May 2009 Archives

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today issued the following comment in response to Governor Schwarzenegger's proposal to add an additional $680 million in cuts to public education:

            "With his proposal to reduce current year spending for public education by another $680 million in the 2009-2010 budget year, the Governor is now asking schools to make more than $1.4 billion in cuts during the last few weeks of the school year, and close to $4 billion in the next. If these proposals become a reality, we will see the dismantling of vital education programs up and down our state. Already, the Los Angeles Unified School District has eliminated summer school. Classroom teachers are being let go. Class sizes are swelling. Regular school maintenance will become a distant memory.

            "While I know that teachers, administrators, school staff, school board members, and parents will make valiant efforts to continue to focus on improving student achievement and closing the achievement gap, these devastating cuts would make their job exponentially harder, and jeopardize the progress we have seen over the past decade.

            "I recognize that California's budget shortfall continues to grow deeper. However, it is critical that we focus on ways to protect and preserve Californians' top priority - public education. We protect our collective economic viability by educating students to their full potential and preparing them to compete in the global economy. Failing to do so is not worthy of our great state."

Diamond Ranch High School senior Kyle Lengyel is an outstanding football and baseball player, so much so that he was nominated and has won a place in the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hall of Fame. During a banquet held recently in Pasadena, Kyle received the news that his name will be enshrined in South Bend, Indiana.  This honor is bestowed upon players who not only excel on the football field, but also in the classroom.

To qualify for this honor, football players are nominated by their coach and must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher. In addition, Lengyel was recognized by two different chapters of the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame, the Pasadena Chapter and the San Gabriel Chapter.

Lengyel, whose 4.16 GPA has earned him a full-ride scholarship to the Air Force Academy, is one student who definitely deserves every honor he receives. "Kyle is one of the most humble and amazing  student athletes I have ever had the pleasure of working with," said Panthers head coach Roddy Layton.  Coach Layton has mentored Kyle and prepared him for the next level of football, and has been instrumental in Kyle's success and the numerous accolades that he has received throughout the year.

The National Football Foundation (NFF) currently has more than 10,000 members in 119 local chapters nationwide and recognizes the vital role amateur football plays in the development of the nation's youth and in the education process. The NFF seeks to honor those who have excelled both on and off the field and who demonstrate the Foundation's creed of scholarship, citizenship and athletic ability.

"As an Athletic Director, I have been extremely fortunate to watch Kyle Lengyel not only as an athlete but as a leader on the campus of Diamond Ranch.  He is one of the best role models for high school student-athletes," says Candace Cayer, Athletic Director for Diamond Ranch High School. "He is a fine young man who strives for excellence regardless of the obstacles before him.  I have been impressed with his accolades and character throughout the year. The success of DRHS Athletics is in part due to his determination and individual leadership."

During his four years at Diamond Ranch, Kyle and his family became good friends with fellow student-athlete Graham Vickers. Vickers will be attending the Naval Academy with his own full-ride football scholarship. The sense of community between these two families will live on long after these two seniors leave the campus in June. Their parents plan to continue to be involved with the high school's booster club, and the two families promise to get together to watch their sons play when the Air Force/Navy rivalry game rolls around.

Lengyel's other awards include: All Miramonte League 1st Team Defensive Player of the Year; All San Gabriel Valley 1st Team; All Inland Empire 1st Team; and All CIF 1st Team.  Kyle also won the distinguished All Miramonte 5 Award.  In addition he was chosen, for the second year in a row, as one of the National Red Zone players of the year.  Lengyel was honored earlier this month by the Foothill/Citrus Athletic Directors Association as its Scholar Athlete of the Year. 

And, as if all that weren't enough, he has been chosen to represent Diamond Ranch in the 16th Annual Inland Valley High School Baseball All-Star Game on June 8th, 6:30 pm, at Epicenter Stadium in Rancho Cucamonga.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today presented the 2009 GOAL Award and a $5,000 check to the Creating Learning Opportunities and Understanding Differences in Students (C.L.O.U.D.S.) Preschool Program in Etiwanda. The award recognizes exemplary special education programs.

           "Congratulations to the C.L.O.U.D.S. program and its team of experts, including Kristin Ludovico and Dr. Samantha Pellitteri, for developing this wonderful special education program for preschool children," said O'Connell. "This program helps identify the needs of children early, and provides them high-quality and academically challeng-ing curricula that are important in setting the stage for their academic success later on in school. I encourage other schools districts to emulate the C.L.O.U.D.S. program."

           C.L.O.U.D.S. is located at Perdew Elementary School, Etiwanda Elementary School District, in San Bernardino County. Ludovico was a speech-language pathologist, and Pellitteri was the lead district psychologist in 2003 when they teamed up. They reevaluated the programs and services offered to the district's preschool special education students. This process revealed more and more evidence that the school district needed to create its own preschool program to meet the needs of its students, families, and community. C.L.O.U.D.S. was approved in 2005 by the Etiwanda School District's Board of Trustees - the first preschool program in the district's 125-year history. 

