Latest News and Comment from Education

Friday, October 9, 2020

Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE) meeting ACSE Agenda October 21, 2020 - Administration & Support (CA Dept of Education)

 Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE) meeting

Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE) meeting

ACSE Agenda October 21, 2020

Important Notice

Please note, the October 2020 Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE) meeting will be held as a teleconference; Room 1101 (board room) will be closed to the public. See ACSE Meeting Logistics section below for options to view and participate in the meeting.

Advisory Commission on Special Education Members

  • David M. Toston, Chair
    Havaughnia Hayes-White, Vice Chair
    Michele Andrus
    Dawn Hamilton
    Somer Harding
    Sara Jocham
    April Lopez
    Christina Mills
    Christine Oyakawa
    Gina Plate
    Kimberly Salomonson
    Jeannine Topalian
    Steven Winlock

Student Member

  • Mike Infante

Legislative Members

  • Honorable Richard Pan, Senate
  • Honorable Jim Frazier, Assembly

State Board of Education Liaison

  • Ilene Straus, State Board Member

Executive Secretary

  • Heather Calomese, Director, Special Education Division
    California Department of Education

All times are approximate and are provided for convenience only. Items may be re-ordered to be heard on any day of the noticed meeting or on a subsequent agenda. The order of business may be changed without notice. Every effort will be made to webcast this meeting in its entirety, but some portions may not be webcast due to logistical constraints.

Reasonable Accommodation for Any Individual with a Disability

Pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, any individual with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation to attend or participate in a meeting or function of the ACSE, may request assistance by contacting the California Department of Education (CDE) Special Education Division (SED), 1430 N Street, Suite 2401, Sacramento, CA 95814; telephone: 916-445-4602; fax: 916-327-3706.

Advisory Commission on Special Education

Meeting ScheduleMeeting Location
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Pacific Time ±
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Room 1101, Sacramento, CA
Phone: 916-445-4602 

ACSE Meeting Logistics

On March 17, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-29-20 related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Executive Order allows state bodies covered by the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Act) to hold public meetings covered by the Act via web and/or audio teleconferencing. As such, the June ACSE meeting will be held as an audio/video teleconference and will have a live webcast; Room 1101 (board room) in the California Department of Education will be closed to the public. Please see the Public Comment Guidelines section below for options to view and participate in the meeting.

Public Comment Guidelines

Public comment may be via email or phone, as specified below.

Email

The public is highly encouraged to submit written comment to the ACSE members in advance for prior consideration. In order to help ensure that commissioners have time to review the comments, please submit comments by noon on Friday, October 16, 2020. However, comments received after that time will be forwarded to Commission members until the day of the meeting. Comments should be submitted to the ACSE mailbox at: ACSE@cde.ca.gov. The following information should be included in the body of the email: (1) commenter’s first and last name, (2) organization affiliation, (3) agenda item number or general public comment.

Phone

Public comment may also be provided by dialing the phone number and participant access code that will be provided on October 21, 2020, and then following the operator’s prompts. Upon dialing in, callers will be added to a caller queue. The operator will notify callers when it is their turn to provide public comment. Public comment will be limited to one minute for each agenda item unless otherwise specified by the ACSE. Members of the public wishing to dial in for public comment should view the live-stream of the meeting. The number and access code will be provided at the start of public comment for each item.

Prior to making public comment, speakers who are watching the meeting via live webcast should make sure the volume on their computer is muted to avoid echoing or feedback sounds during the call.

Agenda Item Materials

Agenda item materials, including presentation materials, are available by sending a request for copies to ACSE@cde.ca.gov.

Advisory Commission on Special Education Operations and Planning Committee

Wednesday, October 21, 2020, 9–9:45 a.m. Pacific Time
California Department of Education
Sacramento, California

Members of the ACSE Operations and Planning Committee will meet prior to the start of the ACSE meeting to discuss the operations of the ACSE for fiscal year 2020–21 and a timeline for the yearly ACSE activities.

  • Grazer Outstanding Achievement in Learning (GOAL) award
  • Election Committee


Advisory Commission on Special Education

Wednesday, October 21, 2020 10 a.m. Pacific Time
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Room 1101
Sacramento, California

10–10:15 a.m. Pacific Time ±

  • Call to Order–Roll Call
  • Salute to the Flag
  • Welcome New Members
  • Communications and Announcements
  • Review of Agenda
  • Review of How to Provide Public Comment

10:15–10:45 a.m.

