Roughly 25% of MCPS students are chronically absent, and absenteeism response plan delayed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe there are admin and uncredentialed higher up that are paid to squash dissent and teacher opinions on this forum. They insult, dismiss and degrade teachers any time a teacher makes a comment to systemic issues that impede student learning. It just shows the severe lack of respect for the profession and you will not attract new teachers with that additude.

+1000 the MCPS spin machine is on full display. Why anyone would want to discredit a teacher when MCPS has let truancy become out of control is beyond me unless the comment comes from someone who is protecting Central Office.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I don't believe school districts are responsible to ensure kids attend school. That is a parenting issue. I'm sorry, but why waste money on some kind of plan? Parents can send their kids or not.

Yes, agree with this. Why should schools care at this point. Honestly, the ones who are chronically absent are probably the ones who are causing problems at the school so the more they're absent, the better.

Not really, cause then they're out in the community pushing drugs, robbing stores or carjacking.

Keeping kids in school is a public safety and community wellbeing issue and we all should care about it. This selfish mindset is why we're in the mess that we're in right now.

What do you expect the schools to do? For most of these kids (and their parents), they don't care what punishment is enforced. And honestly, why should my kid suffer having to deal with these kids at school when most of them don't even want to be there. My kid actually wants to learn unlike them.

You should care for multiple reasons. These kids are part of our community and having kids mature into adults with no marketable skills is not good for anyone. Also, kids being absent a lot puts more stress on teachers because there is pressure to help these kids make up lost learning so these teachers are less available for your kid. Finally, teachers are under a lot of pressure to pass these kids which ultimately devalues the MCPS HS diploma

Tell me what "we" the parents of kids who care about school, should do to help make the kids who are chronically absent go to school. Like I said, all I can do is worry about my child; and really, as someone with a kid in ES, MS, and HS, I can tell you that teachers are not stressed out about absent kids. All they do (or can do) is give them a barely passing grade. This is hurting the chronically absent kids more than anyone. At some point, people need to take accountability for their OWN actions; and sorry but someone with no marketable skills isn't going to impact me or my child; now or in the future. We might not even be living here once my kid graduates high school.

Teachers are stressed out by chronic absenteeism. I know because I am a HS teacher. I have kids pop back into class the last couple weeks of the quarter and beg to make up enough work to pass or even get a C. There is a lot of pressure from counselors and administrators to help these kids pass. It is exhausting and frustrating and seems unfair to other students who come every day but might still have a C or D.

Yes! I'm so tired of my kids teachers being chronically absent!

I know it's funny. At my kids schools their teachers are out far more than any students.

I think many of the teachers at my kid's school are out at least once a week too. So they're absent about 20% of the time.

We had two teachers in MS out at least twice a week. Really bad year.

In my experience the teachers are also absent more than any kids I know.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Would love to see some more nuanced data on this. Are they saying 18 full days? What do the parents say when contacted? How many can't be reached, versus how many say they didn't know, versus how many say that there was a good reason, versus how many say that their kid is out of control and there's nothing they can do?

At a lot of schools, the attendance records aren't accurate because subs don't keep them correctly or teachers can't correct them for tardies. Also some parents don't bother to write notes when a kid is coming in late after an orthodontist appointment or similar appointment, because no one really cares about that.

My understanding from our MCPS school is that this includes excused absences such as due to illness - meaning we were contacted about this for our elementary schooler who has only 2 unexcused absences the entire year (due to family travel) but 20 excused absences due to the constant illness circulating everywhere. So I’d like to see a better breakdown of how many kids are “chronically absent” based on unexcused absences before deciding whether this warrants the level of concern it seems to be provoking.

This.

If you have kids who tend to get sick easily, suffer from a chronic illness or migraines, have frequent appointments (dental, braces, therapists), etc. then you’ll notice absences. Throw in travel or family functions and the # of days add up quickly.

You know who has ridiculously strict truancy laws? Texas. Do you really want to be like Texas?

If you have kids who get sick that easily (seriously 20/180 days?), then maybe you should skip the travel.

RSV, strep, flu, Covid, strep again, plus throw in a couple of colds. Bam, 20 days. Also not skipping the minimal travel. Illness in 2023 ain’t like illness in 2019. Hopefully 2024 is better.

Yep. This data is worthless if they’re not making any effort to identify what proportion of this absence is due to illness.

[Anonymous]

https://youtu.be/0Tyn6AqyZZ8

It's not just mcps, its corrupted in schools around the nation and would. Mcps is good at punishing and gaslighting their teachers for the students behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't believe school districts are responsible to ensure kids attend school. That is a parenting issue. I'm sorry, but why waste money on some kind of plan? Parents can send their kids or not.

Yes, agree with this. Why should schools care at this point. Honestly, the ones who are chronically absent are probably the ones who are causing problems at the school so the more they're absent, the better.

