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Sam...have you tried actually talking to the parents and asking them why the kids are late? If it's because "mommy won't wake up on time," then maybe get "mommy" an alarm clock. I'm dead serious about that. Then they won't have any excuses. When the next round of excuses comes, you'll have more to show that they just don't care and it could be easier to get CPS interested.
I was late to one year of HS over 70 times, mostly by minutes.
I'm not talking about minutes, though -- I'm talking about kids who are supposed to show up at 9:00 for 1st period, and regularly don't make it in until 10:00 ... or 11:00 ... or, sometimes, noon. (Yes, really.)
They can absolutely be jailed (and sometimes are) if they don't pay the fine....assuming you're in TX as your name implies.
When the kids are in MS/HS, they can be fined themselves and ordered to attend school each day with no tardies or absences at all. If they violate the order from the municipal/JP court (basically traffic court), their case can be transferred to juvenile court or if they are 17 they can be sent to county jail themselves.
In elementary, only the parents can be fined and they can't be ordered to make sure their kid goes every day. However, they can get a new ticket every 4 weeks if there are 3 additional absences in that period and they can get additional fines for those tickets. If they do not pay the fines, then they can go to jail.
It's most certainly not a joke.
They send seventeen-year-olds to regular jail for missing school??
Seems a bit draconian when other seventeen-year-olds can drop out or be homeschooled. Essentially, you're jailing them for not filing paperwork.
I don't agree with "perfect" attendance rewards. For every kid that has perfect attendance, I just wonder how many they have infected with their germs when they most likely came to school ill
They send seventeen-year-olds to regular jail for missing school??
Seems a bit draconian when other seventeen-year-olds can drop out or be homeschooled. Essentially, you're jailing them for not filing paperwork.
School attendance in TX is mandatory until the end of the school year when a kid turns 18. They can't even drop out on their 18th birthday...much less earlier.
Home school of course is an exception and in addition 17/18 year olds can drop out to take GED preparation classes and/or if they get a GED.
They are not being jailed for truancy. They are getting tickets and being required to pay fines for truancy. In addition to the fine, they are ordered to go to school each day with no tardies or absences for a few months. If they don't pay the fine or violate the order, they are held in contempt of court.
They can drop out or be home schooled after they get out of jail. But as long as they are part of the public school system they can be jailed.
They can't drop out unless they get a GED or take GED prep classes. The maximum age of compulsory attendance has been increased several times over the past 10 years or so.
They can't drop out unless they get a GED or take GED prep classes.
I've been out of school so long, when did they change that? When I was in high school you could drop out at 16 with your parents permission or at the age of 17 < I think without.
woops never mind, I see you already answered that...LOL
Ironically, many of the students who show up late are those who need the most help.
What's interesting is that if you are speaking to anyone that's in the education field, you don't have to say the above because that kind of irony is more of a proven stereotype.
Let me make a few suggestions at both the school level and the class level.
You school need to offer clear incentives for students to attend school, but incentives that cannot be construed as academic privileges. They should also be positive or neutral in reinforcement.
Prizes: Awards that are given a good deal of hype and attention (the marquis award). These can be anywhere from cash to nice certificates. what matters here is that the school demonstrate unambiguous respect and awe for the award. Anything less and the students will discount it accordingly.
Privilege: While awarding academic privileges is out, other privileges should be considered. Hall monitor, bus monitor, helpers at assemblies, yearbook staff, etc. These should be high profile, high prestige, confidence building, and something that other students can aspire towards. This can be at both the school and class level
Aside from incentives, there are important logistical issues. The structure of the school day in schools is pretty airtight. You may want to have the very first part of the agenda full of content. If so, this alone may incentivize parents and students. If the current slot is unstructured time, then tardiness moves from a subject of distress and cost to the class and your lesson plan to something that is more on ethical grounds--a far weaker case. I suggest you either put something important in the first slot or something deliciously fun--one can motivate the parents and one can motivate students. mix this up.
Finally, see if your school is willing to do the following. Say the first lesson goes from 8:00am to 8:30am. Say it is math, something that might motivate parents. If a child is late by more than one minute, the child is prohibited from entering the class and must sit out until the lesson is over. THis borrows a page from symphony/theatre intermission, where the doors close once the next movement/act starts and those that are late must wait until that piece/act is over.
There is no need for your school to be nasty or to moralize. Just do it matter of factly, just like the theatres. Students will be expected to make up the work. Now, borrowing a page form credit card companies, a note should be sent home on the first infraction. After three infractions, parents are called, the language reprimanding the parents gets more stern, etc. After five tardies, parents have their names published in the newsletter, etc. Again, just matter of factly without comments.
One would hope that these measures would suffice. Beyond these rather soft attempts, it is really up to parents and students (if older).
Your case illustrates why placing all the burden of education on the teacher is ridiculous. Although I was a university professor, the lethargy and apathy is not too dissimilar.
It's so frustrating to deal with parents who just don't care.
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