In April, I experienced one of the toughest weeks of my career, and the exhaustion I felt by the time the weekend rolled around was not due to my typically hectic schedule. It was from doing what hundreds of educators do week in and week out in California's schools — teaching in a high school classroom. Since I last taught high school more than 20 years ago, California has adopted, as you well know, some of the most rigorous academic expectations of any state in the nation. At the same time, the numbers of English learners and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds in our schools have steadily expanded — along with what constitutes the basic skills needed to succeed in today's society. Although I volunteer as a teacher in evening adult education classes and visit schools frequently throughout the state, I know neither experience accurately conveys what it's like to teach and engage with students on a daily basis. So, I decided to find a school that "looks like California," one that would accommodate me for a week so that I could go back into the classroom and refresh my teacher's perspective.
I was challenged to educate, inspire, and engage 153 seniors at Southwest High School in San Diego County's Sweetwater Union High School District — students in Advanced Placement and general high school Government classes. Many were shy and quiet, but all were respectful, and a few spoke up eagerly. The 35 Advanced Placement students were, not surprisingly, top performers eager to learn, compete, and succeed. They were aware of current events and wanted the inside scoop from Sacramento: "What's Arnold Schwarzenegger like? How do you get a law passed?"
My deep respect was renewed for California's teachers, principals, school and district staff, along with my appreciation for the challenges facing many of our schools. For instance, I am sure it would be both less exhausting and more effective to engage every student if class sizes were smaller. I was also struck by the absolute necessity of providing strong professional development for our teachers. Standards-based curriculum is tough to master and deliver, particularly to students who bring to the classroom language difficulties and other challenges. I had the benefit of an experienced, dedicated teacher familiar with the curriculum to back me up if I faltered — a luxury our beginning teachers don't have. All of our teachers — and the students they teach — deserve the support of intensive, ongoing professional development in the tough curriculum we expect our students to learn.
The week also renewed my respect for California's rigorous standards for what each child should know and be able to do, and my conviction that students rise to the expectations set for them. The students I taught at Southwest High want to succeed, and they deserve an education that will prepare them for a competitive future. I was also reminded of the imperative of closing the academic achievement gap that leaves too many students behind. And the week underscored for me the importance of finding and retaining qualified teachers for every classroom. It was heartening to see that the seeds of reform planted in California over the past decade to improve schools have taken root. We have a long way to go before our entire K-12 system is seamlessly operating to help all kids succeed, but for a week I got to be part of something special and exciting: 153 young minds learning something new.
NCLB Flexibility
April was busy on many fronts outside the classroom as well. In Washington, D.C., U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced promising new guidelines for No Child Left Behind (NCLB) implementation, indicating that the federal government is going to prioritize results for students over bureaucracy. This signal toward a more flexible application of NCLB is a very important step in the right direction, particularly for students with disabilities.
I was heartened by Secretary Spellings' comments and look forward to a meaningful conversation about how we will continue to demand the best of our students and teachers while focusing our efforts on those students who need the most help. I sincerely hope that states like California, which have long been focused on growth in student improvement each year, will be able to benefit significantly from this new approach to NCLB implementation.
Meanwhile, I continue to urge the federal government to consider a growth model, like California 's Academic Performance Index. I look forward to working with Secretary Spellings and the workgroup she is convening to continue to make the case for approval of California's high standards-based accountability system to meet the goals of NCLB. For more information on the new guidelines for NCLB implementation, please visit http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2005/04/04072005.html (Outside Source).
P-16 Council
In Sacramento, I was pleased to announce the appointment of 44 members from throughout the state to the Superintendent's California P-16 Council. The Council has been charged with the development of strategies to better coordinate, integrate, and improve education for California students from preschool through college. I am particularly honored that Dr. Barry Munitz, president and chief executive officer of The J. Paul Getty Trust and former chancellor of the California State University, has agreed to chair the Council.
The Council will first convene May 17. It is charged with examining ways to: (1.) improve student achievement at all levels and eliminate the achievement gap; (2.) link all education levels, from preschool, elementary, middle, high school, and through higher education, to create a comprehensive, seamless system of student learning; (3.) ensure all students have access to caring and qualified teachers; and (4.) increase public awareness of the link between an educated citizenry and a healthy economy.
Council members represent a wide range of experts throughout California, including teachers, administrators, parents, business leaders, students, and academics. In addition, several of the statewide Council members serve on regional councils as well.
