As November unfolds, it's a time for us to embrace gratitude and extend our heartfelt appreciation to those who play a significant role in shaping lives, both in our community and beyond. At the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE), we are profoundly thankful for your dedication to our students and the collaborative spirit that defines our work together. With this sense of gratitude in mind, we kick off the November issue of our LCAP newsletter with a heartwarming quote from Albert Schweitzer that celebrates the dedication of our educators, "At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has caused a thousand times in others what we so deeply cherish." These words beautifully encapsulate the gratitude we hold for our educators at SDCOE and their unwavering commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of our students.
We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the dedicated school districts that actively participated in our Putting it All Together sessions. Your commitment to shaping the future of education in San Diego County is truly commendable, and it was inspiring to witness such robust engagement. We are excited to announce that our next session is just around the corner in December, and we eagerly look forward to building on the momentum.
Now is an ideal opportunity for us to come together and fortify our strategies. This involves the crucial process of assessing your initiative inventory, establishing effective systems for both qualitative and quantitative data collection, and meticulously aligning your LCAP goals and actions with LCFF priorities while prioritizing clear equity goals for our students.
SDCOE is here to guide and empower local educational agencies (LEAs) in developing and maximizing the impact of their plans. We aim for the resources in this newsletter and on the SDCOE LCAP website to not only keep you informed about recent legislation and deadlines but also to ignite inspiration. Thank you for your dedication to the students of San Diego County. Together, we look forward to a promising future in education.
Director
858-295-8827
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2023-24 LCAP Cycle
Senate Bill (SB) 114 was signed into law on July 10, 2023. Among other things, SB 114 amended California Education Code (EC) Section 52064, which requires that revisions be made to the LCAP template and instructions for the 2024–25 school year.
The California Department of Education (CDE) approved the updates and revisions to the 2024-25 LCAP template on Nov. 8. Here is a link to the SBE agenda materials. We will notify our listserv when the official templates are published.
LCAP Midyear Update
The school district superintendent shall present a report on the annual update to the LCAP and the local control funding formula budget overview for parents on or before Feb. 28 of each year, at a regularly scheduled meeting of the governing board of the school district. LEAs have flexibility to provide the update to their governing board and community as they see fit, and must address the available midyear outcome data, expenditures, and implementation data on all actions related to metrics identified in the current year’s LCAP.
Document Tracking Services (DTS) has created a resource that can be used to collect midyear data. It is not a mandatory template, instead it is a way to collect and organize information to prepare for the midyear presentation. The advantage of the template is that it auto-populates the goal, action, action description, if the action is contributing, and the total budgeted. It should currently be on your home screen. If you have questions about this template, email Aaron Tarazón from DTS at aaron@doc-tracking.com.
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Stay informed by visiting and bookmarking the SDCOE LCAP and LCFF Resources for School Districts webpage for up-to-date information. All sessions are virtual until further notice. Zoom information will be supplied once registration is confirmed. Please note that we have added new workshops that will begin in January.
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Putting It All Together Professional Learning
Registration is now open! Our Putting it All Together 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 be held from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and remain virtual, with the exception of April 30, which will be held on the SDCOE main campus in the JRRTC Comm. Labs. For 2023-24, we will meet on the following Tuesdays:
Once registration is confirmed, a corresponding link will be sent prior to each virtual session.
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Local Control and Accountability Plan 101
This workshop was developed for anyone new to the LCAP process. This session discusses the 2023-24 LCAP template, required timelines, and how to engage educational partners.
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LCAP Template and Instructions
This workshop will provide an overview of the template and instructions for the development of the 2024-25 LCAP, and the start of a new three-year cycle.
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Goal Analysis
This workshop will provide an overview for completing the goal analysis for goals from the 2023-24 LCAP to complete the 2021-24 LCAP cycle.
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Equity Multiplier
This workshop will provide an overview of the required goals for schools receiving equity multiplier funds.
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Goals, Actions, and Metrics
This workshop will provide an overview of the completion of the Goals and Actions section of the 2024-25 LCAP.
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Local Indicators
California's accountability system is based on a multiple measures system that assesses how LEAs and schools are meeting the needs of their students. Performance on these measures is reported through the California School Dashboard. LCFF priorities for which there is no state level data collected are referred to as local indicators. This workshop will provide an overview of the California School Dashboard Local Indicator process for 2024 and how it relates to the development of the 2024-25 LCAP.
