MCOE etal

Jo Ann Henrie

Foreman

COUNTY OF MENDOCINO

Grand Jury
P.O. Box 629
UKIAH, CALIFORNIA 95482

Telephone:

(707) 463-4320

GRAND JURY

MENDOCINO COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION

COURT AND COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

Local school districts provide educational programs for children who reside within the boundaries of each district. The Mendocino County Office of Education (MCOE) Court and Community Schools (CCS) assist districts with special classes for children grades 7 to 12 whose needs cannot be met by their own districts. CCS has eight classroom sites, a Mobile Transitional Studies Program. an Independent Study Program, and a Pregnant Minor Program During the past two years, CCS has experienced funding problems because of a fluctuating student population. caps on state apportionment. and decreased revenues from lottery and forest reserve funding. Problems reported in the findings include poor administration/staff communication, inaccurate reporting of a program. inadequate policies; and issues related to the apparent decrease in available funding. The recommendation is made to continue this review in 1998-99 to see if communication between the administration and staff has improved and if MCOE has been able to implement the suggestions made in the February 1998, State Coordinated Compliance Review (CCR) and the November 1997, independent review.

REASON FOR INVESTIGATION

The Grand Jury annually conducts an oversight review of a school or district.

METHOD OF INVESTIGATION

Interviews included representatives from the following: CCS administrators, teachers, and students; MCOE business personnel; and district superintendents. MaLerial reviewed included a videotape of the November 24, 1997, in-service meeting, CCS administration notes on this presentation, and the 'CCS Strategic Plan" (developed in response to the video report). Documents reviewed included materials furnished by CCS personnel regarding the CCS programs; the State Department of Education February 18, 1998, Coordinated Compliance Review; the MCOE June preliminary and Adopted 1997, budgets; MCOE Board of Trustees (Board) minutes; selected Individual Learning Plans (ILP) for students; and the 1996-97 MCOE annual report (Titled '1998 Report to the Community.'). Education Code (Ed.Code) and Welfare and Institutions Code (W & I) sections applicable to CCS programs were reviewed. Visits were made to the Trinity Transitional Classroom at New Hope School (educational facility at Trinity School for Children), the Clean and Sober Classroom in Ukiah. and the River School site.

FINDINGS

A. Court and Community School Sites and Programs

The goal of MCOE CCS is to meet the social, emotional, academic, vocational, and creative needs of students in Mendocino County in an environment which honors and respects each student.

Court Schools serve children under W & I 602 who are in the probation system. Community Schools serve children under W & I 300. 601. 602. and 654*, as well as those who have been expelled from local districts. The Young Parent Program and Pregnant Minor Program are also included as CCS.

W & I Code 300 (Dependent Children such as those in foster care). 601 (Children identified with school andlor family problems). 602 (Children who have committed a cnmei. and 654 (Children at-nsk referred by probation officers for up to 6 months).

Yearly State funding per student provides S6726 for CCS-eligible students; 58376 for pregnant minor students, and S3510 for regular students. (See Addendum A, "Community Schools Revenue and Expenditure," 1997-98 Adopted Budget.).

The following is an overview of CCS programs (See Addendum B, "Community Schools from the projected 1998-99 budget for Average Daily Attendance (ADA) for each site.):

1. River Community School in Talmage offers academic and Regional Occupation Program (ROP) classes in one middle-school and two high-school classrooms to students in the Ukiah area. Students are referred by the Department of Probation, Student Attendance Review Board (SARB), or the expulsion process.

2. Willits Community School was notified in December 1996, that Willits Unified School District would need to use the CCS classroom for a middle-school Community Day Class in 1997-98. (Community Day Classes are operated by local districts to serve at-risk children.) The Willits Community School moved to a new location in the Fall semester 1997 and CCS Administration reported that $7,000 had been spent on the building before they moved in. After two months in the new location, the City of Willits ordered the facility closed because the building was not structurally safe. CCS failed to find a suitable location for the class so the class was closed. Staff was reassigned and some students entered other programs.

The Willits District has applied for a second Community Day Class for high-school

students in 1998-99. If funded. the District will provide services to these students in the

Willits area. If not funded, a Willits' administrator reported that he wants to have a MCOE

CCS in Willits in order to provide a continuum of services within the District.

