I am sorry to say that the fiscal year closed without resolution to our gaping budget shortfall. The budget debate in Sacramento continues with the Governor clinging to his “cuts only” approach to balancing the state’s books. Unfortunately, this means that a huge share of those cuts will come at the expense of school children in California. These new cuts to education would compound nearly $12 billion in cuts schools were already forced to sustain with the budget agreement that came about in February.
While the consequences of these cuts will be severe and long-lasting, I regret that some members of the Legislature have used the budget crisis as an excuse to lower standards for students in California by voting to eliminate the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) as a condition of graduation. The move would do little to resolve the state’s budget crisis, but would be a huge setback for California students. The CAHSEE gives meaning to a high school diploma and helps focus critical attention and resources on students who are struggling. We will do a grave injustice to our students if we do not ensure that they have the minimal skills needed to survive in the increasingly competitive global economy. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has vowed to veto any budget agreement that does not restore the CAHSEE, and I appreciate the commitment to high standards that he shares with the education community.
With or without a resolution to the budget crisis in sight, I know there are numerous challenges ahead for our public schools. I will continue to work with you to fight to protect education funding to the greatest extent possible and urge the Governor and Legislature to pass a budget with a balanced approach that includes revenue increases and as well as cuts.
Honoring Teachers
This month we are honoring Louis Yuen, a Kern County Teacher of the Year, and a finalist for the 2009 California Teachers of the Year. Mr. Yuen has been an instrumental and general music teacher for 35 years. He has taught at Sunset Middle School in the Vineland School District in Kern County for 24 years.
“They made a movie called “Mr. Holland’s Opus.” I am here to tell you they picked the wrong title and the wrong man. They should have called it “Mr. Yuen’s Masterpiece.” No one does a better job of teaching music than Louis Yuen,” declared Adolph Wirth, Superintendent of the Vineland School District.
Both Mr. Yuen’s parents were “dedicated elementary educators,” as he refers to them in his application for the California Teachers of the Year program. He is cut from the same cloth, only teaching at the middle-school level for which he has received many accolades over the years, including several “Educator of the Year” awards from a variety of organizations. He has even been recognized for his “Perfect Attendance” by the school.
When he took the band job from the Vineyard School District in 1986, he found a dearth of instruments, funding, parental support—and interest. “But against all odds, I was able to make the students believe in me and in themselves. We worked hard and had fun doing it. By December our young and small band won first place in the local parade – the first of many more first-place trophies to follow.”
Mr. Yuen finds nothing wrong with a competitive spirit. “I believe competitiveness is the best motivation for learning when used correctly. We live in a highly competitive world— just look at the worlds of sports, entertainment, politics, finance, and technology—where one must try harder than the next person to get ahead. Instilling the competitive spirit in our students can be the best gift we offer for them to succeed in the real world.”
Mr. Yuen would never suggest sitting out and waiting until things improve, or more money becomes available. He lives by Teddy Roosevelt’s advice: “Just do the best you can with whatever you have, right where you are.”
“As professionals we should waste no time and immediately educate our students by using whatever resources are available to run the program, and to do so with high standards and high expectations. With students’ will and teachers’ skill, great things are bound to happen regardless of adverse circumstances.”
Mr. Yuen received a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from St. Joseph’s College in 1974 and a Master’s degree in Music from Indiana University in 1978.
For Those Who Need to Know: Fact Book 2009 is Now Online
The Fact Book 2009, a compendium of statistics and information on a variety of issues concerning education in California, is now available on the CDE Fact Book Web page.
Due to budget cuts, the California Department of Education (CDE) will not print copies of the Fact Book 2009. Please feel free to electronically distribute the document to your colleagues in the field.
If you have any questions or suggestions for future editions of the Fact Book, please contact Cindy Cunningham, Manager, Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, by phone at 916-319-0647 or by e-mail at ccunningham@cde.ca.gov.
Adult Education Strategic Plan to Study Adult Educational, Workforce Needs
The Adult Education Office (AEO) is developing a strategic plan to address the critical and emerging educational and workforce needs of adults throughout the state. The AEO contracted with WestEd for professional consulting services to develop and write the plan. The plan will provide a renewed vision for the California Department of Education’s adult education system, and identify strategies and resources necessary to implement the plan. The target date for submitting the plan to the State Board of Education is September of 2010.
