Chronic Absenteeism

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:would a modified loss of credit policy work? Modified so that students with real barriers will be given a plan that works for them but students who skip class "because they can" would possibly loss credit for the class?

MCPS teacher here who began working when we could threaten an E3… read the OLD policy below:

“In compliance with the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Attendance Policy/Grading and Reporting Policy, parents will receive three day and five day notifications of unlawful absences. If your student has fewer than five (5) unlawful (unexcused) absences, it is considered a warning. If your student has five (5) or more unlawful (unexcused) absences, your student is in danger of receiving a failing grade. If this happens, students will receive an “E3” on their final semester grade only to designate the attendance failure.
Please remember that students have three (3) days after returning to school from being absent to present a note to the attendance secretary excusing the absence.
Remember that three (3) unexcused tardies equals one (1) unlawful absence.“ (https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/schools/high-schools/r-w/rockvillehs/uploadedfiles/academics/attendance20policy.pdf)

Believe it or not: This worked. Kids did not skip class because they knew they wouldn’t pass. MCPS got rid of it bc it was “racist” which I disagree with.

They need to bring this back AND we need parents who actually care. I have met with so many parents who “didn’t know” their kid was skipping. Which is pretty hard to believe with all the required communication MCPS sends home. Parents need to quit playing dumb and parent their kids. Society is going to pot.

Was this explained in writing anywhere?

All I found was this article: https://thermtide.com/8082/popular/mcps-and-maryland-school-attendance-policies-retain-flaws/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lol, my kids and I are not the problem. One is doing well an a top 10, and the other 2 are coasting (a second will start at a top 10 in the Fall). MCPS dumbed down the curriculum to the lowest common denominator years ago. The smart ones get it, don't need to do any homework, get As on exams (and even figure out that with a 54 or 63 on a midterm or last test), can still get an A for the semester or year.
MCPS realized this when they got rid of real mid-terms and finals. They are so busy keeping to the rubric and teaching to the test (for the lowest common denominator), that they gave up on learning for learnings sake long ago

Actually the other person is right. Parents like you contribute to the culture that creates the SYSTEMWIDE problem of chronic absenteeism. Our culture right now says that school is optional, which is toxic and leads to madness. Just because your kids can handle skipping does not make it right. Grow up and parent your kids to meet the expectation.

If the school is going to behave as though my kid and our family getting COVID multiple times a year isn’t a problem, it danged well is optional.

[Anonymous]

Schools wont crack down because most consequential options would damage graduation rates which are part of the Maryland school report card.

Unfortunately in education, once something becomes part of the school assessment it basically ceases to be an important learning metric. It immediately gets manipulated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools wont crack down because most consequential options would damage graduation rates which are part of the Maryland school report card.

Unfortunately in education, once something becomes part of the school assessment it basically ceases to be an important learning metric. It immediately gets manipulated.

That’s why MCPS has responded by unenrolling the chronically absent kids. It gets them off their rolls and preserves graduation rates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools wont crack down because most consequential options would damage graduation rates which are part of the Maryland school report card.

Unfortunately in education, once something becomes part of the school assessment it basically ceases to be an important learning metric. It immediately gets manipulated.

That’s why MCPS has responded by unenrolling the chronically absent kids. It gets them off their rolls and preserves graduation rates.

No. It was required by the state. Schools get more money from the state by having students on the books. Students are supposed to be unenrolled after 10 days of absence. But if one teacher or substitute makes them present for a period, the ten day requirement resets. So, from a practical standpoint very few have been unenrolled this way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools wont crack down because most consequential options would damage graduation rates which are part of the Maryland school report card.

Unfortunately in education, once something becomes part of the school assessment it basically ceases to be an important learning metric. It immediately gets manipulated.

This is true and so sad. I know someone who really wanted to hold their child back because they weren’t learning and were skipping class and McPS basically insisted on promoting them, obviously because they didn’t want it to impact their stats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools wont crack down because most consequential options would damage graduation rates which are part of the Maryland school report card.

Unfortunately in education, once something becomes part of the school assessment it basically ceases to be an important learning metric. It immediately gets manipulated.

This is true and so sad. I know someone who really wanted to hold their child back because they weren’t learning and were skipping class and McPS basically insisted on promoting them, obviously because they didn’t want it to impact their stats.

Was this middle school? Bc MCPS does not allow students to be held back until high school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools wont crack down because most consequential options would damage graduation rates which are part of the Maryland school report card.

Unfortunately in education, once something becomes part of the school assessment it basically ceases to be an important learning metric. It immediately gets manipulated.

This is true and so sad. I know someone who really wanted to hold their child back because they weren’t learning and were skipping class and McPS basically insisted on promoting them, obviously because they didn’t want it to impact their stats.

Was this middle school? Bc MCPS does not allow students to be held back until high school

More likely fiction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools wont crack down because most consequential options would damage graduation rates which are part of the Maryland school report card.

Unfortunately in education, once something becomes part of the school assessment it basically ceases to be an important learning metric. It immediately gets manipulated.

Decent graduation rates are one of the few good metrics MCPS still has. No way are they going to risk lowering it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools wont crack down because most consequential options would damage graduation rates which are part of the Maryland school report card.

Unfortunately in education, once something becomes part of the school assessment it basically ceases to be an important learning metric. It immediately gets manipulated.

Decent graduation rates are one of the few good metrics MCPS still has. No way are they going to risk lowering it.

But that "good metric" isn't really good if they're padding with a bunch of kids who are technically graduating with D's and not truly college or workforce ready, which is what the goal of Blueprint is. Blueprint is going to put a lot more pressure on MCPS to raise the bar beyond just graduation rate, which is why MCPS is scrambling and fighting being judged by the Blueprint standards and already trying to contort and concoct ones that make them look better than they actually are.