DC Elementary Schools - any real consequences to unexcused absences?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have family overseas and missed more than the threshold number of days last year.

We had to have a meeting with the school social worker. We may have also gotten a letter or two, and it's possible that the language was "condescending".

Honestly? I'm fine with all of this. I can live with a visit to the school social worker and a few letters. All of this infrastructure is to protect students in very vulnerable situations and if it means we never never have another case like Relisha Rudd, I'm fine with it. Protecting those vulnerable kids is worth an hour or two of inconvenience on my part.

This! My MS child was mistakenly marked absent and I had to have a meeting with the school. I am all for this! I expect them to tell me if my kid skips class and they should expect me to come in if I am not upholding attendance on my end. Responsibility and accountability for all. Poor Relisha Rudd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bumping this as my child will enter PreK3 next year. I'm trying to plan out or travel, but with aging grandparents and illness, I'm nervous about going above the threshold. Would love some feedback from current parents.

I wouldn't worry about it. If you've used a reasonable number of misses for travel and then decide to go see a sick grandma, I would a) not be concerned with the school's reaction or b) just lie to them if I thought they were going to create unnecessary hassle. I'm sure my answer will be popular here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have family overseas and missed more than the threshold number of days last year.

We had to have a meeting with the school social worker. We may have also gotten a letter or two, and it's possible that the language was "condescending".

Honestly? I'm fine with all of this. I can live with a visit to the school social worker and a few letters. All of this infrastructure is to protect students in very vulnerable situations and if it means we never never have another case like Relisha Rudd, I'm fine with it. Protecting those vulnerable kids is worth an hour or two of inconvenience on my part.

This! My MS child was mistakenly marked absent and I had to have a meeting with the school. I am all for this! I expect them to tell me if my kid skips class and they should expect me to come in if I am not upholding attendance on my end. Responsibility and accountability for all. Poor Relisha Rudd.

I've took my child out of school one day early for a trip and received calls and texts about it. It seems excessive, but honestly, I know that there are enough kids in situations where a parent might honestly not know the kid is not in school until the school notifies the parent. I'm willing to put up with this in order to keep all kids safe.

[Anonymous]

Op, stop being a bitter Becky. Save your money and leave days and you too can make faux excuses to travel. No one in DCPS cares, so who cares? Why are you worried about what other people do? Stop trying to block the Joneses.

[Anonymous]

If you want your kid evaluated for special education/related services we wont do it if your kid fits the definition of ‘chronically absent’ other than that- no

[Anonymous]

Apparently 30 missed days of any type triggers an automatic retention. I had a student out for a long period for medicinal care and needed to document that the student should not be retained.

[Anonymous]

Bumping this—we have a family emergency out of country. I may need to take DC out of PreK for a little over a week. Will this be an issue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bumping this—we have a family emergency out of country. I may need to take DC out of PreK for a little over a week. Will this be an issue?

Not at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I recall they're supposed to have the school social worker touch base with you after 10 days.

When my son was in PS-3 and had cold after cold after cold (first year in full time school) I kept him home without hesitation because I worked from home. Sometime in the spring we got a form letter from the school social worker about it, called her, and she was like "Oh yeah, sorry, those just go out. No big deal." We did start documenting each absence after that with a call and a paper letter to the office because it just felt weird.

The procedures have changed, as of this year.

1 day of unexcused absence -
Contact parent on the same day and each time a student has the equivalent of one day of unexcused absence, with daily follow-ups as necessary.18

3 days of unexcused cumulative absences -
Send 3-Day Unexcused Absence Letter to parent.

4 days of absences (excused or unexcused) -
Phone call home after four absences to discuss the student’s attendance.

5 days of unexcused cumulative absences -
Send 5-Day Unexcused Absence Letter to parent and refer student to Student Support Team (SST) for an attendance intervention conference to be held within five days of the referral. (Applicable to five unexcused absences within one term.) The SST will develop an action plan in partnership with the student and the student’s parent.

7 days of unexcused cumulative absences -
Send Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) warning letter to parent.

10 days of unexcused cumulative absences -
Student is considered chronically truant. Contact the District Child Family Services Agency (CFSA) for students aged 5-13. Refer student for follow-up attendance SST interventions for students aged 14 and older. The SST assigned to the student will notify school leader of action plan within two days of the referral.

If they miss 2hrs or less it isn't a absence correct?? Like for early pick up or am appointment s?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you see OOB excessive absences or readies is a way they can kick you back to your homeschool.

As of this school year you can not be kicked out due to absence.

Where is this written?? Does it apply to all grades?? Dcps and charters?

[Anonymous]

It's just not difficult to avoid running afoul of DCPS attendance policies with a little advanced planning.

Don't plan to pull your kid out of school much, no more than a few days a school year. If you do pull the kid out for a day or two here and there, simply email the school registrar before school starts every day the kid won't attend claiming that the kid is sick, cc'ing yourself on the email.

Keep an e-file with the emails in case DCPS hassles you. Done.

[Anonymous]

Depends on the grade. My K kid missed 11 days in Dec last year for trip to visit family in Europe. We talked to her teachers in advance and the school social worker. All thought it was a great opportunity but told me they are required by law to report it to CPS. I got a letter from the school and maybe from CPS but no follow call or actions. CPS has real issues to deal with.

[Anonymous]

If your kid is out, my kid gets more attention. If my kid is out, you bet I'm working with him to make up lost work. So far no issues but we haven't gone over 10 days. I think I read somewhere that 13 (or 18) starts to trigger consequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you see OOB excessive absences or readies is a way they can kick you back to your homeschool.

As of this school year you can not be kicked out due to absence.

Where can I find this in writing and does it apply to all dcps and dcpcs?

https://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dcps/page_content/attachments/FINAL%20DCPS%20Attendance%20and%20Truancy%20Policy%2008-21-18.pdf

"No student will be transferred from their school for absenteeism, including students who are attending an out of boundary school."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you see OOB excessive absences or readies is a way they can kick you back to your homeschool.

As of this school year you can not be kicked out due to absence.

Where can I find this in writing and does it apply to all dcps and dcpcs?

https://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dcps/page_content/attachments/FINAL%20DCPS%20Attendance%20and%20Truancy%20Policy%2008-21-18.pdf

"No student will be transferred from their school for absenteeism, including students who are attending an out of boundary school."

https://attendance.dc.gov/page/attendance-faqs

Truancy laws at the city-level are the same for both DC Public Schools and DC Public Charter Schools. However, some policies set by local education agencies (LEAs) and schools differ (e.g., additional valid excuses for absences).