State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Announces
2010 Model Programs for Dropout Prevention
SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell announced today that six school districts and one county office of education have been designated as Models of Dropout Prevention by the State School Attendance Review Board (State SARB).
"I am delighted to recognize educators and community members who are collaborating to help students who are at risk of dropping out." O'Connell said. "Due to our ongoing state budget crisis, we have fewer attendance supervisors, school nurses, counselors, school social workers, teachers, and administrators. But these excellent partnerships combine the expertise and resources of schools officials with members of the community to diagnose school attendance problems and recommend solutions.
"Effective SARBs include parents, law enforcement, county social workers, and community-based youth service workers who bring back students on the margins of the educational system and guide them back to regular school attendance. These SARBs are demonstrating moral leadership and expert collaboration critical to California's future," O'Connell said.
The State SARB is a panel appointed by the State Superintendent and established by the state Legislature to promote best practices in dropout prevention and statewide policy coordination. County SARBs consist of district representatives nominated by their school district boards and county members appointed by the county superintendent of schools. County SARBs may establish local SARBs and provide consultant services and coordination to local districts. Local SARBs consist of members appointed by local school districts to directly assist students in one district or a combination of districts.
Six school districts and one county office of education were selected for their exemplary SARB programs. This is the first year that a county SARB has been designated as a model SARB. The 2010 Models of Dropout Prevention are: Bellflower/Paramount Unified School Districts, El Dorado County Office of Education, Los Angeles Unified Local District 6, Montebello Unified School District, San Lorenzo Unified School District, and Twin Rivers Unified School District. The list of the model SARB programs and their contacts is attached below.
In selecting the model SARBs, the State SARB looked for excellence in specific content areas, including SARB chairperson leadership; prevention, early identification, and interventions; SARB collaboration; inventory of community resources; goals and objectives; program design and organizational structure; measuring and reporting outcomes; and interpersonal communication.
The districts and the county office recognized for their model dropout prevention programs retain their title through the 2011-12 school year and serve as mentors for other SARBs seeking to improve their programs. This year the model SARBs will be recognized on May 6 at the California Association of Supervisors of Child Welfare and Attendance (CASCWA) in Fresno.
The SARB process for dropout prevention was created by the Legislature more than 30 years ago to develop new ways of coordinating school, community, and home efforts to assist students with persistent school attendance or behavior problems that can lead to dropping out of school. For more information on the SARB process for dropout reduction, please visit the California Department of Education Web site at School Attendance Review Boards-Attendance Improvement at: School Attendance Review Boards - Attendance Improvement.
2010 Model SARB Programs
- Bellflower/Paramount Unified School Districts (two districts that combine to form one SARB), Terry Gendreau and James Monico, SARB Chairpersons, Bellflower and Paramount, 562-866-9011 and 562-602-9011, Superintendent/Designee: Rick Kemppainen.
- El Dorado County Office of Education, Carolyn Zachry, Ed.D., SARB Chairperson, Placerville, 530-295-2419, Superintendent/Designee: Vicki L. Barber, Ed.D.
- Los Angeles Unified District, Local District 6, Velma D. Davis, SARB Chairperson, Cudahy, 323-560-4293, Superintendent/Designee: Dionne Ash.
- Montebello Unified School District, Dr. Angel E. Gallardo, SARB Chairperson, Montebello, 323-887-7900, ext. 7924; Superintendent Designee: Robert Henke.
- San Lorenzo Unified School District, Linda Freccero, SARB Chairperson, San Lorenzo, 510-317-4763, Superintendent/Designee: Ammar Saheli.
- Twin Rivers Unified School District, Jane Claar and Tracey Wiltshire, SARB chairpersons, North Highlands, 916-566-1615, Superintendent/Designee: Frank S. Porter.