Is it just me or has attendance been down?

[greeneyedchick]

That's why I've been making note of the parking lots which have been less crowded than normal

It may be that there are less locals going (who have APs). Those staying at resorts don't park. And if I were staying off property, I'd pay for an Uber becuase it would still be cheaper than paying for parking.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

Part of it is due to the way schools are funded. If a student doesn’t show up for school, or if a student isn’t at school for a certain portion of the day, then the school does not receive funding for the student for that day even though the budget restraints for that day have not changed at all. I’m sure all school districts aren’t held to these impossible rules, but unfortunately a lot are. Even if a student checks in late or leaves early due to an appointment or illness the school may not receive the full funding amount allocated per student. So most districts (at least in my state) make attendance rules based on those parameters. And don’t even get me started on the way the school are funded in the first place - “oh good news! The state decided they would fund at 100% this year,” which is what the public hears but really means they are funding at 60% because that’s what the state government’s 100% means.

Yup it's terrible. Than you have the states with super strict truancy laws that are just stupid.

 

[xipotec]

That's so ridiculous. Shouldn't it be up to the parents to decide if their kid can miss school? Certainly, for some kids it would put them behind, but for others it may not matter. I remember in my first year in high school, my sister was graduating high school, but she lived with my dad. We were going for the ceremony but it overlapped one day of finals for me. I was told that finals couldn't be made up per the board of education, but I didn't have a choice. I was 14 and my mom was taking me - end of story. Anyway, I just went, missed the first day of exams, then just ended up taking all six of my exams in one day by going to the teachers directly. ALL of them let me do it. I was a good student, and had no problem completing all of them early (we were given two hours for each spread across two days). There was no reason to penalize me over something like that. Yeah, I know that some parents aren't too responsible and might do things that would not be beneficial for their kids, but that kind of thing should be discussed with teachers, etc. These kind of "zero tolerance" rules are silly.

while I agree for responsibile parents, there are plenty of really bad parents out there that would no even send their kids to school …they do not care….

They view school as a waste of time and indoctrination….

We have alot of those types around here. Most of them eventually “home school” which in this case, means they do nothing at all.

Or they half follow through, it once they realize how hard home schooling properly really is.

 

[dreamer17555]

One thing about teachers guilt tripping parents- Keep in mind the teachers have extra work to do if they have to either get work ready ahead of time for a student to take with them or catch a student up once they get back. The older student is the more true it is that it is harder to catch a student up.

My son is currently homeschooled. We have a very stringent curriculum. But because he is homeschooled I can be flexible with it so we will be taking the two week Panama Canal cruise next year. My daughter went to a residential high school and would have never caught up if she took two weeks off.

 

[greeneyedchick]

while I agree for responsibile parents, there are plenty of really bad parents out there that would no even send their kids to school …they do not care….

They view school as a waste of time and indoctrination….

We have alot of those types around here. Most of them eventually “home school” which in this case, means they do nothing at all.

Or they half follow through, it once they realize how hard home schooling properly really is.

I’ll have you know that I homeschooled both of my kids from 4th -8th grade. They were self -directed learners which some people may view as “doing nothing”. The oldest is currently enter her senior year at the top of her class and will most likely be valedictorian. She will graduate with a year of college already done via dual enrollment and has already been accepted into her first choice school. My other child went back in the middle of 8th grade and is thriving in honors and gifted classes. And yes I do believe that there is a lot of wasted time in school pre-high school. I do see value in socialization and learning the basics.

My youngest started homeschooling in 4th grade last year. We did a whole study on quantum physics and psychology. We both learned so much and it was much more interesting that rehashing the same things he already knew. He’s 2 years ahead in math and school was painfully boring for him. Please don’t judge homeschoolers.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

I’ll have you know that I homeschooled both of my kids from 4th -8th grade. They were self -directed learners which some people may view as “doing nothing”. The oldest is currently enter her senior year at the top of her class and will most likely be valedictorian. She will graduate with a year of college already done via dual enrollment and has already been accepted into her first choice school. My other child went back in the middle of 8th grade and is thriving in honors and gifted classes. And yes I do believe that there is a lot of wasted time in school pre-high school. I do see value in socialization and learning the basics.

