Schools

Berkeley Schools' Truancy Rate More Than Double The State Average

Berkeley Technology Academy is listed with the highest rate at 88 percent. What should educators do to tackle this issue?

About 60 percent of Berkeley public school students were reported as truant at least once during the past school year, according to information released by the state superintendent's office.

The district's rate is double the state average and significantly above the county average.

Truancy is defined as any student who misses 30 minutes or more of class time without a valid excuse at least three times in one school year.

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Berkeley Technology Academy had the highest rate with 88 percent. It was followed by Berkeley High at 73 percent.

The middle schools ranged from a high of 58 percent at Willard to a low of 16 percent at REALM Charter.

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At the elementary schools, the range was from a high of 65 percent at Malcolm X to 35 percent at John Muir.

Susan Craig, the district's director of student services, said Berkeley Unified is diligent in reporting absences and that may contribute to its higher truancy rating.

She added Berkeley schools have a number of programs to help reduce absenteeism.

Among them are early intervention programs, a child welfare specialist, school attendance review boards, counselors and truancy sweeps around campuses.

Craig said truancy and absenteeism cost students valuable instruction time as well as costing the district state ADA funds.

Below is a table from data gleaned from the state superintendent's website. You can view data on suspensions, expulsions and truancy for each individual school by clicking here.

 

School Cumulative Enrollment Truants Truancy Rate Berkeley Arts Magnet At Whittier 440 239 54.3 Berkeley High 3415 2514 73.6 Berkeley Technology Academy 193 170 88.1 Cragmont Elementary 403 180 44.7 Emerson Elementary 308 149 48.4 Jefferson Elementary 339 179 52.8 John Muir Elementary 264 94 35.6 Leconte Elementary 347 196 56.5 Longfellow Arts And Technology Middle 471 258 54.8 Malcolm X Elementary 486 318 65.4 Martin Luther King Middle 966 559 57.9 Oxford Elementary 319 185 58 Realm Charter High 98 17 17.3 Realm Charter Middle 115 19 16.5 Rosa Parks Environmental Science Magnet 449 175 39 Thousand Oaks Elementary 460 247 53.7 Washington Elementary 444 212 47.7 Willard Middle 571 332 58.1 Berkeley Unified 10,041 6043 60.2 Alameda County Total 33.9 California Total 28.5

Do you think this is a critical issue for Berkeley schools? How should the Berkeley Unified School District cope? Tell us in the comments section below.


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