Questions about compulsory attendance

[pattislp]

What would you advise a parent who consistently takes their child out of school in the afternoon's 3 to 4 days a week for various appointments and extracurricular activities when the parent doesn't feel that the school has a legal right to know where they take their child when the child is not in school.

I thought a public school has the right to know where the child is due to compliance with educational law and truancy. Am I wrong in my thinking? Isn't there a "Compulsory attendance" law in the educational code in most states?

If a child isn't compulsorily attending school and said poor attendance has a negative impact on educational performance and completion of classes; couldn't a district pursue due process for truancy if the parent is not making the child available for instruction?

[Mayleng]

Hmmm, I would think that the school would need to know the reason for the absence. I know when I take my child out for doctor's appointment etc, I have to write an excuse. I presume there are truancy laws unless it is stated in the IEP otherwise.

[laural840]

I don't know if the laws vary state by state (but am almost certain that they do....). In NC, if my son attends class until 'lunchtime' it is considered a full day. So if I take him out of school after lunch, it may be an early dismissal, but it's still counted as a full day of school. I can sign him out at the office and put 'whatever' reason I choose, I am not required to provide a 'note' from a doctor, or anything else collaborating my reasons for taking him out of school.

Has anyone talked directly with the parents???

I wonder if things would change if they knew that the child was 'suffering' from being removed from the classroom too soon and too frequently!

ITA that 3-4 times a week is excessive!

Anyway, my advice to that parent would be that, although they may take their child out of school early for as many days of the week as they think they need to, that the child's academic performance is suffering from having missed classroom time. Do they have other alternatives?

[pattislp]

This kid doesn't have an IEP. It's someone whom I met through the internet that needed help/advice. Could possibly qualify under OHI with a medical diagnosis of ADD, or a 504.

Being an educator, having a kid with special needs, I think like an Attorney, I overanalyze things. What concerns me is the parent's nonchalance about their own personal responsibility in making sure the child is at school. The parent states the child is doing better in school than last semester because the parent makes sure all the "classwork" is done at home and turned in so that makes up for not being there.

I told the parent that if the school is requesting documentation due to frequent absenteeism, they are planning to build their case. IMHO this parent doesn't have a case to pursue in due process for school neglect in education because of the frequent absenteeism and when I said that I think that the parent finally started to listen to me. Before it was I was doing all the listening and just putting the missing pieces together in the conversation and it just didn't add up to what I originally was told was the "problem" by the parent

I have found parents of kids are in the "entertainment industry," whose children do commercials, auditions, and movies who think that attending public school is not compulsory. But on the same token the "entertainment industry" requires that the child get signed documentation from a school district that states the child is keeping up with their peers and that their "job" doesn't interfere with their academic progress.

I have been down the truancy road with this same district when I did my remedial program for my child over six years ago. But my child was in dire straights academically, We had a Dr's prescription for said services, we had attorney's, we prevailed in Due Process. However, this other kid's problems aren't related to dysteachia, IQ, or dyslexia whatsoever.

I felt bad because I couldn't tell the parent what they wanted to hear. I felt it was better to hear it from me (an outsider who doesn't work for the district) than at an IEP meeting where they will slam them with truancy and considering the evidence it would be with just cause.

It becomes a sticky wicket...and that was what I tried to explain to this parent, you don't even want to go there, they will nail you with the poor attendance records hanging over your head.

I gave the parent alternatives, don't pull their child for appointments until after the school day is over, but the parent stated there is no educational code about compulsory attendance. I was against a wall.

[Mayleng]

pattislp said:

I told the parent that if the school is requesting documentation due to frequent absenteeism, they are planning to build their case. IMHO this parent doesn't have a case to pursue in due process for school neglect in education because of the frequent absenteeism and when I said that I think that the parent finally started to listen to me. Before it was I was doing all the listening and just putting the missing pieces together in the conversation and it just didn't add up to what I originally was told was the "problem" by the parent

I have found parents of kids are in the "entertainment industry," whose children do commercials, auditions, and movies who think that attending public school is not compulsory. But on the same token the "entertainment industry" requires that the child get signed documentation from a school district that states the child is keeping up with their peers and that their "job" doesn't interfere with their academic progress.

I have been down the truancy road with this same district when I did my remedial program for my child over six years ago. But my child was in dire straights academically, We had a Dr's prescription for said services, we had attorney's, we prevailed in Due Process. However, this other kid's problems aren't related to dysteachia, IQ, or dyslexia whatsoever.

I felt bad because I couldn't tell the parent what they wanted to hear. I felt it was better to hear it from me (an outsider who doesn't work for the district) than at an IEP meeting where they will slam them with truancy and considering the evidence it would be with just cause.

It becomes a sticky wicket...and that was what I tried to explain to this parent, you don't even want to go there, they will nail you with the poor attendance records hanging over your head.

I gave the parent alternatives, don't pull their child for appointments until after the school day is over, but the parent stated there is no educational code about compulsory attendance. I was against a wall.

Patti, you are right, they don't have a leg to stand on against the school if they pull the kid out 3 to 4 times a week without good reasons. They will fail in due process because they are the ones who sound irresponsible not the school. It sounds like the school is building a case against the parents. Even if the kids were in show business, they are required to have tutors etc.

You can only give advise, it is up to the parents whether they want to listen or not. By doing this, they are not doing their kid any favors.

[Gillian]

My son is on a truancy program because he was constantly late for the start of school. Pulling the child out 3-4 times a week and not giving a reason - where does the child go every week? I would guess school is getting ready to take action. This parent needs to wake up.

[pattislp]

The parent gives excuses but the excessive part day attendance has prompted the district to ask for valid excuses with actual letters from the Dr's who the child has supposedly seen.

The parent doesn't think twice about taking the child to auditions, and competitions in the area of entertainment that the child specializes in. At times the child is absent for full days or more. When the parent received the letter requesting the information the parent stated it sounds like they just want me to pull my child out school entirely. I said, "No" I think they want to know where the child is because of the excessive absenteeism and to me it looks like the child is truant.

I feel it is important for a child to attend school, not only for the academics but the social aspect and especially if the child is struggling. Instead, I have found parents sacrificing academics and attendance at school to pursue the promise of stardom. It is a huge sacrifice of a happy childhood.

[Mayleng]

Yup, they are sacrificing their child's childhood for this.
They also give Parents who are fighting for FAPE for their children a bad name.