Podcasts about california education

Former Fresno Unified School District Trustee, Michelle Asadoorian joins the program.  She talks to us about FUSD's most recent hire, outgoing Superintendent Bob Nelson and the hurdles of navigating the California Education system.   Guest Co-Host: Terry Slatic See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode we're bringing attention to an important but still under-examined subject: the need for  schools and school systems to better attend to the intersection of language and disability for young multilingual learners.  Focusing on multilingualism and disability offers insight into a larger and more persistent question we've dug into throughout this series—that is, how can district leaders, including superintendents and school business officials, make decisions and take actions that more effectively identify and meet the needs of all their students?Host Jason Willis is joined by two WestEd colleagues, Jamey Burho and Elizabeth Burr. Both  have worked extensively on policies and practices that support the needs of multilingual learners, particularly those with disabilities. In the past couple of years, Jamey and Elizabeth have co-authored key studies, including a 2022 report, “Resourcing Supports for Young Multilingual Learners with Suspected Disabilities in California,” and in Dec. 2023,  "Pre-Referral Processes in California State Preschool Programs: How Practitioners Decide to Refer Multilingual Children for Special Education Evaluation" along with Alyssa Perez.More About Our Guests As a Senior Research Associate on the Research-Practice Partnerships team at WestEd, Elizabeth Burr coordinates research projects, including policy analyses, literature reviews, and syntheses with the Regional Educational Laboratory West.  She authored Guidance Manuals for Educators of English Learners with Disabilities: Ideas and Lessons from the Field, and was a lead author of California Practitioners' Guide for Educating English Learners with Disabilities. Currently she is working on a comprehensive toolkit for educators of English learners with disabilities. Prior to joining WestEd in 2007, Elizabeth was a Project Director at the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities at Stanford University, and a Project Director at Policy Analysis for California Education.Jamey Burho is a Senior Research Associate with the English Learners Services and Migrant Education (ELMES) team and the Special Education Policy & Practice (SEPP) team at WestEd. Her expertise focuses on students identified as English Learners with disabilities, or dually identified students.   As part of WestEd's Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL) program, Jamey routinely leads professional development sessions across the country for educators on how to support multilingual students. Prior to joining WestEd, Burho was a postdoctoral fellow at Oregon State University. She began her education career in Washington, D.C. as a special education teacher. She holds a BS in international relations from Georgetown University, an MA in teaching (special education) from Trinity Washington University, and a Ph.D. in special education from University of Maryland.Jason Willis serves as  Director of Strategic Resource Planning and Implementation for WestEd, and he is a former chief business official in several California school districts.Budgeting for Educational Equity is presented by CASBO and WestEd.  The series is written and produced by Paul Richman and Jason Willis. Original music and sound by Tommy Dunbar.  Alyssa Perez and Hannah Jarmolowski at WestEd provides research and develop the written briefs that go along with episodes.

