I work in an up-county High School with a large Central American student population. Many, many students return to their home country throughout the year for about a month at a time to see family. The school always excuses it. They last thing they want to have on their records is failing a bunch of immigrant/ESOL students.

My experience (mostly middle school) is that about 5-10% of students are gone that week, many teachers plan for that with less intense academic pursuits the last few days. Most parents send the courtesy letter/email informing the teacher/admin ahead of time of the absence and ask if there is any critical work the student should needs to get done, either before or after the absence. And most teachers happily let the student make up the work either before or after; biggest issue is if the absence is over days when standardized tests or formative assessments are being given. For logistical reasons and more, missing such days are frowned on if avoidable.

The absence is marked in the attendance log as "DNC", which is code for "unlawful absence - do not call". "Unlawful" merely means not for one of the approved types of absences like illness, or medical appointments.

I have never ever heard of any legal repercussions for any reasonable length absence of which the school is informed ahead of time. Of course there can always be a first time

Anonymous wrote:REGULATION MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Student Attendance
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/jeara.pdf


e) Any absence for reasons other than those specified above may be considered either lawful or unlawful by the principal/designee.
Discretion is permitted in designating absences as lawful for reasons other than those above.
Normally, requests for family travel are not lawful absences.

A student's absence may be deemed lawful at the discretion of the principal/designee based on the following considerations:

(1) Recommendations from the student's teacher(s) concerning the possible effect of the anticipated absence on the student's academic progress and the options available for make-up work before making a decision to approve the absence

(2) Number of lawful and unlawful absences student has accumulated to date

(3) Purpose or special significance of the absences

(4) Duration of the absence

f) For consideration of discretionary absences, notice and request must be provided prior to the absence.

Yeah, but this is just a regulation defining "lawful" and "unlawful" however it wants to. It's the school system's policy, but it's not actually a law. So the policy might call your absence "unlawful" but that does not make it a crime or "against the law" in the way most people use that term. So, as a take-away, the school system's policy may deem the absences resulting from your trip "unlawful" but the principal has the discretion to say they are "lawful" and practically speaking there is no consequence in 2nd grade to having "unlawful" absences. Our principal was just saying at our PTA meeting that if your child misses a certain number of days there is an MCPS form letter that she is required to send and she is not accusing you of being a bad parent, but she is required to send it.

I don't know what the MS and HS policies are now. When I was in HS, if you had 5 unexcused absences in a class you failed the entire semester so there was a major consequence to too many unexcused absences. And your parent couldn't write "we are going on a trip" and get it excused. They had to say you were sick or get the principal to approve the trip as an "educational experience" (which my mother did once when my grandparents took me to South America).

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn't it be? I think you can't miss more than 15 days in a row for unexcused absences and some higher number during the year. Many teachers are pretty accommodating and there is usually no work to make up any way

THIS!.. because it is.
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/jeara.pdf

REGULATION MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Student Attendance
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/jeara.pdf


e) Any absence for reasons other than those specified above may be considered either lawful or unlawful by the principal/designee.
Discretion is permitted in designating absences as lawful for reasons other than those above.
Normally, requests for family travel are not lawful absences.

A student's absence may be deemed lawful at the discretion of the principal/designee based on the following considerations:

(1) Recommendations from the student's teacher(s) concerning the possible effect of the anticipated absence on the student's academic progress and the options available for make-up work before making a decision to approve the absence

(2) Number of lawful and unlawful absences student has accumulated to date

(3) Purpose or special significance of the absences

(4) Duration of the absence

f) For consideration of discretionary absences, notice and request must be provided prior to the absence.

Oh my god, yes, it's totally fine! That sounds educational and like you have a good perspective on school and life. There's nothing she will miss scholastically that she can't make up. Go for it!

Anonymous wrote:The last week of the semester is in January.

Clearly a well-informed decision to pull the kid.

Why wouldn't it be? I think you can't miss more than 15 days in a row for unexcused absences and some higher number during the year. Many teachers are pretty accommodating and there is usually no work to make up any way

Anonymous wrote:The last day of school is Dec.21. But we are planning a long distance family travel.
Is it possible to take my kid out of school on Dec.18 for travel?
Is here any policy about this? I hope this is not illegal.

I've taken my middle schooler out for that long. There are rules about truancy and you might get a call and/or a letter, but no one is going to take your kid, fine you or put you in jail for taking a second grader out of school for an extended vacation.

It's illegal but it's not criminal. If you have to travel, you have to travel. Only you can answer whether or not it's okay.

The last week of the semester is in January.

It doesn't matter in elementary school. I took my daughter out a few days early every yr till 4th grade to see family abroad since a week is too less to go that far.

I did it last year because we went to England to see my family. DD was in 1st. Its fine.

Sure.

The last day of school is Dec.21. But we are planning a long distance family travel.
Is it possible to take my kid out of school on Dec.18 for travel?
Is here any policy about this? I hope this is not illegal.