Not really, cause then they're out in the community pushing drugs, robbing stores or carjacking.

Keeping kids in school is a public safety and community wellbeing issue and we all should care about it. This selfish mindset is why we're in the mess that we're in right now.

What do you expect the schools to do? For most of these kids (and their parents), they don't care what punishment is enforced. And honestly, why should my kid suffer having to deal with these kids at school when most of them don't even want to be there. My kid actually wants to learn unlike them.

You should care for multiple reasons. These kids are part of our community and having kids mature into adults with no marketable skills is not good for anyone. Also, kids being absent a lot puts more stress on teachers because there is pressure to help these kids make up lost learning so these teachers are less available for your kid. Finally, teachers are under a lot of pressure to pass these kids which ultimately devalues the MCPS HS diploma

Tell me what "we" the parents of kids who care about school, should do to help make the kids who are chronically absent go to school. Like I said, all I can do is worry about my child; and really, as someone with a kid in ES, MS, and HS, I can tell you that teachers are not stressed out about absent kids. All they do (or can do) is give them a barely passing grade. This is hurting the chronically absent kids more than anyone. At some point, people need to take accountability for their OWN actions; and sorry but someone with no marketable skills isn't going to impact me or my child; now or in the future. We might not even be living here once my kid graduates high school.

Teachers are stressed out by chronic absenteeism. I know because I am a HS teacher. I have kids pop back into class the last couple weeks of the quarter and beg to make up enough work to pass or even get a C. There is a lot of pressure from counselors and administrators to help these kids pass. It is exhausting and frustrating and seems unfair to other students who come every day but might still have a C or D.

Yes! I'm so tired of my kids teachers being chronically absent!

I know it's funny. At my kids schools their teachers are out far more than any students.

I think many of the teachers at my kid's school are out at least once a week too. So they're absent about 20% of the time.

We had two teachers in MS out at least twice a week. Really bad year.

In my experience the teachers are also absent more than any kids I know.

Maybe if the job wasn't so toxic and overwhelming, I wouldn't need to take time off. You know how parents feel after chaperoning a field trip, a regular school day is way more exhausting. Maybe if students and parents were held accountable for behavior, I wouldn't feel so drained that I needed to take time off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't believe school districts are responsible to ensure kids attend school. That is a parenting issue. I'm sorry, but why waste money on some kind of plan? Parents can send their kids or not.

Yes, agree with this. Why should schools care at this point. Honestly, the ones who are chronically absent are probably the ones who are causing problems at the school so the more they're absent, the better.

Not really, cause then they're out in the community pushing drugs, robbing stores or carjacking.

Keeping kids in school is a public safety and community wellbeing issue and we all should care about it. This selfish mindset is why we're in the mess that we're in right now.

What do you expect the schools to do? For most of these kids (and their parents), they don't care what punishment is enforced. And honestly, why should my kid suffer having to deal with these kids at school when most of them don't even want to be there. My kid actually wants to learn unlike them.

You should care for multiple reasons. These kids are part of our community and having kids mature into adults with no marketable skills is not good for anyone. Also, kids being absent a lot puts more stress on teachers because there is pressure to help these kids make up lost learning so these teachers are less available for your kid. Finally, teachers are under a lot of pressure to pass these kids which ultimately devalues the MCPS HS diploma

Tell me what "we" the parents of kids who care about school, should do to help make the kids who are chronically absent go to school. Like I said, all I can do is worry about my child; and really, as someone with a kid in ES, MS, and HS, I can tell you that teachers are not stressed out about absent kids. All they do (or can do) is give them a barely passing grade. This is hurting the chronically absent kids more than anyone. At some point, people need to take accountability for their OWN actions; and sorry but someone with no marketable skills isn't going to impact me or my child; now or in the future. We might not even be living here once my kid graduates high school.

Teachers are stressed out by chronic absenteeism. I know because I am a HS teacher. I have kids pop back into class the last couple weeks of the quarter and beg to make up enough work to pass or even get a C. There is a lot of pressure from counselors and administrators to help these kids pass. It is exhausting and frustrating and seems unfair to other students who come every day but might still have a C or D.

Yes! I'm so tired of my kids teachers being chronically absent!

I know it's funny. At my kids schools their teachers are out far more than any students.

I think many of the teachers at my kid's school are out at least once a week too. So they're absent about 20% of the time.

We had two teachers in MS out at least twice a week. Really bad year.

In my experience the teachers are also absent more than any kids I know.

Maybe if the job wasn't so toxic and overwhelming, I wouldn't need to take time off. You know how parents feel after chaperoning a field trip, a regular school day is way more exhausting. Maybe if students and parents were held accountable for behavior, I wouldn't feel so drained that I needed to take time off.

