To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Probation Department
Staff Name and Phone Number: Lisa Valente, (707) 565-6261
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Keeping Kids In School
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize the Chief Probation Officer to execute an Agreement with Seneca Family of Agencies in the amount of $9,153,112, for Keeping Kids in School (KKIS) program services for the period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2024, to include three optional single year extensions.
B) Authorize the Chief Probation Officer to enter into Memorandums of Understanding with school districts in Sonoma County for information sharing and KKIS program services for a term beginning July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2024.
end
Executive Summary:
Keeping Kids in School (KKIS) is a collaborative effort to reduce truancy in Sonoma County. It is a prevention and intervention program run by the Probation Department, in partnership with local school districts, the Sonoma County Office of Education, Sonoma County Courts, and community-based organizations. KKIS is part of a larger countywide school success framework, consistent with the Board of Supervisors’ priority of ongoing investment in education, and supported by a broad group of stakeholders collaborating to improve connection to schools in Sonoma County.
Since August 2015, more than 450 students across Sonoma County have received KKIS case management services to address barriers to regular school attendance. In addition to individualized case management services, KKIS staff provide technical assistance to partner school districts to improve their attendance systems. School and districtwide supports have included activities such as revamping tardy procedures, developing and supporting attendance intervention and incentive programs, supporting staff development, and providing training for diverse stakeholders. Program outcomes have been favorable with a 2017 program evaluation by WestEd finding participants on average improved attendance, had very little involvement in the juvenile justice system, and showed a 38% improvement in family functioning following enrollment in services.
Today’s requested actions are to authorize the Chief Probation Officer to execute the necessary agreements to continue this valuable service to vulnerable Sonoma County youth and their families.
Discussion:
Throughout the pandemic, Keeping Kids in School continued to provide vital resources to Sonoma County students, families, and schools by providing virtual case management services, seeking out disengaged families, supporting youth and families to meet technology needs and new academic requirements, and providing remote crisis intervention. Additionally, recognizing the unique needs of this school year and the potential for vulnerable youth to fall even further behind in school, the Department expanded Keeping Kids in School services to populations not previously served, including older youth on probation and youth referred by the Probation Department to diversion services. This expansion has supported probation officers with expert education services for youth during the crisis and based on initial indicators of success, will continue indefinitely.
Since 2015, the Department has partnered with the Human Services Department to use the Apricot software system to collect quality assurance and outcome data for KKIS. A 2017 evaluation by WestEd and subsequent annual reporting from the service provider were used to inform program improvements and track outcomes. During the 2019-2020 school year, 71% of youth exited the program with an increased attendance rate and 50% of youth successfully exited the program with either a significant improvement to their attendance rate or by completing secondary education (graduation, GED).
|
|
2015-2017 |
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
|
Number of Youth Served |
164 |
157 |
146 |
|
% Youth exited with an increased attendance rate |
N/A |
N/A |
71% |
|
% Youth with Successful Exits (ex: significantly improved attendance, graduated) |
61.6% |
42% |
50% |
|
% Youth with Unsuccessful Exits (ex. discontinued service, dropped out) |
22% |
40.63% |
33% |
|
% Youth with Neutral Exits (ex: moved away) |
16.4% |
15% |
17% |
During the next reporting period (school year 2021-2022), a Results Based Accountability Plan will be developed and implemented for KKIS in alignment with the efforts of Upstream Investments. The Plan will identify the population results that the program supports, and program performance measures to demonstrate how much was done, how well it was done, and the extent to which people are better off after program participation. The Plan will include performance targets, data collection methods, and the frequency of data reporting and review with Probation.
In current Fiscal Year 20-21, the following partner school districts entered into MOUs and contributed financially to this program by covering at least 10% of the cost of a case manager on their site: Cotati-Rohnert Park USD, Guerneville Elementary School District, Healdsburg USD, Petaluma City Schools, Sonoma County Office of Education, Sonoma Valley USD, West Sonoma County Union High School District, and Windsor USD. As most of our partner districts have been focused on a return to in-person learning during the months of March and April and the Department manager in charge of school partnerships was only recently released from disaster work, formal conversations about continued partnership have been delayed with school district leaders. However, the Department will offer all current school districts continued partnership at the same rate, and it is anticipated that most will choose to continue. The Department is open to discussing new partnerships with school sites or districts, and is committed to equitable and inclusive services countywide.
Santa Rosa City Schools (SRCS) was an original KKIS partner, with case managers assigned to their district during the first three years of this project. For the last three years, the Department has continued the partnership with SRCS by participating in the Steering Committee for their own truancy reduction grant program. The SRCS truancy grant recently ended, and SRCS and Probation have begun exploring ways to collaborate on future school connection efforts.
All school partnerships will be formalized with the attached program services and information-sharing MOU templates pre-approved by County Counsel. The information-sharing MOU is an exciting collaborative effort led by the Human Services Department (and including the Department of Health Services and Probation) to streamline information-sharing for school districts with the County to provide for better service delivery and more efficient data collection for program evaluations.
Additionally, Probation is currently supporting truancy court partners (the Sonoma County Office of Education, the District Attorney’s office, and the Public Defender’s office), and the Presiding Juvenile Court Judge in planning for updates to the Sonoma County truancy court model. In alignment with the final 21-22 truancy court model and at a minimum level of service currently being provided, Keeping Kids in School will continue to provide case management services to referred youth in truancy court and accept referrals directly from the truancy court partners.