My youngest started homeschooling in 4th grade last year. We did a whole study on quantum physics and psychology. We both learned so much and it was much more interesting that rehashing the same things he already knew. He’s 2 years ahead in math and school was painfully boring for him. Please don’t judge homeschoolers.

Parents with self directed learners and parents who don't care are at complete opposite ends of the spectrum. But I have a feeling you know this.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

while I agree for responsibile parents, there are plenty of really bad parents out there that would no even send their kids to school …they do not care….

They view school as a waste of time and indoctrination….

We have alot of those types around here. Most of them eventually “home school” which in this case, means they do nothing at all.

Or they half follow through, it once they realize how hard home schooling properly really is.

to that I would say there is only so much the state should be allowed to do. If a parent is clearly being neglectful of their child/ children, that is one thing. It's another thing completely to think that the government should be able to stick there hands in your own business whenever they want. If someone decides to homeschool that is their business, just like if someone decides to send their kids to a private school that's their business, and it is no ones business deciding whether or not that is the correct decision for someone else's child

 

[xipotec]

I’ll have you know that I homeschooled both of my kids from 4th -8th grade. They were self -directed learners which some people may view as “doing nothing”. The oldest is currently enter her senior year at the top of her class and will most likely be valedictorian. She will graduate with a year of college already done via dual enrollment and has already been accepted into her first choice school. My other child went back in the middle of 8th grade and is thriving in honors and gifted classes. And yes I do believe that there is a lot of wasted time in school pre-high school. I do see value in socialization and learning the basics.

My youngest started homeschooling in 4th grade last year. We did a whole study on quantum physics and psychology. We both learned so much and it was much more interesting that rehashing the same things he already knew. He’s 2 years ahead in math and school was painfully boring for him. Please don’t judge homeschoolers.

I was not bashing home schooling. I was saying many people whom attempt it do not realize how hard it is …and really are not equipped to do it properly.

I am sure you did great.

And my comment was to say that you need to have some kind of mandatory education , one way or the other, because there are parents whom would not care at all if their kids went to school. Its why is was made a law. We had kids working in sweatshops at 12 and lots of kids never getting an education at all.

 

[DisneyOma]

Very crowded last week, and hot, and everyone was coughing and some were spitting into bushes!

 

[Princesca]

This, it used to be so easy but now it's impossible for many. Some school districts flat out don't allow it and you can get reported to DCFS for doing it ( I don't agree with it all). And even districts that allow it the teachers guilt trip parents to the point they don't want to deal with it.

This is one of the main reasons we're going to try our best to make an amenable private school work, though it's going to be a financial challenge for us. We strongly believe in the value of travel and other cultural experiences, and learning outside a classroom, and I want to be able to take our son out of school when I think it's best for him.

 

[Beer Me]

Yup it's terrible. Than you have the states with super strict truancy laws that are just stupid.

Ours is strict on paper at least which I found out when we took our kids out of school for a trip to Hawaii. We had talked to all of their teachers for work planning and thought everything was ok.

Then upon returning home found a letter threatening legal action etc. I had a meeting with their principal who said it was completely out of her hands. Supposedly there was going to be a court hearing but then… nothing happened. We just ignored it and it went away.

To be clear I’m not giving advice, only my experience, but I have to believe there are so many serious cases of truancy that my straight A kids missing 5 days for a family trip was not a priority for the court system.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

This is one of the main reasons we're going to try our best to make an amenable private school work, though it's going to be a financial challenge for us. We strongly believe in the value of travel and other cultural experiences, and learning outside a classroom, and I want to be able to take our son out of school when I think it's best for him.

It is one of the many reasons we homeschool. Though here its not that hard to pull out for 2-3 days here and there but there is still alot of push back especially for a week.

 

[LSUmiss]

Here now--- DEFINITELY less crowded than what we are used to this time of the year !!!

I was there 7/24-7/27 & completely agree.

 

[DebbieB]

Fall is the new summer. Hotel reservations are hard to get this fall.

 

[randumb0]

Was at MK yesterday but didn't arrive until around 6. Walked on to Pirates and BTMRR had a 15 minute wait