LCFF Priority 1 Statement of Model Practices

Teachers

Desired Results: All students have equitable access to appropriately assigned, experienced, and effective teachers.

Model Practices: Model practices for assignment of teachers may include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Review Data to Determine Staffing Needs
   • Administrators assess whether or not out-of-field, inexperienced, and ineffective teachers in preschool through grade 12 settings are appropriately assigned and proportionally distributed among student groups and school sites.
   • To the extent that teachers are not appropriately assigned or proportionally distributed, administrators conduct a root/cause analysis to understand why.
   • Administrators make and implement a plan to address the extent to which teachers are not appropriately assigned or proportionally distributed among student groups and school sites.
2. Ensure Appropriate Assignment and Equitable Distribution of Experienced and Qualified Teachers
   • Administrators ensure that teachers are appropriately assigned using the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing’s (CTC’s) Administrator's Assignment Manual (PDF) and the Designated Subjects Career Technical Education Teaching Credential leaflet (PDF).
   • Local educational agencies (LEAs) maintain a database that tracks teacher assignments and helps ensure teachers’ credentials are up to date. Help teachers start the process to update their credentials several months before the credential’s expiration date. This includes authorizations to teach specific populations of students (e.g. English learner authorization).
   • Have a reference sheet of all “out-of-field” options for legally assigning teachers to teach outside of their authorization areas when necessitated. Consider the requirements of all options including renewal requirements and local board authorization.
3. Recruiting and Retaining Qualified and Effective Teachers
   • Administrators ensure access to high quality new teacher induction programs that offer regular on-the-job coaching by a well-trained mentor, personalized learning integrated with school and LEA goals, and access to Peer Assistance and Review (PAR) programs. Successful PAR programs promote teacher-leader systems of support through collaboration and transparent partnerships with LEAs and collective bargaining units.
   • Partner with local institutions of higher learning to create teacher residency programs.
   • Use peer teacher cohort models to support new hires and address causes of inequitable student access to experienced and qualified teachers.
   • LEAs continuously improve their human capital systems including a multistep selection process that involves demonstration lessons.
   • LEAs strengthen and diversify their teacher pipelines through “Grow Your Own” programs.
   • Credential counselors and analysts as well as site administrators and county office personnel attend the annual Credential Counselors and Analysts of California Conference .
   • Plan professional development and learning aligned to local goals and objectives that support a preschool through grade 12 continuum. Utilize California’s Quality Professional Learning Standards, which identifies characteristics of professional learning that increase the capacity of educators to meet professional performance expectations.

Instructional Materials

Desired Results: All students have access to and use appropriate grade-level, standards-aligned instructional materials for all content areas. English learners, students with disabilities, and students receiving intervention services have appropriate and accessible materials to support their learning.

Model Practices: Model practices for access to materials may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Include parents, teachers, and members of the community in the review and selection of instructional materials. Include representatives of teachers at all grade levels, English learner programs, and programs to support students with special needs.
• Consider the State Board of Education (SBE) adopted curriculum frameworks for appropriate instructional materials evaluation criteria and guidance on implementing the SBE adopted content standards.
• Use an agreed upon rubric when comparing instructional materials.
• Support an understanding of cultural diversity by using instructional materials that are consistent with the 2013 guidelines approved by the SBE in Standards for Evaluating Instructional Materials for Social Content as well as Education Code (EC) sections 60040-60048.
• LEAs use curriculum and instructional materials aligned with the California Preschool Learning Foundations and the California Preschool Curriculum Framework for preschool and transitional kindergarten.
• Utilize the SBE policy document, Guidelines for Piloting Textbooks and Instructional Materials (DOC).
• Adopt instructional materials that support Universal Design for Learning (UDL) practices and a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS).
• Include an evaluation of curriculum implementation as part of a system of continuous improvement.
• Ensure the overall weight of textbooks is consistent with California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 9517.2.
• Review the LEA’s Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) to ensure adopted instructional materials are consistent with LCAP goals.

Facilities

Desired Results: Schools meet state standards for safety, cleanliness, and adequacy. Facilities are in good repair, as defined in EC Section 17002 (d)(1) and receive necessary maintenance. LEAs operating early childhood education programs (infancy through preschool) meet Community Care Licensing Regulations . LEAs develop and maintain facilities that promote the health and wellbeing of occupants, conserve energy and water, and promote clean indoor air. LEAs consider the manner in which a facility supports the educational program.

Model Practices: Model practices for maintaining facilities in good repair include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Develop a Facilities Master Plan that includes Educational Specifications to link the educational program with long term facilities' needs.
• Utilize the CDE publication, Educational Specifications: Linking Design of School Facilities to Educational Program (PDF) and the CDE web page on Master Planning, which also includes The Guide for Development of a Long-Range Facilities Plan.
• Develop a comprehensive facility maintenance program using The Planning Guide for Maintaining School Facilities from the National Center for Education Statistics at https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2003/maintenance/chapter5.asp.
• Establish a process to actively track, respond to, and correct deficiencies in facilities.
• Comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Upgrade cafeteria and kitchen facilities to provide quality nutritious meals to students, including adequate storage for fresh fruits and vegetables and adequate seating areas for students to eat school meals.
• Provide access to safe drinking water.

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