Issue: #61                                                       
September
 2015
In This Issue
SBAC Scores
Coalition for Safe Schools
Achievement Gap Summit
New Superintendents
New Faces at SMCOE
ECET2 Conference Returns
Education Update
We're on Facebook
Featured Article
Jill Habig, California Special Assistant Attorney General, will be the keynote speaker at the Achievement Gap Summit on October 15, 2015 at the Oracle Conference Center.
First Year of SBAC Scores Released


With the release of the Smarter Balanced Assessments on September 9, 2015, school districts are digging in to figure out what the results reveal and what next steps should be. "These test results are just one piece of a larger way to understand student achievement," notes Dr. Gary Waddell, Deputy Superintendent at the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE).

"The results from the first operational year of these new assessments will help San Mateo County schools and districts to understand where they need to adjust instruction to support their students," says Waddell.  "The SBAC tests represent new types of assessments measuring progress on new, more rigorous standards that map student performance across the complex sets of skills that success in college and career require.  This is a good thing for our students." 

Because the tests are different from the STAR tests of years past, the results can't be compared with prior years. "Although we do have actionable data and we can see how other schools did, this year is a baseline year," adds Waddell.

Overall, students in San Mateo County outperformed their peers across the state. But the data do reveal a persistent achievement gap. Of the students tested, 56 percent met or exceeded the standard in ELA/literacy and 48 percent met or exceeded the standard in mathematics. 

The percent of students meeting or exceeding the standard varied significantly by grade level, race/ethnicity and program status. Asian, White and students of two or more races scored significantly higher in both ELA/literacy and mathematics than their Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino and Pacific Islander peers. In addition, economically disadvantaged, English language learners and students with disabilities scored significantly lower.

"The data will be a useful tool for districts to use in evaluating their focus in their Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAP), to pinpoint areas and students that need attention, and to see if they have directed resources to the right places," notes Brian Simmons, Director, Accountability, Innovation and Results at SMCOE.  

SMCOE's Center for Learning Analytics will be working with districts to analyze the data. Simmons and his team are developing a common PowerPoint presentation that districts can use for sharing the data with stakeholders. They'll also be providing direct services to smaller school districts, helping them learn from the data, and examining the data to see which schools and districts are beating the odds. They'll be exploring the practices these schools are using and then sharing that information county-wide through the Achievement in Motion: Closing the Gap program.
"We have more digging to do, particularly on the subgroup analysis," says Simmons. "To see if our hunches are correct about certain practices and how that correlates with the data." 

 
 

Coalition for Safe Schools and Communities Gathers Community Leaders
 

More than 100 community leaders, county supervisors, superintendents and school district staff, fire and police chiefs, San Mateo Behavioral Health and Recovery Services and Probation staff gathered at the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) on September 15, 2015 to launch the work of the Coalition for Safe Schools and Communities for the new school year.

County Superintendent Anne Campbell welcomed the group noting, "Today represents a celebration of the great work
County Superintendent Anne Campbell, County Counsel John Beiers and SMUHSD Superintendent Kevin Skelly mingle at the Coalition for Safe Schools and Communities event
.
you have done by working together, but I know we all acknowledge there's still a lot more to do." 

In their remarks, County Supervisors Adrienne Tissier and Don Horsley applauded the joint effort to improve school safety.

Since its inception two years ago with the "Beyond Newton" summit, the Coalition has developed The Big Five, a common protocol for emergency response. This fall The Big Five is rolling out in schools across the county. The goal for this year is to collect measurable data and school emergency plans, publish collateral material, conduct more training and build more leadership capacity throughout the county.

"We are all closely connected in this work," said Nancy Magee, Associate Superintendent, Student Services Division at SMCOE. "But there's still work to be done to breakdown our silos. In our county there are 20 municipalities and 23 school districts with different emergency plans.
When there's an emergency or a violent incident, school personnel are our first responders. We have to train them in ways they haven't thought about in the past," said Magee. "They need to think on their feet because there is never a way to exactly script an emergency response."