           Like other educational settings required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to include students with disabilities in the regular classroom with their nondisabled peers, C.L.O.U.D.S. offers the same type of "inclusion" in the preschool setting. C.L.O.U.D.S. has clearly defined goals: (1.) to meet the needs of individual students and promote the district's mission of excellence in education within a safe, positive, and inclusive learning environment free from discrimination; (2.) to educate preschool students through a collaborative team approach including staff, students, parents, and community members; and (3.) to prepare each student for the transition to kindergarten and beyond.

The three-hour program addresses pre-academic, social-emotional, motor, self-help, and language skills using differentiated instruction to meet the unique needs of all students. Staff includes specialists in speech pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, vision therapy, deaf/hard of hearing, orientation and mobility, and adapted physical education in collaboration with highly qualified teachers and instructional aides.

"The success of the program can be attributed to the collaborative partnerships between district administration, site personnel, families, and community members," said Ludovico. "I am so proud of all the hard work everyone has put in to make a difference for every student."

"C.L.O.U.D.S. has been such a positive benefit for both typically developing students and students with disabilities," said Pellitteri. "It's amazing to see the students' progress with the implementation of structured routines and developmentally appropriate, yet academically challenging curricula, in a positive learning environment."

The California Advisory Commission on Special Education created the GOAL Award in 2005-06. GOAL stands for Grazer Outstanding Achievement in Learning and is named after Hollywood producer Brian Grazer. He donated $100,000 over a 10-year period toward programs designed to recognize exemplary practices in special education and to celebrate programs that serve California youth with disabilities and the professionals who provide these services.

"My visit to the C.L.O.U.D.S. program was inspiring," stated Stacy Begin of the California Advisory Commission on Special Education. "The collaboration and collegiality of the staff had a positive impact on the school culture. It was obvious that all students are benefitting from this successful preschool program."

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement regarding the call to content developers to submit free digital material for California's rigorous academic content standard review:

"From government to non-profit organizations, teachers to textbook publishers, we all have a role to play in leveraging 21^stcentury technology to expand learning and better serve California's students, parents, teachers and schools. This initiative will ensure our schools know which digital textbooks stand up to California's academic content standards - so these cost-effective resources can be used in our schools to help ensure each and every student has access to a world-class education."

Governor Schwarzenegger recently launched a first-in-the-nation initiative to offer school districts access to free digital textbooks.  The first phase of the initiative will bring high school math and science classes access to free digital textbooks by fall 2009 - with additional content to follow.  At the Governor's request, Secretary of Education Glen Thomas is working with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell and State Board of Education President Ted Mitchell to develop a list of standards-aligned digital textbooks for geometry, algebra II, trigonometry, calculus, physics, chemistry, biology/life science and earth science courses. Content developers should submit materials to the California Learning Resources Network at http://www.clrn.org/publisher/.

 State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell and the State Board of Education, in support of the Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's Free Digital Textbook Initiative, today announced that content developers of digital textbooks may submit materials to the California Learning Resources Network (CLRN) for review.

"The time has come for California to be the leader in promoting this effort, especially now when school districts are struggling to survive the current budget crisis," O'Connell said. "To help schools reduce expenses,  we must determine whether free educational materials already found on the Internet are suitable for use by schools, teachers, and students and whether these digital textbooks are aligned to rigorous state standards."

The goal of the review is to make available on the Web, a list of standards-aligned free digital textbooks for high schools that cover the course content in mathematics and science subject areas. The submissions to be reviewed are basic student instructional materials that are intended as the primary resource for a course of study, commonly known as textbooks.

The mathematics materials must be aligned to the standards in geometry, Algebra II, trigonometry, or calculus. The science materials must be aligned to the standards for physics, chemistry, biology/life sciences, or earth sciences, including the investigation and experimentation strand. The standards for mathematics and science are available at http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/.

These materials will be reviewed by California teachers and experts in mathematics and science under the guidance of the California Department of Education (CDE), Office of the Secretary of Education, State Board of Education, and the CLRN. The results of the review will be released on August 10, 2009 in time for the 2009-10 school year.

Content developers of digital materials will have to submit their digital textbooks and their standards maps by June 15, 2009. All submissions must be sent to CLRN at http://www.clrn.org/publisher/.

Today, thousands of schools have taken steps towards lessening their budget gaps as a result of Target's commitment to help enrich the education of America's youth. Through its signature education programs, Take Charge of Education^® and Target Field Trip Grants, Target has provided more than $18 million to schools across the country for the funding of both in and outside classroom learning since January 2009.

"The U.S. education system is at a crossroads and schools across the country are in need of immediate support and leadership," said Laysha Ward, president, community relations, Target. "Enhancing educational opportunities for our country's children is a top priority at Target and we understand that schools are facing perhaps the most challenging time financially in recent history. Our programs, like Take Charge of Education and Target Field Trip Grants, help make a difference in our communities by investing in the future of our children."