Item 1–State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report: Staff from the CDE, Special Education Division (SED), will provide an update on the State Performance Plan and the Annual Performance Report. Presenter: Shiyloh Becerril, Interim Associate Director, CDE, SED. (Item type: Information, discussion)

10:45–11:45 a.m.

Item 2–An Update on the California System of Support: California Center for Educator Excellence (CCEE) and Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) leads will update the commission on the activities of the California System of Support, how they are currently supporting California school districts and their plans for the 2020–21 school year. Presenters: Karla Estrada, Deputy Executive Director, Systems Improvement and Innovation, CCEE; Ann England, Marin County SELPA; Dr. Deborah Montoya, Imperial County SELPA; Jill King, Placer County SELPA; Patricia L. Schetter, University of California, Davis. (Item type: Information, discussion)

11:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Item 3–Inclusive Practices in Distance Learning: Kristin Brooks and Kevin Schaefer from Supporting Inclusive Practices will highlight model inclusive practices during the pandemic as well as the opportunities to address long term barriers to inclusion. Presenters: Kristin Brooks, Executive Director, Supporting Inclusive Practices, Riverside County Office of Education; Kevin Schaefer, Director of Equity and Inclusive Practices, Supporting Inclusive Practices, El Dorado County SELPA/Charter SELPA. (Item type: Information, discussion)

12:30–1 p.m. Lunch

1–1:45 p.m.

Item 4–State Literacy Plan: Staff from the CDE, Educator Excellence and Equity Division (EEED), will review the proposed State Literacy Plan that is to be presented to the State Board of Education in November. Presenters: Aileen Allison-Zarea, Education Administrator 1, CDE, EEED; Erika St. Andre, Education Programs Consultant, CDE, EEED. (Item type: Information, discussion, action)

Background Materials are available on the CDE Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant web page

1:45–2:30 p.m.

Item 5–State Special Schools: The Director from the CDE, State Special Schools (SSS), will update the commission on the SSS, and how they are approaching instruction due to COVID 19. Presenter: Robin L. Zane, Director, SSS, CDE. (Item type: Information, discussion)

2:30–2:45 p.m. Break

2:45–3 p.m.

Item 6–Commissioner Updates and Liaison Reports: Updates from ACSE Commissioners and Reports from ACSE Liaisons will be provided. (Item type: Information, discussion)

3–3:30 p.m.

Item 7–California Special Education Funding Report: Jason Willis and Sara Menlove Doutre from WestEd, will review the information and findings in the recently released report on the California special education funding system. Presenters: Jason Willis, WestEd; Sara Menlove Doutre, WestEd. (Item type: Information, discussion, action)

Background materials are available at the WestEd websiteExternal link opens in new window or tab.

3:30–3:45 p.m.

Item 8–State Special Education Director’s Report: The Director from the CDE, SED will provide an update on the activities of the Division. Presenter: Heather Calomese, Director, CDE, SED. (Item type: Information, discussion)

3:45–4 p.m.

Item 9–Commissioner Recognition: The Commission will recognize the work of the previous Chair, Somer Harding. (Item type: Information, discussion)

4–4:15 p.m.

Item 10–Agenda Building for ACSE Meetings: Commissioners will recommend items to be included on future ACSE meeting agendas. (Item type: Information, discussion)

4:15–4:30 p.m.

Item 11–General Public Comment: General public comment is invited on any matter, including items not on the agenda. The ACSE is precluded from discussing matters not on the agenda; however, questions may be asked by Commissioners for clarification purposes. Issues raised by the public may be referred to a future meeting agenda. Chair reserves the right to establish time limits on presentations. (Item type: Information)

4:30 p.m. ADJOURNMENT

Adjournment of meeting.

Questions: Special Education Division | ACSE@cde.ca.gov | 916-445-4602 

A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007


A VERY BUSY DAY
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...
The latest news and resources in education since 2007
 
 

Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/10/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos.html