Closing or consolidating neighborhood schools is a painful decision that no school district or community ever wishes to face, but increasingly it may be on the table due to declining enrollment trends and budgetary pressures. In this episode, host Jason Willis and school finance and policy veteran Carrie Hahnel deepen our understanding about school closures and consolidations. They delve into current factors that could lead to more closures and data showing how closures have disproportionately impacted different student populations. They pinpoint the tension schools and communities must try to resolve between difficult and necessary budget decisions on one hand and the enormous potential equity effects of those decisions on the other.Carrie serves as a senior associate partner for policy and evaluation at Bellwether and a senior policy and research fellow with Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE). She and colleagues Max Marchitello and Dr. Francis Pearman co-authored a series of recent research for PACE related to declining enrollment, equity, and closures.Jason and Carrie further explore how district and school leaders can proactively approach considerations about school closures while centering equity, and:   The extent to which closures or consolidations achieved expected savings for districts, Connections between demographic trends, housing, segregation and other local issues to resource disparities, How the State of California has started to weigh in on the issue of school closures, andThe importance for districts of pairing a school closure process with an affirmative strategy to provide students that will be displaced with high quality educational opportunities.“It's hard not to be paying attention to school closures if you're paying attention to what's happening in schools."About Our GuestCarrie Hahnel currently serves as a senior associate partner on the policy team at Bellwether, a national nonprofit. Previously, she focused on equitable school funding as an advocate at the Education Trust West, and as a policy director at the Opportunity Institute. She has worked extensively with the statewide research organization PACE. Her research has focused on school funding formulas, equity, tax policies and local budgeting practices and decisions, among other areas.About Our HostJason Willis serves as  Director of Strategic Resource Planning and Implementation for WestEd, and he is a former chief business official in several California school districts.Key ResourcesCentering Equity in the School Closure Process in California – ReportDeclining Enrollment, School Closures, and Equity Considerations – Policy brief and related PACE Webinar.Examining Racial (In)equity in School-Closure Patterns in California –  Working PaperBudgeting for Educational Equity is presented by CASBO and WestEd.  The series is written and produced by Paul Richman and Jason Willis. Original music and sound by Tommy Dunbar. Alyssa Perez and Hannah Jarmolowski at WestEd provides research and develops the written briefs that go along with each episode.

The Dean's List with Host Dean Bowen – Illinois House Bill 4343 raises serious concerns, calling for mandatory mental health screenings in schools. Meanwhile, Texas grapples with First Amendment challenges over the READER Act. In California, teachers face removal over gender identity policies. These events signal a worrying trend in education, law, and cultural norms, prompting a critical examination of current public school systems...

Listen to what's in John Fensterwald's crystal ball for 2024 in California education.

This Special Episode of the Capitol Weekly Podcast was recorded live at Capitol Weekly's Conference on Education Policy which was held in Sacramento on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. This is Panel 1 – TEACHER SHORTAGE AND OTHER CHALLENGES.PANELISTS: Heather J. Hough, Policy Analysis for California Education, Stanford University; Katie Hardeman, California Teachers Association; David Schapira, California School Employees Association; Melissa White, WestEdModerated by Brian Joseph for Capitol WeeklyFind a full transcript at: https://capitolweekly.net/special-episode-education-policy-teacher-shortage-and-other-challenges/Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang

What does it take to implement major new initiatives in our school systems? In Part Two of our episode about implementing initiatives such as Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK) and Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK), we dive into this question with lots of hands-on, practical advice from a local school district perspective with Maria Ceballos, executive director of the early learning department at Fresno USD. Maria shares how her district, Fresno Unified, has been working to expand access to early learning for all children and families.   In Part One, we gained a statewide perspective about this historic moment for early education in California from Sarah Neville-Morgan, Deputy Superintendent at the California Department of Education. In this episode, Maria takes us inside some of Fresno USD's planning and approaches for expanding access to early education. Two keys, she says, were being concrete about the work and having the right people at the table. Maria says her district's leadership and all departments were clear on the value of early learning, and shared both a sense of urgency and a sense of opportunity for their community to  serve more children through high quality programs. Their efforts have included not only the early education team, but facilities, purchasing, finance, HR, teacher development, special education, local and county partners, the Fresno County Superinendent of Schools, and more. Maria also describes how building strong relationships enabled the district to pivot quickly when some things didn't go as planned or projected .Fresno's early learner support also has included a unique focus on dual language learner professional development for teachers. About Fresno USDFresno USD is the third largest district in the state with nearly 73,000 students, preK-12. Approximately 17.5% are English learners, and 85% are socioeconomically disadvantaged. The district includes 66 elementary schools, 14 middle schools, 10 high schools, alternative schools, and of course – early education programs. Currently, Fresno USD has six year-round, full-day child development centers serving infant, toddler and preschool aged children; they also have 72 part-day preschool programs, and 127 transitional kindergarten programs including special education – all serving about 5,000 children. About our hostJason Willis serves as  Director of Strategic Resource Planning and Implementation for WestEd, and he is a former chief business official in several California school districtsAbout our seriesBudgeting for Educational Equity is presented by the California Association of School Business Official (CASBO) and WestEd. We are grateful to the Sobrato Family Foundation for additional support. Recorded in spring, 2023