            Target recognizes there are obstacles standing in the way of providing students with the education they deserve due to limited resources and increased budget cuts. With the goal of reaching children of all ages through a variety of programs, Target's education initiatives help support the unmet needs of K-12 teachers and schools and include such programs as: 

·       Take Charge of Education provided $14.7 million in undesignated funds to schools in March for its twice-yearly payout, which can be used for whatever schools need most--from books and school supplies to classroom technology, artist-in-residence programs and extracurricular activities. The program, which is in its 12^th year, has donated more than $260 million to more than 75 percent of K-12 schools nationwide since its inception. 

·       Target Field Trip Grants program is making it possible for nearly 440,000 students to learn outside the classroom this spring through hands-on field trips at thousands of unique destinations.  Four million dollars was awarded to educators for 5,000 trips. Since the program's inception in 2006, Target has provided more than 740,000 students with field trip opportunities they didn't otherwise have.

Evalyn Leverling, a first grade teacher at Soulsbyville Elementary School in Soulsbyville, Calif., said, "We took 50 first graders to four local convalescent hospitals to share songs and poems with residents. The interaction brought smiles to not only the residents but the students and helped to cultivate an early appreciation for community service. The grant we received from Target eliminated the burden of charging families to cover the cost of the field trip and allowed the children to learn a valuable life lesson that went beyond the classroom curriculum."

Target's commitment to education extends beyond financial support by providing access to tangible tools and resources for those most in need. As a company, and in partnership with its own team members and organizations that advocate for our country's children, schools and teachers, Target makes education materials and supplies available across the country through programs including:

·       School Library Makeovers transform elementary school libraries across the country with the help of Target Volunteers and Target Property Development. In addition to light construction and new design elements, each of this year's 16 libraries will receive new furniture, shelves, fresh paint, computers and a selection of 2,000 new books.  Also, more than 1,700 $500 book awards will be granted to local schools by every Target store and Distribution Center nationwide.

·         Letters about Literature is a national reading and writing contest which invites students in grades 4-12 to write a letter to an author, past or present, who has inspired them or altered their view of the world or themselves.  The program encourages young readers to explore their thoughts and feelings about a book and express their discoveries in a creative and unique way.  In 2009, Target awarded each of the six National Winners a $500 Target GiftCard, in addition to a $10,000 reading promotion grant for their school or community library.  In addition, twelve National Honors recipients each received a $50 Target GiftCard, along with a $1,000 reading promotion grant for their school or community library.

·       Every Target Store has $2,000 to provide grants to early childhood reading programs in its local community.  

·       Kids In Need Teacher Resource Centers provides nearly $300 million in school supplies to low-income schools free of charge. Target has supported the Kids In Need Teacher Resource Centers since 1999 with more than $2 million dollars in sponsorship and product donation.  Available to select schools with at least 70 percent of students enrolled in the federal Free Lunch program, the foundation provides more than 1.6 million children and 100,000 teachers with free supplies annually.

"Our nation's schools continue to face hurdles in providing children with the tools and resources that help to develop tomorrow's leaders," said Dave Smith, executive director, Kids in Need Foundation. "The current economic climate has made it even more challenging to receive outside funding from the local community and without the private sector's support from companies like Target that make it possible to purchase school supplies, upgrade classroom technology and take students on field trips, the education system would be faced with far greater challenges than we're currently confronting."

About Target

Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) serves guests at 1,699 stores nationwide and at Target.com. Target is committed to providing a fun and convenient shopping experience with access to unique and highly differentiated products at affordable prices. Since 1946, the corporation has given 5 percent of its income through community grants and programs like Take Charge of Education. Today, that giving equals more than $3 million a week.

-Information courtesy of Target

For the event held throughout the campus, each brought their best writing to share with students from kindergarten through fifth grades.

About eight young writers were assigned to each cross-age group headed up by a parent volunteer or teacher. Then, in read-around style, children politely listened as schoolmates read their original stories aloud and showed the illustrations.

"This is an awesome way to promote literacy at all grade levels," said second grade teacher Christy McCabe. "My students choose their own topics and are so excited about "publishing" their books that many have written multiple books to share with their friends and classmates." 

After each story, students are encouraged to offer positive feedback to the young authors. 

When Allison Tan read "The Journey to Hamster Land" members in her circle group enjoyed talking about their own pets during the discussion.

In another class, students imagined what they would do if they had magic powers.

This is the best day of the year at Quail Summit, said Principal Alysia Hobbs.

"The children glow with pride and it's a great, feel-good day!"

GLENDALE - State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today released the 2008 Base Academic Performance Index (API) report, marking the beginning of California's annual reporting cycle of academic growth and achievement.

The 2008 Base API Report summarizes results from the spring 2008 testing season and becomes the baseline against which to compare the 2009 Growth API, which will be released in early September.

The 2008 Base API report includes public school rankings that enable parents to match the performance of their child's school with other California public schools. Based on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the highest), the rankings compare an individual school to all other California public schools of similar type (elementary, middle, and high) as well as to those with similar educational opportunities and challenges.

