Pulling a Kid out of School for a Trp

[aprilgail]

I would also definitely avoid any of the major times where attendance is very very important or mandatory.
The end of grading periods, where studying and doing final testing are going on... Mandatory State Testing week... etc.

That is actually the BEST time to go away here- they don't get much other work done during state testing weeks and over 60% of the kids here refuse the state tests so they basically just sit in the auditorium and hang out while the other kids take the tests. One of the years there were 25 kids in my daughters class and only THREE of them took the state tests, the rest of the kids went to the gym and hung out until they were over.

 

[DonaldnDaisy5]

I would check attendance policy and then do what you have to do, but don't have expectations that all work can be prepared and given to you ahead of time. Sometimes that is just an unreasonable request on a teacher. And remember teachers (and some times districts dont make the attendance requirements - some are from the state level).

 

[tvguy]

That is actually the BEST time to go away here- they don't get much other work done during state testing weeks and over 60% of the kids here refuse the state tests so they basically just sit in the auditorium and hang out while the other kids take the tests. One of the years there were 25 kids in my daughters class and only THREE of them took the state tests, the rest of the kids went to the gym and hung out until they were over.

That's interesting. The federal "Every Student Succeeds Act" signed into law in 2015 by President Obama requires schools to have at least 95% of their students take standardized testing. So students can opt out, but not more than 5%.
No idea what the penalty is, however.

https://www.cta.org/~/media/Documen...ng Standards/Parent Opt Out QA Final (2).ashx

https://www.ed.gov/essa?src=rn

 

[Wishing on a star]

I am not a current expert... But it seems that here, you practically have to provide a death certificate to get out of the State testing.
They have always stressed very heavily that ALL students should show up prepared, well rested, and ready to participate.
They provide free breakfast and snacks for all students. Etc.

And, for the higher grades (the OP is talking about Kindergarten) the finals can be a pretty good percentage of the final grade. You would not want to miss finals if your grades were not excellent.

 

[mnrose]

I would not hesitate to pull a kindergartener for a family trip, and I did that when mine were that age. Did it several more times in elementary school. Stopped doing it once they hit the age to take high school classes. They can miss a TON in a few consecutive days.

 

[aprilgail]

That's interesting. The federal "Every Student Succeeds Act" signed into law in 2015 by President Obama requires schools to have at least 95% of their students take standardized testing. So students can opt out, but not more than 5%.
No idea what the penalty is, however.

https://www.cta.org/~/media/Documents/Issues Action/Testing Standards/Parent Opt Out QA Final (2).ashx

https://www.ed.gov/essa?src=rn

https://www.newsday.com/long-island...test-top-50-percent-on-long-island-1.13330631

One local district had a 87% opt out rate this year.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

I think it really depends on your school district. Some are very strict. I think most teachers, especially at the younger grades, are pretty understanding. As for making WDW sound like an "educational trip," I think that also depends on the school district. For many districts, attendance is factored into state ratings and educational funding. Our school doesn't mind if you take your kids out, but they want it to be an excused absence, because that doesn't impact their attendance rating. If you write a letter detailing the educational benefits of WDW, they can approve it as an excused "alternate learning experience." It's a dog-and-pony show, but, whatever works.

We took our son out once, when he was in 3rd grade. Acadmically, it was totally fine. However, it stressed him out to miss school. (I didn't really realize how much until my sister called to tell him he was missing a snow day at home. He was so relieved. And after that, when we were planning a vacation, he'd ask if he'd have to miss school for it.) So, basically, even though he was totally academically OK with missing, it stressed him out that he felt like he "should" be at school and wasn't. We haven't pulled him out again, unless it was unavoidable.

hahaha I can see myself trying to make WDW sound like an "Educational Trip." I would never do that. Now, if we were traveling to someplace historical, then I can see, but now.

And to the OP, I would totally do it, as long as the school doesn't have a super-strict policy about taking a child out for vacation, this is the perfect time to do it. We were only able to take our kids to Disney by pulling them out of school (before our oldest reached high school age). Now all our kids would be on the adult rate for Disney, and the prices for school vacation times are higher (not to mention more crowded). I am so glad we took them when we could. None of them can remember any random week of school, but they all can remember the Disney trips in almost their entirety, and we still enjoy reliving those memories

My daughter hasn't reached public school age yet, so I haven't had to the need to read up on the attendance requirements, but I'm planning on doing that before next year. I would love to take a family trip during the summer, or right before school starts, but my wife is a self-employed musician, and summers are a major work time for her. The only time we took a trip in the summer was for our honeymoon, and for a death in the family. Outside that we don't travel in the summer.

