GILROY
– Gilroy Unified School District officials want more kids in
school each and every day.
GILROY – Gilroy Unified School District officials want more kids in school each and every day.
To accomplish that goal, officials laid out a plan to improve attendance during the next school year.
Most of next year’s plan builds on the steps taken this year, such as advertising within the schools and around town. The district has been eyeing an attendance increase as a way not only to improve student performance, but to raise funds, as well.
With a 1-percent increase, GUSD would get $450,000 more from the state. If all GUSD schools meet their specific attendance targets next year, for a 0.66 percent increase, the district would receive $300,000.
“The expectation is that all traditional schools will reach an (Average Daily Attendance) rate of 96 percent and alternative schools a rate of 90 percent,” said Steve Brinkman, assistant superintendent of administrative services.
Gilroy High School, with an attendance rate just under 93 percent this year, is shooting for 95 percent next year.
Antonio Del Buono Elementary is the only school targeting 97 percent.
“The way these targets were created was, I looked at the education level of the parents and a few other indicators,” Attendance Officer Frank Valadez said.
Attendance did improve by 0.09 percent this year, in spite of setbacks, including a struggling economy, an early and difficult flu season and two high school ditch days.
The district plans to use several new avenues to provide attendance information to parents, students and the community.
Attendance policies, truancy procedures and the process for prosecuting truants will all be posted on the GUSD Web site.
Also, CMAP’s channel 19 will air bilingual text messages, a bilingual attendance slide and an interview with Lois Baer, the deputy district attorney who hosts mediations for truants and their parents.
Trustee TJ Owens said mediations, where Baer lays out the legal consequences of not attending school, really hit home.
“(Students) do tend to listen a little more when they hear that come from the DA,” he said.