Newly appointed SMCOE Director of Safe and Supportive Schools Jenée Littrell spoke about her goal to support ongoing mental health collaboratives, and identify trends and gaps. "We all have the common goal of supporting students," she said. She noted that 20 percent of all young people--about 2 students in each classroom---will have need for mental health support at some point in their school career.

Claire Cunningham, Lead Deputy County Counsel, discussed information sharing and the multi-agency MOU agreement that San Mateo County Counsel developed so that personnel across various agencies may better coordinate support and services for students, including, if the need arises, to share information within the confines of the law.

All the participants had the opportunity to meet with agency representatives from their community to discuss next steps and everyone left with a flash drive that contained a two-sided handout for parents in English and Spanish about The Big Five, information packets for administrators, staff and community members, and the information sharing MOU.
 
 

Achievement Gap Summit in October At the Oracle Conference Center


More than 200 community leaders, policymakers, elected officials, superintendents, school leaders and school board members are expected to attend the Achievement Gap Summit sponsored by the San Mateo County Office of Education and hosted by Oracle at the Oracle Conference Center in Redwood City, Calif. on October 15, 2015.  The event is co-sponsored by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

Kicking off the day will be keynote speaker Jill Habig, Special Assistant Attorney General to State Attorney General
Special Assistant Attorney General Jill Habig will be a keynote speaker at the Achievement Gap Summit.

Kamala Harris, who in February 2015 was appointed to lead the newly formed Bureau of Children's Justice at the California Department of Justice. The Bureau's mission is to protect the rights of children and focus the attention and resources of law enforcement and policymakers on the importance of safeguarding every child so that they can meet their full potential.
Hedy Chang, director of the national organization Attendance Works, will speak on the impact of chronic absence on student achievement.

A student panel will lend their perspective on the achievement gap and San Mateo County Office of Education board member Susan Alvaro will moderate a panel on the impact of poverty on achievement. Closing the digital divide and leveraging technology to close the achievement gap in San Mateo County will be the focus of an additional panel led by Muhammed Chaudry, CEO of the Silicon Valley Education Foundation.

 "This event is designed to inform San Mateo County policymakers, community, and school district leadership on key issues impacting the achievement gap in our county--and to inspire our collective action to change the equation for our most vulnerable students" notes Dr. Gary Waddell, Deputy Superintendent at the San Mateo County Office of Education.

Each attendee will leave the conference with a toolkit which will help them engage constituents in their own communities, use social media to highlight the gap, and inspire action at the local level.

Community leaders may register here. For more information about the event contact Edna Letran at eletran@smcoe.org.  

  

New Superintendents in San Mateo 
County Share Their Goals
 

Dr. John Baker, Dr. Shawnterra Moore and Dr. Joan Rosas are all new to their jobs as school district superintendents in San Mateo County this fall but none are new faces in their school districts. Each has had experience in various posts before moving up to the chief executive position.

Baker began in the Redwood City School District as a teacher 30 years ago. He has held various posts as a staff
Dr. John Baker held various posts in the Redwood City School District before becoming superintendent
.
developer, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, and most recently as Deputy Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction. He says his main goal is to "make sure that the community is aware that we're doing the best for all students who come to our district." And he adds "It's a district that has a lot of heart and cares for students. We're on the forefront of making sure that when students leave the Prek-8 system they're prepared to do well in high school and beyond." 

Challenges he and his district face include the shortage of teachers and lack of affordable housing to attract new teachers to the area.  The district also has a $193 million bond on the November 2015 ballot for upgrading facilities, many of which are more than 65 years old.

Moore
Dr. Shawnterra Moore is the new superintendent in the South San Francisco Unified School District.
has only been with the South San Francisco Unified District for six years, but in that brief time has seen "a lot of amazing things happening thanks to partnerships with local businesses and agencies." She served as director of student performance; assistant superintendent, education services and categorical programs; and most recently as associate superintendent. As superintendent she's focusing on building collaborative relationships, keeping communication open and establishing communication protocols for the board of trustees. She's hoping to improve the overall academic health of the district and notes, "I have a full team here to support me."

