Hello fall! As we lean into cool, crisp weather, pumpkin spice everything, and family traditions, our team continues to plan up-to-date support for your Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) development and implementation.
October is here and districts are posting their approved LCAPs on their websites, planning for and executing meaningful educational partner engagement, and planning for data work. Our team at the county office is preparing for upcoming professional learning sessions and informational workshops.
The San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) is committed to supporting local education agencies (LEAs) in developing and maximizing the impact of their plans. We hope the resources in this this newsletter and on our website keep you up-to-date with recent legislation and deadlines, and provide technical support.
Director
858-295-8827
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Time to Post Your LCAPs
LEAs, refer to Education Code Section 52065 for guidance on posting LCAPs.
The superintendent of a school district shall do both of the following:
- Prominently post on the homepage of the internet website of the school district any local control and accountability plan approved by the governing board of the school district and any updates, revisions, or addenda, including those to comply with federal law, to a local control and accountability plan approved by the governing board of the school district.
- Prominently post all local control and accountability plans submitted by charter schools that were authorized by the school district, or links to those plans, and any updates, revisions, or addenda, including those to comply with federal law, on the internet website of the school district.
A county superintendent of schools shall do all of the following:
- Prominently post on the homepage of the internet website of the county office of education any local control and accountability plan approved by the county board of education, and any updates, revisions, or addenda, including those to comply with federal law, to a local control and accountability plan approved by the county board of education.
- Prominently post all local control and accountability plans submitted by school districts and charter schools, or links to those plans, on the internet website of the county office of education.
- Transmit or otherwise make available to the superintendent all local control and accountability plans submitted to the county superintendent of schools by school districts and charter schools, and the local control and accountability plan approved by the county board of education.
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Establishing Parent Advisory Committees
Existing law requires the governing board of a school district and the county superintendent of schools to establish parent advisory committees (PACs) to provide advice to certain persons and entities regarding school accountability, as specified. Existing law also requires a parent advisory committee to include parents or legal guardians of certain pupils, including pupils who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals, pupils who are foster youth, and pupils of limited English proficiency.
AB 181 added language that states, "A parent advisory committee shall include parents or legal guardians of currently enrolled pupils in the school district to whom one or more of the definitions in Section 42238.01 apply, and parents or legal guardians of currently enrolled pupils with disabilities in the school district" - AB 181 Sec. 80 (52063) (a)(2). Please note that this information pertains to districts only. Charter schools were not mentioned in the initial language. LEAs are encouraged to carefully review AB 181 in order to plan for services to students with disabilities in the upcoming school year, as appropriate.
Beginning July 1, 2024, SB 997 requires the governing board of a school district serving middle or high school pupils and a county superintendent of schools to include at least two pupils as full members of the parent advisory committee to serve for a renewable term of one full school year, or to establish a student advisory committee as specified in Education Code Section 52063.
Communication is vital! Statute specifically requires the governing board of the LEA to establish the PAC. If the governing board gives that responsibility to the LEA, it should be communicated. As a reminder, PAC meetings are public meetings that any public member may attend and address items on the agenda, consistent with the open meeting requirements in EC Section 35147. The key to success is open communication between the governing board, the LEA, and the community.
California Dashboard Toolkit
In preparation for the California Department of Education (CDE) Dashboard release, LEAs can refer to informational material provided on the Dashboard Communications Toolkit CDE webpage. You’ll find flyers for parents and educators and additional technical guides. We will keep you updated on upcoming webinars and resources as they become available.
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Putting it All Together — Oct. 11
During our October Putting it All Together (PIAT) session, we focused on multilingual learners and how to support our students holistically while targeting support via the LCAP.
Multilingual Learner Asset-Based Mindsets: A model where educators intentionally focus on their mindsets about their students. Educators build on students’ languages and cultures, and celebrate the strengths, gifts, and talents students bring to the classroom. All levels of the system focus on mindsets about students and families that build on languages and cultures, and celebrate their strengths, gifts, and talents.
