Seattle Schools' Attendance Policies
I have heard from a few parents who are confused over SPS attendance policies, particularly around excused absences. This has been discussed here before but here's the link to the Truancy Office. It is headed by Ruth McFadden, Program Manager.
On excused absences, this is pretty much the bottom line:
In general, family vacations of any duration may not be considered excused absences. The school principal has the final say on whether your planned absence, including family vacations or return to visit family in another country, will be excused.
It is a very good idea for the PTA and/or parent to make sure they know at the beginning of the school year what your principal's policy is going to be. The principal should put this information out but if not, ASK. And, get it in writing.
I still think it a bad idea to give this over to principals because I'm sure the tolerance level may vary from school to school and that's neither consistent nor fair.
On excused absences, this is pretty much the bottom line:
In general, family vacations of any duration may not be considered excused absences. The school principal has the final say on whether your planned absence, including family vacations or return to visit family in another country, will be excused.
It is a very good idea for the PTA and/or parent to make sure they know at the beginning of the school year what your principal's policy is going to be. The principal should put this information out but if not, ASK. And, get it in writing.
I still think it a bad idea to give this over to principals because I'm sure the tolerance level may vary from school to school and that's neither consistent nor fair.
Comments
Huh!
-reader
I can't blame the district. They lose money when kids are not in school. Kids do need to be in school to keep up with the work. No fault in that.
Also, in upper grades, you cannot make up work or tests missed due to an unexcused absence, which is a big deal.
Washington state's truancy law, known as the Becca Bill, requires the school/district and the juvenile court to take specific actions when youth are truant.
School/District Requirements
After one unexcused absence in a month, the school is required to inform the parent in writing or by phone.
After two unexcused absences, the school is required to initiate a parent conference to improve the student's attendance.
After five unexcused absences in a month, the parent and school must enter a contract to improve the student's attendance. Or, the case can be referred to a Community Truancy Board.
After seven unexcused absences in a month, or ten unexcused absences in an academic year, the school district may file truancy petitions with the juvenile court.
If the student is not in compliance with a court order resulting from a tuition petition, the school is required to file a contempt motion.
Anyway, that's the way I see it.
Come on - there are reasons parents take trips during the school year, whether because different schools/districts/colleges don't all have the same vacation schedule or work reasons or whatever. A kid who takes one week-long trip during the year isn't "truant" as any reasonable person would understand the term, but since the whole week is in a single month, that's enough to get referred to a Community Truancy Board. Which is ridiculous.
- two district parent.
I also don't agree with Rosie that whether a trip is "allowed" by the school should depend on a child's grades. There are plenty of smart kids whose grades are not great, but those grades aren't going to be any better or worse if they go with their family on a vacation because the OTHER district/school a sibling is in has a different schedule. Similarly, if a child is struggling -- a few days of one on one time with a parent doing school work while on vacation may be every bit as good as, if not better than, the in-class time would have been. The ONLY exception to this rule I can think of is lab science classes (which cannot be made up ealily), and musical performance classes (where participation can be critical right before a performance).
School districts utterly and totally discount and devalue family resources, family time, family health (making kids catch buses at 6 a.m., refusing to provide adequate time/space for physical activity, etc., and piling on homework that keeps kids up until midnight in high school).
And then they turn around and tell families that they may have no ability whatsoever to spend any vacation time together (depending on parent schedules, which may not allow for breaks when schools are out -- or have siblings on different schedules, or relatives who die or get married at inconvenient times, etc.) -- or that (now that they have paid for kindergarten, bought supplies, contributed to auctions and PTAs, and maybe paid for their own bus transportation -- along with after school tutoring in math, athletic fees etc. etc. -- now they can also pay premium prices to try to squeeze some family life in during the highest price times for travel (when schools are on break). And then they hold their hands out for a billion dollar capital levy (on top of the operating levies, the BTA levy, and the City levy). Right.
see study here
Evidently the district doesn't take attendance too seriously when they make a decision that affects it, like moving school start times earlier.
-High school parent
Maybe the parent does a great job, maybe not, but they have the right to do it.
If I take my kids out of school for a 3-week trip to a far away country, we aren't going to be in spas. We'd be learning the history, art and culture of that country, maybe doing a service project, and doing math on the side. Maybe writing a blog.
Take me to court, and let me show you what my kids did.
Seriously, my kids are only in elementary, but they don't get nearly as much in 3 weeks at school as they would get from 3-weeks in another culture with a very interested and adventurous mom and dad.
my kids' most important teacher
Solvay Girl
There is a form (Educational Trip Plan) that you can request from your principal prior to taking a family trip. You describe on the form how your child will make up missed work, and how the trip would be educational. The principal has to approve the trip plan for the absence to be excused.
North End Mom
I totally agree with both of you.
Jennifer
--stupid laws breed disregard for authority.