DC Elementary Schools - any real consequences to unexcused absences?

[Anonymous]

I remember the article in the post a few years ago of the parent doing the international adoption and pulling an older child from school who wound up being referred to CPS.

But every time I turn around one of my children has a classmate leaving for ......

Florida and misses the week of Thanksgiving + a few days after
A week in Feb to go skiing in Salt Lake with extended family (last year not this year)
A classmate who left today for Gand Cayman Islands

So - does DCPS care?

[Anonymous]

Nope.

[Anonymous]

No consequences that I've seen until you get to 10. So missing Thanksgiving week (which is only two school days) wouldn't be noticed at all.

[Anonymous]

Unless it is the same kid missing all those days, no

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless it is the same kid missing all those days, no

so let's pretend it is the same kid. let's pretend it is

5 days in November (2 the week of Thanksgiving - 3 the week after Thanksgiving)
5 days in December for a week early to Grand Cayman

At a high performing elementary school - do they do anything?

It is just a form letter that gets sent home?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless it is the same kid missing all those days, no

so let's pretend it is the same kid. let's pretend it is

5 days in November (2 the week of Thanksgiving - 3 the week after Thanksgiving)
5 days in December for a week early to Grand Cayman

At a high performing elementary school - do they do anything?

It is just a form letter that gets sent home?

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

See page 5 and 6. Multiple notices go out once you get to 3 unexcused absences, and escalate from there.

[Anonymous]

Also the kid could have gone to a funeral far away for one of those instances...who knows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also the kid could have gone to a funeral far away for one of those instances...who knows.

The child could have - but I know they were at Disney and Universal in November b/c they told me. Younger sibling told me today that the family was leaving for vacation later tonight and what the plans were.

Yes - there could have been family memorial services wrapped into the travel. Or - the family just left early and returned late.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also the kid could have gone to a funeral far away for one of those instances...who knows.

The child could have - but I know they were at Disney and Universal in November b/c they told me. Younger sibling told me today that the family was leaving for vacation later tonight and what the plans were.

Yes - there could have been family memorial services wrapped into the travel. Or - the family just left early and returned late.

And the parents could have lied to the school and said that they were at a funeral or the child was sick which would be excused.

Once you reach 5 unexcused absences you are called in for an SST meeting to discuss attendance. At 10 you are considered truant and can be reported.

[Anonymous]

They care if you’re out of boundary.

[Anonymous]

PreK attendance is not compulsory , no ten day in excused absence max.

Kids lie sometimes too. My kid told her entire 2nd grade class she went zip lining over spring break once... and the only thing she’s zipped was her jacket down at grandmas.

[Anonymous]

Sorry for the grammatical errors...thumbtyping while tipsy #redwinefriday

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They care if you’re out of boundary.

They ended the practice of losing your spot for attendance even if out of boundary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PreK attendance is not compulsory , no ten day in excused absence max.

Kids lie sometimes too. My kid told her entire 2nd grade class she went zip lining over spring break once... and the only thing she’s zipped was her jacket down at grandmas.

THe new policy says that it does apply to PK students.

J. Pre-K Students (see page 7-8 https://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dcps/page_content/attachments/FINAL%20DCPS%20Attendance%20and%20Truancy%20Policy%2008-21-18.pdf)

Pre-K students are subject to the same requirements regarding excused and unexcused absences.
Schools are expected to implement school-based attendance interventions as follows:

1 day of unexcused cumulative absences:
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.

3 days of unexcused cumulative absences: Send 3-day Unexcused Absence Letter to parent.
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. In addition to the SST, a referral should be made to the ECE Family Services Team (FST).

No pre-K student may be un-enrolled due to unexcused absences unless the student has accumulated 20 or more full-school-day consecutive unexcused absences and the school has documented all instances of family outreach, and offers of support services. No student may be unenrolled due to late arrival to school.

[Anonymous]

Schools care but there’s not much they can do in DC except call for meetings and report the child as truant. In my old school district, they would reduce grades or consider retention for too many absences.