As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, district and county office of education officials are increasingly forced to reckon with longstanding inequities related to the digital divide, and how to address student learning in the long-term. In a Nov. 19 CSBA webinar, “Equitable Support for California […]
Category: Closing the Achievement Gap
Closing the Achievement Gap
WestEd offers a behind the scenes look at the development of California’s Cradle-to-Career data system
An Oct. 15 webinar hosted by WestEd offered an overview of what the state is trying to accomplish by developing a linked data system that tracks individuals through their schooling and into the workforce. In 2019, the California State Legislature passed the California Cradle-to-Career Data […]
National Assessment of Educational Progress results reveal decline for 12th-grade students
Amid a global pandemic, widespread school closures and fear of student learning loss, the just-released 2019 scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress showed a slight decline in 12th-grade reading compared to 2015, with scores holding steady overall in math. The results also show […]
Ongoing digital divide concerns, possible solutions highlight Assembly hearing
A joint Assembly committee hearing on Oct. 14 offered an array of perspectives on the digital divide, which has long plagued California but is now being considered with new urgency due to the COVID-19 pandemic and widespread distance learning. New Reality: Students’ Access to the […]
Whittier elementary school uplifts Latino students, raises college-going expectations
Hispanic Heritage Month is recognized nationwide from Sept. 15–Oct. 15 as a time to honor the cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. Gov. Gavin Newsom, in a proclamation issued on Sept. 15, 2020, recognized Latino Heritage Month to honor and recognize the contributions […]
Partners launch toolkit on equitable math instruction in grades 6-8
A united front of partners officially launched A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction with a Sept. 22 webinar, an integrated approach toolkit to anti-racist mathematics that centers Black, Latinx and multilingual students in grades 6-8 and addresses the multiple barriers to math equity. Presenters said […]
New CSBA-supported legislation will address infrastructure needed to close the digital divide
With the 2020–21 school year right around the corner and a state order mandating that about 90 percent of students begin the academic year solely with distance learning, there is an immediate need to close California’s digital divide. To do so, 700,000 students will need […]
President’s Message: Facing a daunting task, we must put students first
Now that the 2019–20 school year is coming to a close, we must shift our focus to reopening schools and how we can do so in a way that’s safe, equitable and effective for students, staff, families, and community. While that will require detailed discussions, […]
CCEE webinar offers distance learning needs, strategies for small districts
Weighing the digital divide and its particular challenges in rural areas lacking needed infrastructure, experts say a blend of analog and digital learning opportunities is one practical solution to engage students as the school year ends and summer offerings begin. Also strongly encouraged during a […]
New report projects significant learning loss due to COVID-19 school closures
With the nation’s unprecedented measures to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus, school systems made an abrupt transition from classroom instruction to distance learning. In some cases, districts paused learning altogether while they scrambled to address logistical issues such as the digital divide and […]