I remain energized by the remarkable gathering of nearly 4,000 educators at the Achievement Gap Summit I hosted in Sacramento on November 13-14. In more than 125 workshops and speaker's forums we discussed and sought solutions to what is both the most pressing issue in education and the biggest economic and civil rights issue of our time. I invited speakers with whom I both agreed and disagreed, some who said things I am still contemplating, and some who proposed things I am convinced we must do.
The goal of the Summit was to gather information from diverse presenters and the continuing feedback of participants, and to use this information to help us at the state level become more effective in assisting schools and districts to close the achievement gap. I feel confident that we took a big step toward achieving this goal.
One idea that I continually stressed to Summit participants was that I want the California Department of Education to become a continuous learning system. Every successful school I have visited is one that embraces new data and eagerly puts new ideas to work for the benefit of students. Similarly, I want to use the lessons learned at this Summit to show us how the state can do things differently and better.
We also took the next steps in a statewide conversation-a most difficult but most necessary conversation-about race and the unconscious, institutionalized biases that continue to disadvantage students of color today. As I have said, the data are clear: poverty is not the only factor holding back black and brown children. Furthermore, the evidence is unequivocal that, no matter what the cause or to what extent any factor plays a role, we must address ALL factors affecting achievement. As a state and as a nation, we are morally and economically obligated to reverse these pernicious trends.
None of us walked out of the Summit with a single prescription for closing the gap-this will be long, hard work, but I am excited at the prospect. I am also excited because, for the first time in California, thousands of caring educators from all over the state came together to address this intractable issue and they have gone back to their districts determined to continue this work.
In other news, I am pleased to report that I will be entering into negotiations with the Oakland Unified School District to return partial local control to the district in two out of five operational areas, the first step toward enabling the district to start the process of hiring a superintendent. The district had already assumed control over the operational area of community relations and governance in July. Since coming under state receivership in June 2003, Oakland has made a valiant effort to come back from severe financial difficulties. The district is making great strides in all five areas of its recovery plan, and I intend to return its personnel management and facilities management control.
In addition, recent test scores show that Oakland is making modest, but steady gains according to state accountability measurements to make it the most improved large, urban school district two years in a row. Failure to make Adequate Yearly Progress, however, has placed the district in Year 3 of Program Improvement. But district administrators and teachers are working hard to implement new strategies and practices to prepare their students for success both in and out of the classroom.
I wish you and your families a wonderful holiday season and a new year of health, happiness, and academic excellence. I sincerely appreciate all the hard work you have done this year on behalf of California's children, and look forward to continuing our work together in 2008.
Honoring Teachers
This month's Department Highlights honors one of California's five newly selected Teachers of the Year for 2008: Andee Aceves teaches third grade at San Altos Elementary School in Lemon Grove in the Lemon Grove School District in San Diego County.
"Mrs. Aceves is a pioneer for her family and a role model for her students," said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell. "Raised by non-English speaking grandparents, she experienced the disconnect that still exists today for a great many of California's children between home and school, a place where she said she felt like an 'uninvited, but tolerated guest.' Mrs. Aceves brings to the classroom a valuable perspective that allows insight and a better understanding of her students' needs, abilities, and challenges."
In Mrs. Aceves' application for the California Teachers of the Year Program, she wrote, "Unlike many of my colleagues who have always intended to teach and come from a long line of educated family members, I have a different perspective. I know that not all students have equal access to resources. I understand that loving, caring parents cannot always help with homework. I even recognize the strength of the unruly child who comes to school despite the chaos he/she lives in. I was that bright, skeptical, and belligerent child in the class; the student that teachers talked about with disparagement in the teacher's lounge. My personal teaching style reflects a willing acceptance and consideration of skeptical students and their families. I teach to make a difference in their perception of school and to remove those barriers that interfere with learning."
She said that while the media often portray education in a less-than-positive light, she knows that teachers perform miracles every day, but no one sees them. "We, as teachers, can remember the student who enters class without knowing how to speak English, the child who lives with her mother in a car near the trolley tracks, the student who cannot read the board because his parents cannot afford eyeglasses," she says. "We, as teachers, are passionate about our calling and though our work is often denigrated or unappreciated, we continue to make successes simply because the education of our children is the most important gift we can bestow."
