Sacramento Scene: Uncertainty Looms Over Education Funding in Sacramento
By Matt Patton
Everyone in Sacramento is holding their breath, awaiting the May Revision of the California State Budget. Currently, funding for education, specifically Career Technical Education, is the status quo, but as California’s tax revenue fails to meet projected levels, there is a concern for future budgets.

The California Agricultural Teachers’ Association is following the below bills. If passed, these bills would immediately affect Agricultural and Career Technical Education.

AB 1189 (Gibson) – This bill would, starting in the 2024–25 school year, require each school district maintaining any of grades 7 to 12, to offer Career Technical Education to all pupils in those grades. 

AB 377 (Muratsuchi and McCarty) – If passed, this bill would consolidate the K12-Strong Work Force Grant program and the Career Technical Education Incentive Grant (CTEIG) programs. If consolidated, $450 million would be allocated to CTEIG annually. 

AB 1370 (Ta) – This bill would revise several parts of the California Community Colleges Economic and Workforce Development Program. The bill would extend operation of the program indefinitely and would repeal the Job Development Incentive Training Program.
ChatGPT Will Fundamentally Change How We Teach Writing; That’s A Good Thing
By EdSource
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT has forced educators to confront foundational questions about what we teach and why.

The fact that ChatGPT can churn out a standardized essay in seconds calls into question whether it is actually the best assessment of writing or critical thought. For example, a writing prompt from the ACT college entrance exam asks students to write an essay on the relative risks and benefits of artificial intelligence. It provides students with contrasting perspectives and asks students to write a “unified, coherent essay” and to “develop and support your ideas with reasoning and examples.”

This task contains several problems. Assessments like these ask students to quickly compose an authoritative argument about a topic on which they have little knowledge, essentially asking students to feign expertise. Students have not been taught about the topics; yet they must plan and write within forty minutes. Thus, what is being assessed is not only writing, but also background knowledge, reading comprehension and time management skills. This task is a poor approximation of the authentic writing students do outside of school, and a poor approximation for the extended writing assignments they will encounter in college or in the workplace, where they will have opportunities to research, plan, receive feedback, and revise. Yet, we still rely on them to make decisions that have profound impacts on students’ opportunities.

But, the ACT writing prompt is precisely the type of writing that ChatGPT does well. One journalist used ChatGPT to write a passing AP English essay, and others have tried experiments with similar results on other standardized writing assessments. 
Coming Soon: CATA Summer Conference
Join us in San Luis Obispo for the annual California Agricultural Teachers’ Association (CATA) Summer Conference! The conference officially begins on Monday, June 26, 2023, with pre-conference activity beginning on Sunday, June 25, 2023. Conference registration MUST be submitted online.
Conference Scheduling Changes 
This year the General Rules Curricular Code meeting will occur before Contest Curricular Code meetings to allow all members to participate. 

Wednesday morning (June 27) will have two general sessions. The first session will start at 8 a.m. and include the recognition of retiring teachers and session business, including committee reports. After the first session, there will be a brief coffee break, and the Southern Region will be excused for banquet set up. The second session will start at 10:30 a.m. with member recognition, CATA business, and a panel discussion. 
CATA Summer Conference Professional Sessions
CATA is looking for presenters and topic suggestions for the professional development sessions and AgriSkills workshops at CATA summer conference.

Contact Kerry Stockton if you’re interested in presenting a professional development session.
  • Tuesday, June 27 - Professional Development Session (3:00 to 4:50)
  • Wednesday, June 28 - Professional Development Session (1:30 to 3:30)

AgriSkills sessions are 4-hour, technical agriculture workshops with an emphasis on “learn by doing.” Apply online to present an Agriskills session.
  • Sunday, June 25 - Agriskills (AM and PM)
  • Thursday, June 29 - Agriskills (PM only)
CATA Summer Conference Continuing Education Units
Registration for continuing education units (CEU) must be processed directly through Fresno Pacific on their website.
  • Summer Conference 2 CEUs: $200 (To receive credit, you must sign in at both regional meetings, Tuesday AND Wednesday professional development sessions, and an Operations Division meeting or a Secondary/Postsecondary Division meeting.) 
  • AgriSkills Institute 1 CEU: $100 (To receive credit, you must register for the institute and attend three half-day sessions, or one full-day and one half-day session.)  
Recognition of Retiring Teachers
Do you know a retiring teacher that deserves to be honored? Submit names and brief bios of retirees to the CATA office. The only way to properly recognize people retiring from our profession is for regions to notify CATA before the conference. Keep in mind some retirees choose not to be recognized.
CATA Summer Conference Parking
Parking passes can be processed directly through Cal Poly’s website. The pre-event daily parking fee is $11.50, on-site permits (using campus pay stations) cost $15 per day. New policy on campus: exempt licensed vehicles do NOT need a parking pass.
CATA Awards Banquet - Under the Western Lights
Date: Wednesday, June 28th, 2023
5:30 p.m. - Cocktails & Social
7:00 p.m. - Dinner & Program
 
Location: Santa Margarita Ranch (9000 Yerba Buena Avenue, Santa Margarita, CA 93453)
 
The Southern Region CATA officers would like to invite you to a night “Under the Western Lights” celebrating our Teachers Of Excellence, Outstanding Teachers, Outstanding Ag Programs, and so much more. This year, our banquet will take place under the stars at the historic Santa Margarita Ranch, just 15 minutes up the Cuesta Grade from San Luis Obispo.  
 
