really tied in tarc. >> i'm claudia anderson, and i am sort of a new face to this. in the new director of executive support services, but i'm not new to this population of students. supervisor dufty: as we asked before, why don't you tell us a little bit about your background? >> it is really exciting to be here with liz and christine and low is because i have known them for years with the work we have done together. my background -- i have been in the school district for a little over 20 years, and all of that time is spent in alternative education, so i have always worked -- i can do in the county programs or in the continuation schools with students who for a variety of reasons have been marginalized, and it has always been a frustration to me because in settings that i work in, it is about relationships. it is about really digging deep

and understanding that there are youth, even though we do not like to think about, there are youth who have experience complex multiple trauma in their lives, and it is not as simple as they do not want to go to school where they do not want to learn or whenever we say, so it is really exciting to me to see that we are now looking at this as a city challenge that we need to all work together and bring whatever our pieces are to the table, and yes, it is true that san francisco unified school district has not been able to solve this, and i can say for me personally in my background, it has been really frustrating -- early in the game when i would have these one-room schoolhouses with maybe two or three teachers and there were no social services, and now, to really see this coming to fruition where we recognize that those issues are the domain of education or the domain of all of us because they are our kids is really exciting, and i'm very

new to student support services, so what i can say is that the commitment was there before me to engage in tarc and we did place on may 3 when it opened, we had a counselor from student support services at tarc. we had our student information system established down there so we really could go in and see what was going on, at least academically. we could see what counseling notes might exist, although again, unfortunately, the things that they are able, through relationship and human kindness, that they are able to honor, are probably not listed in the student information system. they're much deeper. supervisor dufty: given your background in the school district, one of the things that happens is there are some students that we between the city and school district have failed, and this is over a time

when the educational deficit is enormous. is that something you will be thinking about? i have heard discussion and times about whether maybe not every student is going to be able to achieve it of " if they are coming in at the latter stages that are not so far behind. is that something that's in terms of your overview, are you going to be looking at some of those types of challenges? >> absolutely. when a student comes to tarc, that is part of the assessment. you have to look at where they are academically. they are 17 years old and had 32 credits, it does not make too much sense that they will put you back over at washington high school. we really do need to look at what are the educational options that we have both within san francisco unified and within the larger city. there are other options beyond san francisco unified that might support some of the students. job corps might be a good option for someone. a five-piece charter program

might be a good option. so i think we need to look beyond just the limits of what sfusd has to offer, but what are the city-wide resources that can serve these you who have been underserved by our system? supervisor dufty: i would offer the in your reporting relationship, you would be reporting to the school district, but i think there's tremendous value in communicating to the city because we really have to look at young people that our aging out into adulthood and may not have -- they are not going to leave with the skills from school in order to advance successfully, and what we need to do to really prioritize these individuals in other programs that you are describing? whether it is job corps or -- then my ged program. supervisor dufty: there are a number of things we can do, so i think it is essential that there be some strong lines of communication from your leadership and what is going to happen with tarc to the city as

a whole. i think we're looking at young people who if the school does not have the tool box to intervene to really get somebody graduating and ready to go on to the next step, whether is training or education, then we have really got to look at meaningfully providing other options. i guess i want to open the discussion and say i think we have got to prioritize the. for us as policy makers, there may be ways that we legislatively or from a funding standpoint create that priority in terms of workforce programs that the city has. so i just want to really open up that discussion and say that not everyone -- elementary school students, yes, that would be my objective. my goal for elementary or mills will students would be that each and every one of them succeed in the school, the cup -- succeed and this will become the right place for them, but i think there will be a group of individuals who have been filled by the system, and we have to think things through. >> absolutely.

>> i'm so glad you're with us at students support services, particularly given your background in working in alternative schools. i had a couple of questions, and this was also for liz. you had talked about some of the top issues that have come up the cause students to be truant, whether it is insomnia, being victims of violence, bullying, worrying about safety. can we start collecting that kind of data? >> i think that was in their capacity and they are going to document it. commissioner kim: are these actually the top concerns or issues, obstacles that our students are facing the cause truancy? >> specifically, some of the top ones are the transitioning from eighth to ninth grade. that has been a big one. also being so far behind in their work they do not feel prepared or motivated enough to

go back to catch up. those are among the top ones that are coming up for the kids we're working with, and we are actively collecting that information, and as we continue to report out, we will be reporting that information because we feel it is very important to be able to identify what specifically those barriers are so we can restructure how we do our work with and our program -- schools, ceos, what have you. >> coming from a public policy perspective, it is so important for us to have this kind of data for two reasons -- we need to develop an academic and support program that addresses the top truancy challenges that come up for students. if we already know that 30% of our students are not coming to school because of a, then we should have something in place instead of always trying to come up and peace something together. on the flip and for our school district, we need to -- we need

our teachers and principals to be able to be aware of what it is that causes students to be frequently true it -- habib truant -- truant before they even end up with you. something that is challenging for us at the board when we deal with expulsion and ec students coming to west neared the end is that they are so far behind is that we actually do not have programs in place for them that we know will help them become successful and to graduate or even get their ged, and is very frustrating, but it is nice to know the we can start collecting this data and start creating something that is already in place for students. i'm also curious as to how we are partnering with community response network, and have we started working with them in terms of having them also pick up our students, since they are actually out on the streets? >> actually, i do not know what