Mrs. Aceves graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. She earned a multiple-subject teaching credential in 1992 and a Master's degree in math curriculum in 2003, both from San Diego State University.
School Facilities Planning Division
Workshops on the application process for the second round of the Proposition 1D Career Technical Education Facilities Program are being held throughout the state. Proposition 1D provides $500 million for the construction of new career technical education (CTE) facilities and the modernization of existing career technical education facilities.
Local educational agencies interested in obtaining second round CTE funding must submit a Revised Career Technical Education Application to the California Department of Education by February 1, 2008. The applications will be reviewed and scored based on the requirements contained in the application guidelines. Applications meeting the minimum score requirement, as outlined in the Career Technical Education Rubrics, will be forwarded to the Office of Public School Construction for priority and ranking.
For more information and workshop locations, please visit the What's New Web page or contact Dana Neaubauer, Office Technician, School Facilities Planning Division, at 916-322-2470 or by e-mail at dneubauer@cde.ca.gov.
State Special Schools and Services Division
The California School for the Blind (CSB) proudly announces the formation of a new service called Short Courses, designed with the intent of teaching disability-specific skills that are pre-requisites to success in the regular classroom. Typically, a Short Course will run for one week with return sessions during the school year as needed.
This program is designed to address the unique educational needs of students with visual impairments who are currently attending school in their local districts. These students often find themselves overwhelmed by the demands of academic classes and homework, leaving little time to concentrate on the disability-specific areas of the expanded core curriculum (ECC) for blind students, such as study and organizational skills, assistive technology, and sensory efficiency. These Short Courses are geared toward students whose academic skills are at or near grade level. Students who can easily adapt to a new learning and living environment for a short period of time will benefit from this experience.
Referrals must come from the local school district, usually from the teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI). Interested parents should confer with the TVI or district special education administrator. Students who attend a Short Course class will work on pre-determined goals based on the student's needs. Courses will emphasize the ECC while maintaining the core curriculum assignments missed during attendance at Short Courses. Students are not counted absent from their local schools. Participation in this program is not considered a change in placement.
Students will be immersed in the CSB culture. For many students this will be a rare chance to spend time with other students who have visual impairments and get to know them.
Students will benefit from individualized instruction in a small group that targets an area of need. Students will be grouped with grade level peers. Our courses will focus on elementary, middle school, and high school students in different sessions. Topics of study may include:
- Braille reading and writing, including slate and stylus
- Nemeth Code and Tactile Graphics
- Daily Living Skills
- Organizational Skills
- Community Based Physical Activities
- Access to Public Transportation
- Test Taking Techniques
- Abacus
- Technology
- Career Education
- Sensory Efficiency
- Leadership Development
If you have any questions regarding Short Courses, please contact Barbara Maher, Coordinator, CSB, at 510-794-3800 or by e-mail at bmaher@csb-cde.ca.gov, or Deborah Kreuzer, Director of Education, CSB, by e-mail at dkreuzer@csb-cde.ca.gov.
Data Management Division
For the first time, the California Department of Education will be collecting official graduate and dropout counts via the Annual Statewide Student Identifier (SSID) Maintenance (or via the fall submission for local educational agencies [LEAs] participating in the California School Information Services [CSIS] State Reporting Program). The submission window for the Annual SSID Maintenance closes December 10, 2007. By that date, your LEA must do all of the following: (1) submit all required data for all of your schools to the CSIS Program; (2) generate and review the Enrollment Summary and Census reports; and (3) certify the accuracy of that data.
Certification of the Annual SSID Maintenance submission by the deadline is critical for your LEA because the official enrollment count will be used for official enrollment, graduation, and dropout counts. The enrollment counts will be used to calculate funding for a number of categorical programs, including SSID maintenance funding. Therefore, failure to submit this data on time may jeopardize funding.