Rosas had been Associate Superintendent, Student Services Division, at 
Dr. Joan Rosas returns to the San Mateo-Foster City School District as superintendent.
the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) for the past four years, and now happily returns to the San Mateo-Foster City School District where she worked in years past as a teacher and administrator. Her plate is full, with Measure X, a $150 million school bond on the ballot to address facility needs, and working with staff to fully implement the Common Core State Standards in classrooms across the district. 

"We're looking at materials, teaching practices and assessments, as well as focusing on our early literacy initiative and ensuring young students learn to read," she says. She notes that her experience at SMCOE was invaluable. "In the San Mateo-Foster City School District I was a K-8 educator but at SMCOE I learned what students need to be college and career ready, and from my work with at-risk students I learned how important it is to have building blocks, to put supports in place early for both academic and social/emotional needs to ensure success," she says. 


 
New Faces at SMCOE 
Take on Important Roles


Jenée Littrell and LaRita Williams are new faces at the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) this fall, but neither is new to the engaging work they're taking on in San Mateo County.

Litrell hit the ground running on September 1, 2015 as Director of Safe and Supportive Schools, arriving just in time to be a part of the 2015 launch breakfast for the Coalition for Safe Schools and Communities on September 15, 2015 (see accompanying article
Jenée Littrell is the new director of Safe and Supportive Schools.
in this newsletter). She spoke that day about her goal to support ongoing mental health collaboratives, and identify trends and gaps.

Littrell comes to SMCOE from San Diego where she had worked for 15 years leading mental health initiatives at the Grossmont Union High School District and at the San Diego County Office of Education. 

Prior to accepting this position, Littrell had worked with Safe and Supportive Schools at SMCOE as a consultant on a number of initiatives including the Coalition for Safe Schools and Communities. "I have always been impressed with the vision and leadership of SMCOE, and the invested partnerships," notes Littrell. "And now it's a unique point in time for this work as all the stars align, with the passage of Measure A, the support of the County Board of Supervisors and law enforcement partners at the table, with a shared understanding that it's all of our responsibility to support students and when we do they're successful in school and out of school."

At SMCOE, Littrell's focus will be on bringing mental health to school districts and finding ways to support schools in this arena. She noted that San Mateo County already has a strong foundation of partnerships with mental health agencies and she'll be looking to build on those by finding ways to effectively connect students who have mental health needs with appropriate services. She'll also be looking at putting in place county level protocols and best practices so school districts are better able to support students.

In her spare time she's enjoying her newly empty nest and exploring the Bay Area with her husband, who recently retired after 32 years as a homicide sergeant.

LaRita Williams, the new Math Coordinator at the STEM Center, comes to SMCOE from Washington, D.C., where
LaRita Williams is the new Math Coordinator at the SMCOE STEM Center.
she taught for three years in DC Public Schools, and then for five years taught and served as an administrator at Thurgood Marshall Academy, a charter school, in Washington, D.C.. Originally from Los Angeles, Williams says she enjoyed the opportunity to live and work on the east coast after completing her undergraduate degree in math education at San Diego State University. While she was teaching in Washington, she completed her master's degree in math education at American University.

She says she was drawn to SMCOE by the innovative work being done at the STEM Center and through the Big Lift. "It's an exciting time to come back to California and make an impact in the math community here," she notes.

As Math Coordinator, she'll be offering professional learning experiences to teachers in the county and also offering these services to leaders in the expanded learning community (after school activities) so that they are supported in extending math learning and project-based methods as part of their programs. She'll be working with the early education team at the STEM Center to ensure that math being taught in the early years coordinates with math education in the higher grades, and helping the court and community schools with their math needs. Along with SMCOE's Science Coordinator Doron Markus and ELA Coordinator Patrick Hurley, she'll be presenting at the California STEM Conference in October on how to create a cross-curricular project.

In her spare time she's enjoying reconnecting with family here including four sisters, one brother and 17 nieces and nephews. "I love being an auntie," she says.   




Calling All Teacher Leaders 
For ECET2 Conference


Building on the success of last year's regional Elevating and Celebrating Effective Teachers and Teaching (ECET2) conference, the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) is once again hosting this one-day event with the aim of inspiring teacher leaders and elevating the teaching profession.

