Andrew Gordon, Curriculum Coordinator for the district presented the English Language Development (ELD) Program.  In the 2014-2015 school year, there were as many as 946 EL students in the district, which is equivalent to 10.1% of the district's total school population.  Out of the total 40 languages spoken in the district, the top two primary languages spoken by the majority of EL students are Spanish and Mandarin.  In 2014-2015; 205 of these EL students were classified as beginning and early intermediate; 285 EL students were classified as intermediate; and 439 EL students were classified as early advanced and advanced.  

Math and Science Teacher on Special Assignment, LaQuietta Hill presented the Next Generation Science Standards for the district. A new set of internationally benchmarked science standards were created through a collaborative state-led process managed by Achieve, who also led the development of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were published in April 2013, and were based on "A Framework for K-12 Science Education (2011)" by the National Research Council (NRC) of The National Academy of Sciences using the most current research on science and science learning and written by 18 internationally known experts in science practice, science education, and educational policy.  NGSS is not common core, but common core supports NGSS.  The district will use common core as support of the program.  The framework of NGSS outlines three dimensions of high quality science education that through integration provide the context for science content:  Dimension 1 - Practices, Dimension 2 - Crosscutting Concepts, and Dimension 3 - Disciplinary Core Ideas. View the presentation here.