Category Archives: Education and Training

Education and Training

CEO’s note: The brain and implicit bias

9 Dec
0
Recognition is the first step in helping students By CSBA CEO & Executive Director Vernon M. Billy Our brains are fascinatingly powerful tools that have the capacity to go beyond our own imagination. The brain has an unsurpassed ability to create, interpret, suppress and disassociate ideas and feelings. Recently, as I was sifting through my seemingly endless pile of paperwork, I came across several old articles I had flagged about the power and mysteries of the human brain. One article...

Convening highlights keys to supporting immigrant and refugee students

18 Nov
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One in six California K-12 students has at least one undocumented parent and approximately 250,000 of the state’s students ages 3–17 are undocumented. Recognizing the increasingly difficult climate facing these students, Californians Together presented the Statewide Convening for the Support of Immigrant and Refugee Students on Nov. 14 at the Consulate General of Mexico in Sacramento. The event was part of a support project headed by the organization’s Director of Policy and Initiatives Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez, who also serves as CSBA...

New report shows need for period supplies for low-income youth

7 Nov
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A recent national survey of 1,000 teen girls ages 13 to 19 found that many have missed school because they lacked access to menstrual hygiene products. This was especially true among low-income students. The study, conducted by Harris Insights & Analytics on behalf of Period. and Thinx Inc., found that found one in five teenage girls surveyed said they couldn’t afford to purchase menstrual hygiene products. One in four respondents said they had missed class because they didn’t have access...

Resources can guide leaders through difficult decisions during wildfire season

29 Oct
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A challenging combination of raging wildfires, poor air quality and planned power outages meant to prevent further fires has already led to myriad school closures up and down the Golden State this fall — with significant time left in the state’s wildfire season. California’s dynamic weather patterns, climate change, historic winds and dangerously low humidity will likely pose severe risks well through November, if not beyond. Considering the paramount importance of student and staff safety, school district and county office...

Hispanic Heritage Month: An interview with Joaquin Rivera, CSBA Director-at-Large, Hispanic

14 Oct
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Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. More than half of California’s students are Hispanic and/or Latino and schools play a critical role in preparing these students for success in college, career and civic life. California School News interviewed Joaquin Rivera, CSBA’s Director-at-Large, Hispanic and trustee on the Alameda County...

Continuous improvement: What it takes and where it’s working

8 Oct
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As local educational agencies throughout California strive to boost student outcomes by way of continuous improvement strategies, a new research analysis of the state’s eight CORE districts explores which conditions best support that continuous improvement in districts and schools. The findings also indicate that many educational leaders may not be as successful in implementing the approach as they believe. Through its research partnership with CORE Districts — a nonprofit collaborative of eight urban school districts formed in 2010 — Policy...

Teachers nationwide show strong support for mental health, SEL focus to improve school safety

22 Aug
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African-American teacher
As the nation’s schools begin a new academic year, a survey finds that most teachers say the majority of their students do not feel very safe at school. And to have the biggest impact on improving school safety, educators surveyed by the Education Week Research Center said none of their top three choices include “hardening” measures such as security cameras or police officers. Instead, all three focus on students’ social-emotional well-being and mental health. Education Week’s 2019 Safety and Social-Emotional...

Leaders dive deep into equitably expanding computer science offerings

19 Jun
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Faced with stark data showing 61 percent of California’s high schools don’t offer any computer science courses, district and county office administrators attended a June 18 workshop aimed to help them equitably implement such classes. Ensuring access and inclusion for all students and teachers was key to the 2019 Summer of CS program hosted at the Sacramento County Office of Education, which also included a policy luncheon featuring an array of speakers representing industry, the Legislature and students. This annual...

Enthusiastic Capitol crowd calls for Full and Fair Funding of California’s public schools

23 May
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From Humboldt County, Monterey, San Diego and beyond, school leaders converged on Sacramento by the busload on May 22 to make their voices heard and to fight for Full and Fair Funding of California’s public schools. About 200 school board members took that fight to the steps of the State Capitol, where they joined thousands including CSBA staff, the California Teachers Association and other education partners in an afternoon Day of Action Rally for Education. Whether teacher, administrator, school employee,...

State Board clarifies, adopts health education guidance before large crowd

9 May
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After nearly 200 people spoke on the contentious issue at its May 8 meeting, the California State Board of Education unanimously approved the 2019 Health Education Curriculum Framework for California Public Schools. The 741-page document provides guidance for teachers and administrators on how to teach the state’s 2008 Health Education Content Standards. Many parents and grandparents expressed concerns about exposing young children to sexually explicit images and information found in several of the resources listed in the draft framework, which...