I would not hesitate, at the younger grade levels.
I do not think that Kindergarten is mandatory here, either.

I would just advise you to be aware of all school policies regarding absence. And, adhere to these as much as possible.

I would not try to 'sell' the trip as having any educational value.
I would not seem to be asking for permission or approval.
I would be sure to advise the school/teachers in advance with a written notice.

"My child ______________ will be out of school on mm/dd/yy, mm/dd/yy, ....
We will be happy to get any assignments in advance, and to see that he/she completes any required make-up work.
signed: __________________________

I would also definitely avoid any of the major times where attendance is very very important or mandatory.
The end of grading periods, where studying and doing final testing are going on... Mandatory State Testing week... etc.

As I said above, I've not had reason to research the attendance policy of the local public school district, but now that my daughter is less than a year away from attending public school, I'm going to have to start doing that.

Letting the teachers know in advance is a good idea, hadn't thought of that.

And yes, I would avoid major times of the year. I think that's a given.

Our district is strict. I’ve heard of parents getting truancy letters in the mail for more than 3 days out regardless of the reason. Our district gets funding depending on daily attendance.
I don’t plan to pull my kids out for trips. We prefer to take vacations in the summer. It’s less stressful and hectic and I can save money by not paying for summer camp.

I wish we could take vacations in the summer, but my wife's a working musician. Summer's are that time of the year when she works the most, so a family vacation is out. When my daughter gets older that might be an options for a daddy daughter trip, but not as a family.

The OP really needs to know her district's policy. I don't think kindergarten is a big deal and the OP should take the opportunity to travel when she still can. But in subsequent grades, the district policies vary widely, even with neighboring districts. Some districts like our school district, makeup homework would not be accepted. No makeup tests are given. Anything missed during an unexcused absence is an automatic 0.

Just because one person's district is accommodating, that does not mean the district next door would be. A few people here have stated they have been in or are still in very strict districts. Since this topic comes up regularly, policies across districts seem to vary from very lenient to very strict.

As I mentioned earlier, until now I've not had the need to know the schools attendance policy, but now that my daughter's getting close to that age I'm going to have to start looking at it.

 

[Skippy918]

OP - your school district might also have a Facebook group page you can join. Ours does and people ask all sorts of questions on it.

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

I think there is a huge difference pulling kids for trips around the world verses WDW. I'm all for the types of trips you've gifted your children with; repeated trips to WDW, though, not so much.

We've taken our kids out of school when they were young for WDW. It was the only time we could have gone. The beauty of freedom is being able to choose what works best for you and your family. We never cared what others thought of our lifestyle. It worked well for us.

 

[neverlandsky]

We pulled a 7th and 9th grader for the first time during the school year this past fall. Work wise blocked us out the entire summer vacation wise. We made it a one and done. A one and done vacation experience during the school year for the 13 years they are in school isn't going hurt. Just be prepared to help your kids out in catching them up, organization, & concepts they missed.

 

[Turn the Page]

My daughter hasn't reached public school age yet, so I haven't had to the need to read up on the attendance requirements, but I'm planning on doing that before next year. I would love to take a family trip during the summer, or right before school starts, but my wife is a self-employed musician, and summers are a major work time for her. The only time we took a trip in the summer was for our honeymoon, and for a death in the family. Outside that we don't travel in the summer.

I work in the summer too and frankly, DH is too busy at work to take much time off in the summer. Add to that the fact that SD7 spends a few weeks with her mother every year, and we never know when those few weeks will be until early May or so, it pretty much means family vacations in the summer are out for us.

Not everyone can travel on school vacations and it really find it funny when people make comments along the lines of "we don't take our kids out of school for vacations, we value education" or as a PP said, taking kids out of school for vacation shows you what their values are. Really? Some families don't have a choice and I find it really hard to believe that pulling a kid who is academically on target out of school for a week for a family vacation indicates education is not valued in the home. That's ridiculous.

 

[Hikergirl]

We never hesitated to pull our kids out when they were younger. I didn't think I would do it after they started middle school but one year when 1 was in middle school and 2 were in HS a vacation opportunity came up and we pulled them out. They were asked if they wanted to, they knew the expectations on schoolwork and the consequences for missing and they were ok with it. It was one of our best family vacations ever and totally worth it. May do it again this year since I have one in college now with a different schedule and summer won't work out for us.

 

[tvguy]

https://www.newsday.com/long-island...test-top-50-percent-on-long-island-1.13330631

One local district had a 87% opt out rate this year.

