NEWSREADER = Great comment "did you read the article" --> Looks like many did not and your comment on Nov. 25th should be rquired before posting.

Higher expectations result in higher achievement. Lowering standards simply plays to the tendency of many who only do as little as they can get away with to do even less. Yes, sometimes important things do come up. Changing this policy is not the answer to important things interfering with attendance. Doesn't the school system already have in place some sort of excused absence policy for important things that demand a student's absence? If so, that point is moot. With a school board demonstrating a willingness to demand less from their students, less is just what they'll get. Is that really the direction in which the school board wants to go?

carlitosway, keep supporting mediocrity and cutting corners, it seems to be the new way of thinking, you must be very happy! The policy sounds like it has been there for quite sometime but I guess a few squeaky wheels don't feel like following it so why not lower the bar for all, that should result in some positives. My decisions not to have kids is looking better and better everyday.

I bet to some if Walker would have said this should be done There would be no problem with it.
The proposed change would align the district’s practices to state guidelines: Students who attend at least one hour in the morning would be counted as being in attendance for the morning, and students who attend at least one hour in the afternoon would be counted as being present for afternoon, the memo states.

MY GOD the change is a positive thing and to lose a 1/2 day because of 5 to 15 minutes is uncalled for. luaghoutloud you are a judgmental ABUSER as to your comment to chelleandlou. Newsreader well said. HAVE ANY OF YOU BEEN LATE TO ANYTHING BECAUSE SOMETHING CAME UP? HAVE YOU EVER BEEN LATE TO WORK BECAUSE YOUR CAR FAILED OR A SICK CHILD? YOU PEOPLE LOOK FOR ANYTHING TO B***H ABOUT AND DEGRADE SOMEONE FOR. PEOPLE CANNOT READ THE ARTICLE AS TO THE REASONING FOR THE CHANGE, NEED TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND BE ON TIME.

“Our response is believed to be too strict and disenfranchises families,” Yolanda said.

And what does that even mean?

"I wonder in a "business" environment, how long would you last at a job if you were constantly showing up 15 minutes late?"

couldn't have said it any better

I think this is a reasonable change. It's not all about truancy, parental irresponsibility, or "making us look better," folks. I had to take my daughter out of school for an urgent orthodontist appointment. She missed the last 20 minutes of the school day, but due to the policy, it was marked as a half day absence. Silly, as far as I see it.

If you're concerned about the loss of instructional time, there are a lot better places you could focus.

And we all wonder why our nation is falling behind.....parents aren't parenting, and kids can show up at school if or when they feel like it. If not, hey that's OK, as long as our ratings look good, your education or lack thereof is really not our main priority.

Those parents who "fail to get their children to school on time because of problems with transportation, difficulties with siblings or job issues" need to wake up a half hour earlier.

Those who believe the current rules are "too strict" and "disenfranchising” probably don't like to show up for work on time either, or bother to do much else on anyone's schedule but their own.

Oh, I see. What's good for one is good for all, regardless of whether it's good or not. And who cares about educating kids, let's just make our numbers look better. It's OK to attend 2 out of 7 classes state wide, not just in Janesville. Thanks. I feel so much better now.

Yeah, let's do it for the kids...right. The only reason they are changing it is to make THEM look better, not for the sake of the families or the kids. If they weren't getting dinged on THEIR report card, they wouldn't give a rats a$$.

If the students are late for class or miss class, they still get consequences within the school. Doesn't this just change the way truancy is reported? It's still nice to see a pointless antiunion comment unrelated to the subject.

The attendance changes would not affect teachers - they can still call-in sick to attend union-sponsered rallies and receive sick pay from the taxpayers.

LOL - Did you read the article? It clearly says "The proposed change would align the district’s practices to state guidelines: Students who attend at least one hour in the morning would be counted as being in attendance for the morning, and students who attend at least one hour in the afternoon would be counted as being present for afternoon, the memo states."

So, you are advocating a policy that is stricter than state guidelines and makes the school district look worse on the state's accountability standards? Your energy might be better spent trying to change the state guidelines. The School Board is just trying to level the playing field.

So - you show up for one hour in the morning (before lunch), eat, stay for one hour after lunch, and that counts as a full day, even though you've only attended two out of seven classes. The district looks better because you are now not considered truant. That's basically giving kids permission to show up from 11 to 1 with no consequences. Who does this benefit?

chell - Sounds like you are one of the abusers. I agree with fear.

The state ups standards for students and hold the school accountable.The school address the standard by changing rules. Something sounds off. Why not try this follow the rules and hold parent more accountable for children attending school. Yes children attending school on time I know this is foreign to some.

A board that is seemingly worried about what type of pants a teacher wears to school , is going to be passive about punctuality?
I wonder in a "business" environment, how long would you last at a job if you were constantly showing up 15 minutes late?

Janesville's attendance rules are excessive. I believe if a parent calls their child in that should be sufficient enough to excuse the absence. Yes some abuse it, but it's stupid to have to take a child to the doctor for illnesses or ailments that they can't treat. Not only does it cost parents a fortune in unnecessary medical costs, but it can also result in more lost time from work. It's especially unfair to students who have chronic or known medical conditions such as epilepsy, migraine disorders, etc.