Lindsay Unified School District in California's Central Valley reinvented its approach to education by launching a Performance Based System in 2007, following an extensive community engagement process. It's an approach that fundamentally changed experiences for the community's learners, families and educators -- and led to impressive outcomes that have been highlighted in multiple studies and reports.Two dynamic leaders from Lindsey USD – Grant Schimelpfening, Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services, and Cheri Doria, Early Childhood Education Director – provide an “under the hood” look at  the systems and culture their district has built to help advance equity  through a personalized learning plan for each student.We explore how Lindsay USD – whose 4,000-plus students are approximately 90% socio-economically disadvantaged and 37% English Learners – creates alignment and coherence to serve students with multiple needs, including early learners, multi-language learners, and students with disabilities. Grant and Cheri discuss how the district: Uses data to weigh resource investment decisions;Gets to know students, even from the time they are born;Tries to begin its program design process with an ambitious vision, versus building programs around currently available funding;Systematizes processes and practices to further support alignment with its overall strategic design.; and more.Plus, Grant shares his top three list for Chief Business Officials for driving collaboration, alignment and coherence in their systems.Key Links:Lindsay USD's Strategic Design Articles and research about Lindsay's USD's work"Putting Students in Charge of Their Learning Transforms A Small Rural District," via EdSource "Online Learning in Lindsay," via Inside California EducationCalifornia Department of Education Updated Guidance on Identification of Early Education Dual Language Learners (and links to survey instruments) About Our Guests:Cheri Doria has served as Director of Preschools in Lindsay USD since 2014.  Prior to that she was an elementary school teacher in the district for 10 years. Grant Schimelpfening has served as a school business executive for nearly 20 years, including for Lindsay USD as CBO and now Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services since January 2014. Previously he served in Modesto City Schools and Farmersville School District.(Host) Jason Willis serves as  Director of Strategic Resource Planning and Implementation for WestEd, and he is a former chief business official in several California school districtsBudgeting for Educational Equity is presented by the California Association of School Business Official (CASBO) and WestEd. We are grateful to the Sobrato Family Foundation for additional support. Recorded: Spring, 2023

"Red Meat, Greenville." 03/17/23

I deep dive into the educational political system in California and How the San Francisco School Board recall builds hope for positive change in California. House of Liberty T-Shirt Co.https://house-of-liberty-t-shirt.creator-spring.comBuy me a Coffeehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/constitutiESupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/constitutiE)

Susanna Loeb is Director of the Annenberg Institute at Brown University, where she is also Professor of Education and Professor of International and Public Affairs. Her work has addressed issues of educator career choices, and professional development of school finance and governance, and of early childhood systems. She is the founder and acting Executive Director of the National Student Support Accelerator. Before moving to Brown, Susanna was the Barnett Family Professor of Education at Stanford University. She was the founding Director of the Center for Education Policy at Stanford and Co-Director of Policy Analysis for California Education.

