OCDE Education in the News

Monday, January 22, 2018

OCDE NEWSROOM

College Workshop for high school students coming to City Hall in February

Registration is now available for the Mission Viejo’s free College Workshop from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 11 at the City Hall Saddleback Room, 200 Civic Center. The workshop is for high school students and is designed to help them understand their personality types, identify interests and focus on college majors and careers that pair with those interests and traits.

https://www.ocregister.com/2018/01/19/college-workshop-for-high-school-students-coming-to-city-hall-in-february/

Spots open for youth math competition in La Palma

There are still spaces open for the Young Leaders of Orange County Math Competition 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 10. It’s at the community center, 7821 Walker St., for students from fourth to sixth grade. It’s a fun day of problem-solving for math-lovers and prizes for winners of the testing portion.

https://www.ocregister.com/2018/01/19/spots-open-for-youth-math-competition-in-la-palma/

Westminster School District will hold information meetings for parents of future kindergartners on Jan. 31

The Westminster School District will hold informational meetings for parents of incoming kindergartners at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, at each of its elementary schools. The meetings are for parents whose children will be 5 years old on or before Dec. 2.

https://www.ocregister.com/2018/01/19/westminster-school-district-will-hold-information-meetings-for-parents-of-future-kindergartners-on-jan-31/

EDSOURCE

New science standards a boon for the littlest learners

Science education has long been a weak spot at some elementary schools, but educators are hoping California’s new science standards — if implemented well — will entice teachers to expand and improve science lessons for the youngest students.

https://edsource.org/2018/new-science-standards-a-boon-for-the-littlest-learners/592774

Education activist launches new school accountability campaign

As executive director of the Kids Coalition, school choice advocate Ben Austin is developing a campaign to help parents and students improve underperforming schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Austin has spent much of his career as an advocate for improving schools. For example, he drafted and successfully promoted the 2010 California parent trigger law that gave parents of students at low-performing schools the right to replace a school’s leadership or switch an under-performing district-managed school to charter status.

https://edsource.org/2018/education-activist-launches-new-school-accountability-campaign/592282

SI&A CABINET REPORT

CA’s SWD improve graduation and dropout rates

Although California’s students with disabilities continue to lag their peers in standardized testing, a report released last week shows an upward trend in graduation rates and a decline in dropouts. During the 2016-17 school year, there were almost 755,000 SWD from age two to 22 attending California schools. That total is almost 11 percent of the statewide enrollment, which is now approaching 6.3 million.

https://www.cabinetreport.com/special-education/cas-swd-improve-graduation-and-dropout-rates

KPCC

In deal with unions, LAUSD takes small step toward cutting healthcare costs

The Los Angeles Unified School District's healthcare bills are rising fast. Of every dollar the district spent this year, 14 cents went to "health and welfare benefits." By 2031, that amount could be 28 cents

https://www.scpr.org/news/2018/01/19/79978/in-deal-with-unions-lausd-takes-small-step-toward/

SACRAMENTO BEE

2 OCDE teachers named among the 25 best by Parenting OC magazine

Two Orange County Department of Education educators were named finalists for Parenting OC’s 2018 Top Teachers of Orange County Awards. Allen Witten, a teacher at Sunburst Academy in Los Alamitos, and Janet Dicker, a teacher at OCDE’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at Venado Middle School in Irvine, are among 25 honorees for the magazine’s annual award.

http://newsroom.ocde.us/2-ocde-teachers-named-among-the-25-best-by-parenting-oc-magazine/

CALmatters

Dozens of California districts with worst test scores excluded from extra state help

Dozens of California school systems with some of the state’s worst test scores and biggest academic achievement gaps won’t get any extra help this year under a support system launched recently by the state. The new dashboard system rates districts in several categories that impact student learning. But—mirroring a nationwide shift away from a narrow focus on tests—it offers special help to ones with sagging academics only if they also suspend a high number of students or graduate too few of them.

https://calmatters.org/articles/dozens-california-districts-worst-test-scores-excluded-extra-state-help/

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