Sonoma County Grand Jury
• 2016-2017
Elementary School Truancy a Tale of Two Cities
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 7 findings
F1
Petaluma City Schools has developed a comprehensive and successful truancy prevention program in their elementary schools.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Santa Rosa City Schools’ truancy program be modeled after the Petaluma City Schools’ program to reflect an emphasis on truancy prevention. (F1 & F2)
F2
Santa Rosa elementary schools have lost a substantial amount of ADA funding ($459,478 in 2014-15 alone) because of high truancy rates.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
A Santa Rosa City Schools’ action plan for the implementation of these best practices used by Petaluma City Schools be completed by the beginning of the 2017-18 school year. (F1 & F2)
F3
The number of students living in poverty in Santa Rosa elementary schools is almost twice that of students in Petaluma elementary schools.
No recommendations for this finding
F4
The Civil Grand Jury was unable to determine the cause for the sudden increase in truancy (from 5.48% to 32.1%) that began in the 2011-12 school year in Santa Rosa elementary schools.
No recommendations for this finding
F5
Santa Rosa City Schools staff may not have been sufficiently trained in effective truancy prevention and reduction, possibly because of a high rate of staff turnover.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
Santa Rosa City Schools require that all staff who interact with students attend the truancy training programs offered by Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE). Implementation of this recommendation should begin no later than the first semester of the 2017-18 school year.(F5)
F6
A case management approach to truancy used in the Keep Kids in School (KKIS) contract program has been successful for both Petaluma City Schools and Santa Rosa City Schools. The current grant expires in 2018.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
The Petaluma and Santa Rosa City School Districts seek additional grants to continue the Keep Kids in School (or its equivalent) case management program in Sonoma County Schools. (F6)
F7
A 1% reduction in the rate of truancy would result in additional ADA funding that could more than pay for one or more case managers for a school district.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
Santa Rosa City Schools develop a budget and plan by the end of January 2018 to hire an adequate number of case managers to work with truants and their families. (F7)
Conclusions 1
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CL1 Page 75,793 students were enrolled in Santa Rosa elementary schools in the 2014-15 school year. In that year Santa Rosa had a truancy rate of 41.1%. That means that 2,381 Santa Rosa children did not get the education they need to compete in today’s world. The loss of ADA funds means that our community suffers. These truant children are more likely to drop out of school, commit crimes and live in poverty than those children who attend school regularly. Santa Rosa Elementary schools will continue to lose ADA funding as long as the truancy rate remains high. The loss of money means fewer teachers and support staff and fewer programs designed to hold student attention and provide them with life skills.
No Responses Found 2
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
Petaluma
City
Santa Rosa
City