For more information on the Annual SSID Maintenance submission and the steps that LEAs need to take, please contact the CSIS Program, at 916-325-9260 or by e-mail at support@csis.k12.ca.us.
Special Education Division
State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SSPI) Jack O'Connell's Autism Advisory Committee has submitted its recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor as mandated by Assembly Bill 2513. The bill was sponsored by former Assembly Member Fran Pavley in 2006, and authorized the SSPI to convene the 20-member committee.
The committee was charged with advising how public and nonpublic schools can better serve students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families. It made the following recommendations in three areas regarding policy, sharing information, and providing assistance to schools:
- Make changes to ensure a seamless delivery of services and early intervention for students with ASD and their families. In addition, make the changes that are called for in the dissemination, training, credentialing, and certification of people working with students with ASD.
- Develop a statewide, education-focused interagency clearinghouse to provide information on ASD-related, evidence-based interventions, strategies, and other resources.
- Provide technical assistance and training to people at schools to implement and disseminate evidence-based ASD information and strategies.
A final copy of the report is available on the Superintendent's Autism Advisory Committee (SAAC).
Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division
On November 8, 2007, the State Board of Education (SBE) adopted a new list of 41 mathematics instructional programs for kindergarten through grade eight. These materials are aligned with the Mathematics Framework for California Public Schools: Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve, the Mathematics Content Standards for California Public Schools: Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve, and specific evaluation criteria approved by the SBE. This adoption includes three types of programs to meet California students' instructional needs:
- Basic grade-level programs-These are yearlong instructional programs that cover all of the standards at the relevant grade-level and are designed for students making good progress toward achieving the standards. The new list includes 22 of these programs (11 elementary and 11 middle school) from which districts may select.
- Intervention programs-These programs are organized around six mathematics topics and a subset of standards. They are designed for use with students in grades four through seven who are at risk of not meeting the standards. Districts may select from eight adopted programs.
- Algebra readiness programs-These programs target a specific subset of 16 standards for grade seven and Algebra I and include instructional materials that address foundational concepts and skills from earlier grades to support future success in Algebra I. Programs offer a full year of instruction. Districts may select from 11 programs designed for students in grade eight or higher who are not prepared to take an algebra course.
The SBE list of adopted programs is available on the 2007 Mathematics Primary Adoption Web page.
Charter Schools Division
The Charter Schools Division announced at the State Board of Education's (SBE's) November meeting that the governing board of the Hayward Unified School District had voted unanimously to renew the charter of Leadership Public School-Hayward (LPS-Hayward). The school had been rejected by the district three years ago, but was eventually chartered by the SBE on appeal.
Over the past two years, LPS-Hayward, now in its third year of operation, has amassed a solid record of academic achievement. LPS-Hayward's 2007 growth Academic Performance Index of 736 is significantly higher than Hayward Unified's three high schools, Hayward High (608), Mt. Eden High (651), and Tennyson High (593). Moreover, in almost all cases, the achievement gaps among the subgroups of African American, Hispanic/Latino, and socioeconomically disadvantaged students were narrower at LPS-Hayward than at the three district high schools. By statute, a school chartered by the SBE must first seek renewal from the district that initially denied the charter prior to returning to the SBE for renewal.
Taking note of LPS-Hayward's academic success, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell said, "We are very pleased that Hayward Unified's governing board viewed the LPS-Hayward renewal question with an open mind and made a decision that will ensure continued benefit to the district's parents and students. LPS-Hayward is exactly the type of solid parent- and student-choice needed within the public schools and envisioned by the Legislature when passing the Charter Schools Act in 1992. We also congratulate LPS-Hayward Principal Brian Greenberg and the school's staff and students for the outstanding effort they have made these past several years. Being recognized by local chartering at the point of renewal is a tribute to their hard work and dedication."
School Improvement Division
The Middle and High School Improvement Office presented a sneak peek of Taking Center Stage-Act II: Ensuring Success and Closing the Achievement Gap for All of California's Middle Grades Students (TCSII) at the State Superintendent of Public Instruction's (SSPI) Closing the Achievement Gap Summit.
