 | | Featured Article | | Teacher leaders from around the Bay Area will gather at SMCOE on March 14, 2015. |
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Governor's Budget Proposal Mostly Good News for State's Schools
With the state coffers in good shape thanks to a resurging economy, schools in California will see an 8.7 percent increase in funding, an average of about $670 per student, with the bulk of new money going to the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), according to Governor Jerry Brown's budget proposal released in early January.
Although some County Offices of Education in the state will see an increase in funding, the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE)
 will not as it had been receiving a greater amount of money in past years than its current LCFF target, and is considered in "hold harmless status." That means SMCOE will be at a flat funding level, receiving the same amount of money it received the past two years.
County Offices are due to receive $20 million to offset costs related to oversight of school district Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAP) and Common Core implementation, but it has not yet been determined how that money will be distributed across the state.
The Governor's budget continues the prior year's plan to "pay off the wall of debt," and school district deferral payments are due to be completely paid off this year. "School districts will get their funding in the year they're spending it, and that's a really good thing," notes SMCOE Deputy Superintendent Denise Porterfield.
"The Governor continues to use one-time money for one-time things, such as Common Core implementation, and takes a very conservative approach to revenues," adds Porterfield. "Overall it's a good proposal, committed to paying off debt and is committed to implementing the LCFF, and continuing to give as much to Prop. 98 funding as he can. But of course, education could always use more funding. And we have not yet returned to the spending power we had in 2008 before the downturn while the cost of living continues to rise."
With the ROP program Maintenance of Effort due to sunset at the end of the 2014-15 year, the Governor proposes adding $750 million--$250 million over each of the next three years--for career and technical education incentive grants which districts can apply for. Districts in need of expanding their broadband capacity can also apply for Internet infrastructure grants.
The Governor is also proposing an end to the current state program for funding school construction bonds and plans to replace it with a targeted sliding-scale approach that would provide greater assistance to school districts without the property tax base and financial resources to build new schools.
California still ranks 46th in the nation
Even with the increase in funding, California still ranks 46th in the nation for per pupil spending. With the LCFF, districts with high needs students will be eligible for more funding but that will mean a wide swing in funding levels across districts in San Mateo County.
"This is one of the calmest budgets we've ever seen," says Porterfield. "It's pretty much a continuation of the same. No surprises and that's good. However, the budget does not provide any additional funds to offset the increasing contributions required for the CalSTRS and CalPERS retirement systems. Districts and COEs are expected to fund the increasing employer contributions from their LCFF funding."
From here the Governor's budget goes to the state legislature and its committees where there will be debates and revisions before the Governor presents his revision in May and the finalized budget in June.
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Teacher Leaders Slated to Gather at
San Mateo County Office of Education
More than 100 teacher leaders from around the Bay Area will gather at the San Mateo County Office of Education on March 14, 2015 to get inspired, collaborate with each other, and celebrate their chosen profession as part of the Elevating and Celebrating Effective Teachers and Teaching (ECET2) conference.
Teacher leaders from San Mateo, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda and Contra Costa Counties will be invited to attend this conference which is organized by teachers for teachers. Similar conferences have taken place on a national and regional level across the country over the past three years but this will be the first time ECET2 is held in the Bay Area. The San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) received a grant of $9,400 from ECET2, a program of the New Venture Fund, to plan and host this event.
Alex Kajitani, inspirational speaker, author and 2009 California Teacher of the Year, will kick off the day as keynote speaker. Kajitani is also a leading authority on closing the achievement gap through practical, easy-to-implement strategies.
Following his talk, breakout sessions led by teachers will address such timely topics as close reading strategies, collaborative conversations, differentiating instruction, effective professional learning communities, implementing the Common Core, personalized learning, connecting with parents in innovative ways, how to engage in difficult conversations with colleagues, and using social media as a tool in the classroom.
Stefania Shaffer, a teacher at Burlingame Intermediate School and published author, will deliver a TED-style inspirational talk at lunch on why teaching and close relationships with students matter. In the afternoon, teachers will meet in colleague circles to reflect on problems of practice and strategies for moving forward. The day will conclude with a networking/social hour and prize drawing.
Mefula Fairley, Administrator, Educational Support Services, and Sue Wieser, Associate Superintendent, Human Resources, are working with a team of teachers from across the Bay Area to plan and organize the event. Please email Mefula Fairley at mfairley@smcoe.org or call 650-802-5314 if you would like to suggest the names of teacher leaders who should receive an invitation or present a workshop at the conference.
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Camp Kemp Opens as Residential Facility for Girls in Custody
The Margaret J. Kemp Camp for Girls, a collaborative program developed by the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE), the San Mateo County Probation Department, San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, StarVista, Rape Trauma Services, The Art of Yoga and the CASA program, reopened as a residential facility on January 12, 2015.
