News Briefs | FYI
November 13, 2023
Exclusionary discipline tied to lower GPA, negative outcomes
Exclusionary discipline can lower students’ GPA and increase the likelihood of negative outcomes later in life, leading the authors of a recent study to suggest that it be considered an adverse childhood experience.
The authors — doctors and medical researchers at UC San Francisco — also note how racial and ethnic inequities in exclusionary school discipline can affect the educational attainment of certain student groups.
The study published Oct. 20 by JAMA Network Open examined data from 16,849 middle and high school students in a large urban school district in California over three years (2014-2017).
According to their findings, experiencing an exclusionary school discipline event in the first year was associated with a lower average GPA by 0.88 points. Black and Latine students, who experienced exclusionary events at nearly 10 and three times more than White students, experienced more significantly lower GPA by over half a grade point.
“The findings suggest that it may be beneficial for pediatricians and other health care professionals to screen for exclusion, as experiencing [exclusionary school discipline] events may affect health across the life course,” according to the authors. “In addition, it may be useful to categorize [exclusionary school discipline] events as an adverse childhood experience and abolish the practice from schools as a disciplinary measure.”
Read the study at https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2810944.
Federal data: California spends $14,671 per pupil
California spends $14,671 per pupil, just above the national median for expenditures per pupil, according to the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
New data tables released in October provide information about revenues and expenditures in the nation’s public school districts for school year 2020-21. The tables use provisional data from the School District Finance Survey, which state education agencies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia submit each year.
The national median of current expenditures per pupil among all LEAs was $13,370 in FY 21, an increase of 3.7 percent from FY 20, after adjusting for inflation. The national median of total revenues per pupil across all LEAs was $16,032 in FY 21, which represents an increase of 6.5 percent from FY 20, after adjusting for inflation.
On a national basis, in the absence of any geographic cost adjustment, in FY 21 median current expenditures per pupil were $12,695 in city LEAs, $14,686 in suburban LEAs, $12,328 in LEAs in towns, and $13,738 in rural LEAs.
In FY 21, current expenditures per pupil in the 100 largest public school districts by enrollment ranged from a low of $7,147 in State-Sponsored Charter Schools (Nevada) to a high of $31,397 in Boston City Schools (Massachusetts).
On a national basis, there was a -2.8 percent difference in FY 21 current expenditures per pupil between high-poverty districts ($13,799) and low-poverty districts ($14,182), based on quarters calculated by ranking LEAs by poverty rate (i.e., the percentage of children ages 5–17 in families living below the poverty level) weighted by the number of children in poverty.
To view the full report, visit https://ies.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2024303.
Two California admins receive Terrel H. Bell Award
Two California administrators from the same school district are among the winners of a national award for school leaders.
On Oct. 16, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel A. Cardona announced the recipients of the Terrel H. Bell Award for Outstanding School Leadership for 2023. Two leaders from Hacienda La Puente USD — Glen A. Wilson High School Principal Danielle Kenfield and Wedgeworth Elementary School Principal Paulina Cho — and seven other school leaders from the 2023 cohort of National Blue Ribbon Schools will be honored during the National Blue Ribbon Schools awards ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 16.
Kenfield is committed to a shared vision of academic excellence, social responsibility, creative expression and athletic development at Glen A. Wilson High School. As a collaborator and capacity builder, she actively seeks those with the vision, initiative and tenacity to develop and implement programs that respond to the needs and/or interests of students.
Kenfield organized an Academic Senate, where all department leaders worked together toward the shared vision and mission of the school. With this collaborative community, Kenfield developed the school’s core values of Respect, Ownership, Adaptability and Resilience (ROAR).
Collaboratively, the school community created a definition of what it means to “own” learning. This means that students not only will state the “what” and the “why” of what they are learning, but also will articulate how they learn best; will explain with evidence when they are struggling; will apply these skills in authentic settings; and will transfer these skills into future situations.
Cho is a passionate and innovative school leader of Wedgeworth Elementary School, a Title I school. Cho has a team-centered leadership philosophy and high expectations with an open-door policy. She fosters teacher collaboration and builds strong school communities through open communication, transparency, high expectations and positive relationships with all stakeholders.
Cho has clear priorities for both staff and students, sets strategic goals, and works intentionally to make them a reality. For example, last school year, the school’s thematic vision was “Connect Deeply, Engage Actively, and Collaborate Meaningfully.” Based on this, the site leadership team set the standards for project-based learning, which integrated New Pedagogies for Deep Learning, coding, and Lego Robotics.
Cho’s vision is to ensure students are productive and competitive leaders in an ever-changing global community by developing the Deep Learning global competencies: character, citizenship, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication.
Recently, Wedgeworth pivoted its goals to support and address students’ social-emotional learning needs. The school started a self-affirmation campaign that includes Cho sharing a daily affirmation and every class starting each day with a self-affirmation activity.
Inside California Education begins 5th season
Inside California Education, the only statewide television series offering informative and compelling stories about California public education, recently debuted its fifth season.
The new season features more great stories about innovative school programs and inspiring students, educators and staff from around the state. As each new episode airs, stories also will be available to watch online at insidecaled.org and on the PBS streaming app.
The series is a production of PBS KVIE in Sacramento and the nonprofit NationalEdOnline, which have a shared mission to provide educational information and resources to viewers throughout California.
FYI
Leadership magazine seeks articles on special ed
Leadership magazine is seeking submissions for its March/April 2024 issue with the theme “Special Education.” Articles should be no more than 2,500 words and include practical information written in an informal style. Email your article to Leadership Editor Michelle Carl. Find additional information at acsa.org/publications. Leadership magazine is online at leadership.acsa.org. The submission deadline is Nov. 29, 2023.
Submit nominations for the 2024 Negotiator of the Year
ACSA is accepting nominations for the 2024 Negotiator of the Year, which will be presented during the Negotiators Symposium in San Diego on Jan. 17-19, 2024. This recognition is awarded by the ACSA Human Resources Council to the person serving as chief negotiator for a school district or county office as a full-time employee of that district. For more information on selection criteria and to fill out the nomination form, visit www.acsa.org/negotiatoraward. Nominations are due by Dec. 1, 2023.
Grant available for outdoor learning in national parks
The Western National Parks Association established the James E. Cook Nature’s Classroom Grant to increase access to national parks for underrepresented K–12 youth. It provides funding for educators to bring national parks to the classroom and the classroom to national parks. Awards of up to $2,000 are available for teachers to cover the cost of supplies, field trip monies, special guest visitors, etc. Find more information about this grant opportunity at wnpa.org/wnpa-grants. Applications must be received by December 31, 2023, end of day.