Oct. 15th
Debra Duardo, M.S.W., Ed.D.
Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools


It seems a lifetime ago when I joined with LA County and City officials on April 1, 2019 at Grand Park to mark the countdown to the 2020 Census.

Knowing that school personnel are trusted messengers in their communities, I committed LACOE to a comprehensive outreach campaign. Since that time, despite many challenges, LA County's school districts and our team have done an amazing job.

Their work has been tireless — producing trainings, curriculums, resources, special events, social media contests, telethons, chalkathons and more. All of it focused on reaching our hard-to-count students and families in partnership with districts and like-minded organizations.

My heartfelt thanks go to our many Census partners and to the LACOE team led by General Counsel Vibiana Andrade, including Carolina Sheinfeld and Esmeralda Flores. Though the Census was cut short, there has been no limit to their passion and commitment to ensuring that "Everyone Counts — Todos Cuentan!"
Accountability, Support & Monitoring
Comprehensive Support & Improvement plans:

All LEAs with schools identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement on the 2019 California School Dashboard are required to complete and submit a 2020-21 CSI plan by Oct. 31, 2020.

As a result of COVID-19, Senate Bill 98 eliminated the Local Control and Accountability Plan for the 2020-21 school year, making the CSI plan a separate document. To meet the plan approval requirements, LEAs with schools identified for CSI are required to complete the 2020-21 CSI Prompts Form and submit it to LACOE for review and approval.

The CDE has provided the 2020-21 CSI Prompts Walk-through Webinar slides to assist in understanding the process and timeline for completing and submitting the 2020-21 CSI Prompts.
Curriculum & Instruction
LACOE’s Physical Education and Comprehensive Health unit is proud to present the Health Education Framework Project Rollout. 
  
All educators and providers that support Health Education are invited to attend these free events. 
Health Education teams (nurses, teachers, TUPE support staff, mental health providers, Health Education teachers and nutrition education providers) are encouraged to participate. 
  
The Health Education Project Rollout will take place according the Service Planning Area in which districts are located, from 1:00-3:00 pm. 
  
The first group of sessions runs from Oct. 21-29. Three additional sessions will take place throughout the 2020-21 school year with the following projected plan: 
  
  • Session 1: Health Education in California Schools (an introduction and additional supports for Health Education) will take place in October 2020 
  • Session 2: Nutrition & Physical Activity and Mental, Emotional and Social Health deeper dive 
  • Session 3: Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drugs along with Personal & Community Health deeper dive 
  • Session 4: Growth, Development & Sexual Health along with Injury Prevention & Safety  

  
For more information, contact Tonya Moore, LACOE coordinator of Physical Education & Comprehensive Health, 562-922-8629.
Foster Youth
Assisting students in foster care during FAFSA season:

With the start of the FAFSA on Oct. 1, LACOE’s Foster Youth Services and John Burton Advocates for Youth have created a toolkit for counselors. The toolkit provides insights into the unique challenges that students in foster care face when filling out the FAFSA and preparing for college.
 
 
Technology devices and caregiver assistance with use of technology:

Many students in foster care are still without a technological device or were issued devices that no longer work.

LACOE's Foster Youth Services program has partnered with the LA County Dept. of Children and Family Services, iFoster, Children's Law Center and other community organizations to help secure devices for our most vulnerable students. A short survey has been sent to all district liaisons to obtain technology needs information that would benefit students.

Please take a minute to fill out this very short survey so that LACOE can assist with bridging this gap. Complete the survey.

Nutrition & Meal Service
  • The USDA has extended nationwide COVID-19 waivers that allow free school meals to continue through June 30, 2021. Get more information.

Special Ed Training on Passport System - Oct. 16
Several LACOE divisions and programs have teamed up to offer a training opportunity for Special Education directors, program coordinators/specialists and IEP tracking system clerical staff on how to upload Special Education records to the Educational Passport System and related laws for foster youth on Friday, Oct. 16 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Register for the training here or contact Karen Voigt, 562-803-8300.
Resources for Districts & Schools
LA County Hotspot Locator click here

Return to School Plan for Small-Group Services (LACOE) click here

Tools for Teachers (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium) click here

Distance Teaching & Learning Modules (CCEE) click here