Issue: #76                                                     

 January 2017
In This Issue
Silicon Valley Regional Data Trust Launches


What if we could map the impact of multi-agency coordination of services on children's educational, social and health outcomes? That is the question that led to the creation of the Silicon Valley Regional Data Trust (SVRDT) -- an integrated data system combining data from public schools and health, human service and juvenile justice agencies in the three counties in Silicon Valley: San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz.

SVRDT was the focus of "Data Driven Solutions for Silicon Valley: A Conversation with Distinguished Leaders," a meeting held on January 17, 2017, at the Santa Clara County Office of Education
(l.to r.) Dr. George Blumenthal, Chancellor, UC-Santa Cruz; Michael C. Watkins, Superintendent, Santa Cruz COE; keynote speaker Dr.Priscilla Chan; Anne Campbell, Superintendent, SMCOE; and SCCOE Superintendent Mr. Jon Gundry join together at the SVRDT event. (photo courtesy of SCCOE.)
and jointly sponsored by the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE), the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE), the Santa Cruz County Office of Education and SVRDT. In attendance were community leaders and county office staff from all three counties.

Marcy Lauck, founder and co-director of the SVRDT and Director of Data Governance at the SCCOE, explained that 70 percent of variance in academic outcomes is due to non-school factors. Linking data among various agencies, she said, will allow for early intervention and personalized solutions that are "powerful and immediate" for students. School officials will have access to student data and will be able to "slice and dice the data," viewing academic assessment, attendance, health, and juvenile justice data all in one place.  The data dashboard will give school personnel a clear way to see who is on and off track.

Superintendent Anne Campbell introduced the keynote speaker, Dr. Priscilla Chan, pediatrician and co-founder of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which has provided a grant toward funding the SVRDT, and The Primary School, and extolled her "courage to make bold bets" through her work as a pediatrician, philanthropist and education entrepreneur while citing her most important role--mom to her infant daughter, Max.

"I am honored to be at the launch of this important project," Chan said. "Integrated, coordinated data is so important to guiding all of our efforts. We can't address problems we don't see and integrating data systems will allow us to address the root causes of the achievement gap."

A panel discussion followed moderated by David Cortese, Santa Clara County Supervisor. Panelists Juan Cruz, Superintendent of the Franklin-McKinley School District in San Jose; Dr. David Haussler, Distinguished Professor of Biomolecular Engineering and Scientific Director of the Genomic Institute at UC Santa Cruz; Honorable Patrick Tondreau, Juvenile Court Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, Santa Clara County discussed and provided examples of the importance of data in doing their work.

Superintendent Cruz described how using the SVRDT allowed a school to look at behavioral incidents within a school and zero in on one kindergartner who had 20 incidents. By calling out this data they were able to say "Aha, something's going on here," and from there determine appropriate interventions. Dr. Haussler described how sharing pediatric cancer data across several institutions enabled doctors to get drug information to prolong a patient's life.

"Academic readiness starts with meeting a student's social/emotional needs," noted Superintendent Cruz. "We talk a lot about trauma-informed care but that can only happen if we have the necessary data in hand."
 

 
SMCOE Addresses Critical
Teacher Shortage


Inspiring students in high school to become teachers could be one way to address the critical teacher shortage. That was the topic of a meeting at the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) that brought together 30 representatives of school districts, community colleges, San Francisco State University and SMCOE to deepen their understanding of the teacher shortage, learn about some innovative approaches to addressing this issue and begin to plan for next steps.

Superintendent Anne Campbell welcomed the group and emphasized that the San Mateo County Office of Education
Dr. Greg Nicholson of Project Tomorrow answers questions about 2 pilot projects designed to attract high school students to teaching careers.
is committed to providing leadership and support on this critical issue. Work in this area aligns with Goal 2 of SMCOE's two-year strategic plan--"to advance the profession and value of educators through recruitment, retention, workforce diversity, leadership development, communication, and career-long professional development."

Daina Lujan, principal at Meadows Elementary School in Millbrae, Vice President of the South San Francisco Unified School District School Board, and a member of the SMCOE Teacher Pipeline Working Group, gave the audience some background and statistics on the teacher shortage.

