Central Consolidated Schools: attendance dips to 89.6%; discipline report flags THC vapes while dual-language students outpace peers on MSSA
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Summary
District staff told the school board that October attendance averaged 89.6%. Presenters reported 73 drug-related discipline incidents — largely THC vapes and gummies — and said dual-language students posted higher MSSA proficiency (ELA 32% vs. 30%; math 27% vs. 17%).
Central Consolidated Schools presented October attendance and discipline data and results from 2024–25 MSSA testing at the Nov. 14 board meeting.
District staff said the districtwide attendance rate for October was 89.6%, with seven schools reporting attendance above 90% and eight below that threshold. "We have a district average of 89.6%," the staff presenter said during the briefing.
The board heard discipline totals for the period Aug. 4–Oct. 31. Staff reported 191 out-of-school suspensions and 52 in-school suspensions; the single largest category by behavior was drug violations, with 73 incidents, followed by "disorderly conduct" at 48 incidents. "Our highest is drug violation at 73," a district presenter said, adding that the most common forms are THC vapes and gummies.
Staff explained how counts are compiled and how certain infractions are handled. The district uses progressive discipline for many offenses (3 days, then escalating suspension days and possible hearings), but "the big three" — weapons, drug offenses and greater bodily harm — generally bypass restorative justice and proceed to a 10-day suspension pending a hearing, staff explained. The presenter said the district also provides restorative-justice supports and social-work check-ins as students transition back into school.
On assessment, the board received a comparison of MSSA outcomes across subgroups. The presenter reported 1,906 students in the dataset, including 47 dual-language students. In ELA, dual-language proficiency was reported at 32% compared with 30% for all students; in math the dual-language subgroup showed 27% proficiency compared with 17% for all students. The assessment presenter said smaller class sizes, looping (teachers following students across grades) and established student-teacher relationships were among factors that could explain higher dual-language outcomes.
Board members asked several clarifying questions about definitions and procedures: how "disorderly conduct" is recorded (behaviors that disturb the school community, possibly a misdemeanor), whether assault on staff is treated differently than assault on students (staff said charges and police involvement are more likely when staff are targeted), and whether vape incidents are being tracked by device type. Staff said field tests are used when vapes are confiscated to distinguish THC from nicotine and that logs could be audited to separate vaping types in future reports.
The presentation closed with a brief status update: staff said the district now has one remaining CSI/MRI school and that Mesa was recently removed from that status.
What happens next: board members requested further information and a possible future presentation focused on dual-language program implementation and support, and asked staff to consider more granular tracking of vaping incidents in discipline logs.