-- i do not know if anyone's to address the specifically, but we have been trying to have summer planning meetings specifically to really wrapped around some of the school services and really looking at trying to support with other city departments specific schools that are open currently, so we are supporting young people, and they are being referred. the crn is supporting young people and referring them directly to community-based agencies. i have been witnessing some of the amazing worked -- amazing work that has been done. as the neutral, the relationship they have been having with other city departments. >> so they are aware of tarc, and they are going to start using it as a resource for the young people that they work with? >> we have been talking specifically with the coordinators about how we go ahead and wrap around and work closely with some of the case

managers, so that is in the work, and following wednesday, that is coming up, we actually have a city department meeting, and we will be talking more about that as we prepare for the fall. >> my last question, and this is related to some of the stories you and liz were talking about, what has been successful? what are some of the success stories that we can model the in terms of having them catch up in credits, transitioning back into school? what have been some of the models that are actually working? i'm just curious as to what you have found has worked. >> i will be honest -- when it comes to working with truant students, it is very individualized. no one stood in is the same, and what works for one, so there is a need for people working with trichet students to be creative and have the resources to address the issues, and a lot of

things that have worked for us is the parental involvement. that has been a big piece. we worked a lot with the parents to engage them in the process. with this case management services, that has been a big piece. being consistent, that long-term support. all of those things that we already know to do, those are very key. we're working very close with the schools and developing relationships with those teachers and those administrators. they are a very big piece of the success for our young people, and being able to connect them with the resources they need. not just connecting them with the program, but connecting with people. but again, immediacy. and it may not work for that young person. that young person might come to me, but he may not go to the cbo down the street, so what i have to do as a case manager is in some ways become that resource

for that young person until they can get to a place to where they are willing to engage cb engage cbo. you know -- and each with that -- engage with that cbo. you have to be creative and willing to go outside the box working with this population, but again, the consistency, parental involvement, having strong relationships with the schools, building relationships with those young people, immediacy, staying connected, making sure that that relationship is there -- those are the things that work. some young people are ready for change. some young people want to make some changes. and some may not, or they may not want to at the moment. but our job, our model, is to just be that hand when they are ready. -- our motto. we expect our folks to be that hand and be that person when they are ready. we keep an open door policy for our young people. those have been some of the

things that have worked in the past. supervisor dufty: one more question. i just want to theorize that i think for a lot of students that are truant in high school, that they might offer the argument here, "i don't have the problem. i have a problem with school, and this school is not working for me." in some cases, students that i have talked with that have been -- months went by before it heron was contacted, so how do you gain credibility and not just be perceived as trying to put some money back into a situation that is not working with them? is the district going to cooperate in terms of transferring students to programs that may be more likely to succeed for that individual? >> definitely. we understand that young people -- there are some issues that do come up with the students and teachers, and our job is to

advocate on behalf of our students, and we do that working with the young people to identify what the challenges may be. sometimes, those issues are valid, and sometimes they're not. sometimes we have to do work with the young people so that they are able to understand why certain things are the way that they are or what have you, but there is a larger issue systemically that also needs to be addressed when working with young people, and that may be out of our control right now, but we are working with those young people to try to get them to a place where they can make some progress toward academic success in this partnership -- toward academic success. in this partnership, the school district is involved. >> absolutely, there are systemic issues that result in an people deciding not to go to that school anymore. if the staff on as some things that really make it so it is not tenable for a student to be in a particular school, that is our

job to work with that student and work with the system to try to make the changes -- if the staff unearthed some things that make it so it is not tenable for a student to be in a particular school. we recognize that we have to change the way we operate, and we have to have more opportunities for students to have a voice. we have to have more opportunities to engage students in things they are interested in. we have to all to the discipline system that we have used that as an antiquated system, so we do recognize that we need to change, and i'm hoping that we will, because we are trying to start for the place of relationship. that is key -- putting people before paper and rules and processes, so as long as -- if we go into a with the right will to serve the students, then i

think we will find ways to navigate the system to benefit these individuals while we are trying to reach will the system, which is a longer term process. >> i want to add that we're looking forward to coming back in september to be able to really highlight some of the successes that we have had, just given the fact that we have had such a short amount of time. we come back in september, we will be able to present more concrete data that would demonstrate some of the success. thank you. >> thank you, supervisors. chief probation officer, welcoming this opportunity to weigh in on this tremendous initiative that the city is undertaking. supervisor, you ask others to warm up the room. i am always cold to warm up a

