DC Graduation Problems Extend to Wilson High School, Councilmember Says

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am excited to read all of the excuses in here given for the Wilson kids.

No excuses for this until it’s wilson and then the excuses come out.

I'm not seeing a whole lot of excuses.

It's interesting that some of the highest performing students at Wilson have chronic absenteeism. Also, I assume that some of the lowest performing students also have chronic absenteeism. Neither should be given a pass. Or a diploma.

Where did that idea come from?

[Anonymous]

If they can’t keep attendance straight, then it makes you wonder how many other regulatory practices are not being followed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they can’t keep attendance straight, then it makes you wonder how many other regulatory practices are not being followed.

Like is anyone really doing their community service?

[Anonymous]

Yes, they do. Calm down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep up the excuses and defense Wilson parents!

You look ridiculous. You throw students under the bus until it's YOUR KID and your kids school and then it's excuse after excuse.

I laugh that you send your kid to Wilson, put down every other high school, act like it's the crown jewel of DC and in reality, it's just average!

It truly is ridiculous. People in top schools in MD and VA actually attend school and take classes their senior year.

Top kids in MD and VA also have model UN, or Robotics competition or congressional page or other out of school activities; their attendance protocols may differ though. One missed period = All day absence? SMH

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep up the excuses and defense Wilson parents!

You look ridiculous. You throw students under the bus until it's YOUR KID and your kids school and then it's excuse after excuse.

I laugh that you send your kid to Wilson, put down every other high school, act like it's the crown jewel of DC and in reality, it's just average!

It truly is ridiculous. People in top schools in MD and VA actually attend school and take classes their senior year.

Top kids in MD and VA also have model UN, or Robotics competition or congressional page or other out of school activities; their attendance protocols may differ though. One missed period = All day absence? SMH

But people in here aren't fighting for model UN or robotics. They are saying seniors can take one or two classes and leave, totally fine, yay!

[Anonymous]

"One missed period = All day absence? SMH

^ Not accurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

"One missed period = All day absence? SMH

^ Not accurate.

You must be present 80% of school day to be marked legally present. https://dcps.dc.gov/attendance

School day is 8:55-3:25 or 6.5 hours

20% of 65 hours is 78 minutes or 2 periods

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am excited to read all of the excuses in here given for the Wilson kids.

No excuses for this until it’s wilson and then the excuses come out.

I'm not seeing a whole lot of excuses.

It's interesting that some of the highest performing students at Wilson have chronic absenteeism. Also, I assume that some of the lowest performing students also have chronic absenteeism. Neither should be given a pass. Or a diploma.

Where did that idea come from?

It's not an idea, it's true. Ask the adminstration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

"One missed period = All day absence? SMH

^ Not accurate.

You must be present 80% of school day to be marked legally present. https://dcps.dc.gov/attendance

School day is 8:55-3:25 or 6.5 hours

20% of 65 hours is 78 minutes or 2 periods

So every doctors or dentist appoint is marked as absent for the whole day.

[Anonymous]

Nope.

From previous post:

To clarify some previous posts in this thread regarding the grading and attendance policy:
If a student only missed one period during the day, they are considered absent for the day only for "in seat attendance". This stat is used to evaluate schools and administrators, but it does not affect students' grades[b] in their other classes. I'm a dcps hs teacher, and we have been instructed to calculate the number of unexcused absences the student has in our class period only. 5 unexcused absences in one advisory (quarter) = a reduction in the final grade for that specific class.(B would become B-, etc.) 10 unexcused absences in an advisory = grade if FA ( failure due to absences) for the term, and no option to do credit or unit recovery. I believe that students have the right to appeal the grade if there are extenuating circumstances.

[Anonymous]

80% is true only for In-Seat Attendance. That's what the school is evaluated with. But this is not the same as a student's individual attendance data, which is counted by class period. Missing one period does NOT mean a student is marked absent for their other classes, and it doesn't mean that their grade is docked for classes they haven't missed. DCPS could do a better job messaging this to parents and the community.

I am not sure what data the various journalists and investigators have been using -- (in-seat attendance vs. period-by-period -- but that would be good to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:80% is true only for In-Seat Attendance. That's what the school is evaluated with. But this is not the same as a student's individual attendance data, which is counted by class period. Missing one period does NOT mean a student is marked absent for their other classes, and it doesn't mean that their grade is docked for classes they haven't missed. DCPS could do a better job messaging this to parents and the community.

I am not sure what data the various journalists and investigators have been using -- (in-seat attendance vs. period-by-period -- but that would be good to know.

From the OSSE report, appendix A:

"Definitions

In this report an absence is defined as “a full or partial school day on which the student is not physically in attendance at scheduled periods of actual instruction at the educational institution in which s/he was enrolled or attended, and is not in attendance at a school-approved activity that constitutes part of the approved school program.

Presence is defined “a single school day on which the student is physically in attendance at scheduled periods of actual instruction at the educational institution in which she or he was enrolled and registered for at least eighty percent (80%) of the full instructional day, or in attendance at a school-approved activity that constitutes part of the approved school program for that student."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:80% is true only for In-Seat Attendance. That's what the school is evaluated with. But this is not the same as a student's individual attendance data, which is counted by class period. Missing one period does NOT mean a student is marked absent for their other classes, and it doesn't mean that their grade is docked for classes they haven't missed. DCPS could do a better job messaging this to parents and the community.

I am not sure what data the various journalists and investigators have been using -- (in-seat attendance vs. period-by-period -- but that would be good to know.

From the OSSE report, appendix A:

"Definitions

In this report an absence is defined as “a full or partial school day on which the student is not physically in attendance at scheduled periods of actual instruction at the educational institution in which s/he was enrolled or attended, and is not in attendance at a school-approved activity that constitutes part of the approved school program.

Presence is defined “a single school day on which the student is physically in attendance at scheduled periods of actual instruction at the educational institution in which she or he was enrolled and registered for at least eighty percent (80%) of the full instructional day, or in attendance at a school-approved activity that constitutes part of the approved school program for that student."

The next issues, what counts as an Excused vs. Unexcused absence, right now their is very little beyond a note for single daily absences!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:80% is true only for In-Seat Attendance. That's what the school is evaluated with. But this is not the same as a student's individual attendance data, which is counted by class period. Missing one period does NOT mean a student is marked absent for their other classes, and it doesn't mean that their grade is docked for classes they haven't missed. DCPS could do a better job messaging this to parents and the community.

I am not sure what data the various journalists and investigators have been using -- (in-seat attendance vs. period-by-period -- but that would be good to know.

From the OSSE report, appendix A:

"Definitions

In this report an absence is defined as “a full or partial school day on which the student is not physically in attendance at scheduled periods of actual instruction at the educational institution in which s/he was enrolled or attended, and is not in attendance at a school-approved activity that constitutes part of the approved school program.

Presence is defined “a single school day on which the student is physically in attendance at scheduled periods of actual instruction at the educational institution in which she or he was enrolled and registered for at least eighty percent (80%) of the full instructional day, or in attendance at a school-approved activity that constitutes part of the approved school program for that student."

The next issues, what counts as an Excused vs. Unexcused absence, right now their is very little beyond a note for single daily absences!

This is clearly defined on the DCPS website and parent handbook.