San Mateo County tackles truancy and low high school graduation rates

In an effort to reduce high truancy and improve graduation rates among low-income and racial/ethnic minority youth in San Mateo County, the County Executive's Office initiated the Students with Amazing Goals (SWAG) program in 2015. Gardner Center researchers were engaged to conduct a multi-year implementation and outcomes study of the program.

The challenge

In 2015, the high school graduation rate for students residing in East Palo Alto and the Belle Haven neighborhood of Menlo Park stood at only 55 percent, much lower than any other part of San Mateo County.

Unfortunately, students who do not complete high school are more vulnerable to a number of significant challenges: they face higher rates of unemployment, earn lower wages when they do find work, and are more likely to end up in the criminal justice system than peers with a high school diploma or a bachelor’s degree.

The solution

In response, San Mateo County launched a cross-sector collaboration called Students with Amazing Goals (SWAG). The county teamed with nonprofit Live in Peace — which was responsible for program implementation — the Sequoia Union High School District, and other county agencies to:

Reengage students at risk of not graduating
Help them imagine a positive future for themselves
Take steps toward achieving that vision

Program elements included college tours, field trips, athletic events, family night activities, coding classes, and employment opportunities.

The Gardner Center was engaged to study the factors that facilitated program implementation, as well as the program's outcomes as detailed in a 2018 research report. The program has since been fully transitioned to the Live in Peace organization and has been renamed "Students Who Achieve Greatness."

Key takeaways

SWAG leveraged the strengths of county agencies, the school district, and a community-based organization to support underserved youth. The Gardner Center found that youth engaged in SWAG:

Demonstrated increases in credit accumulation and graduation rates that were both substantial in magnitude and statistically significant

Experienced positive connections to caring adults, which is associated with civic engagement and healthy behaviors

Developed confidence in their ability to accomplish the goals they set for themselves — what they often refer to as a “positive” or “productive” mindset