Report 2015-112 Recommendation 17 Responses

Report 2015-112: Student Mental Health Services: Some Students' Services Were Affected by a New State Law, and the State Needs to Analyze Student Outcomes and Track Service Costs (Release Date: January 2016)

Recommendation #17 To: East Side Union High School District

To better understand the effectiveness of the mental health services in its special education program, East Side should use the six performance indicators we identified to perform analysis annually on the subset of students receiving mental health services.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2020

In reviewing Post School Outcomes, specifically on Students Receiving Mental Health Services, our findings show these results.

Performance Indicator 1- 4 Year Cohort Graduation Rate 61% 14/23

(6 of these students have returned for a 5th year)

Performance Indicator 2- Dropout Rate 13% 3/23

(1 student dropped and 2 did not graduate or return)

Performance Indicator 3- Statewide Assessment ELA 70% 16/23

- Statewide Assessment Math 70% 16/23

Performance Indicator 4- Discipline (>10 days) Rate 0% 0/23

Performance Indicator 5a-LRE Rate: In Regular Class more than 80% 28% 8/29

Performance Indicator 5b-LRE Rate: In Regular Class less than 40% 41% 12/29

Performance Indicator 14- Rate of Post School Outcomes was gathered by a team of callers and data from the National Clearinghouse 4/14 (29%) of the graduates are enrolled in college programs. Only 1/14 (7%) responded that they were employed at this time. 2/14 (14%) responded that they were waiting for the COVID19 pandemic to end before seeking either work or schooling, and 7/14 did not reply.

This data has been gathered through our Student Information System and student contact attempts. We have again increased our Service Providers for the 2020-2021 school year to include 4FTE School Psychologists delivering Educationally Related Mental Health Services. Progress staffing occurs every other week to discuss current situations, interventions and concerns. Data from the Progress Indicators is also reviewed at this time. Students have been receiving distance learning since March 13, 2020 due to COVID 19. Counseling is held either through a ZOOM meeting platform or telephone calls.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented

Since October 2016, East Side has communicated the results from its evaluations of performance indicators we recommended it use to understand the effectiveness of the mental health services in its special education program. However, East Side had not collectively evaluated all six performance indicators until this response. East Side also sent a memorandum to special education staff informing them that it would annually collect and evaluate data on these six performance indicators to determine trends on the impact of the mental health services.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From February 2020

In reviewing these Post School Outcomes, specifically on Students Receiving Mental Health Services, our findings show these results of students we were able to comfirm:

Rate of Post School Outcomes:

Students in Higher Education measured a rate of 81% (target +53.3%), those in Competitive Employment or Higher Education a rate of 95% (target +73.4%) and those in Any Employment or Education at 95% (target +82.0%).

Students LRE rate measured those in Regular class more than 80% at 27 % (target +51.2%)and those in Regular class less than 40%, measured 37% (target - 22.6%).

4 Year Cohort Graduation Rate measured 100% (target +90%), and the dropout rate measured 0% (target -11.72%

Suspension and Expulsion Discipline Rate (+10 days) was at 0% with our confirmed students.

Higher Education enrollment information has been provided by the National Student Clearinghouse. Additional information has been found in Infinite Campus, our Student Information System and student contact was attempted. We have increased our Service Providers for the 2019-2020 school year to include three FTE Psychologists delivering Educationally Related Mental Health Services. Students will be given requests for contact information prior to graduation, and these additional documents will be utilized in the gathering of idata for the 2019-2020 school year.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented

East Side provided its analysis of data on the subset of students receiving mental health services, which included five of the six factors we identified in our report. However, East Side did not include data for statewide assessments as part of its analysis, nor did it clearly indicate its process to conduct such an analysis on an annual basis.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2018

In order to track participation of students identified as Emotionally Disturbed/receiving mental Health services, we are able to use our CASEMIS data in SEIS and have established formulas to produce charts that give us percentages of our students in general education. School days are divided by classes and there are six periods per day. So our analysis yields both the count and percentage of students. The District has added two Mental Health Psychologists, in order to provide Educationally Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS) in district; hopefully, to keep students at their home schools and to prevent placements in a more restrictive environment. That is why the overall number of students is larger than in previous years, which only reflected student in our programs for students with emotional disabilities (ED). The charts show that many of the our students (41.4%) of are in special education more than half of the day. This represents a decrease from last year (2017) when over half of the students were in special education more than half of the day (61.6%). Twenty-one and a half percent (21.5%) of our students are in at least 5-6 general education classes (80-100%), which represents an increase from 2016-2017 when only 15% of the students were in general education classes 80-100% of the day. and 15% of the Students in 3-4 general education classes is 19.8% in the current year, compared to 15% for 2017. The trends here are hopeful, demonstrating an increase in the participation of students with emotional disabilities/those receiving mental health services. Adding the additional mental health psychologists gives IEP teams more options to serve students at their home schools, rather than considering more restrictive placements in ED programs.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented

East Side has demonstrated it is tracking participation rates in the general education setting. East Side noted in correspondence with us that it is still working to improve its collection of post-school outcomes. Accordingly, we continue to assess this recommendation as partially implemented.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2017

Response emailed to Bob Harris.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented

East Side provided evidence that it is continuing to measure the same general education participation data that it demonstrated at its last response. It has also indicated that it continues to have difficulty measuring post-school outcomes for the students who had received mental health services.

1-Year Agency Response

The East Side Union High School District has established processes to analyze our data for students with emotional disabilities/receiving mental health services, along the parameters of the 6 performance indicators.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented

East Side's 6-month response provided an analysis of the subset of students receiving mental health services that did not include data for participation in general education classes or post-school outcomes, which are two of the six performance indicators. East Side has since provided an analysis of the subset of students receiving mental health services and their participation in general education classes. However, East Side asserted that it has been unable to successfully follow up with any students who were in special education about their post-school outcomes. Staff at East Side have developed new forms for students to fill out before they leave school that East Side hopes will allow it to collect data on this indicator for all students who were in special education, including the subset who received mental health services.

6-Month Agency Response

We developed a set of data to analyze the 6 indicators on a yearly basis. We plan to use it to improve our services to students with mental health needs who are served in our programs.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented

East Side provided its analysis of data on the subset of students receiving mental health services, which included four of the six factors we identified in our report. However, East Side did not include data for participation in general education classes or post-school outcomes as part of its analysis.

60-Day Agency Response

The Director of Special Services and the Director of Assessment and Accountability work together to develop meaningful reports for the special education. We are developing a process to be able to conduct this analysis at the end of the year.

The 6 indicators include:

- Graduation Rate

- Dropout Rate

- Statewide Assessments (participation and proficiency)

- Suspension and expulsion

- Participation in general education classes

- Post-school outcomes

Please note that statewide testing only occurs in 11th grade in high school and that post­ school outcomes will not be available until students leave our system. The same is true of graduation rate, which is only available after students graduate. We are working through how to make these indicators meaningful. Additionally, we are working with the special education coordinator and CASEMIS manager to ensure that all students receiving mental health services are reflected in report. We are working with our T department to determine which of our data based systems will best support what we need to do . We also have an appointment next week with a software company who has a product for these purposes.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2015-112

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.