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Increased or Improved Services
This workshop will provide an overview of the completion of the Increased and Improved Services section of the 2024-25 LCAP.
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State and Federal Accountability Updates Meetings
These virtual meetings provide LEAs with timely information around assessment, funding, LCAP, state and federal programs, and more. They occur on Thursdays most months from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Please use this OMS link to sign up for the updates.
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Community Engagement Liaison
Our SDCOE Community Engagement Liaison meeting on Tues., Sept. 26, discussed the Center for Educational Innovation (CEI) and community schools. As we move forward with the 2023-24 school year and seek to develop effective strategies and employ best practices to increase family and community engagement, know that your voice is extremely valuable to the academic success of our students and San Diego County.
FYI: Pending dates for the year
- Nov. 28, 2023
- Jan. 30, 2024
- March 19, 2024
- May 21, 2024
If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to email LaShae Sharp-Collins or call 858-298-8773.
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The North Star Spotlight is a platform devoted to celebrating excellence in education and highlighting initiatives aligned with state priorities. Here, we showcase the noteworthy achievements, initiatives, and goals pursued by our education community, all aimed at fostering a brighter future for every student. In this edition, our focus shifts to the San Diego County Improving Chronic Absence Network (ICAN), exploring how its endeavors align with LCFF Priority 5 - Pupil Engagement.
ICAN's primary mission is to substantially reduce the countywide chronic absence rate from 30% to 10% by 2025. Chronic absenteeism is a pivotal aspect of LCFF Priority 5, which encompasses school attendance, chronic absenteeism, middle school dropout, high school dropout, and high school graduation rates.
In 2022, one in three students in San Diego County grappled with chronic absenteeism. Similar numbers prompted the inception of ICAN in 2019. The network is strategically designed to address this issue by assisting schools in adopting evidence-based practices that enhance student attendance, seamlessly aligning with the goals of LCFF Priority 5. ICAN underscores these practices, employing coaches to assist schools in building effective attendance teams and leveraging data analysis to identify at-risk students. ICAN adheres to a structured improvement roadmap covering relationships, communication, climate and culture, and attendance structures and routines.
A fundamental element of ICAN's success lies in its commitment to fostering a sense of belonging within the school community, ensuring that students feel connected and valued. The network advocates for asset-based approaches, steering away from punitive measures to prevent marginalization or adverse effects on students. Recent results indicate promising progress, with 17 out of 18 schools experiencing a reduction in chronic absenteeism, averaging a 9% decrease.
ICAN serves as a beacon of progress toward SDCOE's North Star goal. Its commitment to lowering chronic absenteeism rates reflects a dedication to creating a brighter future for all students in San Diego County. While challenges persist, these outcomes signify meaningful strides attributed to the strategies emphasized by ICAN. For those interested in participating in upcoming ICAN cohorts, please contact Julia Bridi at julia.bridi@sdcoe.net for more information.
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New CAST and ELPAC Interim Assessments
The California Science Test (CAST) and ELPAC Interim Assessments are now available for LEAs to administer to students in the test delivery system.
In addition, student responses to interim assessment items requiring hand scoring are available in the Teacher Hand Scoring System or, for specific ELPAC Interim Assessments, in the Data Entry Interface. Once hand scoring is completed, the following data becomes available for CAST and ELPAC Interim Assessments in the California Educator Reporting System (CERS):
- Overall scale scores
- Performance levels
- Custom aggregate reports
- Key and distractor analysis for selected-response items
Test items and student responses for CAST and ELPAC Interim Assessments will be viewable in the CERS in early 2024, and Individual Student Reports for these new assessments will be available in CERS in late July 2024.
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Opportunity for Free Social Emotional and Climate Survey Data Platform
We know that systemic SEL implementation requires feedback loops across all levels to drive practice improvements. With that in mind, through the CalHOPE grant and through the generous support from the Department of Health Care Services, all California schools have access to this no-cost opportunity of Kelvin for two years (staff and student surveys), with a discounted rate available after June 2025. This survey data can be used for improving school climate, determining social emotional supports needed, as well as satisfying LCAP, LCFF local Indicator, SPSA, and other accountability requirements.
