Texas Schools Attendance & Taking kids out for vacation (San Antonio: spring break, daycare) - (TX) - City-Data Forum

vzwkelly · 08-21-2009, 12:43 PM

We just relocated here to San Antonio. Our daughters are now 18 and 20 and have attended schools both in the US and overseas. They have both graduated. We also have a son that is starting school (kindergarten) at Wilderness Oak.

We have always taken a family vacation for one week and taken the kids out of school for that without without any problems. As the kids got older the teachers always worked with them to get their work to them before/or allow make up time afterward. The schools they attended before allowed this with no problem. As long as it was no more than 5 days per school year.

We had one planned for this fall, and I just read over the attendance policy for schools here in this area. I was very unsure about the whole policy and called both the district and the school to ask if I was reading the policy correctly.

From what I could take from my calls, this is HIGHLY frowned on here in Texas. The school said that I could take the chance but if my son was also out for another 5 days (even for sickness or doctor's appointments) I could cause him to possible repeat school or come in for Saturday classes.

Has anyone taken their children out of school for a week for vacation? My son is only in kindergarten and I don't think it will have a huge impact if we do this vacation this year. It wouldn't be such a big deal but this is a huge family planned event and I never thought it would be a problem. When we planned it we had no idea we were even moving here!

Has anyone ever done this and run into problems? I got the total "cold" treatment from the schools, as if this was a horrible thing and it put the fear in me that I could jeopardize my son's education if I did it.

firstclassflyer · 08-21-2009, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vzwkelly

We just relocated here to San Antonio. Our daughters are now 18 and 20 and have attended schools both in the US and overseas. They have both graduated. We also have a son that is starting school (kindergarten) at Wilderness Oak.

We have always taken a family vacation for one week and taken the kids out of school for that without without any problems. As the kids got older the teachers always worked with them to get their work to them before/or allow make up time afterward. The schools they attended before allowed this with no problem. As long as it was no more than 5 days per school year.

We had one planned for this fall, and I just read over the attendance policy for schools here in this area. I was very unsure about the whole policy and called both the district and the school to ask if I was reading the policy correctly.

From what I could take from my calls, this is HIGHLY frowned on here in Texas. The school said that I could take the chance but if my son was also out for another 5 days (even for sickness or doctor's appointments) I could cause him to possible repeat school or come in for Saturday classes.

Has anyone taken their children out of school for a week for vacation? My son is only in kindergarten and I don't think it will have a huge impact if we do this vacation this year. It wouldn't be such a big deal but this is a huge family planned event and I never thought it would be a problem. When we planned it we had no idea we were even moving here!

Has anyone ever done this and run into problems? I got the total "cold" treatment from the schools, as if this was a horrible thing and it put the fear in me that I could jeopardize my son's education if I did it.

Wow..18, 20 and Kindergartner...

smuboy86 · 08-21-2009, 01:18 PM

The school district is telling the truth. In fact parents in the past have been charged with contributing to truancy of a child for doing just what you propose. You can take the chance, but the school nor the teacher have to work with your child to allow them to make up the work. This isn't district policy it's state policy called the 90% rule. Your child must be in class 90% of the time, excused or unexcused.

firstclassflyer · 08-21-2009, 01:19 PM

Disney can wait...

LindaGrace · 08-21-2009, 01:36 PM

So why would you plan a vacation during the school year?

smuboy86 · 08-21-2009, 01:39 PM

From the TEA site: Is Kindergarten required in Texas?
A child is not required to attend school unless he or she is at least six (6) years old on September 1 of the school year. Enrollment in Kindergarten is not required. However, if a child is enrolled in Kindergarten, regular attendance is required. If the child has too many unexcused absences while enrolled, compulsory attendance charges may be filed. A parent who enrolls a child in Kindergarten may choose to withdraw the child at any time during the school year.

WilGar · 08-21-2009, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vzwkelly

We just relocated here to San Antonio. Our daughters are now 18 and 20 and have attended schools both in the US and overseas. They have both graduated. We also have a son that is starting school (kindergarten) at Wilderness Oak.

We have always taken a family vacation for one week and taken the kids out of school for that without without any problems. As the kids got older the teachers always worked with them to get their work to them before/or allow make up time afterward. The schools they attended before allowed this with no problem. As long as it was no more than 5 days per school year.

We had one planned for this fall, and I just read over the attendance policy for schools here in this area. I was very unsure about the whole policy and called both the district and the school to ask if I was reading the policy correctly.

From what I could take from my calls, this is HIGHLY frowned on here in Texas. The school said that I could take the chance but if my son was also out for another 5 days (even for sickness or doctor's appointments) I could cause him to possible repeat school or come in for Saturday classes.

Has anyone taken their children out of school for a week for vacation? My son is only in kindergarten and I don't think it will have a huge impact if we do this vacation this year. It wouldn't be such a big deal but this is a huge family planned event and I never thought it would be a problem. When we planned it we had no idea we were even moving here!

Has anyone ever done this and run into problems? I got the total "cold" treatment from the schools, as if this was a horrible thing and it put the fear in me that I could jeopardize my son's education if I did it.

Gee, I did not know that our children have become wards of the state. At the school system where my children attended, trips were encouraged. Thanksgiving started on Wednesday, Spring Break started early and continued late,a business trip with dad expected.

Saturday school would be a small cost to pay.

Tell the principal that the cotton crop needs picking and to get a grip.

firstclassflyer · 08-21-2009, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LindaGrace

So why would you plan a vacation during the school year?

Usually they do it because it's cheaper and/or less crowded.

mrstxcop · 08-21-2009, 01:53 PM

they are correct --- it is VERY frowned upon ---

with that being said, i did take my girls out of school this past May for a 7 day vacation...they missed 5 days each --- HOWEVER...we took our vacation the 2nd week of May and the taks tests were already done ...

In speaking with my youngest daughters teacher, 1st grade, she told me that it would not be a problem at all as school was almost out and all the work being given was basically work to keep the students busy ... the 1st grade teacher also gave me her homework packet for that week for my daughter to do on vacation and when we came back she had all her work set aside to make up ... her absences were counted as EXCUSED and with these 5 days she had a total of 6 days absent for the whole year...

My oldest daughter was in 7th grade at the time --- for middle school I sent a letter to the attendance office letting them know my daughter would be out for those particular days and i also sent a letter to each teacher explaining that she would be out of school for such and such dates and I asked that she be allowed to make up the work ... she was allowed to make up the work, however her absences were counted at UNEXCUSED ... this was not a problem as my daughter missed very very little school and even with those 5 days she only had a total of 6 or 7 days throughout the school year that she missed...

I will say that when our youngest daughter was in kinder she missed alot of school...she had never been to daycare and thus caught every bug there was and was sick quite a bit --- she also had childhood mono and per dr. orders could not return to school until the fever associated with mono had been gone for 3 days ... even though all of her absences that year were excused and she was sick there was still a chance they were going to hold her back --- i had to have a meeting with her teacher and the pricipal regarding this --- in the end she was not held back due to her meeting all kinder requirement regardless of the number of days she missed...

good luck in your decision ...

smuboy86 · 08-21-2009, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WilGar

Gee, I did not know that our children have become wards of the state.

It's called In loco parentis. Which means that schools can in fact act as parents as long as it doesn't break civil liberties. Which is why public schools can have dress codes, locker searches, drug tests ect...