Ellen
05-03-2009, 12:19 AM
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Chicago Special Education Examiner: Attendance can be a problem for students with special needs or chronic illnesses (http://www.examiner.com/x-9926-Chicago-Special-Education-Examiner~y2009m5d2-Attendance-can-be-a-problem-for-students-with-special-needs-or-chronic-illnesses)
Attendance can be a problem for students with special needs or chronic illnesses
May 2, 6:39 AM
It is a school district's job to make sure that all children are in school as much as possible. This is not only for the well-being of the child, but also for the well-being of the school. In Central Illinois, Galesburg School District 205 (http://www.galesburg205.org/absences/absences.htm) makes this fact known to their parents via the district's website:
?Each day a single student is absent from school costs Galesburg C.U.S.D. #205 $80.00 in lost state aid. In addition to that, due to State of Illinois regulations, when a student is tardy or leaves early for as little as 45 minutes the District is required to count them absent for half of a day, costing the District $40.00 in lost state aid."
Using those numbers, having three students absent from a day of school, means the district loses an amount that is more than one day's pay for a first year teacher (http://www.galesburg205.org/salary/Salary_Certified.pdf). This doesn't even include the amount that the school loses for the free and reduced lunch program for students who also qualify for that.
Schools who depend on that funding, find themselves leveraging punishments against students and parents who won't or can't comply with the attendance rules. The problem with this is when a child's disability or special needs make getting to school on time or coming to school every day an impossibility.
Parents who are grappling with school officials who are trying to punish their children with lowered grades, detentions, missed recesses, or loss of other 'perks' need to step up and talk to the teachers, and then the administration. If this doesn't work, there are other avenues to take that will get your child the attention he or she needs.
If your child has special medical needs, but does not have an IEP, he may qualify for a 504 plan or a health plan. Because, by federal law, schools are required to accommodate the medical needs of their students, a plan has to be put in writing for the safety of the students and the teachers. Excessive absences due to a chronic illness (diabetes (http://diabetes.webmd.com/default.htm), asthma (http://www.webmd.com/asthma/default.htm)) or the effects of chronic illness (tiredness (http://www.healthmonitor.com/takingcare/allergiesasthma/how-do-you-know-it-asthma.html), increased hunger (http://www.diabitieslife.com/diabetes/diabetes-basics/symptoms/beginning-signs-of-diabetes.htm), irritability (http://www.healthopedia.com/irritability-in-children/)) can be written into the plan with a doctor's explanation.
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Chicago Special Education Examiner: Attendance can be a problem for students with special needs or chronic illnesses (http://www.examiner.com/x-9926-Chicago-Special-Education-Examiner~y2009m5d2-Attendance-can-be-a-problem-for-students-with-special-needs-or-chronic-illnesses)
Attendance can be a problem for students with special needs or chronic illnesses
May 2, 6:39 AM
It is a school district's job to make sure that all children are in school as much as possible. This is not only for the well-being of the child, but also for the well-being of the school. In Central Illinois, Galesburg School District 205 (http://www.galesburg205.org/absences/absences.htm) makes this fact known to their parents via the district's website:
?Each day a single student is absent from school costs Galesburg C.U.S.D. #205 $80.00 in lost state aid. In addition to that, due to State of Illinois regulations, when a student is tardy or leaves early for as little as 45 minutes the District is required to count them absent for half of a day, costing the District $40.00 in lost state aid."
Using those numbers, having three students absent from a day of school, means the district loses an amount that is more than one day's pay for a first year teacher (http://www.galesburg205.org/salary/Salary_Certified.pdf). This doesn't even include the amount that the school loses for the free and reduced lunch program for students who also qualify for that.
Schools who depend on that funding, find themselves leveraging punishments against students and parents who won't or can't comply with the attendance rules. The problem with this is when a child's disability or special needs make getting to school on time or coming to school every day an impossibility.
Parents who are grappling with school officials who are trying to punish their children with lowered grades, detentions, missed recesses, or loss of other 'perks' need to step up and talk to the teachers, and then the administration. If this doesn't work, there are other avenues to take that will get your child the attention he or she needs.
If your child has special medical needs, but does not have an IEP, he may qualify for a 504 plan or a health plan. Because, by federal law, schools are required to accommodate the medical needs of their students, a plan has to be put in writing for the safety of the students and the teachers. Excessive absences due to a chronic illness (diabetes (http://diabetes.webmd.com/default.htm), asthma (http://www.webmd.com/asthma/default.htm)) or the effects of chronic illness (tiredness (http://www.healthmonitor.com/takingcare/allergiesasthma/how-do-you-know-it-asthma.html), increased hunger (http://www.diabitieslife.com/diabetes/diabetes-basics/symptoms/beginning-signs-of-diabetes.htm), irritability (http://www.healthopedia.com/irritability-in-children/)) can be written into the plan with a doctor's explanation.
....