The current agreement with Seneca expires on June 30, 2021. The Probation Department originally prepared a Request for Proposals (RFP) for these services in early 2020 with the timeline for review and award of contract by July 1, 2020. On March 20 the RFP was deemed non-essential by the Director of General Services, in light of the County’s COVID-19 emergency response efforts. The Department entered into a single year agreement extension (Board approval on July 14, 2020) with Seneca Family of Agencies to allow vital services to continue until such time that Probation could initiate another RFP for this program.
In compliance with the County Board of Supervisors Principles for Safety Net Programs, Probation conducted a subsequent competitive RFP, which was released January 2021. The Department received two bids, one from Seneca Family of Agencies and one from Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County. A panel reviewed the proposals and conducted interviews with the bidders, and concluded Seneca Family of Agencies submitted a superior proposal and demonstrated the capacity to continue, and expand, much needed services to students.
Seneca is committed to equity and inclusion in service delivery, as articulated within the agreement’s Scope of Services. Seneca will ensure case managers are trauma-informed, and that services, documents, case plans, decision-making, and training are appropriate and responsive to the client’s cultural, language, ethnic, religious, gender and socioeconomic backgrounds and preferences.
When schools return to session in the fall, Keeping Kids in School services will be vital in supporting the transition back to traditional schooling for our most vulnerable youth and families. Based on preliminary conversations with local school districts, this contract has been constructed to allow for the additional scalability of program services throughout the contract term. Given the unprecedented impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our schools, it is difficult to predict the attendance-specific student, district, and community needs over the next several years. However, local school districts have indicated that school connection and attendance will likely be a high funding priority, and that State and Federal funding may be available to facilitate appropriate support services like KKIS. Thus, the Department and Seneca have structured the service agreement with sufficient flexibility to adapt to the needs and resources of individual school districts. Any service additions during the contract term will be formalized in writing with Exhibit E MODEL KKIS SERVICE ORDER of the attached agreement using the cost outlined in Exhibit B Budget and Fee Schedule and signed by Probation, Seneca, and relevant school districts.
In summary, the Sonoma County Probation Department is requesting authority to enter into an Agreement with Seneca Family of Agencies (Seneca) to continue KKIS services, and with participating school sites/districts as follows:
• $2,873,332 for a three year term through June 30, 2024
• $1,639,890 for the flexibility to add up to five (5) additional case managers if requested and funded by partner districts during the initial three year term (cost neutral to Probation)
• $4,639,890 for the option to renew for three (3) single year periods (including up to the potential 5 additional case managers)
• Execute Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) for services and information sharing with partner school districts, to continue and expand existing services through June 30, 2024
Prior Board Actions:
July 14, 2020, the Board of Supervisors authorized the Chief Probation Officer to enter into a one year agreement with Seneca Family of Agencies to provide Keeping Kids in School services in the following districts: Cotati-Rohnert Park USD, Guerneville Elementary School District, Healdsburg USD, Petaluma City Schools, Sonoma County Office of Education, Sonoma Valley USD, West Sonoma County Union High School District, and Windsor USD through MOUs.
October 23, 2018, the Board of Supervisors authorized the Chief Probation Officer to enter into Memorandum of Understanding agreements with Healdsburg Unified School District and Windsor Unified School district for program services through June 30, 2020. May 22, 2018, executed an Agreement with WestEd Justice and Prevention Research Center (National Institute of Justice grant) and related service Agreements with partner agencies.
December 12, 2017, executed an extended Agreement with Seneca Family of Agencies and Memorandum of Understanding agreements with the following school districts: Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District, Forestville Union School District, Guerneville Elementary School District, Petaluma City Schools, Santa Rosa City Schools, Sebastopol Union School District, Sonoma County Office of Education, Sonoma Valley Unified School District, West Sonoma County Union High School District.
May 19, 2015, the Board of Supervisors authorized the Chief Probation Officer to execute an Agreement with Seneca Family of Agencies to provide case management services for youth experiencing school attendance problems and their families.
On April 14, 2015, the Board of Supervisors received an update on the Keeping Kids In School Project.
December 9, 2014, the Board of Supervisors took actions to accept the Justice Assistance Grant and implement the Keeping Kids in School Project.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 21-22 Recommended |
FY22-23 Projected |
FY 23-24 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
889,436 |
1,000,000 |
1,000,000 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
889,436 |
1,000,000 |
1,000,000 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
789,436 |
900,000 |
900,000 |
|
Fees/Other |
100,000 |
100,000 |
100,000 |
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
889,436 |
1,000,000 |
1,000,000 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
There is no General Fund County cost to this contract. Juvenile Probation Activity Funds (JPF - part of the Enhancing Law Enforcement Activities Subaccount, funded by state Vehicle Licensing Fees) will be utilized to provide these services.
In year one the value of the Seneca agreement exceeds the FY 21-22 Recommended Budget of $889,436 by $34,563, as budgets were submitted to the County Administrator prior to the RFP process concluding, which included final negotiation of services and costs. A budget adjustment will be submitted in Fiscal Year 21-22, increasing expenditures in the Juvenile Services section and reimbursements from JPF by the same amount.
As a contingency, the agreement with Seneca allows for the flexibility of an additional five (5) case managers annually at a cost of $109,326 each, which will increase the cost of services. The maximum potential additional costs per year will be fully offset by district(s) and not exceed $546,630 annually. Probation will pay Seneca the additional costs and perform a cost neutral budget adjustment in both expenses and revenue should any district opt in.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None.
Attachments:
KKIS Seneca PSA 063024
KKIS PrgmServ MOU 063024
County-School District MOU_Template
Exhibit E KKIS Model Service Order
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.