Question about no child left behind?

[HopperFan]

Before you get too frightened, remember that "may" is the operative word when it comes to things like threats of having to appear before truancy court. If you politely make your case, in writing, and make sure that the school has dated copies (preferably with your copies dated and signed), then no truancy court in the country is going to be very hard on you, and most won't even bother with you, beyond perhaps levying a fine and sending a warning letter. Truancy courts have MUCH bigger fish to fry with kids who are out for months at a time and parents who couldn't give a flying flip about it. A parent who has asked in advance for just a few days and made sure arrangements are made to have work accounted for is not going to draw maximum penalties.

Totally agree - every district, administrator, teacher etc are going to handle each case differently. You won't know until you ask. They can't penalize you for asking to work something out. My school teacher worked it with me, and I know others that have had positive experiences as well. Before you do anything else, I would talk to the person that you think you should start with at your school. Just knowing the "rules" may help you in presenting your case and working it out.

Good luck, and I hope you can go

 

[princesspwrhr]

I can't seem to find on the website is illness is considered excused or unexcused? He has only been out for sickness.

click on the link for the PDF file http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/_documents/doe/legalservices/160-5-1-.10.pdf about halfway down the first page - section 2 Requirements sub section c.1.i

Medical illness is excused as long as you have documentation.

I just had to go through this when I pulled my neice out of school in December. I think she's in Douglas also, she's in Dallas and the location of her house could go either way. Here's the Douglas county schools attendence policy. http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/_documents/attendance/648_StdAttnProt.pdf

When we took my neice out, I wrote 2 letters, one long and detailed, and one short and sweet. I let my SIL decide which one to use. She's terrified of 'big brother school' and I think she used the long one but it doesn't matter - the 5 days were unexcused becuase it was vacation. Her teacher was great, even asked to hide in the suitcase and gave her her work to make up - which, according to the individuals school policy she didn't have to do. I made my neice a journal and my SIL hasn't said there were any problems upon return. Now, of course my neice cannot miss any further unexcused days this year or my SIL will have to petition the truancy since she knew where her daughter was blah blah blah, but unless her dad does something stupid (they're divorced and it was nasty) that won't be a problem.

Honestly, I would not stress about a trip at the end of the school year. It's after all the testing where they strip the classrooms, there will only be 2 weeks left when you get back - how likely is it that your 3rd grader is going to be absent from school without you knowing about it between now and then? Next to zero right? I would let the teacher know he will be absent on those days for a family trip and if she asks why during the school year say that you planned it to cause the least disruption in his education but your dates were limited as you're not the one financing it. Ask if she would be willing to gather up some work for him to do, keep a journal and have a great time.

And honestly at that late date in the year, I wouldn't mess with the withdrawl, re enroll hassle. IF and it's a big if you'd even have to do it then, IF you have to withdraw him, see if you have someone your son can stay with those 2 weeks and send in a notice of intent to homeschool him for the 2 weeks. If you want information on the legalities of homeschooling in GA pm me. Then enroll him for 4th grade so you don't have to go through the will he be in the same class mess.

 

[chrismom2005]

If it looks like you will be in big trouble, simply withdraw your child from school and reregister at the beginning of the next year.

check the rules with this at my school if you miss the last two weeks of school they wont be able to go ahead to the next grade.

 

[Daydreamer64]

Georgia here too- Clayton County!

Last year middle DS had pnuemonia and missed 6 days of school the second week after it started back . I got all kinds of letters with warnings and speeches about it affecting his grades and disrupting the classroom playing catch-up-

the kid had pnuemonia- he returned to school with his note from the doctor . I asked them if they would have rather I sent the kid to school to share?

I still had to go see the princ. and coun. because blah... blah... blah...- my kids have been straight "A/E" students since they were in 4-k. They are so ahead of the school system grade levels that it's not even funny. I homeschool them and send them to school to participate in activities-seriously. The school needs to be thankful that I allow them to teach my kids who bring up their test scores and so on...both boys are an asset to their schools compaired to most of the other students there.


Fast forward to this year- I take both boys out in September for 2 days to go to WDW with Grandpa who has cancer, with "permission" from teachers and prins. but still unexcussed. OK- all grades are made up, Everything's going great.

October comes- both have "flu" -fevers 102 plus- no school for two days again- teetering on trouble -we've missed 4 days so far, we don't do the doctors because all the kids at school had it so no need- knew what to expect.

November DS middle- is diagnosed with diabetes- misses one excused day ( day 5 now ) when checked out of hospital and needed to get all the meds, needles ect in order to send them to school with him.

The next three mornings he is late by about 10 to 15 mins each- give me a break- we are trying to learn and remember how to count the foods to insulin ration including trying to get a 10 year old to understand that there is no bargaining about taking his shots and that once he takes his insulin that he needs to eat to cover the dose- so we run a little behind-

All heck breaks loose!- I get told that others have diabetes and are not late- well excuse me! I didn't blame the tardys on the diabetes- we are trying to help him work through this - he had only been taking shots for 3 days before we were sent home to figure it out on our own- I told them that he needed just a little time for compassion issues for pete's sake- the kid's life has changed for ever and if he needs a little extra TLC from home - they can go jump!