COVID-19 and other crises have put extreme operational pressures on public school systems. And these pressures, as Dr. Rosanna Mucetti, Superintendent of Napa Valley USD says, can break or make organizations. In this episode, Rosanna and Rob Mangewala, NVUSD's Assistant Superintendent and Chief Business Official, describe how their district actually leveraged challenges during the crisis to accelerate their focus on resource equity and school improvement. “All of a sudden, work that was probably going to take us three to five years to implement as articulated in our strategic plan was in overdrive and things got adopted in months because of the pressures of the pandemic,” Rosanna says. In addition, Rosanna and Rob share practical guidance and insights from their leadership experiences, including how their district:Opened campuses early in the pandemic and maintained strong collaboration among the board, management team and labor partners.Approached resource allocation equity through standardization and sustainability to guarantee a “base floor” of access for all students.Revamped the district's system of technology and adopted a new assessment in the midst of the pandemic.Responded to severe fiscal challenges like declining enrollment.About our guestsRob and Rosanna's professional partnership began more than two decades ago, when they were both clearing their teaching credentials. Rosanna Mucetti, Ed. D., has served as a bilingual teacher, English Learner program specialist, assistant principal, principal, manager of Curriculum and English Learner Services, Assistant Superintendent, and Deputy Superintendent. Before her appointment as Superintendent at NVUSD in 2018, she served as the Deputy Superintendent of Educational Services in San Leandro USD for five years, where she led instructional transformations, including integrating socio-emotional learning into the curriculum. She also revamped the district's technology platforms. Her educational background includes a bachelor's degree in Psychology from UC Berkeley and a master's degree and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from CSU East Bay. She also completed the School Business Management program at USC and has a CASBO chief business official certificate.Rabinder “Rob” Mangewala joined NVUSD as the Assistant Superintendent, Business Services in 2019. He serves as the Chief Business Official for the organization, ensuring the district successfully addresses its financial challenges. He also oversees technology, data management and enrollment. Rob previously served with Rosanna in San Leandro USD, where he oversaw district-wide data management, enrollment, information technology and instructional materials. He began his career in education as an elementary school teacher in Hayward where he taught for 13 years while obtaining his administrative credential and masters degree at CSU East Bay. He also holds a certificate in School Business Management from the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California. Budgeting for Educational Equity is presented by the California Association of School Business Official (CASBO) and WestEd. Our series is written and produced by Paul Richman and Jason Willis, Director of Strategic Resource Planning and Implementation for WestEd, and our host. Music and editing is by Tommy Dunbar. John Diaz at WestEd develops our written briefs. Follow us at @Budget4EdEquity.

Today, we talked with Lance Christensen about his work with Fix California Education - Education Saving Account Act of 2022. Californians pay high taxes for an expensive and outdated public education system that fails our children and does not prepare them for the 21st-century economy. Despite record spending on education this year, California public schools continue to rank below the national average in academics. The Education Savings Account Act of 2022 is a bi-partisan approach that provides the opportunity to have the funds follow the students so parents can decide which school offers the best options and learning experiences for their students. Additionally, extra funds not used before graduating high school can be saved for college or vocational schools. And the best part is that this comes at no additional cost to taxpayers. Here are some of the items that the Education Saving Account would provide parents: Students can opt into a K-12 savings account with $13,000 a year in state education funds. Parents can send their kids to an accredited school or homeschool of their choice. Funds can be used for tuition and other eligible education expenses. Children from low to medium-income families get initial access in the first four years. Up to $60,000 of leftover funds can be saved for college. Get more information on the Education Saving Account Act of 2022: Website: educationsavingsaccounts.com Facebook: @FixCaliforniaEdu Instagram: @FixCaliforniaEdu Twitter: @FixCA_Edu --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/hectorandmikeexperience/support

Have you had a chance yet to check out the Budgeting for Educational Equity podcast? We're sharing the latest episode here because it delves into a subject near and dear to anyone interested in California education funding: the Local Control Funding Formula, or LCFF, which was adopted in 2013.The LCFF is regarded by many as the most significant resource equity reform the state has ever enacted. It definitely ushered in a new era of school funding for school districts. But how has the LCFF actually worked? Has it accomplished what it was intended to? And how are some of the inherent tensions between local and state decision making authority, oversight and accountability being navigated? In this episode, series host Jason Willis and special guests explore key elements of the LCFF: Mike Kirst, former State Board of Education President, Professor Emeritus at Stanford University, and chief architect of the LCFF under Gov. Jerry Brown, offers a remarkable glimpse into the development of the formula, including some of the difficult choices, innovative thinking and pragmatic considerations that went into creating the new law.Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez provides a review of the law, based on her unique perspective both as a locally elected school board member in Azusa USD and as Deputy Director for Californians Together, a statewide group that advocates on behalf of English Learner students.  Xilonin also serves as immediate past president of the California School Boards Association.And Richard De Nava, Assistant Superintendent, Business Services at San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, shares insights about the policy and practical implications of the LCFF. Richard also serves as president of CASBO. *More resourcesNEW: "What's Next for the LCFF," report by Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), November 2021NEW: "Targeted K-12 Funding and Student Outcomes," PPIC Policy Brief, October 2021"Why the LCFF? California's Landmark Move to an Equity-Based School Funding Formula," from the Adventures in Ed Funding CASBO podcast, March, 2020. "Here's How LCFF Works," Ed100.org lesson on the Local Control Funding Formula.*Subscribe to the Budgeting for Educational Equity series at:Apple podcasts SpotifyGoogleCASBO podcastsWestEd podcastsMore...Follow the Budgeting for Ed Equity podcast on Twitter at: @budget4edequityBudgeting for Educational Equity is presented by the California Association of School Business Official (CASBO) and WestEd. The series is written and produced by Paul Richman and Jason Willis. Original music, mixing and sound by Tommy Dunbar. John Diaz at WestEd  develops the written briefs that go along with each episode.