room. this room has been pretty warm at times for me. i am absolutely delighted and want to register the juvenile probation department's unequivocal support for this approach to truancy and and our gratitude to this body to sponsor this inquiry and to lend your support to this initiative because it is our firm belief in the field of abating juvenile delinquency that truancy certainly is the farm system for the major league of delinquency, and unabated truancy is the gateway to delinquency, but i'm also here to essentially declared that our beliefs that

the remedy of juvenile detention to truancy is one of the most significant reasons why it is not a positive remedy to truancy. the approach that is being taken, that is contemplated through the use of tarc, the attention given to truancy at the early stages is the right course to take. there is a tremendous amount of data available that indicate that detention is a consequence to simple truancy, and i do not mean simple in the way of not being complex, because as we all know, this is a very complex issue, but i mean truancy that is unrelated to any existing delinquent behavior, that is not an effective remedy. we within the juvenile probation department are very clear about

how we will address truancy as it relates to violations of court orders >> active participation, and we are looking forward to the prospect of convening for juvenile probationers. i wanted to register our support for this, our commitment to make certain that there is not a slippery slope to the remedy to any of the use that are not complying with the efforts through the tarc, that it is an

automatic entry. and wanted to make sure that our cars -- precipitatioprecipis noted. >> i have one question about eligibility. do we have that capacity at tarc? >> we do. we have staff and are fluent in spanish, mandanrin, and canto nese. and i am fairly fluent in en glish. [laughter]

supervisor dufty: are there any members of the public that would like to be heard? walter is moving forward. for those that are not familiar, walter is going to warm the room with song. >> ♪ so glad you made it you made it to school on time evryday -- everyday i'm glad to say you made it ♪ ♪ you get a big grade that's a you were there every day i am so glad you made it you're playing hide and seek with school

always missing don't be a fool i want to see you there in school so be there and i know you're going to make it ♪ ♪ you're going to make it with an a today every day,e verywhere -- everywhere i will see you in school in september see you when the time in school is new i will see you in september or lose you to missing class again don't lose it ♪ ♪ try to remember the kind of

september when you're in school, and you were there and cool try to remember the kind of school in september and be there every day on time ♪ [applause] supervisor dufty: thank you, walter. i never quibble with song selection, but i am going to show my age and say i expected you to send "welcome back, kotter." >> i just wanted to say that i support tarc, and i look forward to collaborating with the staff and the agency. i wanted to remind everybody

that it is not only students with currency issues, but we need to cater to the families. a lot of issues stem from the families. there are the psychological effects and violence that goes hand-in-hand with the community. i know for english learners, a lot of times they don't understand what they are taught in school. a lot of times, they gravitate toward each other. when one or two have friends, they don't go to school. they may not be on the streets, but they may be somewhere in their friends' homes, and they are alone in the house.

what do we do about those children, those people with truancy issues? i wanted to remind the staff and the tarc to be mindful of that. talking with the immigrants, the latinos, and the asian population. supervisor dufty: any additional speakers? seeing none, we will close public comment. i want to thank all of the speakers for updating us. we look forward to coming into visiting the center this fall, looking forward to a partnership with the school district and the providers to make sure that we are doing our share. with that, we will continue this item to the call of the chair. madam clerk will call the next item.

>> it is a file number 100571, safe routes to schools and muni safety. supervisor dufty: this is something we have taken on before to ensure safe conditions for young people that are going to school. what are wanted to do first was bring up a representative of public health, there with -- they are with dph and the safe routes to school and outreach program. we also have someone here from the transportation authority. we wanted to make sure that this came before the board of supervisors, but it has not been shared with the school district. i wanted to make sure there was good information about this. i'm sorry, with the

commissioners. welcome. >> thank you for the opportunity to speak. in the interest of time, we were asked to speak for four or five minutes. we will run through this very quickly. we are running the safe route to school program in san francisco. the main purpose is actually to promote active walking and biking to and from school. that is the main overarching goal. it will increase pedestrian and bicycle traffic safety. it will decrease traffic and it -- congestion and improve air quality. it will reduce childhood obesity by promoting activity. there is a lot of research that shows it will increase academic performance. it will also provide eyes on the

street. we hope to get much more schoolchildren and their families out there walking and biking. why do we need safe route to school? in 1969, half of them were walking. it is now about 15%. about a quarter of morning traffic are caretakers driving their children to school. as you have read, childhood obesity is a major topic. it has tripled in the past 30 years. it addresses multiple issues at once. it is a national movement. we have programs throughout the country. i am proud to say it is here in san francisco. we had a half-million dollar -- $500,000 grant.

the public health department, obviously the school district, the bicycle coalition, the mta, the department of the environment is a recent partner. we just worked in five elementary schools this year'. we will add 10 more. we will start making invitations, so we will be working with a total of 15 schools next year. these are the schools we have worked in this year. we worked and bryant elementary which is in district 9. george washington carver, the bayview hunters point neighborhood in district 10. we worked in district 11 schools in the amazon area. sunnyside