The 2008 Base API Report also provides information about the percentage of schools at or above the statewide API performance target of 800: The percentage of elementary schools at or above this mark is 39.9 percent, up 3.3 percentage points from 2007; middle schools is 30.1 percent, up 5.7 percentage points; and high schools is 17.1 percent, up 2.8 percentage points. (See Table A.)

"I am pleased that once again California schools are meeting the high expectations set for them every year. I am especially proud of the spectacular progress made by our elementary schools since the inception of the API. This is momentum we need to sustain and celebrate," O'Connell said.

"This kind of progress happens only through the hard work and focus of dedicated school staff, parents, and students. However, I worry that these real gains in student achievement are in serious jeopardy because funding for our public school system is in serious danger," he said. "What kind of education will we be able to offer next year and the year after that with the kind of drastic and unprecedented cuts now under consideration?"

The annual rise in test scores over the last 10 years also has resulted in a similar rise in the API score associated with each rank. For example: In 1999, an elementary school with an API score of 680 had a statewide rank of 7. Today that same API score yields a statewide rank of 1. (See Table B.)

The Base API Report also sets 2009 API growth targets for schools and student subgroups. The 2009 Growth API will be compared to the 2008 Base API in order to determine whether or not the schools and student subgroups met these targets. The 2009 Growth API is projected for release on September 2, 2009.

Finally, the report documents the achievement gap that continues to exist between white and Asian student subgroups on the one hand and Hispanic and African American student subgroups on the other hand. (See Table C.)

 "For the better part of the last two years, I have focused intently on a plan to close this gap and to lower the number of young people dropping out of school," O'Connell said. "The Base API report provides evidence yet again of why it is so critical that we focus on this challenge. We have implemented important reforms related to high-quality preschool, cultural and climatic dynamics in the classroom, and education data collection. We have a moral and economic imperative to prepare all students with an education that will help them succeed. But this critical work is also likely to be stymied if the massive budget cuts to our schools become a reality."

The 2008 Base API represents the annual calibration of the state's accountability system to accommodate new assessments or other changes. This enables the comparison of results from one year to the next to measure school improvement. For example, in 2009 the State did not administer the norm-referenced assessment (the California Achievement Test/Sixth Edition [CAT/6]) to students. This assessment was eliminated in the state budget. Therefore, the 2008 Base API does not include 2008 CAT/6 results.

The API reflects a school's composite academic achievement based on a variety of statewide assessments. The API incorporates test results from the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program and the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE). Subject areas include English-language arts, mathematics, science, and history-social science.

Table A
Percentage of Schools with 1999 to 2008 Base APIs
At or Above the Statewide Performance Target of 800

Note: Table A excludes schools in the Alternative Schools Accountability Model (ASAM), special education schools, and small schools. A "small school" is a school with fewer than 100 valid test scores.

Table B
Statewide Ranks for an Elementary School
with an API of 680 (1999 to 2008)

Table C
Statewide 2008 Base APIs
Overall and for Student Subgroups

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today congratulated Thelma Meléndez de Santa Ana on her nomination by President Obama to the position of U.S. Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. Meléndez is currently the Superintendent of the Pomona Unified School District in California.

             O'Connell issued the following statement:

            "I could not be more pleased that the President has selected Thelma Meléndez de Santa Ana for such a key post in his administration. She is a highly respected educator whose commitment and passion for helping students inspires everyone who works with her. Her motto of 'Respect, Responsibility, and Results' for every student, parent, and educator are key to improving student achievement. I know she will serve the nation's children well in her new position as President Obama's Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. I look forward to continued collaboration with her and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan on our efforts in California to improve public education and close the achievement gap."

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell* commented on the failure of the propositions in today's special election.

"Californians soundly rejected five out of the six statewide propositions on today's ballot. As a result, California's budget economic shortfall is deeper by billions of dollars. In anticipation of this outcome, Governor Schwarzenegger presented a May Budget revision that closes the shortfall with breathtaking cuts to all public services, including education. His plan calls for $1.4 billion in cuts to schools this year and $3.3 billion the next.

"This, however, is a starting point for budget negotiations. We must find a budget solution that protects our top priority: our students, who are the future of our state.

"If we don't, without question, the impact of these cuts will be immediate. Class sizes will increase. Fewer of the 27,886 teachers who received pink slips will be retained, and many districts will strongly consider using a second window for issuing even more layoff notices to teachers. The ratio of students to school counselors, school nurses, and librarians will widen further. Art, music, and career technical education programs will be slashed to a bare-bones minimum, if they even survive.

"Cuts of this magnitude would seriously threaten to stop the rise in student achievement we've seen over the last seven years, and they will undoubtedly hinder the work we've been doing to close California's persistent achievement gap.

