UPDATE: Attendance secretary Lesley Leighner reported that the attendance records during the three TCAP days did not show a decrease in attendance; however, she questioned the accuracy of the numbers.
“Attendance on other Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays is around 94 percent in attendance. During our TCAP, it actually shows 96 percent,” Leighner said. “Personally, I think it is a little skewed with teachers taking attendance. I feel with the shortened schedule, it didn’t appear some of the teachers took attendance as diligently. As for me, I felt there were a lot of students either not coming for the day (11th and 12th) and then many leaving after testing (9th and 10th).”
While the freshmen and sophomores begin their three days of attending TCAPS, juniors and seniors don’t need to be at school until class begins at 12:50 p.m on Tuesday and Thursday and 1:35 on Wednesday. Some teachers aren’t expecting high attendance during these three testing days.
“I think [attendance] will be very low. At least historically thats how its been. [The students] just haven’t come,” social studies teacher Kendra Gish said.
Junior and seniors who ride the bus will have to stay in the commons while the other students are testing. They will have to stay in the commons until lunchtime when the freshman and sophomores are released from their testing rooms.
“If the juniors and seniors don’t come to class, they’re going to miss class content . Since they have half the day off, some might not show up,” social studies teacher Andy Wold said.
Teachers who teach AP classes expect their students to come to class because they have work to get done. Other teachers don’t have to worry about attendance if they have a classroom of freshman and/or sophomores.
I think attendance will be high. The freshmen and sophomores will already be [at school]. I think the juniors and seniors will be here because they are in advanced classes and know they need to be here,” math teacher Krista Miller said.