CVUSD effort honored
Author: Neil Nisperos , Staff Writer
CHINO - The Chino Valley Unified School District is one of nine school districts that have been recognized for dropout prevention efforts and improving attendance by the State School Attendance Review Board.
The districts were recognized for working with the community to implement programs to improve regular attendance and high school graduation, said Tom Torlakson, the state superintendent of public instruction.
The districts were recognized for working with the community to implement programs to improve regular attendance and high school graduation, said Tom Torlakson, the state superintendent of public instruction.
"Despite drastic budget cuts and dropout rate trend in the state, exemplary school districts are joining with other local agencies, including social services, mental health and law enforcement, to establish school attendance review boards that work miracles," Torlakson said.
California's adjusted four-year derived dropout rate for 2008-09 was 21.7 percent, up from 18.9 percent the previous year.
Attendance at Chino Valley Unified has increased more than a percentage point, from about 96 percent in late 2009 to a recent report of about 97 percent.
Colleen Alton, child welfare and attendance coordinator for the district, said she was floored by the state recognition.
"It's an acknowledgment of the efforts of all the employees that work together to make attendance happen," Alton said. "The attendance clerks at the school sites, my team here, the home visit team, we all communicate and work together. This is acknowledgment that a team effort exists and is working together on behalf of the students."
The district receives state funding based on the number of students who attend classes. Even a one-percentage point increase in attendance could make a difference in thousands of dollars in state aid.
Part of the reason for the district attendance uptick is proactive work on the part of the district's Student Support Services team, which assesses the reasons that students may have attendance problems. Team members make regular visits with families in need to find out what they can do to help.
For students with attendance problems, the team coordinates transportation, clothing and food for students in need.
Often, the team is able to help families with referrals to community health and social service providers, such as the district's own health center, at a low or no cost to district parents.
Staff writer Debbie Pfeiffer Trunnell contributed to this report.
California's adjusted four-year derived dropout rate for 2008-09 was 21.7 percent, up from 18.9 percent the previous year.
Attendance at Chino Valley Unified has increased more than a percentage point, from about 96 percent in late 2009 to a recent report of about 97 percent.
Colleen Alton, child welfare and attendance coordinator for the district, said she was floored by the state recognition.
"It's an acknowledgment of the efforts of all the employees that work together to make attendance happen," Alton said. "The attendance clerks at the school sites, my team here, the home visit team, we all communicate and work together. This is acknowledgment that a team effort exists and is working together on behalf of the students."
The district receives state funding based on the number of students who attend classes. Even a one-percentage point increase in attendance could make a difference in thousands of dollars in state aid.
Part of the reason for the district attendance uptick is proactive work on the part of the district's Student Support Services team, which assesses the reasons that students may have attendance problems. Team members make regular visits with families in need to find out what they can do to help.
For students with attendance problems, the team coordinates transportation, clothing and food for students in need.
Often, the team is able to help families with referrals to community health and social service providers, such as the district's own health center, at a low or no cost to district parents.
Staff writer Debbie Pfeiffer Trunnell contributed to this report.
Leave a comment