"I realize there are tough decisions ahead for the Governor and the Legislature, but students cannot be the scapegoat for California's fiscal mess. Education is the key to our state's long-term fiscal health. Given the economic crisis we face and the gridlock we continually face in Sacramento, we must consider new ideas and be open to new ways of thinking. I have called for a majority vote budget, which will end budget standoffs and increase accountability for budget decisions. I also support SCA 6 by Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which will make it easier for local communities to pass parcel taxes for local schools. I urge policymakers to consider these and any other ideas and proposals put on the table so that out of crisis we can make needed changes to our broken budgeting system. The future of our students and of California now hangs in the balance." 

By Neil Nisperos
Staff Writer

As it wrestles with a painful budget crisis that may deepen, the Chino Valley Unified School District is on the cusp of possibly looking for new leadership.

Chino Valley Unified Superintendent Edmond Heatley, who has been on a job hunt out of state in recent months, discovered on Monday that the Clayton County School Board in Jonesboro Georgia approved him as their new superintendent.

he White House announced today that President Obama intends to nominate Dr. Thelma Meléndez de Santa Ana to serve as Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. 

Dr. Meléndez, if confirmed by the U.S. Senate, would serve as Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's principal advisor on all matters related to elementary and secondary education.

 "I am humbled by the prospect of being able to serve my country, President Obama, and students and educators all over America," said Dr. Meléndez.  "I never imagined my life taking such a turn.  It's hard to leave Pomona Unified and the important work we have begun here.  But I am thrilled to be asked to be a part of the president's plan to promote academic excellence for all students, including our own students here in Pomona and Diamond Bar." 

"This is a tremendous honor for Dr. Meléndez and for Pomona Unified," said School Board President Andrew Wong.  "We are so proud of the work she has done here, raising student academic achievement and engaging the community around the need to be actively involved in public education.  She is an outstanding choice for assistant secretary.  She knows K-12 education from the ground up, having worked as a teacher, a principal, and a superintendent.  Her expertise will be invaluable in Washington, D.C."

Mr. Wong acknowledged that the Department of Education's gain is PUSD's loss. 

"We're very sorry to see her go," he said.  "Dr. Meléndez has set a new standard for leadership in our district.  My colleagues and I will have to meet to discuss a process for finding a new superintendent who can meet that new, higher standard.  Our students deserve nothing less." 

Details regarding Dr. Meléndez's last day at PUSD are still being worked out.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced that the California Department of Education (CDE), in conjunction with the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office, has approved a list of 10 grantees that will share $500,000 to develop and offer career technical education courses to students in rural areas of California.

"I applaud these 10 local educational agencies that include county offices of education, high schools, charter schools, and community colleges for developing cutting-edge programs that will serve as models of innovation for the development of career technical education distance learning opportunities for rural students," said O'Connell.

"The grants will help these schools share courses with rural students via the Internet and other technologies that will result in the delivery of high-quality career technical curriculum and career exploration to students who previously have not had access to these classes. A particular emphasis in the program is the development of courses focusing on green technologies."

The grants are provided through the Governor's Career Technical Education Initiative, Senate Bills 70 and 1130, and will be monitored by the CDE. The following grantees were selected through a competitive application process:

• Corcoran High School: Health Occupations.
• Orange County Office of Education: Production Design.
• Glendale Community College: Introduction to Green Technology, Building Codes, Architectural Print Reading, and Introduction to Geographic Information Systems. 
• Sacramento County Office of Education: Medical Careers, Nursing Assistant.
• Clovis USD Online Charter School: Energy Technology.
• Merced County Office of Education: Computer Programming, Web Design.
• Santa Clara County Office of Education: Marketing, Horticulture, Green Careers, Entrepreneurship, Accounting.
• Barstow Community College: Automotive Technology.
• Riverside County Office of Education: Criminal Science, Retail Sales and Marketing, Computer Information Systems, Geographic Information Systems.
• Rainbow Advanced Institute Charter School: Computer Applications, Computer Repair I and II, Technology Support.

SACRAMENTO - State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell issued the following statement in response to the release of Governor Schwarzenegger's May Revision:

            "The two budget proposals the Governor released today offer a choice between devastating and horrific cuts to public schools. I am heartsick at the prospect that public schools in California are being asked to absorb between $800 million and $1.4 billion in the final month of the traditional school year, and then an additional $1.6 billion to $4.2 billion in the next school year. If approved, these proposed cuts would be added to the $11.6 billion in cuts to schools approved last February.

            "Cuts of this magnitude will have immediate negative impacts in every school in our state. Class sizes will increase. Fewer of the 27,886 teachers who received pink slips will be retained. The ratio of students to school counselors and school nurses will widen further. Arts, music, and career technical education will be slashed. The pain of these cuts will be felt in thousands of other ways, large and small, in classrooms around our state. I am gravely concerned that these devastating cuts will interrupt our progress in improving student achievement. I am also worried that cuts this deep to California's public schools will jeopardize our maintenance-of-effort commitment to U.S. Department of Education and put our federal stimulus money at risk.

