Students display their power—and prowess—at the State Board’s November meeting

Several dozen students traveled to Sacramento with the California Association of Student Councils (CASC) to spend a few days researching and debating education policy and eventually designing policy recommendations to be presented to the SBE. Not only did the presenters have an impressive grasp of the latest academic research, they skillfully spun the research into actionable proposals that could work in the real world.

Let’s restore the civic mission of California schools

Guardian of Democracy: www.civicmissionofschools.org

In California and across the nation, research is revealing a very troubling ‘civic learning opportunity gap.’ Students attending schools that serve populations with higher socio-economic status have many more civic learning opportunities than students attending schools serving lower SES populations, minority populations and those serving high concentrations of recent arrivals to our nation. Schools facing pressure to make ‘annual yearly progress’ are all too often significantly reducing instructional time for civic learning/social studies, or in some cases eliminating the subject altogether to concentrate on math and reading.

How can California schools reconcile 3 accountability systems?

As the Local Control Funding Formula and its Local Control and Accountability Plan are added to existing accountability measures under No Child Left Behind and the Common Core State Standards, education policymakers are talking about how local educational agencies can coordinate the three accountability systems. At a recent seminar hosted by Policy Analysis for Education, CSBA Assistant Executive Director for Policy and Programs Angelo Williams, Ed.D., joined several state-level education policymakers to discuss the different approaches to accountability and offer their best suggestions for going forward.

Grant Watch: $700 million in grant funds available for student success

For 34 years CSBA’s Golden Bell Awards program has identified quality best practices focused on student success. The larger education grant funding world has taken notice. Golden Bell Award winners, like Corona Norco, have gone on to win national recognition. Remember, funders are interested in a track record of success and view their funds as investments in innovative but tried and true methods with a verifiable track record. In future editions of Grant Watch I’d like to share with you some proven methods for securing grant funds to amplify your resources to support your mission of student success for all.

Schools have a role in helping children get health insurance

CSBA is partnering with The Children’s Partnership “All In” campaign to help schools get information out to families and employees about the new affordable health coverage opportunities. Covered California, California’s new health insurance marketplace, opened on Oct. 1 and offers ways for millions of Californians to obtain health coverage, including health and dental coverage for children.

How will the federal government shutdown affect California schools?

The following is the most recent information on the impact of the federal shutdown on education. Just after midnight, the Office of Management and Budget sent out a memorandum to heads of departments and agencies instructing those organizations to begin shutdown procedures. Last Friday, a memorandum from the U.S. Department of Education was sent out describing the agency’s plan of operation in the event of a shutdown.

Ask Gov. Brown to veto AB 375

California School Boards Association logo; www.csba.org

Granted, the process required to dismiss a teacher is long, cumbersome, and costly. But Assembly Bill 375, now on the governor’s desk, is not balanced reform. It sets time limits for commencing and completing the process for dismissing a teacher, while also adding procedural steps that defense counsel could use to delay. Ask Gov. Jerry Brown to veto the bill now.

Partial credit for foster youth—a tool for LCFF success

The Local Control Funding Formula affirms the state’s commitment to provide additional resources to students with greater challenges, foster youth among them. Because students in the child welfare system often move from home to home and school to school, they frequently lose academic credits that can put them at risk of not graduating on time.

Does common core = common curriculum?

A recent Education Week article quoted excerpts of a speech delivered by U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan to the American Society of News Editors in which he defended the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Duncan stated that those opposed to Common Core believe that the standards and tests will lead “to mind control, robots, and biometric brain mapping.” That may sound extreme, but it is not surprising. There has been a growing resistance to CCSS.

CSBA President Marks named Elected Woman of the Year

Cindy Marks

CSBA President Cindy Marks has been named Elected Woman of the Year by California Women Lead, a nonprofit, nonpartisan association of women holding – or interested in holding – elected or appointed office. She was among five elected or appointed women honored by the organization in Sacramento on Aug. 21, and the fourth CSBA president to also serve on the board of directors of California Women Lead.