A note from Don Bolce
SJ/SV2020 is the sum of the collective efforts of countless individuals and organizations in our community to advocate for the elimination of the achievement gap through the implementation of programs and strategies to improve student outcomes.
In this issue of Closing the Gap, we feature two exciting examples of these efforts. In one, educators, student groups and community organizations came together to create an opportunity for high school students to think critically about how schools can better meet their needs. The resulting forum, "Designing the 21st Century School," brought student voices into the discussion about how we can improve the educational experience for all the students we serve.
In the other, we learn about a promising summer learning program developed by the YMCA, which not only prevents summer learning loss, but actually increases student learning. Summer learning loss has been identified as one of the major contributors to the achievement gap, and this pilot program provides a strong example of the types of programs that could be expanded to support academic success for students across the county.
SCCOE Program Director,
Special Projects
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Celebrate Career Technical Education Month
 College and Career Success is one of the four focus areas of SJ/SV2020 (along with Early Learning, Home and Community, and School and Classroom). A major part of College and Career Success is Career Technical Education, or CTE.
February is CTE Month, nationally and here in Santa Clara County.
CTE brings students, educators and employers together to develop and strengthen the relationship between what's being taught in the classroom and its application in the workplace. Its programs prepare students with 21st-century skills. CTE is made up of 15 industry sectors, which include 59 career pathways related to all occupations.
 Earlier this month, the CTE department at the Santa Clara County Office of Education conducted its first elementary/middle grades network meeting. The goal was to provide districts with activities and resources that engage students-which is one tool to keep kids in school.
In January, the California Board of Education approved new CTE Model Curriculum Standards. These standards, while built upon the previous benchmarks, have become more rigorous and aligned to the Common Core State Standards.
 The Common Core State Standards were designed to provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards were also designed to be relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that students need for success in college and careers.
The SCCOE is one of four locations statewide where training of CTE leaders on the new Model Curriculum Standards will be held. The training will be held on April 22 at the SCCOE offices on Ridder Park Drive. For more information visit the SCCOE's CTE department webpage.
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Students collaborate on vision for 21st Century schools
 While students are the focus of education reform efforts, they seldom have input into what changes are needed to enhance learning outcomes. That is beginning to change however, as innovative solutions to bridging the achievement gap are embraced. Late last fall, more than 200 students gathered at the Mexican Heritage Plaza to share their ideas about how the education system could better support them.
 The event, "Designing the 21st Century School," brought together students from ten San Jose high schools to generate ideas about how they would design schools to meet their educational needs. It was organized by a coalition of organizations that included Californians for Justice, the San José Youth Commission, American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley, the School of Arts and Culture, the Santa Clara County Office of Education and Silicon Valley De-Bug in partnership with the San Jose Unified and East Side Union High School Districts.
The multi-media event included student performances, breakdancing and small group facilitated discussions about the challenges of school reform and strategies for breaking down those barriers. Some of the student suggestions concentrated on the importance of teachers who care and have the time to meet and talk with them; others highlighted the value of teachers believing in students and challenging them to succeed.
 The participants also made suggestions about increasing the use of technology, having classes that were relevant to their interests and future needs and incorporating more interaction and project work in their classes. Silicon Valley De-Bug filmed the event and produced a brief video that captured the ideas and energy of the participants.
The "Designing the 21st Center School" student forum is seen as a first step towards increasing student engagement in creating schools that prepare all students for success, and the convening organizations are planning future activities to continue working towards this goal.
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 YMCA Summer Achievement Program aims to combat summer learning loss
Working to limit summer learning loss and its negative effects on student achievement, the YMCA of Silicon Valley instituted a Summer Achievement Program to target children in the Hoffman via Monte community of south San Jose in 2012.
 The nine-week program at Almaden Elementary School engaged 74 children in activities designed to improve literacy, strengthen math and science skills, boost confidence and promote the critical importance of good nutrition and regular physical activity.
As with SJ/SV2020, parent engagement is a key component of the YMCA program. Workshops highlighted strategies for school success and improving family health, and ninety six percent of participating caregivers reported being more engaged in their children's education at the conclusion of the course.
 Initial results showed that second-grade students gained an average of 2.4 months in their reading assessments, 82% of students became more physically active and 85% improved their attitudes toward school.  Partnerships like those between the YMCA and Almaden Elementary create a kind of "magic for our youth," according to Mary Hoshiko Haughey, Vice President of Operations for YMCA Silicon Valley. "At the YMCA Summer Achievement Program, students improve their literacy skills, make new friends, become physically active, eat healthy meals, and best of all, discover their own interests and 'sparks' in a caring, fun and safe environment." Funded largely through individual donors and foundation grants, the YMCA is working to expand the program to three additional locations throughout Silicon Valley this summer.
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It is the vision of the City of San José, the Santa Clara County Office of Education, school districts, charter schools, colleges, and business and nonprofit community agencies to join together to eliminate the achievement gap in San José by 2020. The "achievement gap" refers to the disparity in academic performance between two groups: lower-performing Hispanic/ Latino and African-American students, and higher-performing Asian and White/non-Hispanic students.
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