            "This is exactly the wrong conversation we should be having at this time. In order to protect the economic viability of our state, it is more critical than ever that we help all students meet their full potential, close the achievement gap, and ensure that all California students are prepared to compete in the global economy. We should be talking about doing what it takes to educate a workforce with 21st century skills.

            "In order to do this we must fix the structural problems in our state budgeting process. We must consider fundamental change. I have proposed and continue to support SCA 6 by Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which helps communities raise funds for local schools by lowering to 55 percent the threshold for approval of local parcel taxes. I also continue to call for a majority vote budget to resolve the gridlock that has plagued Sacramento for too many years. We must all be open to thinking differently and put the long-term needs of California citizens above special interest groups and politicians."

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today released the annual report on dropout and graduation rates for the 2007-08 school year.

In 2007-08, 68.3 percent of public school students in California graduated, up from 67.7 percent last year. The adjusted four-year derived dropout rate for the same school year is 20.1 percent, down from 21.1 percent last year.

            "I am heartened that the graduation rate is up slightly, but California's dropout rate is still unacceptably high," said O'Connell. "If we look deeper into the data, we see alarmingly high dropout rates among African American and Hispanic students. There are long-term economic repercussions from not graduating for the student, for their communities, and for our statewide economy. These data provide even more evidence of the challenge and the moral imperative of closing the achievement gap as well as increasing graduation rates among all students."

            The California Dropout Research Project recently reaffirmed long-held knowledge that when students drop out of school, they face more challenges than their more well-educated peers. Compared to high school graduates, research shows that over a lifetime dropouts have increased dependence on public assistance, lower earnings, poorer health, and higher rates of unemployment, mortality, criminal behavior, and incarceration. According to the report, all these factors generate substantial economic losses to the nation, state, and local communities.

            This is the second year of calculating student graduation and dropout rates by collecting student-level enrollment and exit data. When two more years of student exit data are collected, the California Department of Education (CDE) will have the four years of data necessary to produce more accurate student graduation and dropout rates at the school level. This year's graduation and four-year derived dropout rates may be compared to last year's rates because the method of collecting data is the same as the prior year. That was not possible last year because the data collection method was different the previous years.

            The use of Statewide Student Identifiers (SSID) increases accountability for districts to find students who stop coming to school. It also helps districts identify students who were considered a dropout at a school they left but in fact were enrolled in a different district. The data also allow CDE to identify students reported by a school district as transferring to another California school district but cannot be found subsequently enrolled. These students are now properly counted as dropouts rather than transfers. In total, there are 28 different withdrawal codes used to categorize a student's status, including whether they graduated, dropped out, completed their education in other ways, moved to a different state, transferred to another school, or are continuing as a fifth-year senior.

SSIDs eventually will be tracked through the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System, or CALPADS, which will maintain longitudinal, individual student-level data including student demographics, program participation, grade level, enrollment, course enrollment and completion, discipline, state assessment, teacher assignment, and other data required to meet state and federal reporting requirements. CALPADS is scheduled to be implemented at all districts in the 2009-10 school year.

To view or download state, county, district, and school-level dropout data, please visit CDE's DataQuest at:http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/. For more information on the California Dropout Research Project, please visit http://www.lmri.ucsb.edu/dropouts/.

Important Background Information on Graduation and Dropout Data:

            This is the initial release of graduation and dropout data. Districts have until July 3, 2009 to thoroughly review the data, verify student exit codes, and correct all data.

            Traditional high school dropout rates will tend to be lower than the state rate and graduation rates will be higher because many at-risk students are placed in county-run dropout recovery or educational option programs, and if they drop out, the drop out will be attributed to the county-run or educational option program rather than the traditional high school.

            There are significant numbers of students who drop out of school during the middle school years. While CDE collects and reports dropout counts for students in grades seven and eight, we do not currently produce dropout rates for these students. We are in the process of developing these rates, which will be available for the 2008-09 dropout data report.

            The rates released today are still calculated using aggregate rate formulas since four years of student-level data are needed to transition to a four-year cohort rate. In two years CDE will have the four years of student-level data necessary to produce longitudinal graduation and dropout rates which will be much more accurate. This will occur starting with the graduating class of 2010.

            The dropout and graduation rates that CDE currently posts using an aggregate formula provide a reasonable estimate in most cases. However, there are school-level configurations where these estimates do not work well. County-run schools, alternative schools, and dropout recovery high schools will often have inflated aggregate dropout rates because the dropout calculation is based on a single day of enrollment. It is important to note that these schools have very high mobility and may enroll many more students and almost always at-risk students. Therefore, dropout-rate calculations are not posted for schools that are operated by County Offices of Education because of constraints in interpreting these calculations with high-mobility schools. Caution must also be used when calculating or analyzing dropout rates for other schools with high mobility, including alternative schools, dropout recovery high schools, or schools eligible for participating in the Alternative Schools Accountability Model (ASAM).
            It may also be inappropriate to compare dropout rates for alternative schools and dropout recovery high schools to local comprehensive high schools. In many cases, alternative schools serve only those students who are already at the greatest risk of dropping out of school because of their prior academic challenges.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced the second annual Dreamers Challenge scholarship sponsored by The California Museum, Comcast Corporation, and the California State Fair. 

