Sacramento County Children's Coalition - School Suspension Prevention

The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to fund a project that addresses prevention of school suspension of children and youth in Sacramento County. Sacramento County experiences school suspension rates that exceed statewide averages and disproportionately impact its most vulnerable children and youth. According to the 2022 Sacramento County Children’s Report Card, the county’s suspension rate of 5.3% is 1.8 percentage points higher than the state average. Students who are suspended miss critical instructional time and struggle to make up missed coursework, placing them at an academic disadvantage compared to their peers. Suspension also contributes to harmful social and emotional outcomes, including feelings of exclusion, disconnection, fear, and increased rates of depression—particularly for students exposed to violence or trauma. Removing students from school environments heightens their vulnerability to negative outcomes, including increased contact with law enforcement and involvement in the juvenile justice system. Punitive disciplinary approaches fail to address the underlying causes of behavior, instead distancing children from supportive systems and reinforcing cycles of disengagement and instability. The consequences of suspension extend beyond students to families and the broader community. Families, particularly working caregivers, often face sudden childcare challenges when a child is suspended, resulting in lost wages, financial strain, and emotional stress. These impacts compound existing inequities and place additional burden on already stressed households. Children and youth involved in the Child Welfare System are especially affected, with a county suspension rate of 20.1% (Children’s Report Card 2022), the highest of any identified subgroup. Similarly, children exposed to domestic violence and other Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are significantly more likely to experience suspension due to trauma-related behaviors such as aggression or disruption. For these children, suspension becomes an additional stressor that compounds trauma and increases the risk of adverse educational and behavioral outcomes. Multiple factors—including those described above and others not fully explored—diminish educational equity, weaken school climate, and negatively affect long-term outcomes for children and youth as they progress through the educational system. This proposal seeks to address the root causes of school suspension by advancing preventative, trauma-informed, and developmentally appropriate approaches that keep students engaged in learning and connected to supportive environments. To address school suspension rates, the Sacramento County Children’s Coalition seeks a community-based organization with the capacity and organizational infrastructure to conduct an in-depth analysis of suspension trends and develop a comprehensive, actionable plan to guide policymakers and community stakeholders in implementing strategies that meaningfully impact the students most affected. Some areas the Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) and Coalition are seeking to include: Provide a comprehensive analysis of school suspension rates across Sacramento County, examining data from most, if not all, school districts to identify trends, disparities, and patterns. Identify actions, policies, and promising practices implemented by community-based organizations, schools, and school systems that have either contributed to reducing suspension rates or unintentionally exacerbated them. Develop clear, actionable recommendations for Sacramento County policymakers to implement strategies that meaningfully and sustainably reduce school suspension rates. Conduct an in-depth examination of the root causes of school suspensions, including the influence of socio-economic factors, implicit and explicit bias, and the role of in-school and out-of-school engagement and support systems. The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) and the Sacramento County Children’s Coalition seek demonstrated evidence of strong partnerships with organizations and agencies across Sacramento County, or a clear commitment and articulated plan to establish and strengthen such partnerships. This project will be funded with Children's Trust Fund dollars.