So, what's the excuse when the teachers are virtual? There are no field trips, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://youtu.be/0Tyn6AqyZZ8

It's not just mcps, its corrupted in schools around the nation and would. Mcps is good at punishing and gaslighting their teachers for the students behavior.

There you go again, blaming MCPS for your shortcomings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't believe school districts are responsible to ensure kids attend school. That is a parenting issue. I'm sorry, but why waste money on some kind of plan? Parents can send their kids or not.

Yes, agree with this. Why should schools care at this point. Honestly, the ones who are chronically absent are probably the ones who are causing problems at the school so the more they're absent, the better.

Not really, cause then they're out in the community pushing drugs, robbing stores or carjacking.

Keeping kids in school is a public safety and community wellbeing issue and we all should care about it. This selfish mindset is why we're in the mess that we're in right now.

What do you expect the schools to do? For most of these kids (and their parents), they don't care what punishment is enforced. And honestly, why should my kid suffer having to deal with these kids at school when most of them don't even want to be there. My kid actually wants to learn unlike them.

You should care for multiple reasons. These kids are part of our community and having kids mature into adults with no marketable skills is not good for anyone. Also, kids being absent a lot puts more stress on teachers because there is pressure to help these kids make up lost learning so these teachers are less available for your kid. Finally, teachers are under a lot of pressure to pass these kids which ultimately devalues the MCPS HS diploma

Tell me what "we" the parents of kids who care about school, should do to help make the kids who are chronically absent go to school. Like I said, all I can do is worry about my child; and really, as someone with a kid in ES, MS, and HS, I can tell you that teachers are not stressed out about absent kids. All they do (or can do) is give them a barely passing grade. This is hurting the chronically absent kids more than anyone. At some point, people need to take accountability for their OWN actions; and sorry but someone with no marketable skills isn't going to impact me or my child; now or in the future. We might not even be living here once my kid graduates high school.

Teachers are stressed out by chronic absenteeism. I know because I am a HS teacher. I have kids pop back into class the last couple weeks of the quarter and beg to make up enough work to pass or even get a C. There is a lot of pressure from counselors and administrators to help these kids pass. It is exhausting and frustrating and seems unfair to other students who come every day but might still have a C or D.

Yes! I'm so tired of my kids teachers being chronically absent!

I know it's funny. At my kids schools their teachers are out far more than any students.

I think many of the teachers at my kid's school are out at least once a week too. So they're absent about 20% of the time.

We had two teachers in MS out at least twice a week. Really bad year.

In my experience the teachers are also absent more than any kids I know.

Maybe if the job wasn't so toxic and overwhelming, I wouldn't need to take time off. You know how parents feel after chaperoning a field trip, a regular school day is way more exhausting. Maybe if students and parents were held accountable for behavior, I wouldn't feel so drained that I needed to take time off.

Some kids don't attend school for the same reason. School is toxic these days and they need a day off. It is draining when you are trying to learn, but the teacher has to focus on disruptive students who should not be in honors classes. Everyone needs mental health days.

[Anonymous]

Except my students don’t take a few days here and there. They take 50+ days every year and I’m expected to reteach the material because they fail their assessments. I take maybe 2-3 days off per year but am ready to teach the following day.

[Anonymous]

Wow. Just wow. Watch the video because I think it describes toxic gaslighters like yourself. Thanks for degrading education and the teachers that do the job with out good pay, without support, without resources, and among dangerous kids that are out of control because of your apathy. You truly are mcps and dcum scum.

[Anonymous]

You are an abusive bully and you fit in perfectly with mcps. We teachers are not afraid of your kind. I feel sorry for you.

[Anonymous]

Can yall believe this turd who wants to attack teachers as having shortcomings? It would be outrageous if it wasnt so expected. Lol.

[Anonymous]

The absences (excused) add up quickly for the dentist, the orthodontist and a visit to the pediatrician. Why the orthodontist isn’t open in the afternoons, I do not know. Same for dentist. The providers could be more helpful - especially when your kid needs to have a regular appointment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The absences (excused) add up quickly for the dentist, the orthodontist and a visit to the pediatrician. Why the orthodontist isn’t open in the afternoons, I do not know. Same for dentist. The providers could be more helpful - especially when your kid needs to have a regular appointment.

Yeah, that's a shift that most of healthcare doesn't want to make. Probably because doctors have families too and don't want to be working from 3-10 pm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The absences (excused) add up quickly for the dentist, the orthodontist and a visit to the pediatrician. Why the orthodontist isn’t open in the afternoons, I do not know. Same for dentist. The providers could be more helpful - especially when your kid needs to have a regular appointment.

Yeah, that's a shift that most of healthcare doesn't want to make. Probably because doctors have families too and don't want to be working from 3-10 pm.

Many dental offices (especially orthodontists) have office hours beginning at 7am. Some general dentists have Saturday hours. With all the MCPS half days and holidays, there’s opportunities to schedule appointments without missing class time.