Enrollment In Some Districts Is Going Down – Should We Be Worried?
NPR just published Enrollment Is Dropping In Public Schools Around the Country . According to the article, it sounds like the big drop is in kindergarten, which makes sense to me. I can’t imagine trying to introduce a kindergarten-age child to school through remote education. For what it’s worth, our high school’s enrollment is up from last year, though I realize one school does not make a trend.
New NPR Video: “4 Tips To Help You Prepare For A National Disaster During A Pandemic”
WikiImages / Pixabay I’m adding this new NPR video to The Best Websites For Learning About Natural Disasters :
Here’s The “Columbus Day” Lesson I Did With My ELL History Class
OpenClipart-Vectors / Pixabay It’s Columbus Day on Monday in the United States, and it’s also known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. I’ve previously posted about a related lesson I do in my ELL U.S. History classes (see Here’s What My ELL Students Are Reading & Writing About Columbus ). I’ve modified it a bit this year. After learning about Columbus through our textbook and through Brainpop, students
The World Food Programme Awarded Nobel Peace Prize – Here Are Teaching & Learning Resources
The United Nations World Food Programme has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. You can learn more about their being give the prize at CNN . You can also learn about an activity they sponsor on October 16th, World Food Day, at The Best Sites To Learn About World Food Day . I’m adding this info to The Best Sites To Learn About The Nobel Peace Prize .
Pins Of The Week
I’m fairly active on Pinterest and, in fact, have curated 22,000 resources there that I haven’t shared on this blog. I thought readers might find it useful if I began sharing a handful of my most recent “pins” each week (I’m not sure if you can see them through an RSS Reader – you might have to click through to the original post). You might also be interested in MY MOST POPULAR PINS OF 2020 – PAR
If You Want To Learn About Genocide, Torture Or Weapons Of Mass Destruction, Here’s A Place To Start….
carlosftw / Pixabay I have over 2,100 frequently revised and updated “Best” lists on just about every subject imaginable, and you can find them listed three different ways in three different places (see Three Accessible Ways To Search For & Find My “Best” Lists ). I’m starting to publish a series where each day I will highlight the “Best” lists in a separate category. Today, it’s on Genocide, Tor
Good Advice From Soccer Star Abby Wambach On How To Support Young People
Soccer star Abby Wambach offered some good advice on what parents should say to their kids after watching them play in an athletic event. I think it works great for those situations, and I also think that it can, with some slight 

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007

Thursday, October 8, 2020

The Lost Year Fallacy | Teacher in a strange land

 The Lost Year Fallacy | Teacher in a strange land

The Lost Year Fallacy




The first time I learned about the 1918 flu pandemic—in school, probably junior high history or civics class—I came home and asked my grandmother (who lived with us) what she remembered about the great flu pandemic. She would have been 28 in 1918, still single and working in a grocery and dry goods store.

Not much, it turned out. None of her nine brothers and sisters or their spouses and children had succumbed, nor any friends. She couldn’t remember being ill herself, although she was notorious for living with pain and discomfort. When she was in her 90s, she fell off a stepladder while washing windows. She broke her hip, something that wasn’t verified for a couple of weeks while she hobbled around saying it wasn’t bad enough to go to the hospital, where they might hold her overnight or give her unwanted drugs.

Grandma was no Donald Trump.

World War II broke out when my mother was a freshman in high school. Many of her classmates left school before graduating, to enlist. When they came back, they were offered GEDs and the GI bill to further their education. There were good-paying, middle class jobs for those who just wanted to work, buy a home or start a family.

Their education was disrupted—but hey, duty calls. What’s put off can be reclaimed.

So—why are we claiming that 2020-21 is a lost year? In October, no less? We’re all struggling with this pandemic. Can’t we take a deep breath and try to problem-solve?

Since K-12 public education has been widely operational—for a century, CONTINUE READING:   The Lost Year Fallacy | Teacher in a strange land



CURMUDGUCATION: Democracy Is Not The Point

CURMUDGUCATION: Democracy Is Not The Point

Democracy Is Not The Point



Twitter is often a fine place to catch people saying the quiet parts out loud. For instance, this tweet from this morning:

Mike Lee 
is a Senator from Utah who tilts all the way over into Libertarian rightness. He loves himself some school choice. He's also part of the crew that got Covid-19 as a parting gift at the White House Amy Barrett soiree. 



As a blogging master of multiple typos, I'm not going to dog him for clearly meaning "prosperity." But I am going to whoop and holler and point at the "democracy isn't the objective" part. That was a follow up to yesterday's tweet "We are not a democracy." (Don't bring any "but we're actually a republic" argument in here--that just signals you aren't ready to seriously discuss this).

