Board discusses pilots to reduce chronic absenteeism, coordination with DA and community partners
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Summary
The district outlined plans to redirect existing staff to improve attendance at middle schools, launch pilots to address chronic absenteeism and behavior, and coordinate with the DA and Volunteers for Youth Justice to address family-level issues before escalating to juvenile court.
District staff told the board they are prioritizing attendance supports in middle schools and will reallocate existing staff rather than add recurring costs, describing several pilots and community partnerships intended to reduce chronic absenteeism.
Jeff Howard, the budget presenter, said the draft includes "addressing chronic absenteeism, truancy, and chronic behaviors" and noted the budget establishes a pilot group and increased supports at target schools. Superintendent Burton and staff explained the approach emphasizes family‑level interventions so that attendance problems do not immediately go to court.
"Once they know we have extinguished all of our supports, then it...turns into an improper supervision complaint against the family," Burton explained of the DA’s process; he said the district is coordinating with the DA, juvenile judges, the sheriff’s office, the police chief and volunteers to pursue supports and home visits before legal action.
Staff said they plan to reprioritize and reallocate clerical and behavioral‑support positions to most middle schools (other than the magnet campus) and to train principals to protect attendance clerks’ time so they can focus on outreach. The district also cited existing partnerships — for example, Volunteers for Youth Justice, FINS officers and TASC programs — that help provide on‑campus supports.
Board members requested more detail on staffing reallocations and program costs. Staff said they would supply the requested information in upcoming materials and that the district is not proposing layoffs tied to the reallocations discussed at the work session.
