More accolades for local educators
The California Department of Education on Monday named Redlands Unified School District as one of seven school districts in the state with programs that can serve as models on how to keep students from dropping out.
David Kopperud of the California Department of Education said that during the 2006-07 school year, Redands Unfied's graduation rate was 92.8 percent of students.The average in San Bernardino County schools was 76.8 percent.
The official announcement follows:
SACRAMENTO — In keeping with his call to improve graduation rates and reduce dropout rates in California public schools, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced 10 school districts have been designated as Models of Dropout Prevention by the State School Attendance Review Board (State SARB).
"Implementing programs to ensure regular attendance and high school graduation of our highest-risk students is one of the most daunting challenges we face in public education," O'Connell said. "These school districts have taken on that challenge by creating a safety net for students with persistent school attendance or behavior problems. They are to be congratulated and recognized for their outstanding commitment to their students by keeping them in school and on track."
There are seven model SARB programs that cover 10 districts and a community day school. They are: Bellflower Unified School District, Chula Vista Elementary School District, Grossmont Union High School District, Redlands Unified School District, Rio Linda Union School District, Vista Unified School District; and one program that includes Redondo Beach Unified School District, El Segundo Unified School District, Manhattan Beach Unified School, and Hermosa Beach Community Day School.
A list of the model SARB programs and their contacts is attached. They are the first models in dropout prevention designated by the State SARB.
"These districts have used the SARB process as an opportunity to work with families and community representatives to garner the support students need to stay in school and regain access to standards and learning," O'Connell said. "They have achieved equity and access for these challenging students."
Because it is difficult to track students without a fully developed longitudinal student data collection system, it is not yet possible to determine exactly how many students drop out of California schools each year. However, data from the SARB programs throughout the state provided to the county superintendents revealed that thousands of students referred to SARBs for habitual truancy have returned to school and graduated.
The SARB process for dropout prevention was created by the Legislature in 1974 to provide a framework for school districts and county offices striving to deal with persistent school attendance and school behavior problems.
SARBs are composed of parents, representatives from the school district, and members of the community at large, including representatives from law enforcement, social services, probation, and school or county health care personnel. The members meet regularly to combine their expertise and resources to develop dropout prevention strategies and to meet with the high-risk students referred to them.
In cases where parents or other persons continually and willfully fail to respond to SARB directives or services provided to ensure school attendance, SARBs direct the school district to file a criminal complaint. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction appoints an advisory group called the State SARB for annual recommendations on dropout reduction and prepares and disseminates a handbook for information regarding effective practices to improve pupil attendance.
Districts or county offices applying for model SARB designation must demonstrate excellence in content areas, including SARB chairperson leadership, interventions prior to SARB referral, SARB collaboration, inventory of resources for high-risk youth, goals and objectives, program design and content, measuring and reporting outcomes, and interpersonal communication.
O'Connell appointed representatives to the State SARB from appropriate groups throughout the state to design the model SARB application and to evaluate the model applicants. Districts recognized for their model dropout prevention programs retain their title through the 2008-09 school year.
These exemplary programs will be recognized at the State Conference for the California Association of Supervisors of Child Welfare and Attendance on April 24 on The Queen Mary in Long Beach.
For more information on SARBs, please visit School Attendance Review Boards at For more information on O'Connell's education reform efforts, please visit his State of Education page: .
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Attachment
2008 Model SARB Programs
(Seven Programs/10 Districts)
1. Bellflower Unified School District, Terry Gendreau, SARB Chairperson, Bellflower, 562-866-9011, ext. 3343, Superintendent/Designee: Lisa Azevedo.
2. Chula Vista Elementary School District, William W. Hall, Ed.D., SARB Chairperson, Chula Vista, 619-425-9600, ext. 1570, Superintendent/Designee: Susan Fahle.
3. Grossmont Union High School District, Lucia Washburn, SARB Chairperson, El Cajon, 619-258-3740, Superintendent/Designee: Donald Haught.
4. Redlands Unified School District, Ann Davis-Schultz, SARB Chairperson, Redlands, 909-748-6727, Superintendent/Designee: Robert J. Hodges.
5. This model SARB program includes Redondo Beach, El Segundo, and Manhattan Beach unified school districts; and Hermosa Beach Community Day School; Kenneth Flood, SARB Chairperson, Redondo Beach, 310-937-3358, Superintendent/Designee: Dr. Steven Keller .
6. Rio Linda Union School District, Jane Claar, SARB Chairperson, 5703 McClellan, 916-566-1771, Superintendent/Designee: Debra E. LaVoi.
7. Vista Unified School District, Elaine Anderson, SARB Chairperson, Vista, 760-726-2170, ext. 2351, Superintendent/Designee: Dr. Joyce F. Bales