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Scott County recommends keeping attendance prevention programs; RFP to reshape truancy response
Summary
Staff recommended continuing PASS and PATH school‑based prevention programs and issuing an RFP for truancy services; the board reviewed options including eliminating programs and hiring internal staff or reallocating positions to preserve prevention outcomes.
Scott County staff told commissioners the county's school‑attendance prevention programs have reduced deep‑end child protection involvement and are cost‑effective compared with the expense of replacing them with in‑house county staffing.
The board reviewed three options for 2027 funding: (A) eliminate PASS and PATH and hire 3.5 full‑time employees to absorb services (rough estimate ~$600,000); (B) continue PASS and PATH plus county truancy (under $500,000); and (C, recommended) continue PASS and PATH, discontinue the county truancy position and reallocate an existing staffer (projected ~ $500,000 net). Staff said option C preserves prevention gains while reallocating existing resources.
Presentations highlighted outcomes from earlier investments: an educational‑neglect assessment decline from 48 (2022) to 11 (2025) and reductions in truancy referrals. Staff warned of operational challenges after Treehouse ended contract services midyear; the RFP is designed to maintain prevention and provide statutory responses where required. County attorneys confirmed that contracted providers can serve as the county's response if the RFP includes adequate program guarantees and legal review.
Next steps: staff will proceed with the RFP process, bring an authorization request to the July board meeting if the board supports the recommendation, and monitor workload impacts tied to the age‑of‑delinquency and other statutory changes.
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