New Secretary for Education, Board Members
Governor Schwarzenegger's appointment of Alan Bersin as Secretary for Education and member of the State Board of Education, as well as his appointment of Yvonne Chan and Kenneth Noonan to the State Board, will bring new expertise and fresh voices to the education debate in Sacramento. I look forward to working with these distinguished education leaders on behalf of California's students.
Distinguished Schools
Also in April, I announced the 192 California public middle schools and high schools selected as 2005 California Distinguished Schools. Twelve high schools will also receive a special award for their exemplary career technical programs.
Representatives from the California Distinguished Schools, this year's Blue Ribbon School nominees and last year's award winners, and recipients of the career technical education awards will be honored on May 20 at an awards ceremony and dinner at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim. Of the nearly 2,300 middle and high schools in the state, fewer than 465 were eligible to apply for the honor based on their Academic Performance Index and Adequate Yearly Progress results. The 288 schools that filed applications this year underwent a rigorous selection process conducted by the California Department of Education (CDE) in partnership with the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA), and with the help of many local educators from across the state.
For more information, please visit CDE's California School Recognition Program Web site.
Preschool for All
April was also a significant month for support of high quality preschool for all California 4-year-olds. A day after joining Rob Reiner and a coalition of supporters to announce an initiative for the June 2006 ballot to make voluntary preschool available for all California 4 year olds, I announced support for a package of bills that lay the groundwork for implementing high-quality preschool for all.
I am sponsoring two bills:
AB 1246 by Assembly member Lois Wolk (D-Davis) that creates standards for what preschoolers should be expected to learn and be able to do; and AB 1032 by Assembly member Dave Jones (D-Sacramento) that provides for the development of first-class professional training for preschool teachers.
I am also supporting AB 172 by Assembly member Wilma Chan (D-Oakland), which calls for universal preschool in California; and AB 1254 by Assembly member Joe Coto (D-San Jose), which provides professional learning opportunities to preschool teachers working with English learners.
Research shows that an enriching preschool experience leads to a more seamless transition to kindergarten and first grade and is key to closing the achievement gap that persists in our schools. I am convinced that the achievement gap that is most severe in our high schools will not be closed unless we start before kindergarten to prepare all students for academic success. It is more important than ever that we level the playing field for our children so that they are all prepared to enter school ready to learn to high standards.
UN World Environment Day
While this report usually updates you on activities that have already taken place, I did want to give you something to look forward to. The United Nations World Environment Day is being celebrated on June 5. This year, San Francisco has been selected by the United Nations Environment Program as the global host of the event. This is the first time in the event's 30-year history that a city in the United States has been selected. There will be festivities and special events focusing on environmental issues throughout the week.
I think it is fitting that California plays host to this celebration and I suggest that schools around the state consider involving students in the celebration of World Environment Day in some way — by planting a tree on your campus, initiating a recycling project, celebrating open space at a park, or any other way that engages young minds. For more information about World Environment Day, visit the UN Environment Programme Web site [http://www.unep.org/] (Outside Source).
California Day of the Teacher
After spending a week in the classroom, I would like to extend my most sincere appreciation to our state's more than 300,000 teachers as they are honored on May 11 - the California Day of the Teacher.
I can tell you that teaching is one tough occupation, and that it takes skill, determination, patience, and a tremendous amount of energy to be a good teacher.
The Association of Mexican-American Educators, Inc. (AMAE) and the California Teachers Association (CTA) are co-sponsors of this day of recognition that originated from Senate Bill 1546 authored by former Senator Joseph Montoya (D-El Monte) more than 20 years ago. The legislation was based on the Mexican and Latin American "el Dia del Maestro" festivities that honor teachers.
The AMAE has chosen as its 2005 theme: Education, Culture, and Heritage. The CTA 2005 theme is: California Teachers: Where Excellence Begins.
California School Nurse's Day
In addition to our teachers, our school nurses also are being recognized on May 11 for their hard work and dedication. They play a vital role in our schools and contribute substantially toward the health and well-being of our children. However, the sad truth is that on any given day in California, there is a nurse in only a quarter of our schools, leaving other school personnel to deal with the daily incidents of illness and injury. The numbers are disheartening: We have more than 9,000 schools and fewer than 2,800 full-time-equivalent school nurses. It is not uncommon for California school nurses to juggle caseloads of more than 2,500 students. Nationwide, the recommended ratio of school nurses to students is 1:750.
I extend my appreciation for your constant devotion and unwavering perseverance in helping our children overcome these personal challenges. Your commitment to California's youth is what our public school system needs most. Please enjoy your well-earned day of recognition.