The Local Control Funding Formula, or LCFF, ushered in a new era of school funding in California when it was adopted in 2013. It's regarded by many as the most significant resource equity reform the state has ever enacted. But how has the LCFF worked? Has it accomplished what it was intended to? And how are inherent tensions between local and state decision making authority, oversight and accountability being navigated? In this episode, host Jason Willis and special guests explore key elements of the LCFF. Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez provides a review of the law, based on her unique perspective both as a locally elected school board member in Azusa USD and as Deputy Director for Californians Together, a statewide group that advocates on behalf of English Learner students.  Xilonin also serves as immediate past president of the California School Boards Association.Richard De Nava, Assistant Superintendent, Business Services at San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, shares insights about the policy and practical implications of the LCFF. Richard also serves as president of CASBO. And Mike Kirst, former State Board of Education President, Professor Emeritus at Stanford University, and chief architect of the LCFF under Gov. Jerry Brown, offers a remarkable glimpse into the development of the formula, including some of the difficult choices, innovative thinking and pragmatic considerations that went into creating the new law.Additional BackgroundAs part of the LCFF, all Local Education Agencies receive a per-student funding allocation known as a base grant, plus targeted additional funding depending on the needs of certain students (known as supplemental and concentration grants). Districts must also engage stakeholders before adopting a Local Control and Accountability Plan. While the new law has shifted more discretion for budgetary decisions to local school districts, it has also brought to the surface inherent tensions between local and state decision making authority. More resourcesNEW: "What's Next for the LCFF," report by Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), November 2021NEW: "Targeted K-12 Funding and Student Outcomes," PPIC Policy Brief, October 2021"Why the LCFF? California's Landmark Move to an Equity-Based School Funding Formula," from the Adventures in Ed Funding CASBO podcast, March, 2020. "The LCFF After Four Years: What Do We Know?" brief summarizing four Getting Down To Facts II technical reports related to LCFF implementation.About our seriesBudgeting for Educational Equity is presented by the California Association of School Business Official (CASBO) and WestEd. We are grateful to the Sobrato Family Foundation for additional support. Our series is written and produced by Paul Richman and Jason Willis. Original music, mixing and sound by Tommy Dunbar. John Diaz at WestEd  develops the written briefs that go along with each episode.Follow us on Twitter at @Budget4EdEquity to keep up to date on the series and share your thoughts, ideas, questions and feedback. 

Pari Livermore shares her match-making strategies and insights with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC and Pari answers the following questions. What made you start as a match maker? How do you match people together and on what criteria? What makes a good match maker? How do you get remunerated? What satisfaction do you get from being a match maker? How do you select your charities to donate what you make match making? According to you what are men and women looking for in their partner? How has that changed? Garland Vance Television host and charity fundraiser Pari Livermore is one of the nation's most famous matchmakers. She is the author of, "How to Marry a Fabulous Man" and is best known as the host of Everybody's Angels. She is often referred to as the Robin Hood of Matchmaking. Her matchmaking fees are contributed to non-profit organizations. Pari is currently raising funds for California Education. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to iTunes. We would love a review on iTunes or other platform. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching that helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of www.mkbconseil.ch a company specialized in leadership development and executive coaching.