High school seniors graduating in 2010 are eligible to compete for two $5,000 cash scholarships that will be awarded to a senior from Northern California and a senior from Southern California.

"I encourage California students to share their dreams by participating in this challenge," said O'Connell. "The Dreamers Challenge scholarship fosters innovation and creativity - traits that can help make the world a better place. I applaud Comcast for underwriting the scholarship awards for this contest and helping to make the dream of a college education come true for two deserving students."

The Dreamers Challenge scholarship was created in 2008 by The California Museum and was inspired by the California Hall of Fame, which inducts extraordinary Californians who have made distinguished achievements in many different fields. The Dreamers Challenge asks a new generation of visionaries how their dreams will leave a lasting mark on the state, nation, and world. Participants can respond in a variety of mediums based on their own styles and talents, including but not limited to: paintings, poetry, videos, musical creations, essays, and PowerPoint presentations.

First Lady Maria Shriver will recognize the winners at the 2009 California Hall of Fame induction ceremony in December.

The California Museum has just began accepting submissions; all entries must be postmarked no later than October 5. For rules and guidelines, please visit The California Museum Web site at http://californiamuseum.org

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell testified this morning before the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor at a hearing on "Ensuring Preparedness Against the Flu Virus at School and Work."

 The committee, chaired by Congressman George Miller (D-California), listened as O'Connell gave a status update on the impact of the H1N1 virus in California's schools, as well as offer an overview of the education community's prevention and response plans to guard against the spread of the flu in schools.

            Here is O'Connell's testimony in its entirety:

"Thank you Chairman Miller and Members for the opportunity to address the recent outbreaks of the H1N1 flu in California, but more specifically in our schools.

            "I would like to start by saying that although there are currently 103 confirmed cases of H1N1 flu in California, I am pleased that the Centers for Disease Control has determined that the level of severity of the H1N1 flu does not warrant automatic school-wide student dismissal even in instances of a confirmed case of the virus. While we recognize that local health officials may always determine if it is necessary to close a campus due to a public health threat, this new guidance will allow our schools to resume their normal operations and keep healthy students in class and learning.

            "I also appreciate the initial concern for our school children and staff that lead to the recommendation of dismissing students from any campus that had a confirmed or suspected case of the infection.

            "It is important to note that the CDC still recommends that we stringently adhere to the procedures we can all use to keep ourselves and our schools healthy: Students and staff who are sick should stay home. Everyone should cover their coughs and sneezes, and frequently wash their hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer.

            "I also continue to encourage schools and districts to stay in close contact with public health officials for any new information about this flu virus and any potential future changes in student dismissal policy.

            "I would now like to walk you through the steps the California Department of Education has taken to address the flu outbreak.          

            "Since the initial flu outbreaks were reported, my Department and I have stayed in close and regular contact with officials from the California Department of Public Health and our local educational agencies (LEA's), including districts, county offices of education, and charter schools.

            "Within hours of the first alert from the California Department of Public Health about the H1N1 virus, my Department advised the education community about the threat and reminded them about flu prevention information resources that my Department has made available. We also strongly encouraged schools to teach students and teachers to take the following measures to guard against the spread of H1N1: encourage students and staff to stay home if they are sick; urge individuals to cover their coughs and sneezes with a tissue or by covering with their arms; and advise students and school staff to frequently wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water, or an alcohol based hand sanitizer.

            "We have also received reports that some do not have soap for student use, so I have advised local school leaders that they must make sure that soap or alcohol-based hand sanitizers are made available for use by students and school staff.

            "We have kept schools up to date about the flu outbreak through a special link on our Web site, as well as through a series of letters, press releases, and public events. And in order to achieve an even higher level of communication, last Friday I invited Dr. Bonnie Sorensen, the Deputy Director of the California Department of Public Health, to join me on a statewide conference call with district and county office of education leaders. The purpose of the call was to brief school officials on the latest guidance on student dismissal policies due to H1N1, emphasize the importance of sharing the health protection information, and to respond to questions from the field about the situation. .

            "As you can imagine, our schools have been particularly concerned about keeping up to date on the latest guidance from the CDC and the California Department of Public Health in respect to student dismissal policies. As of Tuesday of this week, 37 public schools had been ordered by a local health officer to dismiss students, based on the existing guidance at the time.

            "Our schools are greatly relieved that this week the Center for Disease Control and the California Department of Public Health revised their student-dismissal guidance. But, throughout this evolving situation, I have stressed to our education community that we must stay in close touch with our public health community and that a public health officer always has the final say as to whether or not students should be dismissed from campus.

            "Another matter that I addressed during this briefing is testing.

            "We received numerous questions from local districts about how the flu outbreak and school closures would affect the administration deadlines of two of our statewide student examinations: the Standardized Testing and Reporting or STAR program and the California High School Exit Exam, also known as CAHSEE.