3. Fort Bragg Community School students are encouraged to re-enter district schools by taking ROP courses concurrently at Fort Bragg High School. Administration reported that the Fort Bragg Court School serves probation-placed 602 students only. However, the P2 attendance report (P2 reports the ADA (total student attendance days divided by 135) from July 1. 1997. through April 15. 1998.) sent to the State in May 1998, reports ADA of 12.5 probation students and 8.24 regular students.

Fort Bragg Unified School District is planning to apply for Community Day Class funding for 1998-99 for 8th and 9th grade students at risk of dropping out. A Fort Bragg administrator stated that the District proposed program serves a different population and would not conflict with the CCS Fort Bragg program.

Mendocino Unified School District had a Community Day Class in 1997-98 and plans to continue the class in 1998-99. This class also serves a different population than the Fort Bragg CCS.

4. West Hills School provides instruction to students incarcerated at Juvenile Hall.

5. The Trinity Transitional Class (also called Community Classroom at New Hope School) was reported to serve 31 regular education students (those who do not qualify for Special Education) who live at the Trinity School for Children, a Licensed Childrens Institution (LCI). New Hope School, a private non-public school (NPS), has a maximum of 86 students, including the 31 on the CCS records. An April 2, 1998, MCOE memo states that the purpose of the Community Class at New Hope is 'to provide them a classroom that will meet their individual educational needs, to develop individual ed plans for each student, to have a CCS teacher case manage each student and serve as a liaison for developing educational goals and needs."

However, the MCOE CCS teacher at New Hope School does not have a CCS classroom.

In actuality, the teacher's duties are much the same as the other nine teachers at the school.

The teacher has a homeroom class of twelve high school students from one of the :sidential home units. He also teaches math to two other groups of students each day.

The only CCS function he has is the responsibility for developing ILPs for the regular education CCS students reported to be in his class. A review of the LLPs for these students found that only 10 of the 31 students had plans; all were done on February 8, 1998, were mostly identical, and were signed only by the teacher. (Ed.Code 1983 states. "An individually planned educational program based upon an educational assessment shall be prescribed for each pupil. MCOE guidelines say that plans will be developed by a counselor with input from parents and teachers for all CCS students on intake.)

Ed.Code 48645 allows County Offices of Education to conduct Community School classrooms at LCIs. The 1998-99 proposed MCOE budget suggests dropping the class. but an administrator of New Hope School stated he would like to see MCOE involvement continue because he does not want to lose the teacher.

Ukiah Unified School District, where the LCI is located, is the district responsible for educational services (Ed.Code 48204). (In the past, Trinity students who were able to go to regular public school did attend Ukiah schools.)

Three of the 86 students at New Hope School have parents who are residents of Mendocino County (The Probation Department placed one student and the Department of Social Services placed two students). The other 83 children have been placed by other counties and residential funding comes from those counties. Full funding for the education of NPS students comes from the State (At a rate of $1 10 per day, $19,250 for the normal school year) and passes through MCOE to New Hope School.

6. The Ukiah On-Campus CCS at Ukiah High School provides a self-contained classroom for students who are beyond reasonable control of parents or school (60 1/602), but are able to interact successfully with mainstream Ukiah High School students. The goal of the class is to return students to regular school programs by the end of the second semester.

7. The Young Parent Program at Ukiah High School serves pregnant and parenting minors and their children (to age 18 months). Average enrollment is 22 young women and 14 children. Besides studying academic subjects, students learn about child development and positive parenting. Child care is provided as part of the program. Parenting and child care classes are also available to young fathers and other students.

8. The Mobile Transitional Studies (MTS) Program is for students who have not

succeeded in formal school programs. Students receive individual instruction in their homes with the purpose of transitioning students into a regular classroom setting. MTS students are encouraged to enroll in ROP programs.

In 1996-97, MTS served 56 students. Of those students, 15 remained in the program. 24 enrolled in local district high school programs. four enrolled in the Young Parent Program. four graduated or passed the GED, five moved out of the County, and four dropped out (whereabouts unknown).