Anyway, round two coming up- both boys again with the virus "thing" and I take them to the doctor for school notes to be excused ( because I have too! )- cost us $50 to get a note from the doctor for both of them. I think I know when they are too sick for school ,especially with fevers -the school would have sent them back home anyway.

That's 7 days out for DMS and 6 days out for DFS-I'm waiting on the notices for truncy court dates and fines. I know they are coming. I really think it's a big old pain in the ...well, anyway, they are my kids and I will not send them to school sick -

I think that the school should have to pay for the doctors visits if they won't excuse the sick kids on a parents word- IF they are not repeat offenders.
So, yes Georgia is very hard on kids being out of school- the school do not have to allow the unexcussed ab. work to be made up either-

both boys have asthma too, we haven't missed any days for that yet- spring time is when it hits them- I have the pediapred and albuterols meds and so on at home so no need to go to he doctors for the same advice- we'll see what comes of it-

 

[abrownfamily]

Daydreamer-

That is the craziest thing I have heard. Usually, school districts show much more empathy than that. I am an elementary teacher in New Hamphire. Our policy is more generous than yours. And, in cases like a child being diagnosed with diabetes, we are not only obligated, but eager to help the family adjust. I guess that your school district is not so interested in care of the whole child. In addition, it is well stated in our parent handbook that children with fever above 100, or those who have thrown up, are not able to come to school. I really can't believe that they put you through that!!!

 

[jnordan]

Great -- so NCLB is driving up health care costs. Just what we need!

 

[FloridaTeacher]

NCLB will not create a problem with you taking your child out of school for a 5 day vacation. This legislation (which IMHO needs to be completely revamped or trashed) is open to INTERPETATION!! It's all in how your school district interprets it. The school district I work in (and my children attend) has no problems in excusing students for a vacation IF that student is not habitually truant. We are in an area with a lot of military and most folks understand that when Dad or Mom come home from overseas or has time off does not always coincide with a traditional school calendar.

Also talk with your child's teacher(s) before you go, they may give alternate activities that you can do on your trip. This is especially true in the early elementary years. When my youngest was in first grade and we went, one of his assignments was to get a menu from a restaurant that we went to and total the price of his meal. We also brought back park maps (the ones you get as you go in) for his whole class, they did several activities with those. As a matter of fact, this teacher has kept them and used them with other classes since then.

 

[FloridaTeacher]

Forgot to add - I thought Florida was a headache??? I'm glad I'm not in Georgia!

 

[ksloane]

check the rules with this at my school if you miss the last two weeks of school they wont be able to go ahead to the next grade.

This is true where I teach in Texas too....our policy is if you miss 10% of the days in a semester (which is about 8 for us) you do not get credit for a class (I teach high school) even if you have an A average. And exceptions are generally only made for major illnesses - not family vacations.

Don't know how things work in other states, but this is really not our school's fault..we're not the bad guys. We are graded and paid based on attendance. If kids miss, we suffer financially and that is looked at along with state test scores to decide if a district is acceptable or not. And believe me being unacceptable is BAD NEWS. The school my mom teaches as was unacceptable last year and it has been a miserable year this year (and if they are unacceptable this year, the principals and superintendent are automatically fired and all teachers are released and must reapply through the state if they wish to keep their jobs). No Child Left Behind has created horrible pressures for our public school systems.

 

[jpaxton1118]

You guys have been the biggest help. I understand why they have this rule but there should be exceptions. I guess I will just go and talk to the teacher and counsler, give some suggestions about extra work he could do and then go from there. We are moving to a different county this summer so we will not have any problems next year.

If they say no I guess I will just have to see what my punishment is going to be because we need to go and I think that we will. I would rather be punished then punish my child and tell him he can't go on a trip.

 

[lastminutemom]

FloridaTeacher

The problem is that in Georgia to make AYP, only a certain percentage of students can miss more than 15 days both at the school level and the system level. Georgia has choosen to make this a criteria and we all may be suffering because of it.

(I am not a fan of NCLB.)

Because elementary schools seem to have the most influence over parents, and the students are less likely to skip school than middle and high schoolers, school systems seem to be stressing this no vacation thing from K up!

Last year, legislation (or State school board rules, can't remember which) made truancy a juvinile court problem. If a school system wants to, and many do, they can get the court involved very quickly. I will add that most of the cases that I have seen involve high schoolers skipping classes and parents not doing anything about it.

The original poster simply needs to speak to the powers that be to let them know her plans and what can she do to mitigate any problems that it might cause them.

Attending a conference in a few weeks to work with advocates around the country to reshape NCLB (I am a parent, not a teacher)

 

[daisyduck123]

1st grade teacher here...

Talk to his teacher.
I'm betting she'll say to go.