California needs 22,000 teachers annually and 7 percent leave the profession each year. There are not enough teachers in the pipeline to meet the demand. In California, 440,000 students graduate each year from high school. If we could attract 5 percent of these graduates to the teaching profession, we would be on our way to solving the problem. But currently there are few high school programs in place to attract students to teaching.

Dr. Greg Nicholson of Project Tomorrow then gave an overview of two pilot projects-- YouthTEACH2Learn (YT2L) and Educators Rising California--both designed to attract high school students to teaching careers.YT2L is a high school program currently in place in 24 schools in Southern California where students take a content-focused career exploration course about teaching and then co-teach 6 to 12 lessons in an elementary school. Students get the benefit of exploring teaching as a career and gain valuable field experience in the classroom.  Educators Rising California is a chapter of the national organization of campus-based student groups that promote the development of aspiring teachers. The organization sponsors regional conferences, internships and state competitions.

Following Nicholson's presentation, Peter Burchyns, retired SMCOE administrator, facilitated the discussion on next steps for San Mateo County. Many expressed interest in designing a career tech pathway for teaching in the high schools, deepening partnerships that already exist among high school districts, community colleges and universities, and further exploration of bringing YT2L and Educators Rising to the county.

"If we want to recruit the teachers of tomorrow, we need to start with middle and high school students," says Burchyns. "We need to inform them about the benefits and challenges of teaching careers and get rid of the misconceptions about low salaries and lack of job security."

The Teacher Pipeline Working Group, with representatives from SMCOE, school district and community college administrators, and the Graduate College of Education at San Francisco State University, has been meeting regularly at SMCOE for the past year and will continue to address this issue.

 "We're not only analyzing the teacher shortage or how to add candidates to the pipeline," adds Lujan, "but really looking at recruiting, training and sustaining those in the profession. An important next step will be to flesh out what a career tech pathway in teaching might look like."



 
SMCOE Gets Grant to Assist Classified Staff in Earning Credentials


In mid-December the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) received a state grant that will support 50 classified staff members from around the county in earning their teaching credentials.

The grant comes from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) through the California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program and is in response to the teacher shortage affecting many districts across California, especially in the areas of math, science, special education and bilingual education.

 In total, the state is awarding $20 million in grants for this program. The CTC received applications to cover teacher_students.jpg 5,582 classified employees but only had funding for 1,000 employees. SMCOE was one of 25 agencies winning the grants and got funding for 50 employees, each of whom will receive up to $4,000 per year in reimbursements to cover tuition, books, and any certification tests they need to take.

Interest in this program has been high among classified staff from school districts across the county who submitted applications to SMCOE by the January 20, 2017 deadline. Applicants had to have completed their B. A. and include a letter of reference from their supervisor, transcripts, a current resume and statement of purpose. Those who are chosen to be funded through this grant will be required to teach in San Mateo County an equivalent number of years once they receive their credential.

"Classified staff know kids and know their schools," says Lori Musso, SMCOE Administrator, Curriculum and Instruction Services, who wrote the grant with Sue Wieser, SMCOE Associate Superintendent, Human Resources, and who are jointly overseeing the application process. "For many, it has always been their dream to become a teacher."

SMCOE will provide oversight, leadership and support to those chosen to receive the $4,000 annual stipend. Priority will be given to those seeking a mild/moderate disabilities (M/M) special education credential and multiple subject elementary credential. San Francisco State University will offer credential classes beginning in the summer and in the evenings in San Mateo County, and these classes will be streamlined so that employees can get the classes they need. SMCOE will provide an advisor for each student, and each student will be part of a cohort of classified employees that will lend support.

"I can't think of a better place to grow teachers than with our own classified staff," adds Musso.  "The $4,000 reimbursement won't pay for everything but it will pay for a good chunk."

"We are excited to be part of this program and create systems of support for classified employees to become teachers in San Mateo County," adds Wieser. "This initiative is one way to address the teaching shortage and hire qualified candidates who reflect the makeup of our local communities."


 
SMCOE Board Passes Resolution in Support of Undocumented Students


In light of recent developments and rhetoric about immigrants throughout the course of the recent national elections, the San Mateo County Board of Education unanimously passed a resolution in support of undocumented students and their families on January 18, 2017.