School districts face extreme urgency to safely return students to in-person environments and help them recover from a pandemic that has not yet ended. At the same time, leaders and practitioners are pressing to expeditiously but thoughtfully allocate a windfall of new state and federal dollars – all the while trying to leverage the unique opportunity created by these circumstances to bring about transformative changes to our public school systems. How can school communities make the most of this moment to innovate towards a greater equality of outcomes for all students? That's the question we explore in this episode. Education reform experts Michael Fullan and Joanne Quinn share powerful ideas and insights from their work. Both have advised school systems in California and throughout the world. They've co-authored many books and papers, including their latest, “Right Drivers for Whole System Success.” Fullan and Quinn help us to look through the lens of equity and learning, emphasizing that education leaders should prioritize engaging all of their students.The possibilities for investing this influx of new, one-time funding to address inequities is truly exciting. But not so simple. School business officials especially may find themselves caught in a tension, on the one hand focused on fulfilling their important, traditional role of ensuring fiscal health and responsible accounting (including spending down Covid-recovery funds within prescribed timelines) while also being presented an opportunity to help their districts think and act in new ways that can be sustained over time. CASBO CEO and executive director Tatia Davenport also re-joins Jason to put some of Michael and Joanne's ideas through a school business “reality check.” Tatia describes why focusing on increasing the long-term yield of our public school investments is so critical, plus she highlights why district leaders need more time and space to plan, so they can develop a cohesive strategy with their communities for effectively spending their funds and improving outcomes. Download the Episode 4 Companion Brief here. GuestsJoanne Quinn is an international consultant and author on system change, leadership, and learning. As co-founder and Global Director of New Pedagogies for Deep Learning, she leads partnership work across eight countries focused on transforming learning. Joanne has provided leadership at all levels of education as a superintendent, implementation advisor to the Ontario Ministry of Education, and Director of Continuing Education at the University of Toronto. Michael Fullan, O.C., is the Global Leadership Director of New Pedagogies for Deep Learning and a worldwide authority on educational reform with a mandate of helping to achieve the moral purpose of all children learning. A former Dean of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) of the University of Toronto, Michael advises policymakers and local leaders around the world to provide leadership in education. *Budgeting for Educational Equity is presented by the California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO), in partnership with WestEd. Our series is written and produced by Paul Richman and Jason Willis. Original music, mixing and sound by Tommy Dunbar. John Diaz at WestEd  develops our related written materials. We are grateful to the Sobrato Family Foundation for providing additional support. @Budget4edequity

Here are some must attributes you should keep in mind before hiring security guard services in California: · Education and Training · Experience · Physical Fitness · Honesty and Integrity · Vigilance and Preparedness · Communication Skills

John discusses a confusing case in the California Education system. Gubernatorial candidate John Cox joins the show.

During this episode, Eugene and Matt are joined by a special guest - Tashanda Giles-Jones. Tashanda is a teacher at Environmental Charter Middle School in Inglewood, California, and she'll be sharing some of the work she's done helping students become leaders in their community through outdoor and environmental projects. Matt and Eugene will then explore how outdoor education can enhance opportunities for science learning.Resources mentioned in this episode:TreePeoplehttps://www.treepeople.org/Generation Earthhttps://www.dpw.lacounty.gov/epd/ge/The California Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculumhttps://californiaeei.org/Curriculum/The Bay Foundationhttps://www.santamonicabay.org/GrowingGreathttps://growinggreat.org/The Edible Schoolyard Projecthttps://edibleschoolyard.org/California Academy of Scienceshttps://www.calacademy.org/educatorsGreen Schools National Networkhttps://greenschoolsnationalnetwork.org/2016 Science Framework for California Public Schools, Chapter 11: Instructional Strategies for CA NGSS Teaching and Learning in the Twenty-First Centuryhttps://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/sc/cf/documents/scifwchapter11.pdf

This week on State of the Bay, we'll talk about the state of school reopening with SF Chronicle education reporter Jill Tucker. Then we'll do a deep dive into pandemic learning loss and how it can be addressed with Heather Hough, Executive Director of Policy Analysis for California Education and Lakisha Young, co-founder and CEO of The Oakland Reach. We'll end with Joseph Pace's interview of Dr. Linda Shiue about her new cookbook, Spicebox Kitchen.