You can find information about the adult education strategic plan on the Adult Education Strategic Plan Web page (Outside Source).
If you have any questions regarding the strategic planning process, please contact Diane Hurley, Education Programs Consultant, Adult Education Office, by phone at 916-323-2213 or by e-mail at dhurley@cde.ca.gov.
Diagnostic Center, Northern California Provides Professional Development to Local Educational Agencies
At the request of Hayward Unified School District (HUSD), the Diagnostic Center, Northern California developed a collaborative project with HUSD’s Special Education Department to provide comprehensive professional development for selected school districts. This project is designed to provide in-depth content training and multiple levels of support including demonstration teaching, training, coaching and mentoring, resource and technical assistance to strengthen programs for students with special needs.
Building capacity within schools and among the special education staff was a key focus. A commitment was made to develop a clearly articulated pre-K – Adult special education program reflecting best practices, and improve administrative collaboration and communication. The following goals were addressed:
- Enhancing teacher capacity by professional learning opportunities, coaching/ mentoring, multi-disciplinary problem solving, support, and resource assistance.
- Enhancing the knowledge and working relationships among the special education administrative staff in order to better assist schools in meeting the program needs.
- Designing a clearly articulated pre-school through adult special education program reflecting best practices and a continuum of services.
Early in the planning stages, it was determined that support would be active and job-embedded at the classroom level. Fifty-five HUSD educators were selected to participate from various schools and grade levels. Over the course of five years, 411 consultation days were provided on a monthly, on-site basis.
Consultations were teacher-specific, addressing teacher concerns and individual student needs. Recommendations, technical assistance, resources, and coaching were provided. This process allowed for instruction and implementation of promising practices that HUSD could sustain. In addition, professional development opportunities were provided to teachers, paraeducators, special education administrators, and related services staff. Thirty-five workshops were presented addressing a range of topics. Concurrently, the HUSD Special Education Administrative Team met monthly to strategically redesign the special education delivery model.
Using the California Teaching Standards, Standards for Special Education Teachers were developed. These standards reflected HUSD’s values and vision of excellence. Additionally, Expectations for Parents, Standards for Related Services Staff, Standards for Administrative Staff, and Standards for Paraeducators were developed and published.
The HUSD Special Education Administrative Team continues to foster increased collaboration so that as they work with school staff, they have current knowledge and understanding of best practices and how to sustain these practices at the local school level. It is anticipated that the structures and learning from this project will be continued.
If you have any questions regarding this project, please contact Mary Anne Nielsen, Director, Diagnostic Center, Northern California, by phone at 510-794-2500, or by e-mail at mnielsen@dcn-cde.ca.gov.
Tick Tick Tick: Countdown to the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System
The California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) is still on target to go live late August 2009.
CALPADS enrollment and fall submission functionality are currently being tested by the local educational agencies (LEAs) participating in the CALPADS User Acceptance Testing (UAT). The CALPADS vendor, IBM, is working around the clock to address identified issues and to ready the system for statewide rollout. July 31 is the last day to get Statewide Student Identifiers (SSIDs) through the California School Information Services (CSIS). After that date, LEAs will not be able to acquire or maintain SSIDs until CALPADS opens in late August. LEAs should therefore attempt to complete as much SSID work by July 31 in order to minimize the work required when CALPADS goes live.
Training on CALPADS will begin the week of July 27 and will continue through the end of September. LEAs will register for the CALPADS trainings through the CSIS training site. A message will be sent out on the CALPADS LEA Listserv when the registration site is available with CALPADS training offerings.
You can find information about CALPADS on the CDE CALPADS Web page .
If you have any questions regarding CALPADS, please contact the CALPADS Operations Office by phone at 916-324-6738 or by e-mail at calpads@cde.ca.gov.
