The Orange County Department of Education is inviting community-based organizations to submit their best proposals for reducing truancy as part of a three-year grant funding opportunity.
Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Nov. 30 for the Truancy Response Program Grant, which seeks to boost attendance by re-engaging chronically absent students and families with their school communities. The winning proposal — or proposals — will receive up to $400,000 through the end of 2024, with a possible two-year extension based on measurable outcomes.
The state-funded Truancy Response Program was formerly managed by the Orange County Probation Department and the District Attorney’s Office, but OCDE emerged as the authorizer this year following state legislative changes.
A community-based organization is typically defined as a public or private nonprofit that serves a community or large populations within. Agencies that apply for the Truancy Response Program Grant should demonstrate the capacity to offer education, training, resources and interventions that result in more consistent school attendance and increased engagement.
Innovative solutions
“While there is some flexibility in how the work is performed, the goal is to support our local districts with innovative solutions that address and resolve truancies before they escalate into larger issues that can often involve the criminal justice system,” said Jami Parsons, OCDE’s director of Learning Supports.
The grant, said Parsons, is also aligned with OCDE’s broader efforts to scale up California’s Multi-System of Support framework, which is designed to address the academic, behavioral and social-emotional needs of students with tiered supports and interventions.
Additional details are outlined in the flyer below. For more information, visit OCDE’s Truancy Response Program webpage or email TRP@ocde.us.