It has been exactly a year since we launched the Adventures in Ed Funding series. And what a year it was! In addition to our focus on school finance, we also produced additional episodes with timely information and stories to help schools and communities navigate the Covid-19 pandemic. In total, our first season included 36 shows. Here's a quick look back at just a few of the highlights during a difficult time when we've all learned so much.Note: We’re currently taking a break from production. We'll be back soon with an update on some exciting developments for the next season.****For the latest information about education and school business, be sure to check out CASBO Connect, the new podcast series hosted by chief business officials and CASBO leaders Eric Dill and Tina Douglas.****Guests featured in this episode include:Samantha Tran, Managing Director of Education, Children NowEpisode 1, February 7: “California schools: Where the adults aren’t.”Elizabeth Esquivel, Senior Director of Policy and Governance for CASBO Episode 9, March 20: “School Closures Due to Covid-19: What you should know.”Paulo Azevedo, Director of Maintenance. Operations, Transportation and Facilities, San Ysidro School District, San Diego CountyEpisode 16, May 7: “A Clean Restart for California's Schools.”Amy Rovai Gregory, Principal, Greer Elementary in San Juan USD, Sacramento CountyEpisode 25, July 27: "A Back to School Like None Before."Linda Darling-Hammond, President, California Board of EducationEpisode 26, August 2: “Checking in with Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond.”Diane Deshler, CASBO Vice-President and Chief Business Official, Lafayette School District in Contra Costa CountyEpisode 27, August 9: "Back to School Safety and Planning: A View From the CBO’s Chair."Paul Gothold, San Diego County Superintendent of SchoolsEpisode 34, November 3: “California Schools Put to the Test.”ABOUT the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALSCASBO is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. Be sure to visit CASBO.org for the latest budget news and more information about the many valuable professional development programs. Follow on Twitter at @CASBOABOUT YOUR GUIDEYour series guide Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Follow on Twitter at @pjr100. Contact us at EdfundingCA@gmail.com

What has it been like for school district human resources departments during these many months of pandemic? What are key challenges faced and lessons learned from recruiting, hiring and negotiating in a virtual environment? In this episode, special guest Norma Gonzales, Assistant Superintendent of HR and Interim Associate Superintendent of Business Services in Washington Unified School District in West Sacramento, helps us explore HR topics essential to school district operations.Human Resources, as Norma says, is all about people. But at a time when we are so often physically distanced, it's more vital than ever to try to carry out the various HR functions in ways that maintain personal connections with those around us.Norma is an HR expert who has served in leadership positions for several school districts and a county office of education during the past two decades. She joined Washington USD in April 2019. The district, which is situated in Yolo County just across the river from the state's capital, has more than 7,000 students spread across elementary, middle and high school campuses and nearly 800 employees.Norma offers insight into:How HR operations in her district have changed since March;The issue staff has been bringing up most often to the HR team;How recruiting and hiring new staff is happening remotely;Early lessons learned from conducting collective bargaining negotiations virtually; andMeeting the potential need for substitute teachers during this time.Plus, Norma shares some tips about virtual interviews for those who may be seeking a new position -- and she describes what she's most looking forward to once we are all past this pandemic.Norma also served as one of the presenters for the recent CASBO Human Resources Summit and discussed tips for conducting investigations during the pandemic. Find more information about that and all of the latest professional development offerings at www.casbo.org/learn.Follow on Twitter: @NormaVGonzales1Contact at: ngonzales@wusd.k12.ca.usABOUT the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALSCASBO is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. Be sure to visit CASBO.org for the latest budget news and more information about the many valuable professional development programs, including the new CASBO Work Wise Webinar Series. Follow on Twitter at @CASBOABOUT YOUR GUIDEYour series guide Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Follow on Twitter at @pjr100. Contact us at edfundingca@gmail.com