"The board requested putting out this statement of principles and outlining that schools should be a safe place,"
Superintendent Anne Campbell introduces the resolution supporting undocumented students at the January 18, 2017 SMCOE board meeting.
said Superintendent Anne Campbell in introducing the resolution.  "We do not believe that we should have registries of immigrant students." 

"A free public education is for everybody regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity and is the foundation of our democracy," said board member Susan Alvaro prior to the meeting.  "We are all children of immigrants. Many came here fleeing repression and violence because they wanted a better life. To turn around and slam the door seems pretty selfish."

The resolution, and similar ones being passed by most school districts around the county, came out of concern for students and their families. "We are definitely seeing an increase in anxiety around the county," said JeneƩ Littrell, Director, Safe and Supportive Schools at the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE). "It's affecting classrooms because when students are fearful they are not in a frame of mind to learn. So when school boards like ours pass such a resolution it sends a strong message to our families, especially in light of so much being unknown about the future."

The resolution makes clear SMCOE's commitment to support all of its students and families, including the undocumented. SMCOE will not collect information regarding students' and families' immigration status when enrolling students in SMCOE programs nor will it release information about immigration status to federal agencies or other authorities. 

The full text of the resolution can be found on the meeting agenda here.
SMCOE also sent an email to all districts with resources for immigrant families. These resources can also be found on the SMCOE website

Governor Brown's Proposed Budget Prudent and Restrained

Taking a conservative stance in anticipation of lower revenues coming into state coffers, Governor Jerry Brown released his annual budget proposal on January 10, 2017 for the fiscal year that begins on July 1. "We are in very uncertain times," Brown said. His proposal calls for lowering funding for schools by $500 million in the current year and adding a little more than a cost-of-living (COLA) increase in the 2017-18 budget.

The COLA increase means an additional $744 million for schools and will allow districts to maintain their level of
spending. But the proposed budget does not include any additional revenues to offset retirement system payments to school district employees, which have a significant impact on districts and the County Office of Education. One-time monies will be less than in the past at $48 per ADA (average daily attendance-per pupil funding).

"The administration is taking a prudent and conservative stance in light of the lower projected revenues," notes Denise Porterfield, Deputy Superintendent at the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE). "In the proposed budget, revenue for schools is increased but not at the same level as in recent years."  

Funding for the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) will remain at 96 percent of full funding (where it is this year) but the state is still on target to reach full funding in 2020-21, according to Michael Cohen, the director of the state Department of Finance.

Voters approved Proposition 51 in November allowing for $7 billion in bonds for school facilities but Brown said he would not release these funds until the state legislature establishes better auditing procedures to document how the money will be spent. Proposition 55, the extension of Proposition 30 which provides additional tax dollars for schools, also passed in November but won't kick in until 2018-19 and so will not affect this year's budget. "We need to remember that if Prop. 55 had not passed we would be facing serious cuts to education," adds Porterfield.

Brown proposes delaying the planned increases in state-subsidized preschool slots and reimbursement rates for providers. Slots added in 2016 would be funded but no new slots would be funded until 2018-19.

On special education Brown recognized the November report by the Public Policy Institute of California as well as the work of the state's special education task force, and called for engaging in stakeholder input in the spring to reform how special education is funded.

While last year's budget included $20 million in planning grants for colleges to move forward combining a teaching credential and undergraduate degree in four years and $10 million to subsidize classified school staff who want to pursue a credential, this year's budget does not include any new money to address the teacher shortage.

"The economy is flat-lining," says Porterfield. "Tax revenues are not coming in as expected so districts really need to look at cost containment and now is not the time to grow programs."

From here the Governor's budget goes to the state legislature for discussion and modifications with the final budget due by the end of June.
 

Check Us Out on Facebook

   

The San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) now has a page on Facebook. We'll be providing frequent updfacebook logoates on SMCOE events and education news of interest, adding groups of interest, and linking to other education organizations. Check us out and "like" us today on Facebook!  
  
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About the San Mateo County Office of Education
  
The San Mateo County Office of Education provides a variety of instructional, business and consulting services to the County's 23 public school districts, charter schools, the Community College District and County Office of Education staff. 
  
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