Alignment: LEAs that align local, state, and federal requirements for multilingual learners provide a more comprehensive program. We have found that LEAs that include elements of the English Learner Roadmap, Federal Program Monitoring requirements, and the LCAP Federal Addendum while planning, create cohesive, integrated programs. For example, when creating a plan for English learner parent participation, the integration of requirements from the LCAP, ESSA, and Title III provides a cohesive approach, especially in how the system responds to and plans for support for their multilingual students. See this document for alignment between the LCAP, EL Roadmap, Californian’s Together LCAP Toolkit, and Federal Program Monitoring. Please note that this resource provides a way to look at alignment across multiple requirements/resources and does not include all of the required elements.
Data Considerations: “The solution to systemic generational inequality will never come from a single source. If we continue to build our analysis and approaches around standardized testing and other big data, we are missing an opportunity to reimagine learning in a post-pandemic world.”
Safir and Dugan, Standardized tests aren’t the only meaningful data on student performance (opinion),
Sept. 19, 2022, EdWeek
According to Safir and Dugan, it is important to frame our thinking around the following considerations:
- How do we adjust the role of big quantitative data in school improvement efforts?
- How do we shift our focus from so-called “achievement gaps” to opportunity gaps by gathering qualitative information close to the learner?
- How do we listen to the stories on the margins of our schools and districts as the most valuable of all equity-focused data?
In addition, consider:
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Data Quality: Are data well organized and presented in data displays that are easy to interpret? Does our system use multiple measures to ensure relevance and the ability to triangulate from more than one data set?
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Data Culture: Is collaboration among staff highly valued? Do school leaders model data-driven decision making?
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Data Capacity: Does our system provide data literacy, assessment literacy skills, and professional learning to support in building capacity around how to analyze multiple types of data and properly interpret results? Does this occur at all levels of our system?
Moving Toward Decision-Driven Data Collection from Data-Driven Decision-Making: It is essential that educational systems collect the RIGHT data to answer the questions they have, instead of trying to answer questions using the same data we always have (that may not be valid for the purpose, not the right grain size, etc.). When considering what data to collect, it is important to identify the “right” data to answer questions, such as:
- What data can we collect to illuminate patterns of achievement and equity?
- Examples: Summative, gap-gazing measures
- What can be used to identify reading, math, and other student skill gaps or instructional skill gaps?
- Example: Aggregate vs. disaggregate measures
- What can help us understand student, staff, and parent experiences and mindsets?
- Examples: Experiential data, such as empathy interviews, focus groups, listening campaigns, home visits
- Artifacts, stories, observations
- What strengths, gifts, talents do our students bring to our educational system? What can help us see them?
- Examples: Asset-based measures - measures of student characteristics and experiences, including strengths assessments, learner profiles, graduate profiles, individualization that considers and acts upon students’ individual strengths by offering personalized learning options
Equity Actions
The following equity actions were identified in SDCOE’s Equity Blueprint for Action. Systems that respond to our African American, Latinx, and Native American insights support equitable practices:
- Actively use data systems to accurately assess students’ progress and develop appropriate interactions and accelerations.
- Co-construct vision and goals related to acceleration of historically marginalized students; address disproportionality of trends and patterns in course and program offerings; offer both academic and SEL supports.
- Invest in support systems that both intervene in and accelerate student learning (i.e., language acquisition and reclassification, Advanced Placement courses, and college prep)
- Other local equity actions: What other equity actions are identified at the LEA, school, and classroom levels?