What is Kelvin?
Kelvin is a survey platform for students, teachers, parents, administrators, and districts to use. Kelvin’s “Pulse” surveys are a quick, formative way to provide teachers and education leaders with actionable data that allows them to understand where their students and schools are thriving, and where extra support should be targeted.
Kelvin will gather real-time and formative data on how your students and staff feel about the following dimensions: Emotional Experiences, Resources for Coping, Safety and Connection, Opportunities for Student Voice and Leadership, Experiences with Culturally/Linguistically Responsive Environments. Reach out to hello@kelvin.education to learn more about this no-cost opportunity and resource available to all California schools and districts. Please view this document for more information.
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The Transformative SEL Collective: A Virtual Learning Community
Transformative social and emotional learning is a process whereby young people and adults build strong, respectful, and lasting relationships that facilitate co-learning to develop equitable, collaborative solutions that lead to personal, community, and societal well-being.
Leveraging the collective wisdom of our educational community and content expert partners, this collaborative learning series is designed to:
- Deepen our understanding of the science of social and emotional well-being
- Provide opportunities for networking and action planning
- Experience well-being as adult learning in a nurturing community
- Share strategies, evidence-based practices, and ideas for supporting all members of the learning community
- Showcase implementation efforts
Who: School and community mental health professionals, educational leaders, teachers, family engagement staff, and community partners are all invited to attend.
What: This series will support educators in deepening their understanding and implementation of transformative social and emotional learning.
When: All sessions will be held from 2:30 to 4 p.m.
- Feb. 23 — Refilling Depleted Reservoirs
- April 20 — Integrating Transformative Social and Emotional Learning and Academics
- Aug. 10 — Social and Emotional Learning Data: Measuring and Meaning Making with Kelvin
- Oct. 12 — Enlisting and Engaging Families
- Dec. 7 — Elevating and Embracing Youth Voice
This learning series is free. Space is limited, so please RSVP as soon as you can!
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New Mental Health App for Young People
Our partner, the Department of Health Care Services, has announced a collaboration with Kooth, a groundbreaking behavioral health app designed to provide essential mental health support for young people. Beginning in Jan. 2024, this platform will be available to all Californians aged 13 to 25, offering an array of invaluable resources at no cost. CalHOPE Youth will provide interactive digital educational materials, self-monitoring tools, engaging app-based games, mindfulness exercises, and convenient access to on-demand, one-on-one coaching sessions. If you are interested in receiving more information about this free resource for your students, please complete this interest form.
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Are you a classroom teacher who would like to learn more about social and emotional learning?
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What: The SEL Foundations course offered by UC Berkeley is a 12-week, three-credit, online, graduate-level course. The SEL Foundations course will bolster participants’ capacity to support their students with research-based SEL and well-being practices in their classrooms and schools, while supporting their own personal development and wellness.
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Who: This course is designed for classroom teachers who work directly with PreK-12th grade students.
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When: The course begins in Feb. 2024.
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How: Teachers can click here to complete an interest form, or share the link with others: https://tinyurl.com/SEL-Courses-Waitlist.
Please review this information for a more detailed course overview, and complete this short form if you are interested in enrolling. UC Berkeley will let you know when there is space in the course and how you can enroll. The university will open slots in accordance with demand. Let's create additional demand together!
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Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) Updates
On July 20, 2023, CDE sent additional information regarding the 2023-24 Advance Principal Apportionment and a change to Rate 2 for the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P). The full notification distributed to LEAs is now available.
Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) - New FAQs from the California Department of Education (CDE)
The Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) provides funding for afterschool and summer school enrichment programs for transitional kindergarten through 6th grade. It is the intent of the Legislature that all LEAs offer all unduplicated pupils in classroom-based instructional programs access to comprehensive after-school and intersessional expanded learning opportunities. LEA's must operate the ELO-P 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 Local Educational Agency's (LEA’s) governing board in a public meeting and posted on the LEA's website.
The California Department of Education, Expanded Learning Division, is excited to share that the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program have been updated as of Oct. 3. This section has been updated to reflect the guidance of Senate Bill 114 and address several pertinent program concerns, all of which are posted on the California Department of Education website at Expanded Learning Opportunities Program FAQs – Expanded Learning (CA Dept. of Education).
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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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