Unexcused absence

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yea OP - you kinda blew this one.

The standardized test is kind of a big deal and I understand the principal's frustration.

Around MSA time, DS' school sends a pamphlet home and leaves a robo-call message. #1 on both is "Please make sure your child is at school that day." They then go on to say that if your child is absent that special accomodations have to be made for your child to take the test and it is disruptive to your child, the teachers and the other children.

So....probably not an issue that you publicly want to vent over.

Really, the MSA is a big deal? It is a big deal to the school, because it is how the school's performance is measured...so the schools make a huge deal about it, but it is my understanding that it really has almost no impact on the child - no impact on you're child's placements or ultimately getting into college. If you miss the test, then you miss the test. Why require a "make-up"? Especially if the make-up is going to negatively impact the rest of the children.

While the child was absent due to non-medical reasons, we don't know what those reasons are. Many are assuming a vacation, and while that may be the case, it could also have been a valid reason. I pulled my son out of ES for 2 days to travel out of town to attend my mother's (his grandmother's) funeral, and I was told that it was an unexcused absense. So, it was an "unexcused absense" - I could care less. Somethings are more important than a day of school.

You're wrong. If your child doesn't do well and you are looking for the school to provide extra supports or accommodations, MSA scores will be reviewed and will impact the ability to successfully secure these things for your child.

[Anonymous]

I find it hard to believe that OP's child was the ONLY absent child during testing. Surely at least one other child in the school was out that day. I would think all schools would have to have have an alternate test day scheduled anyway for the kids who were sick or absent due to some emergency.

I guess I fail as a parent because there are dozens of things (wedding, funderal, unique vacation, special event) that I think would be more important for my child to do than sit for this type of standardized test if there were a conflict that day. And I would hope that if my child were somehow struggling in school and needed extra help or services, neither the teacher nor I would need a standardized test to alert us to that fact.

[Anonymous]

As a parent, of course you have the right to keep your kid out of school for whatever reason you want.

Just don't get on a public message baord and b*tch because the principal sent you an email about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it hard to believe that OP's child was the ONLY absent child during testing. Surely at least one other child in the school was out that day. I would think all schools would have to have have an alternate test day scheduled anyway for the kids who were sick or absent due to some emergency.

I guess I fail as a parent because there are dozens of things (wedding, funderal, unique vacation, special event) that I think would be more important for my child to do than sit for this type of standardized test if there were a conflict that day. And I would hope that if my child were somehow struggling in school and needed extra help or services, neither the teacher nor I would need a standardized test to alert us to that fact.

I would hope nor too, but what I said was they can help you secure services and accommodations, not identify a struggling child. When you need the school to provide accommodations and supports, you need everything you can get to convince them. You are lucky you never had to experience this.

[Anonymous]

Really? Screw the standardized test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Really? Screw the standardized test.

Given that this is never going to happen, doesn't it piss you off even a little when people saw screw the standardized test and don't show up thereby resulting in your child losing instructional time?

[Anonymous]

This standardized test is how schools are ranked. If too many kids blow the test off and don't take it...the school doesn't make AYP and your property values suffer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Really, the MSA is a big deal? It is a big deal to the school, because it is how the school's performance is measured...so the schools make a huge deal about it, but it is my understanding that it really has almost no impact on the child - no impact on you're child's placements or ultimately getting into college. If you miss the test, then you miss the test. Why require a "make-up"? Especially if the make-up is going to negatively impact the rest of the children.

In the olden days, pre No Child Left Behind, if kids were absent on state test days, they just didn't take the test.

This led SOME schools, unscrupulous ones, to HIGHLY ENCOURAGE parents to keep their kids home those days, if the kids were not going to do well on the tests!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This standardized test is how schools are ranked. If too many kids blow the test off and don't take it...the school doesn't make AYP and your property values suffer.

Sheep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Really, the MSA is a big deal? It is a big deal to the school, because it is how the school's performance is measured...so the schools make a huge deal about it, but it is my understanding that it really has almost no impact on the child - no impact on you're child's placements or ultimately getting into college. If you miss the test, then you miss the test. Why require a "make-up"? Especially if the make-up is going to negatively impact the rest of the children.

In the olden days, pre No Child Left Behind, if kids were absent on state test days, they just didn't take the test.

This led SOME schools, unscrupulous ones, to HIGHLY ENCOURAGE parents to keep their kids home those days, if the kids were not going to do well on the tests!

That's a mild way of putting it. It was more like principals getting to their resource teachers and encouraging dumb students to stay home on HSA days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This standardized test is how schools are ranked. If too many kids blow the test off and don't take it...the school doesn't make AYP and your property values suffer.

Sheep.

How so? If a kid doesn't take the test, they're automatically scored at a basic level. Too many basics=not making AYP.

The following year, the school starts to focus more on test prep and 'stressing' to parents that their child should eat a good breakfast and come to school on time on testing days. Next thing you know, a thread here pops up about how parents at XYZ school are dissatisfied, their kid isn't challenged....lather, rinse, repeat.

I hate the heavy dependence on standardized testing too...but I know in order for my kid's school to stay away from the drill and kill curriculum...I better have him there on test days, just like other parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

<< bunch of stuff snipped >>

While the child was absent due to non-medical reasons, we don't know what those reasons are. Many are assuming a vacation, and while that may be the case, it could also have been a valid reason. I pulled my son out of ES for 2 days to travel out of town to attend my mother's (his grandmother's) funeral, and I was told that it was an unexcused absense. So, it was an "unexcused absense" - I could care less. Somethings are more important than a day of school.

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/parents/basics/schoolbasics/#4

PP, of course you were 100% right to pull the child for his grandmother's funeral. The above link says "death in immediate family" is excused absence. In my book, the grandmother qualifies as immediate family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

<< bunch of stuff snipped >>

While the child was absent due to non-medical reasons, we don't know what those reasons are. Many are assuming a vacation, and while that may be the case, it could also have been a valid reason. I pulled my son out of ES for 2 days to travel out of town to attend my mother's (his grandmother's) funeral, and I was told that it was an unexcused absense. So, it was an "unexcused absense" - I could care less. Somethings are more important than a day of school.

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/parents/basics/schoolbasics/#4

PP, of course you were 100% right to pull the child for his grandmother's funeral. The above link says "death in immediate family" is excused absence. In my book, the grandmother qualifies as immediate family.

Your book does not mean squat. "Immediate family" means those living under the same roof.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

PP, of course you were 100% right to pull the child for his grandmother's funeral. The above link says "death in immediate family" is excused absence. In my book, the grandmother qualifies as immediate family.

It really doesn't matter what your interpretation is. The school interpretation is that grandparents are not immediate family. They'll still record the absence as unexcused for the child. You can try to appeal, but it's unlikely they'll bend the rules for one child. Everyone has to live by the same rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a parent, of course you have the right to keep your kid out of school for whatever reason you want.

Just don't get on a public message baord and b*tch because the principal sent you an email about it.

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