TCSII is an innovative Web project dedicated to promoting excellence in middle grades education. Using the latest technology, it will be delivered through a dynamic Web portal free of charge. The foundation of TCSII is built on 12 solid recommendations for middle grades excellence forged collaboratively by the California Department of Education and the California Middle Grades Alliance. A beautiful poster of these recommendations will be sent to schools, districts, and county offices of education in early December. The sneak peak trailer for TCSII will be sent to middle grade schools and districts in January.
TCSII will be premiered live at the California League of Middle Schools Annual Conference on February 29, 2008, at the Sacramento Convention Center where the SSPI will unveil this unprecedented resource for middle grades educators. County offices of education will participate in the rollout of TCSII beginning April 8, 2008, with a statewide, county-facilitated Web cast on that date to middle-level district and school leadership teams from their respective counties.
Be a Kid on a Mission: Help out Four-Legged, Feathered Friends
Humane Society: Youth, a division of the Humane Society of the United States, is calling for all children to Speak Up for Animals in need by joining "Mission: Humane." This program offers step-by-step projects for kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) students to take action for animals on a wide array of issues, from homeless pets to urban wildlife. There are fun rewards for each project, action guides with tips on forming clubs, raising awareness and funds, and lobbying, identification cards, and more. Teachers can visit the Humane Society of the United States Web site (Outside Source) or call 860-434-8666 to request a starter kit.
KIND News is Humane Society Youth's classroom newspaper for kindergarten through grade six classrooms. The most widely used humane education resource, it is aligned with National Education Standards for the major subject areas and is used by teachers across the curriculum. Schools' renewed focus on character education makes KIND News an especially valuable resource for teachers. KIND News is offered in three editions: Primary (kindergarten through grade two), Junior (grades three through four), and Senior (grades five through six), which you can change at any time to best match students' reading skills. For more information and to view this month's KIND News features, please visit the KIND News Web site (Outside Source).
The HumaneTeen Web site, (Outside Source), offers the following resources for middle- and high-school students: (1) study and activity guides on the major animal issues; (2) Mission: Humane resources; (3) action alerts on the most critical issues affecting animals; (4) profiles of teens and clubs who are active for animals; (5) news about campaigns and other happenings in animal protection; and (6) guidelines for starting an animal protection club.
Secondary, Postsecondary, and Adult Leadership Division
State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SSPI) Jack O'Connell recently convened an advisory group consisting of representatives from each of California's higher education segments that operates teacher preparation programs. The advisory group is a direct outgrowth of the SSPI's dialogue with all of California's teacher education deans on May 1, 2007, which was a first-ever meeting of its kind. At that meeting, the SSPI initiated an important conversation between the teacher education programs and the kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) education system about how to best align the efforts to provide all students with a highly qualified teacher who will be successful in helping to close the achievement gap. The advisory group, which includes two deans from each of three higher education segments that offers credentialing programs, will soon meet for a second time to plan its work for 2008 with the goal of preparing recommendations for the SSPI's consideration later in that year.
Career Technical Education
The California Department of Education and the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office are coordinating the release of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's Career Technical Education (CTE) Initiative funding of $52 million. These funds are aimed at strengthening and expanding CTE while improving coordination between schools, Regional Occupational Centers and Programs, and Community Colleges. Announcements of available funding opportunities will be forthcoming over the rest of the fiscal year.
Adult Education Office
The Adult Education Office was honored to have Barbara Halsey, executive director of the California Workforce Investment Board, as a guest speaker in November. Ms. Halsey spoke about the importance of education to the workforce. She gave suggestions on how adult education can forge lasting partnerships at the local and state level.
The California Workforce Investment Board and Adult Education Office are committed to improving communities. A focus of the California Workforce Investment Board is economic development. Adult education offers career technical training and employment readiness programs as well as literacy classes. A goal is to increase an individual's standard of living through education. This aligns with the goals of the Workforce Investment Board.
Ms. Halsey came to Sacramento from San Bernardino in May to head the California Workforce Investment Board. She shared several of the projects she is implementing, including a two year strategic planning process and the development of special committees to address business and industry sectors, dislocated workers, and lifelong learning.
