Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Virgin Valley schools see uptick in chronic absenteeism and suspensions, district officials tell Mesquite council
Summary
Clark County School District Region 1 officials reported a 3.1 percentage‑point rise in students designated chronically absent and eight additional suspensions this year in Virgin Valley schools; the district described outreach, home visits and trauma‑informed staff training to address trends.
Region 1 superintendent Lindsay Tomlinson and associate superintendent Maurice Perkins delivered the Clark County School District’s quarterly report to the Mesquite City Council on March 10, highlighting student attendance and behavior trends in Virgin Valley schools.
Tomlinson said the district recorded a 3.1 percentage‑point increase in students designated as chronically absent; she cautioned that smaller school populations magnify percentage swings. District officials cited an increase of eight suspensions this school year — concentrated among special‑education students and English language learners — and said expulsions remain rare. Staff outlined mitigation steps including a multi‑tiered attendance approach, family outreach, collaborative home visits with social workers and school resource officers, and classroom and staff professional learning on trauma and equity.
Perkins showcased school celebrations and student programs—literacy week, a Dare to Dream production at Joseph Oler Elementary, distribution of 85 helmets at Hughes Middle School through a Safe Routes to School partnership, and Virgin Valley High School theater and robotics accomplishments. Officials said they will continue targeted supports for at‑risk populations while monitoring outcomes.
What happens next: District staff will continue outreach and monitoring and return with data in subsequent quarterly reports. Council thanked the district for the update and accepted the presentation.
