california p-16 council recommendations

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONJack O’Connell, State Superintendent of Public Instruction

California P-16 Council Recommendations

The State’s Transformational Role in Closing The Achievement Gap

Jose Ortega

P-16 Division Director

JACK O’CONNELLState Superintendent of Public Instruction

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• An achievement gap exists between white students and students of color, as well as with English learners, poor students, and students with disabilities

• In California, the achievement gap represents a majority of students

• Closing the gap is a moral and economic imperative

Closing the Achievement Gap


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P-16 Council

Formed in 2004 by Jack O’Connell, the Council has dealt with High School Reform and Professional Development Issues

Statewide assembly of – education, – business, – and community leaders

February, 2007Council charged with creating the conditions necessary to close the achievement gap for preschool through higher education.


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Four Major Themes• Access – Equitable access to core conditions, such as

qualified teachers, quality prekindergarten and a

rigorous curriculum

• Culture and Climate – Offering the best

environment that promotes learning and a sense

of belonging for students, parents, and school staff

• Expectations – Fostering high expectations for all

students

• Strategies – Practices that have proven effective or are

promising for closing the achievement gap and

can be replicated


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P-16 Council Report

• January 2008, Council released CTAG report– Not intended to be

comprehensive

– But important steps to follow

• Makes 14 recommendations

http://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/pc/documents/yr08ctagrpt0122.pdf


P-16 Council Recommendation 1 8

Access

Provide High-Quality Prekindergarten Programs

Access to quality early learning experiences for all students



Access

Better Align Educational System from Prekindergarten to College

Create unprecedented collaboration between all educational stakeholders



Access

Develop Partnerships to Close the Achievement Gap

• Implementing a consistent approach to a high-quality and inclusive educational program

www.closingtheachievementgap.org/partnerships



Culture and Climate

Provide Culturally Relevant Professional Development for All School Personnel

Develop a comprehensive culturally, relevant and responsive strategy



Culture and Climate

Conduct a Climate Survey

Develop a tool for assessing the “organizational health” of a school



Expectations

Augment Accountability System

Provide an immediate measure of progress made by schools and districts in educating all students


P-16 Council Recommendation 7,8 14

Expectations

Model Rigor

Define more clearly what constitutes a rigorous curriculum

Focus on Academic Rigor

Define consistent and ubiquitous academic rigor for future success



Expectations

Improve the Awards System

Reward schools for closing gaps and the focusing on improving academic achievement for all students

http://www.closingtheachievementgap.org/sigpractices



Strategies

Create a Robust Information System

Design, develop, and implement a

system that collects rich, robust high-quality information to meet the needs of educators and legislative policymakers

http://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/pc/documents/yr08mckinsey1218.pdf



Strategies

Provide Professional Development on the Use of Data

Design, develop, and implement coherent and relevant professional development in the areas of data collection, analysis and interpretation



Strategies

Share Successful Practices

Collect and disseminate a high-quality, comprehensive body of knowledge, expertise, resources, and research on effective and successful practices

http://boepilot.org/


State Superintendent's Recommendation

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StrategiesClosing the Achievement Gap Web Site

• closingtheachievementgap.org is a Web site created by the California Department of Education in partnership with WestEd and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

• This site will serve as a central hub for the latest research, ideas, and success stories on closing the achievement gap



Strategies

Fully Implement the California K-12 High-Speed Network

Fully fund the High-Speed Network to ensure that school, districts, and county offices of education have access to the technology needed to assist students



Strategies

Create Opportunities for School District Flexibility

Provide flexibility in the use of educational funds to target academic improvement and professional development


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Comments or Questions?

• Comments and questions can be directed to the P-16 Unit at:– 916-319-0908 or by e-mail at

– [email protected]

california p-16 council recommendations

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