Technolandy

Day 44 (of 2025 SOL) attendance a “fine” idea?

Two weeks until schools officially open in BC. My district did a social media blitz about the importance of attendance at the end of last season – I teased that I was going to promote that with our Online School, you were always present and on time… but that would just been mean… attendance continues to be interesting discussion point – whether to follow the ukmodek of fining families… or maybe to go opposite of the learning of the pandemic where it was encouraged to all to stay home if not 100% – or as a Texas judge says:you’re going to go to work with the sniffles, so. Doctors note is no longer an excised absence… https://apple.news/ADfbgNTF3Scia0oLYbNI7Sw or https://people.com/doctors-notes-wont-excuse-child-absences-school-district-says-11778934#:~:text=Absences%20are%20not%20excused%20or%20unexcused%2C”%20the%20district%20said.,duration%20of%20the%20academic%20year.” 

But in Tenessee, 8 absences (whether excused or unexcused) seems to be the new tipping point…  and there are some cases where students will be allowed to “attend part time days” – helpful for some, but that has always been available to parents who wanted/needed a gradual entry to school or were working with complex anxiety et al. But without that – there may be a referral to a juvenile court… 

Tenessee ain’t the only one looking to England for truancy advice: Oh, yeah – truancy in England = $fine truancy (a fine up to £2,500 or even a prison sentence (for parents). If the reasons aren’t good for missing school, schools and local councils can even send parents to parenting classes… have a court appointed ‘supervisor’ to help them get to school (their barrier is 5 days of school in a 10 week period) = yes, parents with complex needs are worried they could be unfairly targeted… and the debate of vacationing during ‘off peak’ travel windows is always going to be more important to some than others… 

Indiana is also following the 5 days/10 weeks ratio. K-5 previously, this year through high school… and only for unexcused absences… 

Georgia parent accountability act: based on holding parents liable if their child assaults a teacher, but also being connected to the 2nd amendment and if a ‘child’ enacts a mass shooting… this also act includes parenting classes being a ‘consequence’ as well as juvenile court connections could also lead to indictment and prosecution in courts… (10 or more days = truant)

New Jersey fines : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14981031/gloucester-township-council-new-jersey-parents/ parents in New Jersey are also going to be accountable for consequences for their children’s actions…. Mind you this is more about ‘delinquency’ and misdemeanours than schools but does include “immorality” and ‘loitering in groups of three or more on any public streets…” in addition to the predictable and usual crimes for any citizen… but one part: the adult who could get in trouble is the one providing a ‘lack of supervision’ 0 and the ‘person’ is who has custody or control of a minor child – which technically/legally during the school day, once they have arrived and are ‘in attendance’ is… the teacher and school… so this could be interesting to watch…

PS in BC – a student ‘habitually absent’ is when they exceed 40 days without valid excuse. 

A lot of the acts and new(-ish) laws reference how the pandemic influenced an increase in absences… but maybe we take a closer look at the reasons why more students/families are finding it easier to stay away… rather than just focus on consequencing them into compliance…?