I've got a student heading to WDW on Tuesday.
I told his dad how jealous I am and to have a great time.

(I'm taking my own DD12 & DS8 and myself out in May. We will all miss 6 school days)

 

[dfarner]

Great -- so NCLB is driving up health care costs. Just what we need!

 

[ampc3]

Henry county here... to the Op I would find out when they are doing the CRCT testing, I know here it is in April. If it is the same in your county then I really wouldn't worry to much about it. As someone mentioned earlier there is ALOT of steps to go thru to turn in the whole trunacy thing ,and then the courts HAVE to decide if it is worth persuing, which in your case that is NOT truency..
ANY illiness should be excused.. My kids missed 2 days of school in OCT for an out of state Wedding, and I got one of those form letters stating the truency laws blah blah blah, and what "could' happen after 5 unexcused days.

The thing that made me mad was I talked to their teachers ahead and thought it was going to be excused and then it showed up on the their report cards as unexcused . It almost forces you to lie, b/c it seems like no matter what your reasons are it is going to be unexcused unless they are sick..
Which of course you can't do that, and have your kids going to school saying whatever they just did, plus the message that would send to them.
Go and enjoy your trip I wouldn't worry about it to much! Good luck

 

[Daydreamer64]

FloridaTeacher

The problem is that in Georgia to make AYP, only a certain percentage of students can miss more than 15 days both at the school level and the system level. Georgia has choosen to make this a criteria and we all may be suffering because of it.

(I am not a fan of NCLB.)

I don't understand where you got the 15 days number but our student handbooks and the "contract" that we have to sign saying that we understand the laws says no more then 5 unexcussed days per year in Georgia.

Anyway, it all comes out to us not missing more then 5 days- what gets me is we have to provide documentation for illness from medical authorities before "out sick" is excussed. I can take a temp and know when it is up, as well as throwing up ect... Why do I have to pay for a docotor's visit, take sick kids out and share with others waiting to see the doctor and possibily expose them to other illnesses while their immune system is weak? - I hate being forced to comply to cover the parents who don't care at all, especially since they still don't care even with the notices-

 

[tea4sanity]

" what gets me is we have to provide documentation for illness from medical authorities before "out sick" is excussed. I can take a temp and know when it is up, as well as throwing up ect... Why do I have to pay for a docotor's visit, take sick kids out and share with others waiting to see the doctor and possibily expose them to other illnesses while their immune system is weak? "


I totally agree with you. I just got a letter in the mail on wednesday saying that my son (13 & 8th grade) missed 10 days of school this year (all we are allowed). The part I love is if the kid is sent home from the nurse on tuesday with a fever he cannot go back until thursday - 24hrs of fever free. So uness I take him to the doctor on tuesday it is unexcused AND the doctor will not write a note unless he is actually running a fever at the time of visit? Top that off its very very rare to get into see her unles symptoms last more than 3 days or gets worse. This has happened 3 times this year.


We are taking him out of school for 8 days in April. I did plan it after the reviewing & the testing is finished but schoolis not over until the end of June. We tried to schedule it around break but DH cannot get off for any of them even putting in for it over a year in advance. We considered waiting until the fall but DD will be in K, then its having 2 kidsmissing school. This is the first vacation we have taken in 10 years, so its clear we do not abuse the situation. I know it will be a fight with the principal but we'll do what we can.

 

[jpaxton1118]

It is scary that the state can have so much control over your family. I am my son's homeroom mom, I have helped the teacher on many different occasions, I am the one parent that is consistenly there when they have a inclass school function. So we are very involved. I think I should be credited with all of this. It shows that I am very concerend and involved parent. When my son is sick the first thing I do in the morning is email his teacher. I have been called a few different times to come and pick him up also.

I understand that there are parents out there that don't care and I believe they are the ones that should be in trouble. It just does not seem fair.

I am writing a letter right now for his teacher and she what her reaction is and then go from there. Any tips about what I should write would be great! I am really bad at wording what I want to say.

You all have been so wonderful. I am so glad this site is out there.

 

[mjantz]

The reason schools require a drs note is because too many parents will let little Johnny stay home 'sick' when he just doesn't feel like going or Mom or Dad just don't feel like taking him to school or whatever. Its a PITA & an added expense that most of us don't need but that's the reason why.

My kids school does a day by day breakdown of how many absences & how much it costs the school whenever a kid is absent (approx. $30/day). Considering we're charter & get 1/2 the funds of your average public school, they need every penny they can get.

 

[Kellyscrapbooks]

This whole thing makes me crazy. :::::::::::::::edited to remove the part where I ranted for about 2 pages about how ridiculous the school districts are and how I really feel about this "no child left behind act"

What I really think it should be called is the no kid left untested to death act.

 

[chrismom2005]

if you need a doctors note what about when your child has a really bad cold. no fever no puking but i dont send him if he is coughing up a lung. luckly my school doesnt require a doctors note for a couple of days off. only for extended time off for sickness