Anonymous wrote:Chronic absenteeism soared after Covid.
The Maryland average went from 20% in 2018 to 31% in 2022.
Montgomery Country went from 17% in 2018 to 23% in 2022.
For comparison:
The Virginia average went from 11% in 2018 to 20% in 2022.
Fairfax Country went from 9% in 2018 to 15% in 2022.
Anonymous wrote:I got a chronic absentee email from MCPS because my senior has 11 "unexcused absences" in the record this month: 8 days for IB tests (which were off site), 2 days where there was state testing in the morning and the class schedule didn't start until after lunch, and 1 day for senior skip day. So actually only one of those unexcused absences is really an unexcused absence.
'Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Not in MoCo but I am suspicious of absenteeism counts since our local school counts a kid who is late (even 5 minutes) as absent. I know because I get a call when my kid is late- for doctors appointments or just a late morning.
There was also a LOT of illness in my kids class. One kid we know got COVID, flu x2, strep, then a secondary infection that resolved and then rebounded. All in 4 months or so?
My own son was out for COVID for 6 days and that was before 80 days of school and he had been sick 2-3 days total earlier in the year.
+ 1. First grade has been brutal. Kid missed close to 3 weeks of school total and all for illness. Covid, random lingering fevers - all after the Covid by the way, Covid was in the first month of the school year. We didn’t keep her out for ordinary colds. It was all legit illness.
Older kid didn’t get most of these bugs and missed only a couple days all year.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I was talking with an old friend the other day and we have kids the same age. They said that their kid misses school a lot because they don't like it and they often miss the bus and are without a ride or way to get there. So they just...don't go. (And no DCUM, the parents don't make 400K and are not in a position to send an Uber to tote the kid to school or adjust their work and childcare schedules to be there to ensure this teen does what they are supposed to do.)
I was shocked but realized that this is the reality of a lot of families that are over stretched, under resourced, and wanting to avoid total implosion so they just kick the can of conflict down the road.
not make 400k, but if my daughter ever missed the bus I WILL take her to school, if she has to stay for something school I would call her an Uber. Uber are only like $10-15 to and from school. EVEN If they miss the school everyday
180 days is not that much.