Thanks. Interesting. Since it was an Obama initiative not sure Trump is going to enforce any penalties.

 

[2forMe]

I don't think pulling a student out of kindergarten for a few days is a big deal, BUT it could go on their permanent record...

Hopefully your comment is meant to be funny?..

 

[Minnesota!]

K - 3, not a big deal. After that, at my kids school, they would miss way too much. That is how we got around to loving August for WDW.

 

[Colleen27]

I work in the summer too and frankly, DH is too busy at work to take much time off in the summer. Add to that the fact that SD7 spends a few weeks with her mother every year, and we never know when those few weeks will be until early May or so, it pretty much means family vacations in the summer are out for us.

Not everyone can travel on school vacations and it really find it funny when people make comments along the lines of "we don't take our kids out of school for vacations, we value education" or as a PP said, taking kids out of school for vacation shows you what their values are. Really? Some families don't have a choice and I find it really hard to believe that pulling a kid who is academically on target out of school for a week for a family vacation indicates education is not valued in the home. That's ridiculous.

Like, like, like! The way these threads go makes me crazy. I assume anyone who cares enough to ask values education - otherwise they wouldn't care about how best to handle vacationing during the school year! But not all of us have a lot of control over when we can travel. My husband has worked his entire adult life in seasonal professions. If we limited travel to summer vacation, he could never travel with us. And because DS's father wants time on/around the major holidays it isn't as simple as "go over Christmas/Easter", not to mention the fact that time with extended family also matters. We do value education. We also value family time and the memories we make when we travel. It isn't one over the other, it is the best way to balance both. And every family has to figure out that balance for themselves because every family's circumstances are different.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

I work in the summer too and frankly, DH is too busy at work to take much time off in the summer. Add to that the fact that SD7 spends a few weeks with her mother every year, and we never know when those few weeks will be until early May or so, it pretty much means family vacations in the summer are out for us.

Not everyone can travel on school vacations and it really find it funny when people make comments along the lines of "we don't take our kids out of school for vacations, we value education" or as a PP said, taking kids out of school for vacation shows you what their values are. Really? Some families don't have a choice and I find it really hard to believe that pulling a kid who is academically on target out of school for a week for a family vacation indicates education is not valued in the home. That's ridiculous.

Like, like, like! The way these threads go makes me crazy. I assume anyone who cares enough to ask values education - otherwise they wouldn't care about how best to handle vacationing during the school year! But not all of us have a lot of control over when we can travel. My husband has worked his entire adult life in seasonal professions. If we limited travel to summer vacation, he could never travel with us. And because DS's father wants time on/around the major holidays it isn't as simple as "go over Christmas/Easter", not to mention the fact that time with extended family also matters. We do value education. We also value family time and the memories we make when we travel. It isn't one over the other, it is the best way to balance both. And every family has to figure out that balance for themselves because every family's circumstances are different.

I don't let people like that get to me. I ask the question, read the comments and go on from there. We, like most people, value education, but as I've said before, my wife is a musician and works heavily in the summer as well as Christmas time. So we look for other vacation opportunities. As my daughter gets older I may take wind up taking her to the World during the summer, but that's a conversation I'll have with my wife in a few years. But for now it'll be taking her out of school.

 

[bethy]

We've done it about once per year through the end of middle school. We haven't tried High school yet but at that point it will probably depend on the nature of the trip itself. No regrets at all.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Like, like, like! The way these threads go makes me crazy. I assume anyone who cares enough to ask values education - otherwise they wouldn't care about how best to handle vacationing during the school year! But not all of us have a lot of control over when we can travel. My husband has worked his entire adult life in seasonal professions. If we limited travel to summer vacation, he could never travel with us. And because DS's father wants time on/around the major holidays it isn't as simple as "go over Christmas/Easter", not to mention the fact that time with extended family also matters. We do value education. We also value family time and the memories we make when we travel. It isn't one over the other, it is the best way to balance both. And every family has to figure out that balance for themselves because every family's circumstances are different.

Of course the flip side of that is there's always that one person that has to state their defiant stance of deliberately removing kids from school because they value family time - as if those who schedule vacation during school breaks don't.

 

[Micca]

I can only report my experiences from many years ago. We took our twin DDs out of school for WDW trips semi-regularly all through their school career. When we told the school teachers/admin what we were doing, the typical response was "Can I go with you?" DDs are all grown up now, and by any measure are successful, responsible adults. The results will vary for others, this was in the 80s/90s.