Teacher of the Year Profile
This month's Highlights profiles California Teacher of the Year Alan Siegel, a history, civics, and economics teacher at William C. Carlé Continuation High School in Lower Lake, Lake County. Siegel is also one of my appointees to the California P-16 Council because he believes strongly in the need for quality partnerships among schools, parents and their communities. He has dedicated himself to making his students feel connected and responsible as citizens and high school curriculum relevant to students' lives.
"Students consistently give feedback that they are able to utilize our classes in their everyday lives," Siegel says. He uses hands-on simulation games such as "Economic Survival" in economics classes, teaching real life skills such as home buying, investing, and checkbook balancing. Students are assessed on their financial status at the end of the game, and on bookkeeping, insurance and investment records. He also requires regular essay writing, using open-ended questioning to encourage exploration of class content, analysis, and student opinions.
"In the town where I teach, my first obstacle is getting our students to see that community service is not something that you get after the police bust you," Siegel wrote. "Once we pass this point of understanding our students, who have often never known a sense of family, let alone community, seem to truly relish the role."
Siegel believes that a teacher who has mastered the art of lesson planning can teach anything. "Experienced teachers need to take time to help newer teachers plan and execute successful curriculum and discipline policies." In six years Siegel himself has mentored six new teachers.
When students walk into Siegel's class, they find a topic on the board that ties a current issue to the academic content they are studying. They write their thoughts and opinions. The class discusses. "I have boiled my philosophy down to two concepts," says Siegel. "The first is public versus private. When a student curses, my response is: 'I am not interested in your private conversations with friends; but when you scream across the quad you make it public and, therefore, everyone's business.' The second concept is liberty versus safety. This is a way to make the Constitution come alive: 'While you have the liberty of yelling across the quad, don't others have the right to be safe from your diatribes?'"
Siegel has created Renaissance Fairs at two middle schools where he has taught. Another accomplishment is helping to create a student-based enterprise that makes plaques, key chains, mouse pads, and t-shirts.
Students use professional software programs to design, layout, print, and paste up many products. Students' original artwork is turned into beautiful items to award at ceremonies. The business has led to a partnership with a local concert venue in which Siegel trains students to run professional video cameras during live music shows. Siegel finds that teachers always need to assess and reassess their lessons to make sure that students understand the material. They have to be willing to rework material, change modalities, and try new strategies. Says an administrator: "I have never witnessed teaching of this sort occurring so often. While his instructional methods are innovative and creative, he still addresses the vast majority of the state content standards . . . In staff meetings, he looks at all sides of an issue and often creates a brilliant, innovative solution. This year alone he helped modify our senior portfolio, improved our recycling program, and helped organize our integrated thematic unit."
Siegel is indeed a model teacher, and I am certain the P-16 Council will benefit from the energy and vision he has so generously shared with students and other teachers throughout his career.
Getting Results: Developing Safe and Healthy Kids
Now available on CDE's Web site is a new publication summarizing a growing body of research that shows the relationship between nutrition, physical fitness, supportive learning environments, and how students perform in school.
Getting Results: Developing Safe and Healthy Kids Update 5; Student Health, Supportive Schools, and Academic Success sends a clear message that California should continue to fund learning support programs that prevent drug use or violence, provide nutrition services, and promote physical activity. Getting Results reviewed all published research articles in respected professional journals that show sufficient evidence of a link between student health and academic achievement. The publication also specifically explores the relationship between the health of California students and the state's accountability model called the Academic Performance Index (API). Schools with lower APIs had a relatively large number of students reporting problems like substance abuse, being threatened or injured, and being charged with weapons possession. Schools with higher API scores had higher percentages of students who were physically active, had good diets, and felt safe at school.
Free copies of Getting Results will be distributed to every school district in California. The publication may also be downloaded from the Getting Results Web site [http://www.gettingresults.org/] (Outside Source).
Workshops for School Food Service Directors
In compliance with the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, the CDE's Nutrition Services Division is holding a series of workshops providing updated information on new federal requirements aimed at reducing administrative errors. School Food Service Directors have received notice of the dates and locations for the workshops that are scheduled through June 2005. The primary topics are Eligibility and Verification, Meal Counting and Claiming, with additional information to include Local School Wellness Policies, the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and food safety. The United States Department of Agriculture mandates attendance at this training session. For more information, contact Phyllis Bramson-Paul, Director of the Nutrition Services Division, at 916-445-0850.
