MCPS has no idea what it's doing when it comes to chronic absenteeism
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Anonymous
Even with the 504 and all absences excused, we get letters for my kid who had a serious flare up of chronic illness last year |
Anonymous
So ignore it. It’s a letter they are required to send out due to state regulations. You know this letter is not for your kid. Jeez. |
Anonymous
It sounds like you have a challenging situation at home, and I'm sorry for that. It is a tough situation to be in--and to wish that you could do better. A lot of the kids who are just not showing up have similar stories and challenges—parents (or guardians) who just can't make getting to school happen. Have you reached out to the HS counseling staff (if they won't answer your call, just walk in)? HS counselors absolutely work with parents and extended family to find solutions to get kids to school. If you aren't reaching out, you are part of the problem. Even if you don't want to be, you are in the "just don't care category" right now. I truly do wish the best for you and your family. MCPS staff can only address problems that they know about, and can only address problems when the parent/guardian/extended family are active in the process. Counseling staff don't have a magic wand to get your kid to school. Part of the solution is going to have to be addressed in the home environment. |
Anonymous
| I teach a special program that allows kids to come to a different high school. There are several students who come maybe once every two weeks. They basically treat MCPS as homeschool and just do the online assignments on MyMCPS to keep up. I have had to make my grading due dates and deadlines more strict to avoid these students and others from abusing the lack of enforced MCPS policies. |
Anonymous
I just find it fascinating how homeschoolers simultaneously argue that it's a superior experience but that is just too much work to actually demonstrate how their children are getting that Superior educational experience. Poor you. I would love to see homeschool families try to uphold the same educational standards as teachers before they try to argue that their experiences are superior. Of course Laura and larlo are going to get A's when Mom and Dad are giving the an A. Of course your parents are going to think you're gifted |
Anonymous
You have no idea what goes on in the homeschool world. Each of my children entered college with more than a year's worth of AP credits, just like top kids in public school. As I mentioned above, standardized tests are the ONLY way that homeschoolers can show the legitimacy of their work, so almost all kids are taking them often. Probably not in elementary school, but then a huge proportion of MCPS elementary students are failing to show proficiency anyway, so your outrage is worthless. |
Anonymous
You are kidding right? We had an issue at school last week and I called the counselor, VP and another person and no one could bother to get back to me until I emailed the principal. My kid goes to school every day. My spouse thank goodness has a flexible job right now to usually make it happen. But, the point is you don't know what someone is going through. Our counselor is useless. Doesn't help with anything, including registration. Cannot give us answers to basic questions. And, not everyone has extended family to help, even if the family is local. |
Anonymous
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They could start charging parents for unexcused absences like they do in the UK. Nice revenue stream.
https://apple.news/A-hJ5NlZcSriNjORWcXHh6g |
Anonymous
| They know what they are doing. Admin are holding teachers jobs and livelihoods over their heads to fraudulently pass them along without evidence of mastery while simultaneously blaming the teachers for incompetence to make a case to oust new teachers who don't understand the corrupt state of education. It's a tough lesson to learn but all the evidence is clear to anyone paying attention. |
Anonymous
| Bring back the LC for five unexcused abscences then you have to go to summer school worked in the 90s not sure why it is so difficult to implement now |
Anonymous
| Whenever I watch old movies, I see kids running to class to make it on time. Doesn’t happen like that anymore. There are no consequences for lateness or skipping. I really noticed it picking up and becoming a problem since 2018. Kids were just not being held accountable by parents or admin. Teachers were told not to write referrals. I was shocked. A year earlier in another middle school a student had just attempted suicide in a staff bathroom while skipping a class. |
Anonymous
Read the rest of this thread thoroughly please. This was addressed directly in the board meeting and in this thread. |
Anonymous
Parents cannot control what happens at school, especially when teachers and staff refuse to communicate with them. |
Anonymous
The bigger problem is teachers are not held accountable. Our teachers don't even respond to email. So, you cannot complain parents aren't involved when those of us who try cannot find out what's going on or work with the teacher to fix things. |
Anonymous
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They can’t fix the problem until they acknowledge:
1. For whatever reason, teachers routinely mark students absent even when they are present. 2. A growing percentage of students aren’t interested in receiving an education. Many/most are immigrants or first generation who must work and/or provide childcare for their immigrant families (often extended families). Wrap your head around that, mcps. 3. The lowered bar and lack of consequences make it nearly impossible for students to take school seriously…even the “good” kids. Gentle suggestion: go observe an area catholic school to get a handle on setting expectations and enforcing rules. ICYMI: those schools raise the bar instead of lowering it, and even low income BIPOC students thrive. PS - If mcps can’t provide safe restrooms, then how on earth can they aspire to provide a rigorous education? #overit |