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Monrovia Unified highlights counselor-led supports and drop in chronic absenteeism
Summary
District counselors presented midyear data to the board showing expanded tiered mental-health services, 111 students receiving individual counseling and declines in chronic absenteeism; trustees pressed for sustained funding and summer coverage.
Monrovia Unified School District trustees received a midyear report from the counseling team that detailed the district’s multi-tiered mental-health supports and early outcomes.
Counseling staff told the board that Tier 1 classroom lessons, Tier 2 small groups and Tier 3 individual interventions are the backbone of the district’s approach. “We provide short-term individual counseling and connect community partners at Tier 3 to wrap around as much support as possible,” a district counselor said during the presentation. Elementary counselors reported that 30 small groups ran this year and 111 students received individual counseling; staff also logged 95 referrals to outside agencies and 18 crisis responses.
The high-school counseling team said the district set an annual outcome goal to reduce chronic absenteeism among 10th- and 11th-graders, defining chronic absence as missing 10% or more of school days. Wellness staff described implementing the Signs of Suicide (SOS) program in 9th-grade biology and said two students came forward for help after instruction; one case required referral to the district’s psychiatric response team.
Superintendent Dr. Hart Rous told the board the district has historically provided counseling during summer-school sessions and intends to continue matching summer-school dates with counseling coverage. “For the last several years we have had counseling services available at our summer schools,” he said in response to a trustee question.
Trustees praised the counseling staff’s work but raised funding and staffing questions. Board member Lockerby said the caseload graph shows a persistent funding need and asked the district to research options to reinforce college-and-career counseling time at the high school. Counselors and the superintendent said the district is exploring recognition through the ASCA RAMP process and will continue to report on staffing, program outcomes and potential costs.
The board received the presentation and thanked staff for the report; board members asked staff to return with additional budget and staffing information as part of ongoing planning.
