I have an odd question for those who are familiar with public school policies. I have twins in kindergarten, and we are planning on taking them out of school for a total of 9 school days for a vacation (Disneyworld). Their teachers (they have different teachers) are fine with it, and they know that I will have the girls keep up with their homework (and Kumon too). The people in the school office seem pretty ticked off though, and someone there said that I might be getting a truancy letter. I have no idea how serious something like that is--I'm going to begin having terrible nightmares about having to go to court after we get back from our vacation! Does anyone have any clue what we should expect in this situation? We've been planning this for over a year. They're only in kindergarten for crying out loud, it's not like they're really going to miss much! This is the first and last time we will ever do this during the school year, I would never do this once they start first grade. They have been absolutely perfect students from day one, always doing their homework and have perfect behavior. They have a green, yellow, red system for behavior, and they have both gotten green every single day, so there is a record for that. Any ideas?

In my state, kindergarten is not even mandatory, so there couldn't possibly be a truancy issue. (I believe the law here is that school is mandatory for age 7 and up--though of course the vast majority of 5 and 6 year olds are in school). Is kg mandatory where you live?

You said the girls' teachers are fine with your vacation, but your school surely has an official policy on such things. Can you look this up in your school's handbook, or talk with the principal? Be sure you go through all the proper channels and fill out any necessary forms. This should protect you from any problems after your trip. If there is not a specific form, ask your principal to sign a letter authorizing a "pre-arranged absence" from the start date to the return date.

Here's the scoop: schools get paid for each student that is in class for each day that they attend. For every student that's not there, the school doesn't get $$ for that day. So many families get truancy letters for taking extended vacations that involve school days. I personally wouldn't give a flying flip (and knowing myself, I would probably say so to the principal) about what the school thinks about my child going on a vacation; in the lower grades they aren't missing very much. They won't be able to do that when they're in junior high. We took our kids to Germany when they were in 2nd and 5th grade for two weeks. They learned so much by meeting their great-grandmother's sister, their third cousins, and other distant relatives. The personal stories of WWII, escaping from the Russians, and being in an American POW camp will be something they'll remember always. They learned more from visiting castles and museums, and traveling through former Communist East Germany than from reading about them in a book.

I would talk to the principal and have him clarify the school's policy, but I wouldn't let such a policy ruin occasional vacations.

Let me add my 2 cents' worth, as a public school teacher for a number of years--and play devil's advocate in the process. Yes, the school gets $$ for each student in class, but schools are also under TREMENDOUS pressure from the federal govt. (as part of No Child Left Behind--don't EVEN get me started on the MANY problems inherent in this legislation!!! :rolleyes: ) to meet attendance goals, which is why there is such vigorous enforcemment of attendance policies.

I will also say I see a HUGE difference in taking your children to Germany for two weeks and taking them Disneyland for 9 school days. I don't think these kids will learn a lot about history/culture/geography from Disneyland (no offense, ChristyA). Schools DO definitely prefer that you take your children out for an OPTIONAL vacation during holidays and summers--and we are coming up on Thanksgiving AND Christmas breaks--as there is a curriculum that must be followed and objectives that must be met. Even if your children keep up with their homework, they are missing the benefit of teacher instruction, class discussions, group interactions, etc. If I thought my kids wouldn't miss much by missing NINE days of school, I'd be taking a HARD look at my schools. I know they're just in kindergarten, but kindergarten today is NOTHING like when I was in school, when you learned your alphabet and how to tie your shoes!!

All that said, two years ago, I took two of my children (7th and 10th grades, at the time) out of school for 6 school days to travel to Italy. They were excused for only 3 of those days, which meant that they got zeros for any tests, projects, etc., the other three days. It was WELL worth it for the experience they had in expanding their horizons and learning about other cultures which are SO much older and SO much different than ours!!

You definitely should do as pianoannie recommended and see what the attendance policy is. Some schools require that kids keep a journal each day they're out. Some schools will excuse a certain number of days, others won't. You need to make sure you cross all your t's and dot all your i's--and then, since you've been planning this for over a year, GO and have a great time!!

I have already been exchanging notes and phone calls with the office staff, and received a note signed by the principal that all vacations are unexcused absences. If all it means by getting a truancy letter is something to sign, then I am not going to worry about it. This is the first and last time we are ever going on a vacation during the school year. And as far as the quality of the school and the fact that they are not missing much by not being there, we are actually considering sending them to a private school next year. I haven't been happy with the quality of their education at public school.
One of my girls' teachers suggested writing a letter about all the educational things they can learn on this trip--such as at Epcot, the Animal Kingdom, etc, or just early reading skills by reading signs, and sending it to the office staff and see what happens from there. (As long as I don't say it was her idea!)

