Category Archive for "Resources"

Blending the systems: ESSA and California’s System of Support

18 Mar

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By Tom Armelino, executive director, California Collaborative for Educational Excellence Over the past month, as I met with educators across the state, school district administrators and board members have shared questions and concerns about what is required of them if schools in their districts are identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. Although the California Collaborative for Education Excellence is a statewide agency and does not have a direct role with the federal ESSA...

Report: Police officers outnumber health staff in schools by wide margin

13 Mar

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A new report finds that more than 400,000 K-12 students in California attend a school that has a police officer on site but not a school counselor — reflecting critical gaps in staff essential to student health and well-being. Based on analysis of newly available federal data, the report from the American Civil Liberties Union found that police officers outnumber nurses, social workers, psychologists and nurses at school sites by wide margins . Nationwide, there are 1.7 million students attending schools...

Lessons shared as spotlight shines on school disaster preparedness and recovery

12 Mar

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A thorough chain of command, well-prepared emergency plans, and strong relations with both local and state emergency officials are critical for school districts to have in place before a disaster strikes. And when a disaster does strike, it is paramount to document and keep as many records as possible — despite being in a chaotic, fluid and often devastating situation. These lessons learned were shared March 6 by Sonoma County officials who led districts and school communities through the area’s...

Data illustrate need for greater focus on California’s homeless students

7 Mar

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In the 2016-17 school year, 4.2 percent of California’s public school students were identified as homeless, according to a new report from Education Leads Home. The state’s homeless student population that year of 262,935 marks a 4.16 percent increase from the 2012-13 school year. Researchers and advocates say the facts reinforce the need for state-level policymakers, district officials and board members to allocate additional resources toward the issue and to address root causes. Meanwhile, the Joint Committee on Legislative Audit...

AB 2826 changes to interdistrict transfers: What you need to know

4 Mar

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Wide-ranging changes took effect on Jan. 1, 2019, regarding the law governing the procedures for student transfers from one school district to another – known as “interdistrict transfers.” Some of the changes made by Assembly Bill 2826 simply streamline and/or clarify existing requirements, but others are new and quite significant. Below are details of some, but not all, of the major changes. Significant changes: Perhaps the most significant changes of AB 2826 are those related to the new requirement that...

Full-day kindergarten facilities applications greatly outpace available funds

1 Mar

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School district interest is overwhelming the funds available for projects through the state’s new full-day kindergarten facilities program. Seventy districts filed 261 project applications totaling $324.3 million in the first filing round ending Jan. 31, staff told State Allocation Board members at their Feb. 27 meeting. The board designated $37.5 million for first-round projects through the Office of Public School Construction program. A larger funding pot of $60 million will be in play for the second filing period of May...

Report: K-12 cybersecurity incidents, risks growing across the country

14 Feb

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K-12 local educational agencies nationwide experienced both more frequent and more significant cybersecurity incidents in 2018, according to a new report from The K-12 Cybersecurity Resource Center. Data suggests the incidents did not discriminate by district type, location or size. There were 122 publicly reported K-12 cyber incidents in the U.S. in 2018, or about one incident every three days. A map on the center’s website shows the location of every reported cyber incident since 2016, in addition to a...

Dollars for scholars: Awards available for school district programs

12 Feb

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With school districts statewide cutting budgets due to rising expenses, funding to pay for public school equipment and programs essential to a well-rounded education can often be in short supply. To help offset some of these expenses, the Scholar Dollars program is awarding more than $300,000 to K-8 public and charter schools statewide. Schools are free to spend awarded funds on musical instruments, computers, library books, sports equipment, field trips, or gardening tools. The awards can also be used for...

Hard-hit educators testify on wildfire response and recovery at state hearing

8 Feb

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Educators from across California provided emotional testimony at a Feb. 6 hearing about the impact of recent wildfires on schools and communities. In what several speakers called the “new normal” due to climate change and a now year-round fire season, firestorms have caused unprecedented damage to school districts statewide since 2017. The State Assembly’s Education Committee met at the Capitol to assess the recovery process, what more needs to be done, and how to prepare for future fires and other...

Chronic absenteeism, stakeholder engagement practices shared at PACE conference

5 Feb

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Two timely and important issues facing districts and school boards, chronic absenteeism and stakeholder engagement, shared the spotlight at this year’s Policy Analysis for California Education annual conference. The Feb. 1 event in downtown Sacramento, with a theme of “Putting Evidence into Action to Advance Equity in California,” served as a venue for researchers and practitioners to share best practices in key areas identified in PACE’s “Getting Down to Facts II” report. A fresh focus on chronic absenteeism About 10...

Category Archives: Resources