If you would like someone else to do the driving, shuttle services will be offered for a small fee to and from the ranch. Guests will enjoy delicious food, local wines, music, and much more! We ask that you please dress in “fancy” western attire, denims and diamonds, or anything you deem appropriate. The theme is an homage to Western films and television programs, so feel free to dress up as your favorite Western character.
California Teacher Honored As Ag Educator of the Year
After recognizing six exceptional California teachers as finalists through the Golden Owl Award, the California FFA Foundation, in partnership with Nationwide and the California Farm Bureau, selected Jason Ferreira, agricultural teacher at Hanford High School, as California’s 2022-2023 “Ag Educator of the Year.”

Ferreira was formally recognized as the Golden Owl Award grand prize winner during the California FFA State Leadership Conference in Ontario on March 18. In addition to the title of California’s Ag Educator of the Year, Ferreira received the coveted Golden Owl Award trophy and a $3,000 Nationwide-funded donation to further Hanford High School’s agricultural education efforts. 

Upon hearing of his win, Ferreira expressed his gratitude to students, colleagues, and community. "I’m grateful for everyone who has ever played a part in helping me serve my students, program, and community selflessly," he said. "Receiving the Golden Owl Award reminds me of the powerful impact that FFA Advisors have on our community. I am humbled and proud to be a positive representative for California agricultural education and look forward to seeing the next generation of Golden Owls aspire to achieve success with their careers."
Win $50K or $100K with Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Program
Do you teach high school students and use tools regularly to build, repair, and maintain? You may be eligible for Harbor Freight’s Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence Award Program. The program awards skilled trades teachers for their passion, creativity, and leadership. This year, the program will award 15 prize winners $50,000 each and five grand prize winners $100,000 each. Don’t delay—applications are due May 5, 2023. Visit http://hftforschoolsprize.org for more information. 
2023 CANERS Student Scholarship Applications
Each year, the CANERS Foundation provides up to $25,000 in educational scholarships for those pursuing a career in horticulture. California students who are enrolled or plan to enroll at a two-year or four-year college from which a horticulture degree can be obtained are eligible. Scholarships for the 2023-2024 school year are due by May 15 at 5:00 p.m.
Resource: Journey 2050 Online Farming Simulation
The world population is 7 billion and counting! By 2050 there will be over 10 billion people on the planet. How do you feed a growing world? Journey 2050 is a curriculum-based school program that takes students (in grades 7-12) on a virtual simulation which explores world food sustainability. Check it out by visiting www.journey2050.com.
Career Development Event (CDE) Updates
Milk Quality Curricular Code Change
CATA changed the CDE Milk Quality Curricular Code under section VIII, sub-section A of the General Rules portion of the CATA Curricular Activities Code. Section VIII, sub-section A states:
  • Typographical errors, misspellings and/or omissions can be changed or corrected on a yearly basis. Any changes should be submitted to the State CATA Executive Director, who will contact the State FFA Advisor. A memo will be sent out to notify the membership.

The change was made to the freezing point parameters for the contest. The parameters were listed in degrees Celsius (Freezing Point -0.530◦ C and -0.566◦ C) and not the correct degrees Hortvet (-0.530◦H and -0.566◦H). All parameters in the Milks Quality Curricular Code related to the freezing point were updated from degrees Celsius to Hortvet. 
 
2023-2024 Curricular Codes Changes - List A
All proposed curricular code changes for the next Career Development Event season must be submitted to the CATA office by June 1, 2023. The proposed changes must be approved by the CATA contest advisor and the CDE host site contest coordinator, if any of the following apply:
  • The proposed changes will require a contest to open out of rotation.
  • The proposed change will affect General Rules.
  • The proposed change will affect the awards needed.
  • The proposed change will affect tabulations/scorecards.
  • The proposed change will affect contest forms.
  • The proposed change will affect contest hosting site. (e.g. additional facilities, new sections, additional scoring, etc.)

If a contest is being opened out of rotation, it is also suggested that the author of the proposed changes be present at the pre-conference CATA Governing Board meeting to justify the contest's opening. 

For additional information go to our website at Curricular Code Changes (calagteachers.org).

Career Development Events on Probation 
The following CDE events were placed on probation at the 2022 CATA Summer Conference, Ag Computers, Farm Business Management, Vine Judging, Marketing Plan, and Food Science & Technology. Probation was assigned for lack of participation in prior years. The CATA Governing Board will look at participation in these events during 2022-23 and make determinations about continuing the contests.
NAAE Updates
NAAE Region I Conference 
The National Association of Agricultural Educators Region I Conference is happening in Bozeman, Montana from May 30 to June 2. Registration is $350 and the program will include professional development, tours, business sessions, and an awards dinner. More information and registration can be found at the 2023 Region I Conference website. 
NAAE Convention Professional Development Workshop Request for Proposals
NAAE is now accepting proposals for professional development workshops to be presented at the 2023 NAAE Convention in Phoenix, Arizona from November 28 to December 28. Share your innovative techniques, research, or materials during in-person workshops appropriate for middle and secondary agricultural educators, teacher educators, and post-secondary agricultural educators. Visit the convention website to submit a proposal.
Thank You Corporate Members!
The California Ag Teachers Association appreciates the commitment of our corporate members who support agricultural education.