Worth Repeating: Locating Key Information for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Following up on the June 23 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) teleconference call, the California Department of Education (CDE) has provided key information about the use and initial reporting guidance for ARRA funds which can be found on the following Web pages:
- Information on the education-related aspects of the federal stimulus package known as the ARRA of 2009 on the CDE ARRA Web page.
- A compilation of U.S. Department of Education resources providing examples of potential uses for ARRA funds on the CDE Potential Uses for ARRA Funds Web page.
- Guidance on quarterly reporting requirements pursuant to Section 1512 of ARRA. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has released government-wide guidance for carrying out reporting requirements of Section 1512 of the ARRA, a list of programs subject to recipient reporting, and a recipient reporting data model on the CDE Funding Information & Reporting Requirements Web page.
- Frequently asked questions regarding the ARRA funding under IDEA located on the CDE ARRA FAQs on IDEA Stimulus Funds Web page.
All are encouraged to review these materials with district and school site staff and board members and use them as to plan the uses of ARRA funds. The CDE will continue to provide updates on any new developments concerning ARRA implementation.
High School Beverage Restrictions Effective July 1, 2009
Please remember that full compliance with the state law imposing beverage restrictions in public, non-charter high schools is required as of July 1, 2009.
California Education Code (EC) Section 49431.5 (Senate Bill 965, Escutia) specifies restrictions for all beverages sold to students outside of the reimbursable meal program (such as student stores, vending machines, fundraisers, or food service a-la-carte sales).
Please note, as of July 1, 2009, from one-half hour before to one-half hour after the school day, the only beverages allowed for sale to students outside of the federally reimbursable meal program on a high school campus are:
- Fruit-based drinks that are composed of no less than 50 percent fruit juice and have no added sweetener
- Vegetable-based drinks that are composed of no less than 50 percent vegetable juice and have no added sweetener
- Drinking water with no added sweetener
- Two-percent-fat milk, one-percent-fat milk, nonfat milk, soy milk, rice milk, and other similar nondairy milk
- An electrolyte replacement beverage that contains no more than 42 grams of added sweetener per 20-ounce serving
For additional information on competitive beverage and food restrictions (i.e., foods and beverages sold outside of the federally reimbursable meal program) please visit the California Department of Education Competitive Food and Beverages Web page.
Changes for the Business Education Leadership Project
The state-wide Business Education Leadership Project (BELP) provides educators with updated tools and information to adequately prepare California students for work and post secondary education in the Business & Finance, Marketing, Sales & Services and Information Technology industry sectors.
Sheryl Ryder became the new coordinator in May for the Project that is now housed in the Napa County Office of Education. Under direction of Education Programs Consultant Kay Ferrier, BELP is developing more efficient and cost-effective avenues of collaboration to discover up-to-date industry trends and current information through web-based communication that involves web conferencing, webinars, electronic surveys and social networking. Relevant information and teaching strategies will be disseminated via these innovative business tools in addition to interactive, industry based workshops and demonstrations.
The BELP continues to be involved in Entrepreneurship, E-commerce and Global Business issues to enhance California competitiveness through business education via ROCPs, student organizations such as FBLA and DECA, the Business Education & CTE Associations, while conferring with industry sector representatives and organizations.
For more information, please contact Sheryl Ryder, Coordinator Business Education Leadership Project, by phone at 707-253-6939, or by e-mail at sryder@ncoe.k12.ca.us.
New Issue of High School! Features Program Improvement Success Stories—From Worst to First
Program Improvement (PI) can be confusing and challenging to California educators. To help educators understand PI—and provide strategies to exit PI—the California Department of Education (CDE) has devoted its current issue of High School! to this topic.
The spring 2009 Web-based edition of High School! features an overview and facts about PI, including articles about two high schools that successfully pulled themselves out of PI. The issue concludes with a wealth of resources and support services to help schools monitor and improve student achievement. To view the current issue of High School! and the library collection of back issues, please visit the CDE High School! A Best Practice Periodical Web page.
The CDE invites you to join the Middle and High School Improvement Office High School e-mail list, HiNet. Joining HiNet enables high school educators to receive notices about high school related information and upcoming High School! periodical issues.
You can find information about joining HiNet on the CDE High School Mailing List Web page.