This year, with the theme of "ECET2 Bay Area 2.0: Innovation and Leadership," SMCOE will welcome teacher leaders from across the Bay Area on November 7, 2015.

The conference will feature teachers giving keynote "cultivating a calling" TED-style talks; colleague circles, where teachers can share problems of practice and gain insight from their peers; teacher-led professional development breakout sessions on themes such as social media in the classroom, design thinking, flipping the classroom,  co-teaching models and "Teddy talks" for kids. A prize drawing and networking social hour will cap the day.

Attendance is by invitation only. Attendees at last year's ECET2, teacher leaders, superintendents, and administrators have all been sent a call for nominations and so far more than 150 nominations have been received.
Coordinated by SMCOE's Sue Wieser and Mefula Fairley, a committee of Bay Area teachers including Stacey Tachiki, Stefania Shaffer, Lisa Reed from San Mateo County; Julie Maynard from San Francisco and Joe Young from Santa Clara County, are leading the planning for the event. The conference is supported through a grant from the New Venture Fund.

For more information about ECET2 or to invite teachers to participate contact Sue Wieser at swieser@smcoe.org or Mefula Fairley at mfairley@smcoe.org.
 


Education Update Panelists See SBAC Scores as a Call to Action
 
 

The September 9, 2015 release of results from Smarter Balanced Assessments, the state's new online test based on the Common Core state standards was, "sobering," according to Dr. Michael Kirst, President of the California State Board of Education.

Dr. Kirst
Assemblyman Rich Gordon sponsored the Education Update on September 19, 2015.
made his comments during Assemblyman Rich Gordon's Education Update on September 19, 2015, at Hillview Middle School in Menlo Park before a crowd of more than 50 educators and community members. The Smarter Balanced Assessment results, the topic of the September 19 event, further defined the growing achievement gap between California's low-income, minority populations, and their wealthier, white and Asian counterparts. "How do we create an educational and economic environment that allows all of our children to succeed?" asked Assemblyman Gordon. "We all need to do well by our children. It is an imperative."

The test results indicate that of the more than 3 million children tested in the state, 72 percent of Asian students and 61 percent of white students met or exceeded standards in English, while only 32 percent of Latino students and 28 percent of African-American students did. In math, the achievement gap was even wider. Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties outperformed the state, but the panelists also noted that this region has a different demographic profile than the rest of the state.

"These
Brian Simmons, Director of Accountability, Innovation and Results at SMCOE, was a panelist at the Education Update.
figures are a call to action," said panelist Josephine Lucey, the immediate past President of the California School Boards Association and a long-time member of the Cupertino Union School District Board. "We need to get this data in front of teachers and use it for class placement." Lucey added that the new scores and the computer-adaptive design of these tests provide details about a child's comprehension of Common Core standards. This data can be used to inform teachers about how to differentiate instruction for students, and it can also inform administrators and school board members about where to direct funding and resources.

Panelists acknowledged that with the introduction of the new testing, the Common Core and the Local Control Funding Formula, California has ended an era of heavily prescriptive education policy and is moving towards an era of hyper-local decision-making. "We are in the middle of a sea change in education in California," said Assemblyman Gordon. "It's a challenging time for students and teachers."

The new approach to education is also widely viewed as more academically rigorous than past efforts. "This baseline education is designed to give children the opportunity to go to college," noted panelist Brian Simmons, Director of Accountability, Innovation and Results at the San Mateo County Office of Education. "The standards and testing ensure that we give children the honest choice whether to go to college or not."

The panelists reminded audience members that the new test scores are just one indicator of a child's development. Parents and teachers can consider multiple gauges of growth including a child's socio-emotional health, a child's ability to communicate and a child's performance in the classroom. "Parents should ask children how they're feeling. Do they know how to make things? These scores are just one data set," said Simmons. "Talk to your kids and ask them, 'how are you doing'?"
 
 
 
Check Us Out on Facebook

   
The San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) now has a page on Facebook. We'll be providing frequent updfacebook logoates 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. 
  
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