School Charging Money for Mandatory Makeup Classes

[Silverplum]

I have to admit that this practice is at least questionable, if for no other reason than the very reason you describe. That it could be financially out of reach of poorer parents. However, it would be up to the parents of the students to challenge this practice with the superintendent of schools and the school board. If that does not produce results, the state board of education would be the next place to try.

To the other responders...you need to consider that an unexcused absence is not necessarily a teen ditching school. It can be something as simple as being sick but the parents not being able to afford the 150.00 it would cost to take him/her to the doctor to obtain an excuse.

Of course, any action that the parents take might simply result in the school not allowing makeup time at all, but as rough as that might be, it would still be a fairer system.

What makes you sure we didn't consider the variables?

 

[Zigner]

Under the current policy you will still accumulate hours you have to make up regardless of whether your absent is excused or not, however they will not report you for truancy with excused absences.

Under the current system, if enough time is missed for excused absences, the school is required to provide alternatives.

Would you care to post a link to the new policy you are speaking of?

 

[LdiJ]

What makes you sure we didn't consider the variables?

Some of the answers were more flip than I am used to seeing from the various people who responded when they are actually considering all of the variables.

 

[Zigner]

Some of the answers were more flip than I am used to seeing from the various people who responded when they are actually considering all of the variables.

We have very scant information. I suspect that, once the actual policy is reviewed, opinions may change

 

[TheGeekess]

I have to admit that this practice is at least questionable, if for no other reason than the very reason you describe. That it could be financially out of reach of poorer parents. However, it would be up to the parents of the students to challenge this practice with the superintendent of schools and the school board. If that does not produce results, the state board of education would be the next place to try.

To the other responders...you need to consider that an unexcused absence is not necessarily a teen ditching school. It can be something as simple as being sick but the parents not being able to afford the 150.00 it would cost to take him/her to the doctor to obtain an excuse.

Of course, any action that the parents take might simply result in the school not allowing makeup time at all, but as rough as that might be, it would still be a fairer system.

School districts will allow the parents to write an excuse for missing school; one does not need a doctor's note unless the absences are excessive (and then, one would hope that the parents DID take the sick child to a doctor); plus low-income children are either covered by SCHiPS or Medicaid, so that shoots your $150 figure right in the foot. So, yes, that went into consideration of my answers.

 

[Ohiogal]

School districts will allow the parents to write an excuse for missing school; one does not need a doctor's note unless the absences are excessive (and then, one would hope that the parents DID take the sick child to a doctor); plus low-income children are either covered by SCHiPS or Medicaid, so that shoots your $150 figure right in the foot. So, yes, that went into consideration of my answers.

Actually a parental slip is NOT always accepted. Some schools have policies that are very stringent. And also many states have laws on the books stating that schools cannot charge a parent who is on Medicaid/state aid school fees or the like for their children to attend PUBLIC school. This charge would be a school fee.

 

[LdiJ]

School districts will allow the parents to write an excuse for missing school; one does not need a doctor's note unless the absences are excessive (and then, one would hope that the parents DID take the sick child to a doctor); plus low-income children are either covered by SCHiPS or Medicaid, so that shoots your $150 figure right in the foot. So, yes, that went into consideration of my answers.

You are forgetting all of the gap people. Those who do not qualify for SCHIPS or Medicaid but are still uninsured because their employer doesn't offer it and they still cannot afford it, and who do not qualify for Obamacare. There are many more of those people than you realize.

And no, in many school districts a parental note is not sufficient to excuse an absence.

 

[TheGeekess]

You are forgetting all of the gap people. Those who do not qualify for SCHIPS or Medicaid but are still uninsured because their employer doesn't offer it and they still cannot afford it, and who do not qualify for Obamacare. There are many more of those people than you realize.

And no, in many school districts a parental note is not sufficient to excuse an absence.