It's funny though that my dh talked to a co-worker whose kids go to private school; they go on vacations all the time during the school year and they are much more lenient. I don't know if kindergarten is mandatory in our state (KY). The reason we chose this time of year is partly because of my dh's work schedule, and also because at the time of year we are going they are WAY WAY WAY less crowded. Any other time of year when kids are out of school it would be crowded. Not really a justifiable reason to take them out of school, but like I've said, this is just kindergarten and we are never doing this again. The plane tickets are already bought, I'm not planning on cancelling our trip because heaven forbid they'll miss out on studying the letter "S" for the week (or whatever the letter of the week is), or learning to count to 30 which I think I am capable of teaching them!

Why not ask your children's teacher if she will give you copies of the classwork and homework that her class will be responsible for during those 9 days, and assure her that you will work with your children to learn what they will miss in school?

I guess we're more lenient in our school system. We are on the coast, and last year a family in our school district (they have 3 children) took off in their boat from November through March. They spent that time sailing all around the Carribbean, while they were connected to the school and their children's teachers through the internet. The kids were in contact with their teachers every day, turned homework in on time (wirelessly), and kept up with their respective classrooms, which they returned to in April.

And you're only going to be gone for 9 days!!!

That was the very first thing that we did, to inform their teachers and ask for their homework. We will also be taking their Kumon reading homework. The girls are early risers, we are planning on having them do homework first thing nearly every morning. Alright, we are probably going to skip their homework the day that they have breakfast with Cinderella! One day won't hurt and that meals costs ALOT of money. Their teachers are not the ones who are concerned, they know that the girls are good students and they know that we are very involved in their education. It's just the school office that's throwing a hissy fit. And that's a good idea about keeping in touch with their teachers online! My dh has to bring his laptop (he's an IT manager), and we had to make sure that our condo had a high-speed connection. Now if we could only find a scanner and fax in their homework!

In our state, the rating of the school depends in part on attendance. These ratings are posted all over the place and a lot depends on them. Even your housing value can depend on the rating of the schools in the area. Principals are very defensive of the rating of their schools. Their jobs can depend on it! (And since principals around here make about 4X what teachers do, they REALLY want to keep their jobs) This is in addition to what Alidoremi said about the daily attendance being how schools are funded in most states.
Actually the only one who knows the answers to your questions would be someone who knows the requirements of your school district. This would be someone in administration, because the school doesn't really want you to know. I say this as a teacher in many districts all over the country for many, many years.
While they have state guidelines, each school district in the US is an entity into itself. While the principal may make threatening remarks, it could be all bluster. She might think that if you get away with this, then she has to let everyone get away with it. Hence the threats, which most likely are powerless. She has to say the same thing to you that she would to a 5th grader or she would be accused of being unfair.
I don't know about truancy in your district, but a friend of mine had a child who did get a truancy letter. Nothing ever came of it. You have to miss a lot more than 9 days to get into truancy trouble, say like a whole semester. I say enjoy your vacation and don't worry about it. I hardly think your child will *fail* kindergarten.
PS The friend in trouble was told that she would fail unless she passed the next semester. In that case she would get credit for the class she failed for truancy. She did pass and she did get credit. This was a high school student.

Thanks Susan. I had thought about trying to call someone on the board of education, but I wonder if that would stir up more trouble. Maybe I should have someone call for me so it's an anonymous question. I am going to have our neighbors get our mail while we're gone and keep on eye out for anything from the school or county. I'm going to do my best to enjoy our vacation, but unfortunately I am a total worry wart. I will be thinking of this every single day while we're gone. My dh will get seriously ticked off if anything ruins our vacation, he's more excited than our kids!

Christy- the school can't claim truancy on you! I used to teach elementary school in the public school system and know educational law. What you are doing is NOT truancy. You as the parent have more rights than the school will tell you.

1. It is not truancy because you have notified the school inadvance of their absence and made arrangement with the teacher(s) for the work they will need to have done with them so they aren't behind when they come back.

2. You as the parent can pull your kids out of school at anytime with out warning to the district at all to homeschool, for fmaily reasons or any other reasons when you wish.

3. Truancy (which obviously the office people don't understand) is when a child is skipping school on their own without the parents knowing about it and is continually missing larger chunks of school on a regular basis without the school being notified. You're situation does not even fall into this category! If they are worried about truancy, they should be looking for those kids you see running around town doing whatever during the school hours when you know they should be in school.

In this case the school is trying to use authority and scare tactics that it can not legally enforce.
Go on your vacation, don't stress it and enjoy!