It's the quiet part out loud, the part that we've been hearing in the assault on public education. It's in the arguments by guys like Reed Hastings (Netflix) that elected school boards are a hindrance and should be done away with. It's in the cities where mayoral control has been implemented. It's in the communities where charter operators come from outside and make education reform something they do to the community rather than with it. It is in the education disruption model that says what we really need is a powerful visionary in charge who isn't held down by regulations or unions and CONTINUE READING: CURMUDGUCATION: Democracy Is Not The Point



Columbus, Ohio: School Board Member Lobbies for School Choice, Not Public Schools | Diane Ravitch's blog

Columbus, Ohio: School Board Member Lobbies for School Choice, Not Public Schools | Diane Ravitch's blog

Columbus, Ohio: School Board Member Lobbies for School Choice, Not Public Schools



Maureen Reedy is an experienced teacher and advocate for Ohio’s public schools. She wrote a letter to the editor which all public school supporters should read:
To the Editor:
Let me get this straight: James Ragland, a first-term Columbus school board member, is also a paid advocate for private and for-profit charter schools in Ohio? (Dispatch article, Sept. 23)
In the business world, Ragland’s roles would be a blatant conflict of interest — the fox guarding the henhouse in violation of his fiduciary obligation as a publicly elected board member.
Which hat was Ragland wearing when he joined Betsy DeVos at the School Choice Roundtable in July? Was he participating as the director of provider outreach for School Choice Ohio or as a Columbus City Schools board member?
Clearly, Ragland, while working for School Choice Ohio, has been a player in moving almost $1 billion from CONTINUE READING: Columbus, Ohio: School Board Member Lobbies for School Choice, Not Public Schools | Diane Ravitch's blog

Bully Politics, Eugenics, and the Last Days of American Pretense – radical eyes for equity

Bully Politics, Eugenics, and the Last Days of American Pretense – radical eyes for equity

Bully Politics, Eugenics, and the Last Days of American Pretense




If the American character included the ability to admit that the country’s founding was deeply flawed but aspirational—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as goals we are still trying to achieve for all, not just some—we would not have to admit in 2020 that much of what America believes is simply lies.
Instead, the American character is often trapped in James Baldwin‘s “rigid refusal to look at ourselves,” now disturbingly embodied by the Trump/Pence administration.
Of the many lies at the founding of the U.S. that continue to poison our aspirations for individual liberty and robust democracy, possibly the most disturbing and immediately damning is that people fled England in pursuit of religious liberty.
For some frustrating reason, throughout my 18 years of teaching high school English, students were bombarded by American literature focusing on the Puritans, specifically reading/viewing both Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter and Arthur Miller’s The Crucible.
Students tended to recognize after these works that those first Puritans were CONTINUE READING: Bully Politics, Eugenics, and the Last Days of American Pretense – radical eyes for equity

DeVos pledges use of 'bully pulpit' to urge school reopening - POLITICO

DeVos pledges use of 'bully pulpit' to urge school reopening - POLITICO

DeVos pledges use of 'bully pulpit' to urge school reopening
The comments come the same day Boston schools paused reopening plans because of a rise in coronavirus cases.




SACRAMENTO — Education Secretary Betsy DeVos pledged Wednesday to use the "bully pulpit" to pressure states to reopen schools for in-person learning amid the pandemic.
DeVos said on a Zoom event hosted by the Pacific Research Institute that she and President Donald Trump have been "very consistent" about the need to reopen schools for in-person learning "in every possible situation."

The context: The comments come the same day that Boston schools paused reopening plans because of a rise in coronavirus cases and as New York City scrambles to reverse its reopening plans for hundreds of schools. In California, some schools have reopened with mandated mask and social distancing policies but many, including Los Angeles Unified, the country's second-largest district, have no plans of a full scale reopening anytime soon.

"We know that in some places where there is a spike in cases of the virus, that there may have to be short times of working at a distance, but for those families who need and want this for their children, learning in person, there's no other substitute for it," DeVos said Wednesday. "We have continued to urge states and districts to make sure they're offering this as an option to families. Of course, these are state and local decisions, but we will continue to use the bully pulpit to urge this to happen."

California reported on Tuesday that there has been no spike in coronavirus cases in the limited openings across the state, which mostly include elementary schools.

The big picture: DeVos used the pandemic as reason to promote school choice, including charter schools, "micro schools" and learning pods, saying now more than ever parents should have a say in their child's education due to campus closures and distance learning struggles.

But teachers unions and civil rights advocates across the country have warned of the impact that an increase in charter school or private school enrollment could have on the traditional K-12 system, worried it will exacerbate already wide achievement gaps for low income students and student of color.

In California, online charter schools that were not a popular choice before the pandemic now have wait lists in the thousands, with parents scrambling for CONTINUE READING: DeVos pledges use of 'bully pulpit' to urge school reopening - POLITICO