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District presentations show modest gains in school climate but highlight suspension disproportionality and chronic absenteeism
Summary
Staff presented Panorama and YouthTruth social‑emotional learning data showing improved student relationships and perceptions of safety, while district discipline data show 5% of students experienced suspension in 2024 and notable racial disparities in suspension rates; trustees asked for a discipline matrix and earlier interventions.
District staff presented social‑emotional learning (SEL), safety and discipline data June 25 and urged continued investment in protective relationships and earlier interventions to reduce exclusionary discipline and chronic absenteeism.
What the data show: Stacy Desideri (SEL and student support lead) and Emmanuel Bardelli (evaluation director) presented two sets of school‑climate measures (Panorama and YouthTruth) and internal discipline/attendance figures. - SEL/climate: Panorama (grades 7–12) and YouthTruth (family and student surveys) showed modest year‑over‑year improvements in the proportion of students reporting supportive relationships with adults and peers and a rise in parent perceptions of student safety. Several survey items improved by double digits in some grades; staff attributed gains to additional student safety advisors, training (de‑escalation, MTSS) and site climate work. - Discipline and attendance: District data show approximately 5% of students experienced at least one suspension in 2024; about two‑thirds of suspended students were suspended only once. Chronic absenteeism (attendance below 90%) affects about 25% of students. Staff repeatedly flagged middle schools for higher rates of exclusionary discipline (approximately 1 in 9 middle‑school students had a suspension) compared with elementary and high schools.
Disproportionality: Presenters showed racial disparities in suspension rates: for example, American Indian/Alaska Native students had the highest per‑student suspension rate (about 1 in 6), while white students were suspended at lower rates (about 1 in 32). Staff emphasized that disproportionality appears to arise before formal suspension decisions — in referral patterns — and recommended training and a more consistent approach across sites.
Steps recommended: Staff outlined a multi‑pronged response: strengthen early identification and Tiered (MTSS) interventions, finalize a district discipline matrix (aligned to Education Code and restorative practices) for consistent application across campuses, improve family outreach and incentives to raise attendance, and expand training in restorative practices and de‑escalation for staff and substitutes.
Board response: Trustees asked for further breakdowns (suspension counts by repeat incidents, by special‑education status and 504/IEP, by feeder district and by site) and requested a timeline to complete the discipline matrix and implementation supports. Staff said the matrix is under review by counsel and will be refined with administrator and community input; they aimed for a September–October rollout of an adopted discipline framework with accompanying training.
No formal action was taken; trustees directed staff to return with more granular metrics and a plan for consistent implementation.
