News Briefs
August 5, 2019
FYI
CTC focus group held Aug. 13 in Sacramento
The Commission on Teacher Credentialing will hold a focus group meeting to help set the stage for the development of the Education Specialist Teaching Performance Assessment at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, in Sacramento. Educators will be provided an opportunity to share perspectives on how the current assessment aligns to the Education Specialist Teaching Performance Expectations. Register at
www.surveymonkey.com/r/XLZGNWN
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App provides quick access to content standards
The California Department of Education has released its first-ever mobile app for the California Content Standards to provide quick, targeted access to standards related to the arts, computer science, health education, history-social science, and mathematics. The California Standards app, designed entirely by CDE staff, can search, filter, and sort content standards to inform decisions around instruction and assessment. The app is on iOS, Android and Microsoft by searching “CA Standards.”
STEAM conference coming in December to Anaheim
The 7th annual California Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) Symposium, a collaborative effort with the CDE, Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation, and the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, will be Dec. 9-10, 2019 at the Anaheim Convention Center North. Join more than 3,000 STEAM educators to learn new strategies, with a special focus on increasing participation of women and girls — as well as other underrepresented groups — in STEAM fields. For more information, visit www.steamcalifornia.org
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CDE announces new report on college enrollment
Out of the 439,211 California public high school students who graduated in 2017-18, 64 percent enrolled in college within a year, according to a newly available data report available from the California Department of Education.
The College-Going Rate report shows college enrollment broken down by student group and postsecondary institutions at the state, county, district and school levels.
“This data is especially helpful for districts and schools, who can evaluate their programs to increase college-readiness and work towards closing the achievement gap as we address major issues such as college affordability, improved reading levels, reduced absenteeism, and increased access to STEAM and computer science programs,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.
Of the high school completers in 2017-18, students identified as Asian had a college-going rate of 83.9 percent, followed by white at 70.4 percent, African American at 59.7 percent, Pacific Islander at 58.7 percent and Hispanic/Latino at 57.6 percent.
The new report was made possible by a collaboration between the CDE, the California Student Aid Commission and the University of California, Davis. The CSAC contributed a one-time funding allocation of $200,000 for the purchase of National Student Clearinghouse data used in the College-Going Rate reports, which are available on the CDE’s DataQuest website, dq.cde.ca.gov.
Monterey Bay Aquarium expands education programs
The Monterey Bay Aquarium has opened a new $42 million, environmentally sustainable learning center that houses the aquarium’s free education programs, allowing hands-on experiences for all visiting school groups and doubling the number of teens and teachers it can serve.
The Bechtel Family Center for Ocean Education and Leadership significantly expands capacity for the aquarium’s education and youth development programs. All of the 80,000 students who visit annually can now participate in programs led by the aquarium’s team of ocean education specialists, while less than half could be accommodated before.
Expanded teen and teacher programs debuted this summer. The new learning laboratories in the Bechtel Education Center will welcome students in the fall.
Arcadia USD named Honor Roll district for student outcomes
For the second consecutive year, Arcadia Unified School District has been named to the 2018-2019 Educational Results Partnership Honor Roll for its high achievement in student success. There are more than 900 school districts in California, and Arcadia Unified is one of only 26 public school districts to receive this recognition. This program, run by the nonprofit ERP and sponsored by the Campaign for Business and Education Excellence, is part of a national effort to identify schools and districts that are improving student outcomes.
“Being recognized by educational and business leaders as one of the best school districts in California helps us know we are on track to achieving our purpose of challenging and inspiring students to make a positive and profound impact on their world,” said Arcadia Unified Superintendent David Vannasdall.
Guide will help support English learners with disabilities
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond has announced the release of the much-anticipated “California Practitioners’ Guide for Educating English Learners with Disabilities.” The guide will help with identifying, assessing, supporting and reclassifying the 220,000 identified English learners with disabilities in the state.
“In California, we serve all students. Identifying what each child needs and addressing those needs is essential so that all students can reach their full potential,” Thurmond said.
The guide came about from Assembly Bill 2785, which was advocated for by ACSA in 2016. The bill added Education Code 56305, requiring the California Department of Education to develop guidance to local educational agencies on identifying and supporting pupils who are both English learners and individuals with exceptional needs.
The guide is available for download at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/ac/index.asp.
Watershed moments
With the support of a $1,000 STEM grant from the Toshiba America Foundation, Chula Vista Elementary School District students participated in the Coastal Education Program at the Living Coast Discovery Center in San Diego. The overall goal of this program is to create knowledgeable, caring stewards of the environment who will learn how to improve the health of the San Diego Bay and the surrounding watershed while increasing their science content knowledge. The TAF funding provided a Flex camera and new microscopes for these students to use when they participated in a standards-based lesson. Students that attended a Coastal Education Program this year have shown a 21 percent increase in their environmental and science content knowledge after participating in a lesson, according to program staff.