9 The Clean and Sober Classroom in Ukiah enrolls students who have cnemical dependency issues and need a drug-free environment to remain clean and sober Group and individual counseling is provided. Students are routinely tested for drug and alcohol use. In May 1998, four of the program's 14 students had participated in the program for the full school year. The program had a waiting list of potential students.

10. The Pregnant Minor Program provides support to pregnant students to help them stay in school through services such as: an academic program (usually in the students local district), crisis intervention, counseling, nutrition education, transportation. and vocational training.

B. Court and Community School Evaluations, 1997-98, and Responses.

CCS "Program Priorities for 1997-98 (Addendum C) stated that the first priority was to "conduct a review of current Court School programs." During the year, two formal reviews were conducted: an independent review in November 1997, and a State CCR in February. Information presented to the Grand Jury in October 1997. indicated that CCS was planning a Program Quality Review preliminary to applying for accreditation. In April, administrators reported that they had not completed that review and had not applied for accreditation because CCS did not have the $1500 application fee.

1. In November 1997, MCOE contracted with a former CCS director from San Diego to "Interview CCS staff, prepare report and recommendations, present findings at CCS all staff inservice." No written report was presented, but the reviewer did conduct the inservice on November 24, 1997, to present his recommendations. While acknowledging the dedication of the staff and the appreciation staff members have for each other, he identified the following:

a. MCOE lacks budget planning; planning should be done two years in advance; teachers do not understand the budget process.

b. Teachers should contract on an annual basis and stagger vacation time so that teachers have vacation time when enrollment is lowest.

c. Lottery funds based on CCS attendance should go to the CCS.

d. Teachers have a lack of confidence in the administration; the teachers do not know what to believe. A "we" and "them" attitude has developed. Often there is a lack of communication from administration; the communication is not timely: and administrators only communicate bad, not good, news.

e. Management does not have sufficient contract with staff. The reviewer suggested that administrators keep a daily log of whom they have seen so that they would be aware of their interactions with staff.

f. All staff needs to work to help raise the ADA. Teachers need to be more diligent in getting students to class. Administration needs to work with referring agencies to get more referrals.

g. There is low teacher morale; vision has been lost.

h. There are good things in the classrooms, but some things need to be better. More staff development, curriculum development, and staff meetings are necessary CCS lacks a testing program: therefore, progress cannot be monitored. ILPs are done but students do not have copies and some teachers do not have them. IiLPs need periodic review and revision every six to eight weeks.

i. CCS is giving credit only for "seat time" (time in class); it is not possible for academically motivated students to earn credits at a faster rate.

2. In response to the report. a "CCS Strategic Plan" was developed by the CCS Curriculum Steering Committee and CCS staff. The plan states, "Management will facilitate and encourage open communication as well as staff participation in common problem solving at site staff meetings all staff inservices and CCS budget meetings." Other items addressed include plans for more staff involvement in meetings, curriculum development, sharing curriculum materials, student testing, and ILP development. The Steering Committee determined that the accreditation review will begin in Fall 1998. allowing time to develop curriculum competencies and standards. Minutes of the December 15, 1997. Board meeting stated that the report would "be turned into an action plan by identifying items, developing timelines and work project teams to frame it." The plan failed to identify timelines or work project teams.

3. The State CCR in February 1998. identified non-compliance with the following:

a. The Uniform Corn'plaint Procedur9 for ~CCS is very general in nature and does not adequately cover all of the compQnents required.

b. Meeting notes, agendas, and minuies have not been filed for consolidated programs.

c. There is no written parent involvement policy.

d. "The present 'objective' analysis of the current use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs; and violence and safety among students is 2 years old. Need to prepare and administer a new survey."

e. Tobacco-use prevention goals and objective are not being formally measured.

4. In April and May 1998. staff members reported that in spite of the administration's stated intent to communicate openly and involve teachers in the budget process, those things had not been done. One teacher reported that a request for a copy of the video of the CCS inservice meeting was denied.

5. Funds received from the California Lottery are based on a district's ADA from the previous year. In local districts, the funds are used for the needs of the students in each distnct as unrestricted funds.

