this is not new. it’s called “summer school.” my ne’er do well stepkids who have been brainwashed by hubs liberal ex, skip all year then go to summer school for a few weeks of snacks/socializing, then “pass” (with an IEP...mom doctor shopped until she found one who would label them ADHD). The youngest is in 11th grade and reads/does math at a third grade level.
they are in upstate NY.
Summer school generally lasts about 6 weeks. Many NYC schools let the truants come in for the last (ONE) week of classes, hand them a packet of worksheets, don't even bother to grade the predictably garbage answers the kids write (if they even bother to fill out the worksheets at all), and then pass them for the course. Five days of utter made up nonsense vs. 6 weeks of actually having class and turning in homework and tests is not the same thing.