            "Given the current circumstances, we are addressing these concerns on a case-by-case basis, and my staff has been communicating with our testing contractors and vendors to talk about any necessary accommodations needed for affected schools. However, if the school closures were to resume, or be ordered for an extended period of time in a future public health emergency, this could become a bigger problem. To remedy any issues that may arise, I am working with the Schwarzenegger Administration on options to give my office the ability to extend or modify the testing administration and release dates of these exams as needed.

            "In addition, my staff has been in touch with the U.S. Department of Education regarding the potential need for flexibility on accountability requirements - like participation rates and reporting schedules. I am concerned that participation rates have been affected - not by student dismissal policies, but by the "worried well" - healthy students whose parents kept them home out of fear.

            "Generally speaking, I feel very strongly that the communication efforts at the state level between my department and the department of public health have been very good.

            "I also believe that the line of communication that is ongoing between the California Department of Education and our local educational agencies is very strong, but could be improved. For example, we discovered that we did not have a system in place to track and report the individual schools that had been ordered to dismiss students due to H1N1. My office is working with the county offices of education to developing an easy-to-use reporting process so that the state could be kept up to date about any school impacted by an order to dismiss students. While we hope we never need it, this system will save time and provide valuable information to the public.

            "Another issue that certainly needs addressing in order to improve our response to such outbreaks is school nurses.

            "At last count, there are approximately 2,844 nurses who serve California's 6.3 million public school students. That translates to a ratio of 2,227 students to every one school nurse, the largest student-to-nurse ratio in the country. This in no way, shape or form provides effective healthcare for the increasing numbers of students with complex chronic and immediate health needs that require daily care on our school campuses. If we had more school nurses on our campuses, perhaps they could have played an even greater role in early detection and prevention efforts.

            "I feel there is definitely a role for the federal government to play in both of these matters not only for California but for every state.

            "I have thus far been encouraged by the Obama Administration's and Congress' willingness to listen to the concerns facing California's education system, and I am grateful for the opportunity to address this committee.

The National Coalition for Public School Options (NCPSO), an alliance of parents working together to protect parents' rights to access the best public school options for their children, is proud to announce the first California Pioneer of Teaching. Nick Baker from California Virtual Academy has been named the California award winner in the national competition held to recognize top performing elementary and secondary teachers in public charter schools, magnet schools, virtual and online schools.

Nick Baker goes the extra mile by organizing and conducting weekly softball sessions for area students.  He regularly meets with a group of 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade students to provide additional instruction and tutors these students on his own time. Baker utilizes innovative teaching techniques by incorporating items such as frisbees and footballs in class lessons to help students grasp math concepts.

"The importance of the job is my biggest motivator.  I am training people who will someday lead this country.  I take each student's education very seriously.  Students need to feel confident about the future," said Baker. " My favorite aspect of the virtual setting is the success that can be reached from so many different starting points. The world needs smart, respectful people and if I can contribute in a small, but positive manner to this end, I have done my job."

NCPSO President Lori Cooney said, "NCPSO is proud to recognize these pioneering teachers who exemplify the innovative instruction and dedication which are essential tools to meet the learning needs of all types of students.  It is important to recognize the integral role teachers play in non-traditional settings as we work to protect educational options so every student has a chance to succeed."

Baker was also one of twelve state finalists selected by the NCPSO board to compete for the national award announced today as part of both National Public Charter Schools Week and National Teacher Appreciation Week.  Congratulations toNational Winner Jane Ferris of Pennsylvania for being selected as the national American Pioneer of Teaching. Information on this award can be found on the NCPSO website at www.publicschooloptions.org

The National Coalition for Public School Options is an alliance of parents that supports and defends parents' rights to access the best public school options for their children. The Coalition supports the creation of public school options, including charter schools, online schools, magnet schools, open enrollment policies and other innovative education programs. Additionally, we advocate for free and equal access without restrictions to these public schools for all children.

Walnut Valley Unified School District has announced that Jeff Jordan has been named the new principal at Walnut High School (WHS). The WVUSD Board of Trustees ratified the appointment during its April 22 Board Meeting.

"Mr. Jordan brings a passion for all students' success and a commitment to Walnut High School unsurpassed by any of the other candidates," said WVUSD Superintendent Dr. Cyndy Simms.

Jordan, 20-year education veteran, has done a tremendous job as Principal at South Pointe Middle School since the beginning of the 2007-08 school year. 

He previously served as a teacher, coach, athletic director, grade level coordinator, instructional dean, and summer school principal at Walnut High. He is also a WHS graduate.

Jordan permanently fills the position left vacant when Principal Russell Lee-Song resigned to accept the position of Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources in the Anaheim Union School District.  Dave Schmid, a retired Colorado High School Principal of the Year, was hired to serve as Interim Principal this year while a statewide search was conducted.

Even though he has extensive experience with Walnut, Jordan says that "he will hit the ground listening" when he begins on July 1. There is a lot of good to hear.