This month, the State Department of Education named Jurupa Unified a 2018-19 Model SARB district. It is the third consecutive honor for our district.
A Student Attendance Review Board, or SARB, is a panel of school, parent, and community leaders that helps students address any attendance issues, stay in school, and graduate ready for college and careers. This year, just 23 SARBs were recognized statewide for excellence in cutting chronic absenteeism and improving student attendance, a prerequisite for learning.
“We are delighted to earn this distinction for the third time," said Ilsa Garza-Gonzalez, Director of Administrative Services, and Sandra Amatriain, Coordinator of Child Welfare and Attendance. “It's a collaborative, Team JUSD effort supported by our community partners for the benefit of our students and families."
The top SARBs in California, selected as models for other school districts to replicate, were honored April 19th in Napa at an annual conference on child welfare and attendance. Jurupa Unified also earned the Model SARB distinction in 2014-15 and 2016-17; districts may be considered for the honor every other year.
In choosing the honorees, the state weighs district metrics, including chronic absenteeism rates – defined as missing at least 10% of days enrolled; graduation rates; dropout rates; collaboration with local agencies; and prevention, intervention, and leadership strategies and outcomes.
At Jurupa Unified, a few highlights include:
- The JUSD graduation rate has increased 13% since 2009-10. Jurupa's rate of graduation exceeds both the state (86.6%) and county (88.9%) graduation rates.
- Jurupa Unified's dropout rate is 6.6%, well below state (11.3%) and county (8.2%) averages.
- The suspension and expulsion rate at JUSD fell to 3.6% in 2017-18 from 7.6% in 2011-12.
Ms. Garza-Gonzalez and Ms. Amatriain emphasized teamwork, along with tending to specific student and family needs, as fundamental to clearing attendance roadblocks. Jurupa Unified offers referrals and resources that may assist families in addressing challenging issues such as: shelter, food insecurity, medical and/or dental needs, behavioral health referrals, and classes for parents as well as students.
To help families address the underlying causes of student absenteeism, Jurupa's 13-member SARB has enlisted a range of partners, including law enforcement agencies, public and private health and mental health professionals, assorted nonprofit groups, and the JUSD Parent Involvement & Community Outreach Department. JUSD and its SARB track attendance patterns closely, communicate with families clearly, and partner with school sites to offer Saturday classes for students to recover missed work. Meanwhile, JUSD's strong and growing portfolio of career pathways, along with layers of college readiness and skills-development programs, help ensure that school remains meaningful to students with diverse interests and objectives.
In an April news release, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said of JUSD and the 22 other SARB honorees: “This recognition is well-deserved, and I hope that other districts will follow the lead of the model SARBs and replicate their methods so we can get all of our students back in class and on the pathway to graduation and a successful future."