"There's a lot of excitement to have the program all in one place," notes Joan Rosas, Associate Superintendent at SMCOE.
 | | Camp Kemp Director Rod Moore supervises a mutli-faceted program for girls in custody and on probation. |
"The facility provides trauma-informed care 24/7 and student needs are met with the help of on-site counselors and staff." In addition to the regular high school classes, students both on probation and in custody take yoga classes, go on field trips and learn life skills--working in the site's garden, cooking and healthy meal preparation in the camp's kitchen, how to fill out job applications and engage in mock job interviews.
The cheerful modern facility, equipped with classrooms, dormitory, lounges, a gym, garden and outdoor basketball court, can house up to 30 girls, and currently serves 12 living on site, and an additional 11 who participate in either daily or after-school support programs. Before the reopening as a residential facility, girls in custody would spend their nights at Hillcrest Youth Services Center in San Mateo and would be transported back and forth to Camp Kemp for their educational and therapeutic program.
The Camp had been closed for three and a half years due to low enrollment and reopened in August 2013, at first for day use. To make full use of the facility and provide a quality program, Camp Kemp Director Rod Moore, with SMCOE, the San Mateo County Probation Department, San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, StarVista, Rape Trauma Services, The Art of Yoga and the CASA program created the Girls Empowerment Program. Through this program, girls on probation are transported from their homes to Camp Kemp on a daily basis where they have access to classes, family and individual therapy, and a variety of services.
Family nights are held once a month. "These nights are very important to inform the parents and get their buy-in for our program," notes Moore. Parents tour the facility, meet the teachers and staff, have dinner with the girls and engage in games and other interactive activities with their daughters. Parents have the opportunity to talk about their experience with the program. Recently, one parent said, "I feel so good about the program. I know the girls are safe here so I can get a good night's sleep."
This court school program has many success stories. One former student, currently enrolled at San Jose State University, took students on a tour of the campus and told them about her life as a college student. Another, who graduated from college and now works with troubled youth through the Human Services Agency in Modesto, came back to Camp Kemp to talk to the girls. She told them, "You can do it. You can be successful. Just let the process work for you."
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Maryanne Patterson Receives CA Kindergarten Association Award On January 18, 2015, Maryanne Patterson, California State Preschool Manager at the San Mateo County Office of Education, was honored with a special award by the California Kindergarten Association at their annual Preschool-Kindergarten-1st Grade (PK1) conference at the Hyatt Regency in Santa Clara, California.  | | Maryanne Patterson, CA Kindergarten Association award winner, created the Intentional Teacher Fair. |
The Judith A. Brown Administrative Recognition Award (JBAR) recognizes outstanding leadership and support of kindergarten teachers by early childhood administrators in California. Patterson was chosen for her work in the creation of the annual Intentional Teacher Fair, now in its fifth year, which showcases the work of early childhood educators in San Mateo County. The fourth annual Intentional Teacher Fair took place in May 2014 and provided preschool, transitional kindergarten and kindergarten teachers with the opportunity to highlight the reflective teaching strategies they use in the classroom. At the event, teachers learn from each other and display boards demonstrating how teachers foster home-school connections and create lessons across different domains that touch on literacy, math and social/emotional skills. The boards include written descriptions, lesson plans, children's drawings and photos. Last year's event included the display of 62 boards and attracted 80 participants from around the county. "By using the boards, teachers begin  | | Display boards at the Intentional Teacher Fair feature lesson plans, photos, and drawings. |
to see the brilliance of how children think and show what they know, and teachers have the opportunity to share their voice about early learning," notes Patterson, who has been with the County Office for eight years and is in the midst of planning this year's Fair, which will be held at the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) on May 1 and 2, 2015. In addition to her work on the Fair, Patterson oversees state contracts for infant, toddler and preschool programs, provides technical support for programs and professional development for teachers based on their needs. She also does statewide advocacy work, and serves on the board of the California Child Development Administrators Association. And she teaches early childhood classes at Caņada College. "The Intentional Teacher Fair is fed by Maryanne's ability as an instructor. She's always interested in best practices and research. She never stops. She's energized, enthusiastic and has a passion for teaching teachers," adds Jean-Marie Houston, Director, Early Learning Support Services at SMCOE. |
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Check Us Out on Facebook
The San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) now has a page on Facebook. We'll be providing frequent upd ates on SMCOE events and education news of interest, adding groups of interest, and linking to other education organizations. Check us out and "like" us today on Facebook!
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About the San Mateo County Office of Education
The San Mateo County Office of Education provides a variety of instructional, business and consulting services to the County's 23 public school districts, charter schools, the Community College District and County Office of Education staff.
Believe in Tomorrow: Think Green Today
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