|
Districts want exemptions to make-up days
Published September 28, 2005
All but two Brazoria County school districts have decided to seek a state waiver on having to make up the instructional days lost last week during the mandatory evacuation for Hurricane Rita.
The Texas Education Agency issued a revision to its make-up day policy Sept. 21 that would allow districts closed by the evacuation to apply for a waiver to the requirement they make up the lost days. The state mandates two make-up days built into their school year calendars in case of bad weather.
Officials with Sweeny and Pearland ISDs are undecided whether to seek the waivers, while administrators with Angleton, Brazosport, Danbury, Damon and Columbia-Brazoria ISDs plan to ask for the exemption.
Sweeny ISD Superintendent Randy Miksch said he will meet with campus administrators within the next couple weeks to see whether they think a make-up day is necessary.
“We have to decide if we need to take a (make-up day),” Miksch said. “We are not leaning either way right now. We’re going to do what is in the best interest of our students.”
Pearland ISD administrators also were weighing their options Tuesday, said district spokeswoman Renea Ivy-Sims.
The decision already has been made at all other Brazoria County school districts.
“Why would we use a make-up day if we don’t have to?” Damon ISD Superintendent Robert Dwight said. “It is still early in the school year. Something else could come up before the end of the year.”
Administrators also are considering whether to apply for low-attendance waivers because of the storm. The waiver would allow school districts to receive full reimbursement from the state if attendance rates are more than 10 percent below last year’s average daily attendance rate because of weather, safety or health issues.
Whether student absences are counted as excused will depend on whether the district receives a low-attendance waiver for the day the student was absent, Columbia-Brazoria ISD Superintendent Carol Bertholf said. The waivers also could affect whether students are eligible for perfect attendance awards and exemptions from exams, she said.
“It depends on if we get these days waived by the state,” Bertholf said. “Perfect attendance awards and exam exemptions will first depend on whether the state waives those days and then on campus administrators’ policies.”
Bertholf said the district saw its average daily attendance rate drop to 84 percent Tuesday, its first day in session after the evacuation, down from last year’s 95 percent. The district will continue to monitor attendance and apply for the waiver until it stabilizes, she said.
Brazosport ISD plans to excuse absences that parents can prove were storm-related, district spokesman Stuart Dornberg said.
“We foresee that most of the people who have not gotten back will be few and far between,” Dornberg said. “It will be an excused absence, but even excused absences affect perfect attendance and exam exemptions.”
Angleton ISD will not be deny eligibility for attendance awards or exam exemptions as long as parents can justify absences were caused by the hurricane, Superintendent Heath Burns said.
“We will continue this very liberal policy as long as we can substantiate the absences,” Burns said.
Angleton ISD school had attendance rates Tuesday between 75 and 80 percent, down from last year’s 90 percent daily average, he said.
Alvin and Danbury school district representatives said their administrators will review absences on an individual basis to determine whether a student will be eligible for a perfect attendance award or exam exemption.
David Doerr is a reporter for The Facts. Contact him at (979) 237-0152.
Share |
Save |
Mail |
Print
Related Stories:
County to assist with removal of brush
Local leaders form evacuation task force
Special Olympics tournament a fine event
Problems possible with levee system
Residents not eligible for disaster aid
Brazoria County plays host to Rita evacuees
|
|
|
 |
|
FREE BAY BOAT WITH WATERFRONT PURCHASE Get
...
Click for all
Top Ads listing
|
