From the desk of
Charles Weis, Ph.D. County Superintendent of Schools We are well into the 2010-11 school year. The December holidays are an excellent time for educators to take stock of the progress they have made with students in these crucial first months of the year, and to gauge the work that lies ahead. We all know the time from now to June will go with amazing rapidity. At the COE, we are looking forward to numerous projects and events in the coming year, including our Annual Report for the SJ2020 initiative to eliminate the achievement gap. That event will take place next month, on Jan. 19 (see more information below this column). But this is also an opportune time to take a breath, try to relax, and enjoy this precious time with our loved ones. That's my plan for the holidays, and I hope it's yours as well. I wish you the very best of the season, and a happy, productive and safe 2012. 
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Event honors school success in closing
achievement gap
An upcoming event held by the COE and City of San José will recognize schools from throughout the county for their efforts to close the achievement gap.
The 2020 Vision Awards will be awarded in conjunction with a presentation of the progress to date in the COE and city's joint effort to eliminate the difference in achievement between white and Asian students and African-American and Hispanic/Latino students in San Jose by the year 2020.
Featuring talks from U.S. Rep. Mike Honda, Dr. Weis and San José Mayor Chuck Reed, the event begins at 9 a.m. Jan. 19 at the COE, 1290 Ridder Park Drive in San Jose.
Attendees must pre-register via email. |
Links of Interest
The State of Education
Check out data of vital interest to education planning efforts in Santa Clara County.
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'Head of the Class' discusses arts education |
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 A COE initiative to provide all county students with access to quality arts experiences offered more than 5,000 hours of arts-integrated professional development to teachers this year, said Dr. Lisa Gonzales in the latest episode of "Head of the Class."
Watch the video here.
 Lisa, the COE's Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator, updated Dr. Weis on the progress of Artspiration, an initiative launched in fall 2009 to help protect and restore arts education in Santa Clara County public schools.
"Head of the Class" showcases programs and initiatives at the SCCOE and in school districts throughout the county.
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| Summit addresses performance assessment |
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 Educators and policy makers gathered at the COE this month to discuss how California's assessment and accountability system can incorporate measures that go beyond standardized test taking.
Bringing California's K-to-College Assessment System into the 21st Century: What Will it Take? explored models of performance assessment that assess and support students' college readiness and mastery of content.
Attendees of the Dec. 13 summit -- which was held with support of the Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, & Equity (SCALE); William & Flora Hewlett Foundation; Oracle; and K-12 Center -- also covered approaches to scaling up performance assessment, and identified and problem-solved barriers to bringing performance assessment to California public schools.
The event included panel discussions and small group talks with experts such as Linda Darling-Hammond, a professor of education at Stanford; Michael Kirst, president of the State Board of Education; and Assemblywoman Julia Brownley (D-Santa Monica).
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| Board elects officers, approves charter petitions |
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Here's a summary of the Santa Clara County Board of Education's actions at its Dec. 14 meeting:
- Recognized Gloria Chou as the December Employee of the Month
- Reelected Joseph Di Salvo as board president and elected Julia Hover-Smoot as vice president
- Approved countywide charter petitions for 20 Rocketship charter schools
The Board of Education is the elected governing body of the COE. Its seven members serve four-year terms and are elected by different regions of the county. Learn more about the members, and view their meeting schedule, agendas and minutes. |
| Students show mixed results on fitness test |
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Students in Santa Clara County continue to slightly outperform their statewide counterparts in the state's Physical Fitness Test (PFT), although test results released late last month also indicate a decline in county students' performance from the previous year.
 An analysis by COE staff found that the percentage of county students meeting the "Healthy Fitness Zone" in all six of the test's areas since 2005 increased by two percentage points -- from 31 percent to 33 percent. However, while that most recent number surpasses the state average by two percentage points, it also reflects a decline of five percentage points from 2010 results.
 Also, the percentage of county students demonstrating fitness in the area of body composition decreased significantly -- by 15 percentage points -- from the previous year. However, students show evidence of becoming more fit as they get older: In all six categories, scores improved from grade five to grade seven; and from grade seven to grade nine.
California school districts are required to administer the PFT annually to all students in grades five, seven and nine. The tests are designed to evaluate health-related fitness and to assist students in establishing lifetime habits of regular physical activity.
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County committee election results, vacancy |
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 Two new members and a third, re-elected member will be seated on the Santa Clara County Committee on School District Organization based on results of a recent election, while the process to fill one vacant position is under way.
Eleven seats comprise the County Committee -- two from each of the five county supervisorial districts, and one elected at-large. One candidate each from Supervisorial Districts 1, 3, and 5 was elected this year: Brett Barley will represent Area 1; Frank Biehl, a current board member with East Side Union High School District, will represent Area 3; and Mandy Lowell was re-elected as the committee member representing Supervisorial District 5.
The other seat representing County Supervisorial District 1 is vacant following the Nov. 3 death of Committee Member Steve Glickman.
The primary responsibility of the County Committee is the reorganization of school districts, through territory transfers and unification. A representative from each of school boards in county school districts votes in the county committee election. Each representative votes in each of the area elections.
Learn more about the requirements of County Committee members, and how to apply for the spot. |
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Since 1852, the Santa Clara County Office of Education has provided vital services and resources to the county's 31 K-12 public school districts and more than 250,000 students. The COE strives to provide advocacy and leadership on education issues, student programs that are models of excellence, and indispensable services to schools and community partners. The COE takes pride in being a premier employer and a champion for children, schools, and community. |
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