Education Roundup for the Week Ending May 25, 2012
SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education (CDE) today issued this week's Education Roundup of education-related announcements of public interest.
New Parent Handbook Available in Spanish
The Parent Handbook for California Common Core Standards is now available in Spanish. A "standard" means the knowledge, concepts, and skills students should acquire at each grade level.
The original publication in English was produced in 2011 by the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association and the Sacramento County Office of Education. The Spanish translation was produced by the CDEClearinghouse for Multilingual Documents.
The Parent Handbook supports local school efforts for effective communication with parents, including school site councils, and parent involvement initiatives. It provides a detailed overview of what students will be learning in English-language Arts and mathematics programs that are aligned with California Common Core Standards.
Teachers interested in using portions of the translation for back-to-school night, parent/teacher conferences, or Public Schools Week may duplicate sections pertaining to the grade levels or subjects they teach.
Users may download the free publications in English and Spanish versions from CDE Web page, California Stakeholder Organizations, keywords "parent handbook"; and the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association Web page, Common Core Standards Communication Tools 
, keywords "parent handbook." For questions about the Spanish translation, email the Clearinghouse for Multilingual Documents at cmd@cde.ca.gov.
, keywords "parent handbook." For questions about the Spanish translation, email the Clearinghouse for Multilingual Documents at cmd@cde.ca.gov.New Student Mental Health
Policy Workgroup Convened
In an effort to address state budget cuts over the past several years to mental health services that have affected student support services, the CDE today announced a Student Mental Health Policy Workgroup will soon meet to assess the mental health needs of California students.
Many students have mental health issues that interfere with their development, daily life, and education. The consequences of a mild mental health need can easily escalate to a full lifetime mental illness requiring more costly services and other problems, including dropping out of school, disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration, and even suicide.
The volunteer Workgroup consists of 35 school teachers, counselors, social workers, psychologists, nurses, and administrators, as well as state and county mental health professionals. The Workgroup will make policy recommendations to State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and the California Legislature designed to address student mental health needs.
The Workgroup is funded by the California Mental Health Services Authority, an organization of county governments working to improve mental health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities. It administers programs on a statewide, regional, and local basis through the Mental Health Services Act as a result of Proposition 63.
Meeting the mental health needs of students is part of Torlakson’s concept of meeting the needs of the whole child within hisBlueprint for Great Schools - Initiatives & Programs.
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Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100