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Supporting Multilingual Learners
At our Oct. 11 PIAT session, Dr. Tony Mora shared ways to support multilingual learners within the LCAP and educational system. The English Learner Roadmap provides systemic resources to support multilingual learners. The four interrelated principles below provide support at all levels of the organization. Use the SDCOE website to support your work at the California English Learners Roadmap:
- Principle #1: Assets-Oriented and Needs-Responsive Schools
- Principle #2: Intellectual Quality of Instruction and Meaningful Access
- Principle #3: Systems Conditions That Support Effectiveness
- Principle #4: Alignment and Articulation Within and Across Systems
Another resource from LMU-Center for Equity for English Learners and Californians Together provides an LCAP Toolkit to support systems in evaluating how English learners are supported in the LCAP. There are four parts to the LCAP Toolkit outlined below:
- Part I presents information pertaining to policy, background, and LCAP Toolkit development.
- Part II introduces the English Learner research-Aligned LCAP rubrics.
- Part III offers four additional resources and tools that support the applied use of the rubrics by engaging EL-focused networks in developing, analyzing, and refining LCAP plans.
- Part IV appendices include references and resources.
Integrated and Designated English Language Development (ELD)
Integrated ELD is instruction in which the state-adopted ELD standards are used in tandem with the state-adopted academic content standards. We know this from the ELA/ELD framework and it is also included in the EL FPM instrument. According to Mora, this means that our English learners must be provided with instructional experiences throughout the day and across all disciplines that will support both their linguistic and academic needs. When we reflect on integrated ELD, this includes specially designed academic instruction in English. Effective instructional experiences are:
- Interactive and engaging, meaningful and relevant, and intellectually rich and challenging
- Appropriately scaffolded
- Valued, and build on primary language and culture and other forms of prior knowledge
Descriptions of these integrated instructional strategies can be found in EL Master Plans and/or in a professional development previously provided that specifically describes integrated instructional strategies. In either case, LEAs should provide a description of integrated instructional strategies for all grades and English Language Proficiency levels.
Designated ELD is instruction provided during a time set aside during the school day for focused instruction on the State adopted ELD Standards to assist English learners to develop critical English language skills necessary for academic content learning in English. A description of designated ELD programs, for all grades, TK-12, and all ELP levels should be provided in the EL Master Plan. Again, LEAs can find more information using the EL FPM Instrument. For more information, visit the CA ELD Standards webpage.
Recommendations to support multilingual learners in your system:
- Ensure LCAP alignment with EL Roadmap policy and EL research
- Use LCAP Toolkit (EL rubrics for strengths and weaknesses in LCAP)
- EL Master Plan align with the CA English Learner Roadmap
- Establish effective family community engagement systems to foster collaborative partnerships
- Set differentiated actions and specific metrics for the different EL profiles (AB 1868)
- ELs, RFEPs, long-term English learners, at-risk of becoming long-term English learners, newcomers, and dual language learners (DLLs)
- Disaggregated data by different EL profiles
- Design and implement professional development focused on meeting diverse EL needs
- Conduct needs assessment of teachers, administrators, and instructional support staff, including on-campus after-school program providers, to identify critical professional development needs
- CA English Learner Roadmap
- Integrated and Designated ELD
- Increase bilingual personnel (or bilingual skills of existing personnel), especially front office staff, teachers, and counselors, regardless of the type of language program provided.
- Develop equity-driven processes to build LEA-wide capacity to deliver research-based programs and practices that leverage EL students’ assets and address their specific needs.
- Ensure access to the full range of college preparatory courses or course content at the middle and high school level for EL/MLL students (AB 2735).
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LCAP Professional Learning Series
This year, we are creating multiple professional learning opportunities for our LEAs.
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Putting It All Together Professional Learning
Save the date! Our PIAT sessions are designed to provide a space and time for participants to interact with others from around the county, learn about LCAP requirements, and explore promising practices. Based on your feedback, these sessions will remain virtual until further notice.
Once registration is confirmed, a corresponding link will be sent prior to each session.
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Local Control and Accountability Plan 101
This free workshop is developed for anyone new to the LCAP process. During the session, participants will learn about important timelines, the LCAP template, and planning essential engagement opportunities for stakeholders.
