Most teachers I know dread make-up work, and I do, too.  Creating it, assigning it, grading it, all of these fall very low on the priority list, too.  Why?  Because, we know it's not effective.  We know that student who miss class miss out.   It is very difficult to replicate the progress and process of the classroom in a make-up assignment.  Students who miss the direct instruction of a qualified teacher are not likely to be able to recreate that experience with a worksheet or computer activity.  The NY Times is reporting on this exact issue, to read the article click here.  In most cases, both students and teachers are concientious enough to come to class when it is at all possible.  On the occasional absence, make-up work is not a detriment to the either party.  It allows the teacher to provide the student with the essentials, the skeleton of what they missed and it allows the student to fill in the gaps created by their absence.  In the rare instance of chronic absences, on the part of the student, make-up work is not effective.  If the student is frequently absent and is assigned make-up work, the chances are not good that the student will master the topic or lesson.  There are several computer courses designed to address situations like this, as well as remedial assistance, but, in my experience, they are not effective either.  Computer programs, like NovaNet, foster corporate thought, in other words, kids see this as an opportunity to mooch off of the smartest in the group, copy their answers, or compare until they can agree on which answer seems the best.   Encourage your kids and others to go to school, they can't get what they are missing from make-up work.