April 2020 Expanded Learning Newsletter

Important Dates

Tuesday, April 30: Expenditure Reports Due

• Third Quarter Expenditure Reports are due Tuesday, April 30.

Resource Center*

Summer Meals

• California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced that applications are available for the Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option, for federally funded, state-administered programs that serve free meals to children eighteen and younger. For more information, see the California Department of Education’s (CDE’s) Summer Meals Programs web page.

CDE Ed Talks Podcast

• The CDE podcast talks about various issues in the field of education. In the latest edition, released February 25, the focus is on Summer Meal Programs. For more information, visit the CDE Ed Talks Podcast web page.

Summer/Supplemental Resources

Summer is just around the corner. If your program is planning on operating a summer program, below are some resources:

• Six-hour Form (PDF)
• Summer Programs Frequently Asked Question’s
• You for Youth Summer Learning Initiative
• Summer Matters’ Tools

Transitional Kindergarten Resources for Expanded Learning Division

• Transitional Kindergarten (TK) is the first year of a two-year kindergarten program that uses a modified kindergarten curriculum that is age and developmentally appropriate. While no state curriculum is mandated, TK programs are intended to be aligned to the California Preschool Learning Foundations developed by the CDE.
• For guidance in creating a TK curriculum, local educational agencies (LEAs) may also review:
  • TK Implementation Guide (PDF)
  • California Preschool Curriculum Frameworks
  • California Academic Content Standards
  • California Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts/Literacy (PDF)
  • TK Frequently Asked Questions

National AfterSchool Association Professional Development

• Summer to Discover 2020: Products and Resources to Make Your Summer Program Shine
• Using the Walking Classroom in Out-of-School Time
• Pinterest: Top 5 Free Coding Tools for Teens

COVID-19 and Expanded Learning Programs Guidance

Across California, LEAs are preparing to potentially cancel school as we try to navigate COVID-19, also known as Coronavirus. In some communities, schools are trying to navigate online learning, leaving expanded learning programs questioning if they need to remain open. Below is a frequently asked question that addresses what programs can do if they need to close due to natural disaster, civil unrest or if there is imminent danger to students or staff. To clarify, when school is cancelled or facilitates online learning, expanded learning programs may cancel the program as both students and staff are considered to be in imminent danger.

If you need further guidance, please contact your regional consultant for support.

Question—Can we get credit for attendance when we have to close our program due to a natural disaster, civil unrest, or imminent danger to pupils or staff?

Applicable to the After School Education and Safety, 21^st Century Community Learning Centers, and After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens Programs

Answer—The California Education Code (EC) allows programs to temporarily close due to a natural disaster, civil unrest, or imminent danger to pupils or staff. In order to get attendance credit for closure due to these circumstances, grantees are required to submit an Attendance Relief Request Form to the California Department of Education (CDE) Expanded Learning Division (EXLD) with evidence that justifies the closure of the program. To obtain the Attendance Relief Form, contact your CDE EXLD Regional Consultant listed on the CDE System of Support for Expanded Learning Contacts web page. Upon acceptance of that evidence and approval by the CDE EXLD, the CDE EXLD will apply the program’s annual average daily attendance to the days the program was closed due to the natural disaster, civil unrest, or imminent danger to students (EC Section 8482.8[d]).

As noted above, to get attendance credit, programs must complete and submit the CDE EXLD’s Attendance Relief Request Form (PDF) and provide one or more of the following as evidence:

• School or district web page announcement
• Copy of board minutes, citing the closure
• Newspaper articles mentioning the natural disaster and its effect on the community
• Letter to parents or letter certifying closure signed by the superintendent or principal

What's New & Current Events

April 20–24, 2020: AfterSchool Professionals Appreciation Week

• Community partners, afterschool programs, youth and child development workers and individuals have declared the last full week of April each year as a time to recognize and appreciate expanded learning staff.

April 28–May 1, 2020: Best of Out-of-School-Time Conference

• The Best of Out-of-School Time Conference is a four-day conference held in Palm Springs, California. This conference provides networking and team building opportunities for more than 2,500 out of school time professionals with the opportunity to attend more than 150 workshops.

Save the Dates: Expanded Learning Summits 2020

• September 14–15, 2020: Modesto Doubletree (Region 6)
• September 22–23, 2020: Riverside Convention Center (Region 10)
• October 1–2, 2020: Rohnert Park Double Tree (Region 1)

This newsletter is compiled by the CDE EXLD to provide deadlines, resources, and key dates to our After School Education and Safety and 21^st Century Community Learning Centers grantees and their partners. Have an article, resource, or event you would like to share for the next issue? Contact California's EXLD Team at expandedlearning@cde.ca.gov.

*Disclaimer: The professional learning opportunities and resources contained within are intended solely to provide access to information. The inclusion of an opportunity or resource is neither an endorsement nor recommendation by the CDE.