Every school district I've dealt with in my life (through my own education in three states/five districts and dealing with two districts for my own daughter) has deemed parental notes good enough to excuse the occasional absence. But, do, carry on.

 

[Ohiogal]

Every school district I've dealt with in my life (through my own education in three states/five districts and dealing with two districts for my own daughter) has deemed parental notes good enough to excuse the occasional absence. But, do, carry on.

Actually a few I have dealt with don't accept parent notes. Sorry but I agree with LD on this one.

 

[Proserpina]

Hands up with LdiJ and OG here - neither of our two local school districts will accept notes from the parent unless there has been a non-medical emergency ... and you better be able to provide the obituary/funeral home details if they ask for 'em.

 

[Ohiogal]

Hands up with LdiJ and OG here - neither of our two local school districts will accept notes from the parent unless there has been a non-medical emergency ... and you better be able to provide the obituary/funeral home details if they ask for 'em.

I don't "like" this but I agree with it. It varies by school district as to what they want in many places. Which is horrible on parents. Not everyone can get into a doctor right away. And not everyone can spend all day at the emergency room or urgent care to get a doctor's note that said the child threw up and had a slight fever.

 

[Proserpina]

I don't "like" this but I agree with it. It varies by school district as to what they want in many places. Which is horrible on parents. Not everyone can get into a doctor right away. And not everyone can spend all day at the emergency room or urgent care to get a doctor's note that said the child threw up and had a slight fever.

Yeap, no argument from me here. The burden they place on the parents is just enormous.

 

[LdiJ]

Every school district I've dealt with in my life (through my own education in three states/five districts and dealing with two districts for my own daughter) has deemed parental notes good enough to excuse the occasional absence. But, do, carry on.

Our school districts allows a grand total of 7 parent excused absences for a school year. Anything beyond that requires a doctor's note. I know of quite a few school districts who require a doctor's note for every absence. A good bout of the flu could easily use up most of our district's allowance...or chicken pox...or a myriad of other things.

Our school district actually has a somewhat contradictory policy. Absolutely, positively do NOT send them to school with a fever until the fever has been gone for at least 24 hrs, or the school will call CPS. However, you still better not exceed that 7 days per year. On top of that, the Medicaid doctors will not even see a child unless they have been sick for at least 3 days...and won't prescribe antibiotics unless they have been sick for at least 10 days.

Please take this in the spirit that it is intended, but your reaction to this thread kind of reminds me of me about 18 years ago...right before my whole financial life crashed around me...and I learned, the very hard way, that their are "gap" people when it comes to medical care...and when it comes to simple things like getting an excused absence. I am more than a bit ashamed of the lack of empathy/understanding I displayed before that crash.

 

[quincy]

Here is a link to North Carolina's Compulsory Attendance laws:

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bysection/chapter_115c/gs_115c-378.html

It is up to each school district in North Carolina to have a policy set up for documenting excused absences and unexcused absences. A very quick look at some of the different school districts and their policies in North Carolina show that most will allow for a parent to simply call in an excused absence (nothing else required). The time when justification (doctor's note, etc) for the absences is important is when there are a number of unexcused absences (when a parent has failed to notify the school their child will be absent or when the parent is not aware their child is absent). Without justification for an absence, both the student and the parent can be in trouble.

 

[ajkroy]

I teach in a school in an impoverished area (all the students in the entire town receive free breakfast and lunch, regardless of parental income). My school (which is its own district) will not accept parent notes for absences. Doctor notes, funeral home notices along with proof of relation to student, subpoena (as long as the student is not the defendant), college visits with proof from the college, etc. We have recently changed our unexcused absence policy from 5 allowed per quarter to 4 (which is still excessive to me).

Many of our students are expected to translate for relatives when relatives have doctor appointments, so they must miss school. They are also often expected to care for younger siblings (or their own children) when the kids are too sick to go to day care. Last year, I had a student who missed 33 days because she was the family's representative at an overseas funeral. Of course, none of these absences are excused.