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Assessment, Accountability, and Evaluation Update Meetings
The Assessment, Accountability, and Evaluation (AAE) updates provide LEAs with timely information around assessment, funding, LCAP, state and federal programs, and more. They occur once per month from 2:30 to 4 p.m. virtually; most meetings will be held on Wednesdays with the exception of February, March, and May. Please use this OMS link to sign up for the AAE updates.
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Aug. 24 — Resources
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Sept. 21 — Resources
- Dec. 7
- Jan. 18
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Tuesday, Feb. 14
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Tuesday, March 21
- April 26
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Tuesday, May 23
- June 28
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Parent and Community Workshops
Join the SDCOE School Site Council (SSC), English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC), and District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) as we provide a virtual space for parents and community members to learn about their roles in addressing district/charter school site student achievement. Learn how to impact the education system in a meaningful and effective way by engaging in the committee process. The second session of the six-part series is scheduled for Thurs., Oct. 27 at 4:30 p.m. Translation/Interpretation is available. Please be sure to specify the language needed when completing the registration form.
Purpose:
- Learn more about SSC, DELAC, ELAC.
- Understand the complexities of the School Site Council and how to access resources to deepen your understanding.
- Explore the role parents and community members play in SSC, DELAC, and ELAC.
- Empower parents to participate in their child's districts/charter school student achievement.
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2022 California Assessment Conference: Spots Still Available
Spots are still available at the 2022 California Assessment Conference (CAC)! Enjoy over 72 sessions from the CDE staff, CAC trainers, and LEAs from across California. Tailor your learning specifically to you, or if you cannot attend in person, join our condensed virtual conference. For more information about the conference and to register visit the CAC website.
Introduction to CERS Fall Training Sessions
Registration remains open for the Fall 2022-23 Introduction to the California Educator Reporting System (CERS) online training. CERS is a free tool available to all California LEAs for accessing student assessment results for both interim and summative assessments, using secure logon information. Two distinct training sessions are being offered:
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Introduction to CERS for Coordinators and Administrators, for staff who are responsible for managing the LEA’s use of the CERS system — that is, users who have an LEA or site coordinator role in the Test Operations Management System. Registration for this training session - which will be offered on Oct. 26, from 9 a.m. to noon — is available on the Introduction to CERS for Test Coordinators and Administrators webpage.
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Introduction to CERS for Teachers, for CERS users who have access to CERS data — that is, teachers who have students rostered in the system and other LEA staff who are interested in using CERS. Registration for this training session — which will be offered on Nov. 1, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. — is available on the Introduction to CERS for Teachers webpage.
New Coordinator Training Series, Webinar 3 - Student Practice
Calling all LEA CAASPP and ELPAC coordinators who are new to their role or want a refresher! Webinar 3 of the 2022-23 New Coordinator Webinar Series will take place on Oct. 27 at 3 p.m. This one-hour webinar will review upcoming checklist tasks, delve into resources for student practice, and include a question and answer session. Registration is quick and easy on the New Coordinator Webinar 3 webpage.
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Social and Emotional Support in Distance Learning
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Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P)
The Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) is authorized by 2021-22 Budget Act and Assembly Bill (AB) 130, as amended by AB 167 and updated by AB 181. The purpose of these funds is for school district and charter school after-school and summer school enrichment programs for grades kindergarten through 6th grade (TK/K-6). LEAs must operate the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program pursuant to the requirements in California Education Code Section 46120, including the development of a program plan. The program plan needs to be approved by the LEA’s governing board in a public meeting and posted on the LEA's website.
The System for Support for Expanded Learning (SSEL) at SDCOE is available to support LEAs with ELO-P plans. For any ELO-P-related questions or to schedule a meeting, please contact Brittany Mabe, director, or Liza Flowers, coordinator.
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Get up-to-the-minute information about what's happening at SDCOE and in our districts across the county.
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