Taking Kids Out of School And the Schools Still Getting $

[OceanDreamin]

I remember reading quite a few months ago (I think on this Family Cruising Forum), a post from a woman who had worked with her child's school to have her child's cruise classed as some sort of off campus scholastic research, so that the school still got funding, and the child was not considered "absent." I know the child had to do some kind of report or something for school credit, and it worked out well for everyone. Does anyone know what post I'm talking about? Has anyone else been able to work something out with their school this way? I will be pulling my DD out for a week in October, and I would like to be able to suggest this option to the school - if only I could find the post! I thought it was a great idea when I read it, but it wasn't relevant to my situation at the time, so I didnt subscribe to that thread or anything, and now I can't find it.

 

Please note that I am NOT asking for opinions on whether or not I should be pulling my child out of school to go on a cruise.:cool:

 

Thanks in advance for all helpful replies!:)

[OnTheBrink]

Does the school otherwise not get funding if the child is absent? Public or private school?

 

I talked to the Director of my daughter's Montessori school about the cruise today and she is thrilled that Emma is going. She is going to help us do some pre-learning about the area's we'll be visiting as well as some ideas of things we can do while there. I think I'll start a thread about that!

[OceanDreamin]

Montessori schools are AWESOME. My DD just graduated from a Montessori school, and I got the same response from her teacher that you got, when I told them we were going to sail on the Pride.

 

Now I'm enrolling her in Public School, and yes, the funding for public schools is based on a child's attendance, so if she's absent, they don't get money. I read something a long time ago though, about a parent who had worked out something that appeased the school district, such that the school still got funding and the child was not considered "absent." I wish I could find that thread! Hopefully someone will read this and remember what I'm talking about.

[OnTheBrink]

Maybe it varies with school districts, because I know that's not the case here (that the school doesn't get money if the kid isn't there).

[VikkiGarcia]

In Arizona the state does pay based on attendance. At our kids charter school if your child misses school for some reason other than being sick they would like to be reimbursed the amount they are out. I believe it was something like $35 dollars a day. I know people who have paid and others who didn't. The school cannot force you to, but the kids are sent home with this letter explaining this at the begining of each school year.

[kitty9]

The No Child Left Behind Act has really tied the hands of public schools. Yes, many schools can, and do, lose money if children are absent for an unexcused reason, and vacations are not an excused reason. Most large districts will not "forgive" the absence by calling it some sort of sabbatical, because if they were caught, it would mean big problems for the school district. All you can do is ask.

[travelbugs]

OceanDreamin'

I'm just North of you (when our kids went to public school, this is how it was explained to me)...

We were told that if we pulled them out for a week or more they can apply for "Independent Study". There's a sheet of paper for you to fill out and it has to be ok'd by the Principal, it then goes to the teachers who in turn get the children's work prepared for them to take with. Of course the principals going to ok it (they won't get the money if they don't) and some teacher's don't make up their lesson plans 2 weeks in advance, so they're happy with Journal entries and a power point to show the class when they get back! Have a wonderful time and remember.............Try not to let school interfere with your child's education! (yeah, I'll probably get flamed for that)

-Travelbugs

[cali-croozer]

Same situation in my kid's school district (independent study contract), but it does matter what level the child is in. In elementary school, it's a given that the contract will be approved. It's a toss up in middle school (depends on the time of year, testing schedule, etc). High school, not very likely, but again, depending on time of year (most high school classes cannot be done on independent study because of lecture time lost).

[OceanDreamin]

Independent Study!!! That's it!!! Thank you, Travelbugs!

 

My DD is going into 1st Grade in the "wonderful:rolleyes: " Los Angeles Unified School District after being at a Montessori school since she was 2-1/2. I went to the 1st grade back-to-school night last year at the public school, when she was just beginning kindergarten at Montessori. At that point she was already WAY ahead of where the 1st graders were expected to be by the end of the year. Which means that now a year later she's light years ahead. Add to that, she was certified as "gifted," but didn't get into any kind of gifted magnet program because of the stupid "points" system, and I'm REALLY not worried about her missing a week of school.

 

On the other hand, since hopefully DD will be at this elementary school for a few years to come, I would rather not start off my relationship with the principal and the teachers on a bad note. I'll definitely ask about the Independent Study thing at the beginning of September when she starts.

 

Thank you all so much!

[Onessa]

Have a wonderful time and remember.............Try not to let school interfere with your child's education! (yeah, I'll probably get flamed for that)

 

Gotta love it!

[GAPaige]

Our school has been fantastic about taking the kids out for trips. They are given assignments (keeping a journal, writing facts about each place visited and presenting to the class when they get back). We have to get permission from the assistant principal before the trip, but he has always encouraged their learning outside of school. We will take them out for a week in October and the girls have already started keeping journals about the trip, talking about what they expect and what they've already learned of the places we'll visit.

BTW-My mom just retired from a lifetime of teaching elementary school and is all for the kids taking trips learning about the world. She always says there's no way a book can teach like a trip can.

[sas80]

Really, I think you should just talk to your childs teacher about this. Present it to the teacher like you presented it here.

I think the school would be doing themselves a disservice if they didn't at least look into the possibility - after all, this situation is really not for you to worry about, is it?

 

Good luck.

 

Either way, maybe you can find a way to tie it to something your child is studying/will be studying and have your child get some extra credit for it.

[westcoastnative]

Glad you found out the phrase you were looking for! I would double check with the school that the Independent Study Contract qualifies the school to still receive it's funding, for some reason I didn't think it would. I guess I was thinking it was more to keep the student from being marked down in class grade wise for the absence.

 

Good luck with everything and hope the vacation planning goes well and is fun!!:)

[merela]

We did this for our previous 2 cruises. Once, my DD was in kindergarten and another time, she was in grade 1.

 

Going away for 3 days wouldn't qualify, but going away for 5 school days qualifies for Independent Study.

 

Your school's office manager or secretary should be aware of this already. All I had to do was tell our school's office manager that we will be away for 5 days and she would take out the necessary paperwork for the principal and my DD's teacher to sign.

 

Part of the job her teacher had to do is to look ahead during the time of my daughter's absence and figure out what coursework and homework she is required to do. It's more work for her teacher to do this, so we always buy a small gift for her teacher when we return from our 5+ day trip.

 

There is no reason why the principal or the teacher wouldn't sign this paper, so it's a no brainer for them.

 

BTW, I wouldn't recommend doing this once your kids reach grade 2 or 3. Coursework gets harder and unless you are sure of your child's academic skills, a 5-day absence may be hard for the child to catch up. So definitely do this when your child is in kindergarten or 1st grade.

 

We are also in the Los Angeles Unified School District. These public schools will not get funding from the federal government if the child is absent on a per day basis. I think it's about $23-$25 per day (not sure of the exact amount). This was the direct result of the No Child Left Behind Law. The government wants school administrators held accountable for students who skip school.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Our school has been fantastic about taking the kids out for trips. They are given assignments (keeping a journal, writing facts about each place visited and presenting to the class when they get back). We have to get permission from the assistant principal before the trip, but he has always encouraged their learning outside of school. We will take them out for a week in October and the girls have already started keeping journals about the trip, talking about what they expect and what they've already learned of the places we'll visit.

BTW-My mom just retired from a lifetime of teaching elementary school and is all for the kids taking trips learning about the world. She always says there's no way a book can teach like a trip can.

 

What school district are your kids in, we are also in Atlanta and planning a long trip so need to speak to the principal when school starts, the kids are in 2 different schools and we are going to try using the independant study route and hopefully they can do some great projects and teach the other kids about the places they are going.

Any further info you have experienced would be great.:D