Qualified Zone Academy Program (QZAB)
A lottery was held on April 27, 2005 to select projects for funding credit under the federal Qualified Zone Academy Program. Federal tax law allows for certain schools, known as Education Zone Academies, to finance the equipping and/or renovation of school facilities on an interest-free basis through the allocation of tax credits. The CDE's School Facilities Planning Division operates this federal program,
The program has a total of $99,355,000 to authorize for 2004 and 2005. The program is oversubscribed for 2004-05 with $175,739,000 in projects filed by the March 31, 2005 deadline. You may contact Shannon Ferrell-Hart, Education Services Fiscal Assistant at 916-323-3923 for more information. The results may also be found online at Qualified Zone Academy Bond (QZAB) - Facilities.
From the Charter Schools Division
On April 14, Superintendent O'Connell, in collaboration with the Superintendents of county offices of education in San Bernardino and Orange County announced the completion of the audit of the California Charter Academy (CCA). The investigation of CCA and its operations exposed the misuse of millions of dollars in state funds resulting from unreasonably high and improper expenditures to a private management company. San Bernardino and Orange County offices of education, in cooperation with CDE, contracted with the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) to conduct the investigation.
Superintendent O'Connell and the county superintendents from San Bernardino and Orange counties are referring the audit to state and local law enforcement officials. Superintendent O'Connell has also directed the CDE to file a $23 million bankruptcy claim against CCA and the private management company, EASC, that was owned and operated by CCA founder Steven Cox. According to the audit findings, CCA schools received at least $23 million more in charter school funding than they were entitled to because of illegal satellite site openings, charter school conversions from private schools, and violations of state regulations for independent study programs.
Superintendent O'Connell is also convening a workgroup consisting of stakeholders and headed by CDE's Charter School Division to analyze current laws related to the closure of charter schools, oversight by charter school governing boards and authorizing entities, and controls over the custody and use of public charter school funds. He will ask the work group to make recommendations on additional reforms, if needed, in time for consideration in this legislative session. For more information, contact Marta Reyes, Director of the Charter Schools Division, at 916-322-6029.
State-Funded Charter School Facilities
In light of recent charter schools closures, school should be aware of their potential responsibilities under the charter school facility program. Proposition 47 (2002) and Proposition 55 (2004) provided $400 million for apportionments, and the State Allocation Board has approved 34 Charter School projects since July 2003.
The significance of this funding program for school districts is that, should the charter school cease operating, the school site and buildings become the responsibility of the school district in which they are located. Responsible districts must then finish the job and pay the balance of the matching share if the project is not complete (waivers of this requirement are available in some circumstances), or dispose of the facilities and use the proceeds to pay off the remaining loan balance, if any.
All charter school projects funded from Proposition 47 or Proposition 55 bond funds are required to meet the CDE Title 5 Regulations for both site approvals and design plan approvals. Therefore, in the event that any building or site would become school district responsibility, the charter schools will meet the same standards applied to school district and county office of education projects. You may contact Kathleen Moore, Director of the School Facilities Planning Division, for more information 916-445-2144.
Certification Standards for Educational Interpreters of the Deaf
Funding has recently been awarded to assist local education agencies to prepare their educational interpreters of the deaf for certification standards that become effective in 2007. For the third and final year, $250,000 in grants have been awarded to 34 local education agencies to train 330 educational interpreters of the deaf. These training grants offer districts additional funding capacity to help their local interpreters with skill improvement to meet the certification standards. The Interpreter Certification Awards for 2005 were co-announced by CDE's State Special Schools & Services Division and the Special Education Division.
CDE also obtained funding to establish a distance-learning program for interpreters who live in remote locations and cannot enroll in existing training sites for educational interpreters of the deaf. Twenty-five of the 330 interpreters funded through this grant are participating in the distance-learning program started last summer and operated through Palomar College. For more information, please call Dr. Ron Kadish, Director of the State Special Schools and Services Division, at 916-327-3850.
Printed Copies of Fact Book Now Available
For the first time since 2001, the Fact Book is now available in printed form for those who prefer not to download it from CDE's Web site. Printed copies of the Fact Book can be purchased for $16 each, plus shipping and handling charges and sales tax for California residents. To order, call the CDE Press Sales Office at 800-995-4099.
Computers Donated
CDE donated more than 100 surplus computers and monitors to the Chico School District's "Computers in the Classroom" project. The machines are reprogrammed and reconditioned by a volunteer staff then delivered to many classes throughout their district.
