excused and an unexcused absence?
Under state law, an absence is considered “excused” only for these reasons:

• student illness
• death in the student’s immediate family (one day is excused if funeral is conducted in California, and three days are excused if service is conducted outside California)
• for purpose of having medical, dental, vision or chiropractic services rendered
• observation of a religious holiday or ceremony
• court appearance (documentation must be provided and have the student’s name on it)

All other reasons for absences are considered inexcusable by California state law. If you have a special circumstance and are unsure whether it will be excused, please talk to your school’s principal or vice principal for clarification.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I can def agree that they working harder and not getting paid enough. But I'm not asking them to create additional work or assignments special for my kids. It's mostly just "hey, can I get the handouts you already are making for the class on Friday instead of Monday?" Or " If there is a project that is due that week, can we turn it in early?" With COVID and virtual learning, even in class most everything is on their Ipads so that part is already being done.

Maybe.

I'm not currently a teacher, but our area is back to fully in person. What a teacher expects to do each day and what they actually are able to cover is not the same. (Do your WDW days always go as planned?)

Teachers never know when a disruption will occur that derails the best laid plans. A fire drill or weather delay, for example. Our area recently lost half a day due a water main break. Other times lessons go more quickly than expected. It nobody talks/asks questions, then a discussion goes nowhere.

Prepping work ahead can be a big challenge, and very time consuming. It depends somewhat on the class. Math homework is easier to prep than project work, for example. (Research, science labs) Some things can't be replicated, even if the assignments are done on a laptop/Chromebook. It is rather variable.

Also elementary, MS, and HS are all very different. Hands-on classes are also very different prep.

Many students find it very frustrating to try to work without classroom help. Some love it, but many just stop working once they get frustrated, or have a question.

In my experience, if I was asked to prep work, most students never completed it. Even GT/Honor students. At BEST, they maybe did half of it. You know your children, maybe they are diligent. The pandemic has helped many students learn to be independent, but I also heard the opposite from many parents.

On the other hand, in our area, many students know how to cheat electronically, and use the cheats all the time. It is easy to translate languages, solve math problems, get fake essays, summaries of books, etc. In the real world, people now use electronics to get information, so it is understandable students do it. sometimes they can be a help now, sometimes they lead to bad habits. Having to do lots of work while on vacation might be a tempting time to take shortcuts. Maybe not. Hard to say.

Where I worked, vacation absence = unexcused, and could =a zero. Teachers were not allowed to prep lessons for mere vacations, only sanctioned activities. More than 2 days out required a doctor's note to get make-up work, but many districts are more lax.

If you are allowed, then probably a week or two is enough notice. ALWAYS though, students ALSO have to check back when they return (unepcted assignments), and only have a few days to turn in all the work. They might be excused from some assignments.

 

[Ursula J]

Have fun on your trips with your kids! Treasure the time.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

There are public schools that don’t allow unexcused absences? I’ve never heard of that, how does that work?

Unexcused = no credit. That goes back to early 2000's. schools with too much truancy lost funding, so schools nationwide got much stricter in that era.

Excused is sick w/doctor's if out more than 2 days. Very few other reasons are excused. Being called to testify in court is excused, and (limited) college visits for HS students.

 

[DLgal]

Yes, sorry the person I was replying to may have misused the term unexcused absences which confused me. Truancy is law, chronic absences is more relevant here for a vacation since the parent is excusing the absence. Thank you.

In our district, you get only 10 "unexcused" absences per year, which translates to 10 absences where a parent excuses you, for illness or whatever else. After 10, without a doctor's note, you get referred to the district office for further action.

 

[lowlight]

FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WEBSITE

What is the difference between an excused and an unexcused absence?
Under state law, an absence is considered “excused” only for these reasons:

• student illness
• death in the student’s immediate family (one day is excused if funeral is conducted in California, and three days are excused if service is conducted outside California)
• for purpose of having medical, dental, vision or chiropractic services rendered
• observation of a religious holiday or ceremony
• court appearance (documentation must be provided and have the student’s name on it)

All other reasons for absences are considered inexcusable by California state law. If you have a special circumstance and are unsure whether it will be excused, please talk to your school’s principal or vice principal for clarification.

Ok, that makes sense now. Parents here can excuses absences to a certain number, and then notes are required.

 

[Threehearts]

I’m sure it’s different everywhere but here an excused absence means you can make up the assignment/test you missed, an unexcused absence means you get a zero in any assignment/test given or due when you are out. Additionally an unexcused absence means you cannot participate in sports/extra curricular for the number of days you were out (if you miss 2 days, you can‘t participate for 2 days upon returning).

It was the same in my area for the entire time my kids were in public school(K-12). Excused absence examples were illness(3rd day a doctor's note to return), death or serious illness in the family etc. Examples of unexcused absences which did not allow for any work to be made up would be vacations, child attending a ticketed social event (not in school for pop concert) etc.

These policies came about because so many parents pulled their kids, especially around holidays, that the teachers were often teaching half a class. When the absent kids returned, they had missed out on in-classroom instruction and could not fully grasp the material. I know that this was true because I was the room mother of 2 K-6 classes for all 6 years and saw it. Worksheets are not a substitute for live teaching.

All that said-
If the teacher is fine with having the kids miss school and the school doesn't care if the parents take them out, then it seems to me that the OP's question is thoughtful and intentionally considerate of what works best for her childrens' teachers.

 

[PollyannaMom]

When I took DS out for a few days, I let his teachers know at least a week in advance. I would ask what general concepts I should be working with him on in math and ELA (I was a sub in the district, so they knew I would follow through) and for any worksheets they "already happened to have on hand".

 

[kdonnel]

How funding and attendance works really differs from state to state, district to district.

Funding in Georgia is not tied to daily attendance. Twice a school year, October and March, the schools submit a count of the number of students enrolled, not the number of students present on a particular day but the number of students enrolled and in how many classes they are enrolled.

As for excused vs unexcused, for better or worse, I always taught my kids to just lie, the official school policy allows lying. In real world people lie when dealing with employers that have oppressive time off policies, the school is basically my kids employer.

After Covid you would think employers and schools would have smartened up and realized that it is better to have flexible time off policies but I don't think many learned that lesson. Sometimes people just need a day off for mental health but some employers would not see that as a valid use under their policies. Sometimes you are sick and should not go to work but not sick enough to go to a doctor and waste your money and the doctors time. For employers that are backwards with their time off policies I see lying as a form of protest and have warned my kids that if they do the same they should be willing to accept the consequences which could be as severe as termination.

As for school absences, I always just sent in a please excuse my kids absences due to illness note. The local school district policy is that parent supplied excuses are valid until the child has missed the 11th parent excused day of school in a school year. Between actual illness and vacation illness my kids never came close. Once you hit 10 days excused with a parents note, they require that subsequent absences be backed with a doctors note, obituary, court paper, etc or they will be recorded as unexcused. The big difference between excused and unexcused being if the teacher is required to allow the child to make up any missed assignments.

When pulling my kids out of school for vacations we let the kids decide. Once they hit upper middle school they actually preferred not being pulled out of school. They said the effort involved in making up work was not always worth the vacation memories.