Yolo County Grand Jury • 2022-2023

Safety is in the Eye of the Beholder Concerns about Yolo High School a report by the 2022-23 Yolo County Grand Jury

Published: June 01, 2023 7 pages
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Findings and Recommendations 4 findings

F1
Unlike the District’s Student Behavioral Expectations Handbook, the Yolo High School Student Handbook does not mention prohibitions against and consequences of having weapons, such as guns or knives, on school grounds during school hours despite incidents involving knives continuing to occur. Not including such discussion might prevent Yolo High School students from fully understanding the seriousness of bringing such items onto school grounds.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
By January 1, 2024, the Washington Unified School District should revise the Yolo High School Student Handbook to identify opportunities to address prohibitions against and consequences of having weapons on Yolo Education Center grounds.
F2
Teachers and administrators are not notified of student suspensions as they occur. This increases the chances that a suspended student could return to school before allowed, possibly with intent and the means to harm others or property.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
By January 1, 2024, the Washington Unified School District should develop a plan to improve the process by which teachers and administrators are promptly notified of student suspensions from the campus.
F3
Investigations of incidents of threats or acts of violence are not as thorough or considered as needed.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
By January 1, 2024, the Washington Unified School District should initiate an audit of investigations involving violence and bullying, conducted by Yolo High School leadership between 2021 and 2023, using independent experts in order to identify any investigations found to be incomplete or improperly concluded, then take remedial action. In addition, the District should review the investigations training completed by school administration to evaluate its effectiveness and seek opportunities for improvement. The findings and outcomes of this review should be shared with the Grand Jury.
F4
A significant percentage of Yolo High School students are in what is commonly known as independent study at any given time, thereby unable to attend classes or events on the campus. This isolation prevents them from receiving the full benefit of services provided to attending students. RECOMMENDATIONS
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
By June 30, 2024, the Yolo County Board of Education should conduct a study of the circumstances under which students are assigned to independent study at Yolo High School. This review should identify whether practices at Yolo High 6 School disproportionately harm victims of bullying or students who need support provided at their schools. REQUIRED RESPONSES Pursuant to Penal Code sections 933 and 933.05, the Grand Jury requires responses to its Findings and Recommendations from the following governing bodies: n Board of Education/Trustees Washington Unified School District – F-1, F-2, F-3, F- 4, R-1, R-2, R-3 n Yolo County Board of Education – F-4, R-4 END NOTES 1 Yolo High School Mission: https://yolo.wusd.k12.ca.us/ 2 Jocelyn Gecker, “After Year of Violence, US Schools Try to Tame Tensions ,” Associated Press, June 23, 2022, (https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2022-06-23/after- year-of-violence-us-schools-try-to-tame-tensions 3 Paul Warren, “Accountability for California’s Alternative Schools,” Public Policy Institute of California, Report, May 2016, https://www.ppic.org/publication/accountability-for- californias-alternative- schools/#:~:text=In%20California%2C%20%E2%80%9Calternative%20school%E2%80%9 D%20refers%20to%20a%20set,need%20an%20alternative%20schedule%20to%20acco mmodate%20outside%20work 4 California Education Code 48900, https://california.public.law/codes/ca_educ_code_section_48900 5 Dr. Ron Avi Astor and Dr. Rami Benbenishty, “Reducing Weapons in Schools,” Division 15 of the American Psychological Association, March 17, 2022, https://apadiv15.org/reducing-weapons-in-schools/ 6 Shouse California Law Group, “Penal Code § 626.10 PC – Weapons on California School Grounds,” https://www.shouselaw.com/ca/defense/penal-code/626- 10/#:~:text=California%20Penal%20Code%20%C2%A7%20626.10%20PC%20makes%20i t,can%20be%20charged%20as%20a%20misdemeanoror%20a%20felony 7 Yolo Education Center, Handbook and Forms: https://yolo.wusd.k12.ca.us/Our- School/Handbooks-and-Forms/index.html 8 California Legislative Information: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=EDC&divisio n=4.&title=2.&part=28.&chapter=5.&article=5.5 Reports issued by the Civil Grand Jury do not identify individuals interviewed. Penal Code Section 929 requires that reports of the Grand Jury not contain the name of any person or facts leading to the identity of any person who provides information to the Civil Grand Jury. 7

Commendations 1

Agency Responses 2

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.