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Board approves SARCs after extended discussion on alternative education disparities
Summary
Trustees approved 2024 School Accountability Report Cards and pressed staff for a study of alternative education programs after hearing wide gaps in graduation rates and per-pupil spending.
The Petaluma City Schools Board of Education voted Jan. 28 to approve the district’s 2024 School Accountability Report Cards (SARCs), but trustees used the discussion to press staff for follow-up work on the district’s alternative education programs after several trustees described troubling disparities.
Amanda, the staff presenter, said SARCs must be uploaded to the California Department of Education by Feb. 1 and said principals would appear at the board’s Feb. 11 meeting to answer more questions. "The SARC serves as a public reporting tool offering data on indicators such as CAASPP results, demographics, and other school metrics," she said.
Trustee Joanna and others flagged sharp differences among the three alternate programs reported in the SARCs. San Antonio was shown with about 81 students and a graduation rate near 29–30 percent; two smaller programs identified in the report — referred to in the meeting as Carpe and Sonoma Mountain — each had roughly 24 students and much higher graduation rates. Trustees noted the per-student costs listed in the SARCs: about $15,000 per student at Carpe and about $25,000 per student at Sonoma Mountain.
"Why can't we just bring them together and give all these kids the same services? It's all alternative education," Trustee Joanna said, calling the figures and outcomes “segregation” that the board should address. Several trustees urged the board to task the ALTA (alternative education) task force to produce options, including an analysis of capacity, referral processes and potential consolidation.
Trustee Ellen (first reference) recommended a study session focused on alternative education and directed staff to work with the ALTA task force. Board members asked staff to bring data on referral processes, CTE access, capacity at San Antonio and whether students at the smaller satellite programs were able to take classes or extracurriculars at comprehensive high schools.
The board voted to approve the SARCs so the district can meet the Feb. 1 state upload deadline. Trustees agreed to return the topic for a more detailed discussion at a future meeting and to ask the ALTA task force to prepare a proposal examining consolidation options, referral differences and programmatic disparities.
