Conejo Valley Unified School District's dropout prevention program has been recognized as a model by the state's Office of Education.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell announced last week that the State School Attendance Review Board had given eight school districts the designation "Model of Dropout Prevention."

"Implementing programs to ensure regular school attendance and high school graduation is particularly challenging when school budgets are drastically reduced," O'Connell said. "These school districts are to be commended for their commitment to ensuring that students with attendance or behavior problems receive assistance and stay in school."

Linda Calvin, associate director of pupil services, is the School Attendance Review Board chair for CVUSD.

"We want to find ways to ensure kids are in school. We have a whole system set up to identify kids before their attendance problems get too horrific," Calvin said.

The other selected school districts are Colton Joint Unified, Hesperia Unified, Kern High, Palm Springs Unified, San Bernardino City Unified, Victor Valley Union High, and Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified.

CVUSD will act as a mentor to other districts trying to strengthen their dropout prevention programs.

"These districts have formed successful partnerships with parents and members of the community at large, including law enforcement, social services, mental health and various youth services agencies to diagnose school attendance problems and get students back in school," O'Connell said.

The district will be recognized on April 22 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in South Lake Tahoe.

—Joann Groff