Transition to Google Forms for Student Absence Reporting

As MCPS continues to operate as a Google Enterprise organization, we are standardizing on Google Forms for online forms and transitioning away from Wufoo, a third-party service that was previously used when no district-wide solution was available.

Web Services will be ending its Wufoo contract, and all Wufoo-based student absence forms will be deprecated at the end of this school year (June 2026).

A Google Forms–based absence form should be in place for all schools currently using a Wufoo form maintianed by Web Services by the beginning of the 2026–2027 school year. Many schools have already transitioned to self-managed absence forms built in Google Forms. We are now asking all remaining schools to do the same.

What this means for schools

Schools that currently use a student absence form created by Web Services should:

Create their own Google Form for student absences
Each school's webmaster should embed the form on their school website, as they do today (See instructions on embedding the form in Epi)
Example:
Here is an example of an elementary school using a Google Absence Form:
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/rachelcarsones/absence/

Instructions

Google Absence Form Template

Web Services has created a Google Forms absence form template that schools may copy and customize.
Template link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1ENqzYXNaLA3DOuwmN_Ra7j4Ef0VloTeAApuztNX7lbQ/edit

How to Copy and Customize the Form

Log into your MCPS Google Account
Open the template using the link above
At the top right, select More → Make a copy
When prompted, edit the Form Name
Leave Share it with the same people unchecked
Click Make a copy
Customize questions as needed, including:
Add dropdown menus for teachers or grade levels and additional reasons for absence
At the top right, click Share → Responder View → Anyone with Link
Click the purple Publish button in the top right corner.
Your school's webmaster should embed the form on your school's website (see instructions)

Collecting Responses and Email Notifications

In the form, go to the Responses tab and select Link to Sheets to create a Google Sheet that collects submissions
Share the form with a collaborator and they will also have access to the form’s linked spreadsheet
On the Responses tab, click More (the 3 dots at the top right corner) → Get email notifications for new responses
(notifications will be sent to the email address of the form owner)

Set up email notifications from Google Sheets Responses Spreadsheet

(each person who needs emails must enable notifications from their own account)

Open the Google Sheet that collects your form responses (the linked “Responses” spreadsheet).
Go to Tools → Notification settings, then choose Edit notifications.
Under Notify you when, select A user submits a form.
Under Notify you with, select Email – right away (every submission).
Click Save.

Note: Google Sheets notifications are set up per user, so each person who needs emails must enable notifications from their own account.

Timeline

Now through June 2026:
Schools should create and deploy their Google absence form

End of this school year (June 2026):
Wufoo absence forms will be deprecated

Beginning of the 2026–2027 school year:
Google absence forms should be fully in place

Additional resources

Google Forms documentation:
https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6281888

If you have questions or would like assistance with copying, customizing, or embedding a Google Form, Web Services is happy to help. Please contact us at webmaster@mcpsmd.org.