MCOE administrators state that since the funds are unrestricted they can be used however MCOE chooses, and that Board policy allows this method of allocation.

However, Board Policy 3220.1 "Expenditures of California Lottery Funds," does not address the allocation- per program and states the allowed uses of the funds for visible, high-impact programs "in addition to, not instead of, the usual classroom or administrative budgeted expenditures.'

In 1997-98 MCOE estimated lottery funds for 445 special education students (who are actually local distnct students), 225 CCS students, and 1,265 ROP students. Fifty percent of the funds received was allocated to special education, CCS, and ROP programs that generated the money. and the other fifty percent was allocated to MCOE county-v ide start development, student enrichment programs. and performing arts.

6 CCS had 37 students requiring special education services in December 1997.

Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) funding for students with special education needs in CCS schools totaled $323.047 for 1997-98. This is an average of $1435 per district student compared to the county-wide average of $660 (which includes the severely handicapped population which requires more intensive services than are provided in CCS). (CCS were not included in SELPA equalization of funding per ADA when that occurred in February 1998.)

Even with the high level of funding. CCS has overspent the allocated amount by S30,008 [not including the 10% Support Costs ($35,306) and the 8% Indirect Costs ($28,244) that MCOE charges to CCS above the actual costs].

Teachers reported some justification for the higher cost per student because of the geographical sparsity of the programs. One half-time Resource Specialist Teacher (RST) is at West Hills School, one RST serves the River School Classes, and one RST serves the Fort Bragg and Ukiah CCS sites.

According to the November indepetident review, MCOE CCS have more counselors and nurses on staff than most other CCS in the state.

7. April 27, 1998, budget planning documentation indicated a recommendation to eliminate four classes: New Hope CCS, Mobile Transition Studies North County, River Community School, and West Hills, even though it appears by the "P2" that ADA is sufficient to justify some of these classes.

8. MCOE administrators state that while it is a good thing that districts are being more involved in the education of their at-risk students, Community Day Classes will lower the number of students attending CCS. However, the districts are providing services that have not been available through MCOE to their students in the past. For example, MCOE has not been providing middle-school classes in any part of the County except Talmage (serving Ukiah students).

9. Other issues reported include too many MCOE administrators relative to the number of teachers, the role of the MCOE Board in approving the curriculum of the CCS. administration harassment of certain staff members, and excessive funds being deducted from CCS revenue for MCOE support services.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. MCOE administration should listen to staff. watch the in-service video, and implement the suggestions made by the consultant. (See Findings B. 1, 2, 4, 5, 9.)

2. The MCOE Board of Trustees should review its allocation of lottery funds to determine if those who the funds should benefit are actually receiving the benefits. MCOE's budget should specifically reflect the extra services the lottery funds provide. (See Findings B.l, 5.)

3. Most CCS programs are in the Ukiah area. Ukiah Unified School District at-risk students receive proportionally more CCS services than students in smaller, more remote districts. MCOE should find ways to serve youth in these districts. For example, what provisions are made for schooling expelled students from smaller districts? See Findings A I - 10. B. 7, 8.)

4. MCOE administration and the Board of Trustees should examine the CCS involvement at New Hope School for the past three years. If the MCOE classroom there is abandoned. there still appear to be 20 to 30 regular education students who do not qualify for NPS placement. Whose responsibility is the education of these children, Ukiah Unified School District or MCOE9 What is the basis of the determination? (See Finding A. 5. B. 7.)

5. The 199 8-99 Grand Jury should continue the review of the CCS programs to follow the accreditation process. to examine all of the CCS programs in greater depth, and to monitor the implementation of recommendations made during this year.

RESPONSE REQUIRED

1 Mendocino County Office of Education Board of Trustees (Recommendations 2 - 4).

2. Superintendent, Mendocino County Office of Education (Recommendations 1 - 4).

3. Ukiah Unified School District Board of Trustees (Recommendation 4).

Glossary

ADA Average Daily Attendance

Board Mencocino County Office of Education Board of Trustees

CCR Coordinated Compliance Review (By the State Department of Education)

CCS Court Community School

Ed. Code State of California Education Code

IIEP Individual Education Plan (for Special Education students)

GED General Education Diploma