News Briefs | FYI
April 8, 2024
Gothold receives Outstanding Instructional Leader Award
California ASCD has announced San Diego County Superintendent of Schools Paul Gothold as the 2024 Outstanding Instructional Leader (OIL) Award Winner.
Every year CASCD selects an Outstanding Instructional Leader who has significantly impacted public education in California and has advocated for and supported professional growth and instructional leadership to ensure success for each learner.
Gothold was appointed as San Diego County superintendent of schools in 2017 after serving as superintendent of Lynwood USD, where during his tenure, the district demonstrated the highest academic growth for two years in the state of California as measured by California Standards Test scores. In the seven years he led Lynwood, graduation rates went from 58 percent to almost 90 percent with all historically underserved subgroups outperforming state averages in every academic marker.
In his current role and under his leadership the past six years, the San Diego County Office of Education has provided guidance and resources for close to 500,000 students in not only the 42 districts and 130 charter schools in San Diego County, but also schools throughout the state, nationally and internationally. SDCOE has been identified as the state leader in equity, cybersecurity and bilingual education, and serves as a geographical lead, providing guidance and training for regional county offices. SDCOE also provides training and support statewide in the areas of mental health, drug prevention/intervention, American Indian studies and others.
Gothold began his teaching career working with adjudicated youth. That passion and commitment continues today by supporting SDCOE’s own schools, which are focused on doing whatever it takes to improve outcomes for students experiencing homelessness, those involved in the foster care and juvenile justice systems, pregnant/parenting teens, and students from other historically underserved populations.
With San Diego County touching the U.S.-Mexico border, SDCOE has served unaccompanied minors and transborder students, or those who cross the U.S.-Mexico border to attend school. While the exact number of transborder students is unknown, it’s estimated that the Tijuana-San Diego region has thousands.
One program that Gothold led to support unaccompanied minors was Futuro Brillante at the San Diego Convention Center, which served as a temporary shelter for them in 2021. The ad hoc school ran classes twice a week for two hours a day, serving over 3,500 students for four months. The effort drew employees from across SDCOE departments to create a curriculum, teach and provide materials, technical needs and translation support for unaccompanied migrant students.
Gothold, a mentor and advisor for sitting and aspiring superintendents throughout the state, received his Doctor of Education from the University of Southern California, where he had served as an adjunct professor. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Whittier College, where he has also served as an adjunct professor.
Nine schools recognized for Exemplary Dual Enrollment
Nine California schools have been selected for the California Exemplary Dual Enrollment Award. This award program identifies and recognizes schools with exemplary dual enrollment programs and allows these schools to share the exemplary programs and practices that have contributed to their success.
“These programs are a beacon of excellence and equitable opportunity in California’s public schools,” said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, in a news release. “Dual enrollment programs provide a unique option for public high school students who seek to accelerate their achievement, launch their careers and access a high-quality free college education even before they walk the high school graduation stage.”
The schools receiving the California Exemplary Dual Enrollment Award (listed below) will hold the title for two years.
- Firebaugh High School, Firebaugh-Las Deltas Unified School District. (College partner: West Hills Community College Coalinga.)
- Wonderful College Prep Academy – Delano, Kern County Office of Education. (College partner: Bakersfield College.)
- Wonderful College Prep Academy – Lost Hills, Kern County Office of Education. (College partner: Bakersfield College.)
- SOAR High, Antelope Valley Union High School District. (College partner: Antelope Valley College.)
- William and Marian Ghidotti Early College High School, Nevada Joint Union High School District. (College partner: Sierra Community College.)
- Valley Vista High, Huntington Beach Union High School District. (College partner: Orange Coast College, Coastline College, Golden West College.)
- Middle College High School, San Bernardino City Unified School District. (College partner: San Bernardino Valley College.)
- Mission Early College High School, Santa Clara Unified School District. (College partner: Mission College.)
- Oxnard Middle College High School, Oxnard Union High School District. (College partner: Oxnard College.)
Survey: Most districts lack clear policy on artificial intelligence
More than three-quarters of educators say their districts lack a clear policy on artificial intelligence, according to a new national survey done by EdWeek Research Center.
The survey of 924 educators conducted in November and December found that 79 percent of districts don’t have a clear policy, which could make districts ill-prepared for the prevalence of AI. Some 56 percent of educators say they expect its usage to increase in the coming year.
Experts such as Pat Yongpradit, the chief academic officer for Code.org, say vague policies and the uneven application of AI presents a new digital divide.
“You can have, in the same school, a teacher allowing their 10th grade English class to use ChatGPT freely and getting into AI ethics issues and really preparing their students for a future in which AI will be part of any industry,” Yongpradit was quoted in an article on the survey findings. “And then literally, right down the hall, you can have another teacher banning it totally, going back to pencil and paper writing because they don’t trust their kids to not use ChatGPT. Same school, different 10th grade English class.”
Read more about the survey at https://www.edweek.org/technology/schools-are-taking-too-long-to-craft-ai-policy-why-thats-a-problem/2024/02.
FYI
Deadline extended for Equality CA survey
Equality California has extended the deadline for submitting its survey for the 2024 Safe and Supportive Schools Report Card to April 30. This survey was sent to roughly 350 unified school districts throughout California in November 2023 and includes a streamlined format that will allow for its completion in roughly two hours. Updated sections address anti-bullying, LGBTQ+ climate, transgender and gender non-conforming students, curriculum, staff culture, cultural competency training and suicide prevention and mental health resources. If your school district has not yet completed the survey, there’s still time. For questions or to have the log-in credentials resent, contact EQCA at safeschools@eqca.org.
Dyslexia conference to be held virtually on June 11-12
The California Dyslexia Initiative invites educators, specialists, and advocates to register for its two-day, statewide virtual conference June 11-12 to learn effective ways to teach reading, meet the needs of a range of learners, and address dyslexia and related challenges. Learn more at www.scoe.net/news/library/2024/02/08dyslexia_conference.
CalSHAPE Program has funding for improvements
The California Energy Commission has opened an additional round of funding for two grants under the California Schools Healthy Air, Plumbing, and Efficiency (CalSHAPE) Program. LEAs and state agencies are eligible to apply; however, school sites must be within the service territory of PG&E, Southern California Edison Company, SDGE, or SoCalGas. Learn more at calshape.energy.ca.gov. The deadline is 5 p.m. on May 31. Questions: CalSHAPE@energy.ca.gov.