Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves application to extend school attendance support grant with Catalozzo Group
Summary
The county approved a resolution to apply for and accept an extension of a Sauer Family Foundation grant and to amend the 2025 budget to continue the Catalozzo Group’s attendance and restorative-circle work in schools.
The Scott County Board on May 6 voted to authorize an application for a school attendance support grant and to amend the 2025 budget to extend the county’s agreement with the Catalozzo Group, a community restorative-practices provider that supports truancy prevention and school re-engagement.
Nikki Hallberg, Scott County Child and Family Services director, told the board the PATH (Promoting Attendance Through Hope) program — a partnership with Treehouse and the Catalozzo Group — began during the 2022–23 school year and uses restorative circles and community volunteers to reconnect students and families with schools. Hallberg said Catalozzo’s 2023–24 referral caseload included 304 referrals with a reported 55% “significant improvement” outcome and an additional nearly 15% showing moderate improvement, for roughly 70% of referred students showing measurable progress.
Hallberg said the county’s proposal is to extend Sauer Family Foundation funding for three years with an $80,000 grant in the next year that would taper as local volunteers and staff are trained to sustain the program. “This program provides truancy prevention programming aimed at connecting and reconnecting the student and family and school and to uncover the root causes of school absenteeism,” Hallberg said.
Action taken: Commissioner motioned and the board voted to adopt resolution number 2020Five-one20 authorizing application for the school attendance support grant, accepting the grant if awarded, amending the 2025 budget, and approving a contract amendment with the Catalozzo Group.
Discussion vs. decision: The board approved the grant application and contract amendment during the meeting. Commissioners requested continued tracking of outcomes as services transition to community partners.
Next steps: If the grant is awarded, the county will accept the funds, execute the contract amendment with the Catalozzo Group, and continue to track attendance outcomes and program transitions across schools.