The latest state budget outlook. Fiscal implications for schools. Safely reopening campuses. Tips for successful negotiations. These topics and more were on the table when school business leaders and state fiscal experts gathered remotely the week before Thanksgiving for CASBO's CBO Symposium. We can't possibly convey all the insights and information packed into those two days. But in this episode we do bring you highlights, key takeaways and a flavor for this year’s event.The Symposium coincided with release of the State Legislative Analyst Office's latest Budget Fiscal Outlook, which projects a dramatic rebound in overall state revenues in the current budget year, and a $13.7 billion increase in funds available to schools and community colleges. That's cause for much optimism, though budget experts recommend a healthy amount of caution as well, since the outlook in future years remains cloudy with potential deficits. Hear highlights as Symposium presenters including Edgar Cabral, Deputy for K-12 Education at the Legislative Analyst's Office, Michael Fine, CEO of FCMAT, Sara Bachez, CASBO Chief Governmental Relations Officer, Kevin Gordon, President of Capitol Advisors, John Gray, President of School Services of California, and nationally regarded economist Robert Kleinhenz shed light on key economic indicators, budget projections, payment deferrals, other vital aspects of the state budget deal -- and they explore how school districts might approach planning.We also listen in as CBOs and other school business leaders share how their different districts are navigating the pandemic and related fiscal challenges. For even more information on safely reopening schools, also check out this recent webinar hosted by the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence, COVID-19 Updates and Public Schools: A Conversation with State Public Health Leaders.ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALSCASBO is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. Be sure to visit CASBO.org for the latest budget news and more information about the many valuable professional development programs, including the new CASBO Work Wise Webinar Series. Follow on Twitter at @CASBOYour series guide Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Follow on Twitter at @pjr100. Contact us at edfundingca@gmail.com

Despite the pandemic, California students are beginning to return to campuses for in-person instruction. In this episode, we connect with education leaders in San Diego and Napa counties to explore how schools in their regions are addressing key guidelines for reopening safely, including partnering with their county health departments to test employees for the COVID-19 virus.OUR GUESTS: Dr. Paul Gothold, San Diego County Superintendent of Schools. Dr. Gothold was appointed County Superintendent in 2017, after four years leading Lynwood USD in Los Angeles County. He has more than 25 years of experience in K-12 education with a focus on building school systems with equity at the core. Josh Schultz, Deputy Superintendent and Chief Business Official for the Napa County Office of Education. Josh has served in the Napa COE for the past 12 years. Prior to that he served as a director in the office of research at Sonoma State University. He also taught high school for seven years in Napa County. When and how best to safely reopen our schools for in-person instruction remains top of mind for students, families, educators, communities, and the whole state. It has also become highly politicized. Under California's color-tiered monitoring system, schools in many counties across the state are now eligible to resume in-person classes, as long as they follow guidelines for safety and physical distancing -- and many students are indeed back on campuses. Josh and Paul share challenges to reopening in their counties, strategies being utilized to address them, and protocols in place for when positive cases occur. Also, series host Paul Richman shares a few highlights from recent informational hearings in the state legislature.Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 On Education Finance, Tuesday, October 27th, 2020Senate Joint Hearing Education and Special Committee on Pandemic Emergency Response CommitteesJUST OUT: To help organizations, including schools, increase COVID-19 testing capacity, on Nov. 4 the California Department of Public Health issued a letter to school leaders and a Playbook regarding the new Valencia Laboratory state partnership. MORE RESOURCESCalifornia’s COVID-19 website – COVID-19.ca.govCalifornia Department of Education Coronavirus Response and School Reopening Guidance – CDE.CA.govABOUT the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALSCASBO is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. Be sure to visit CASBO.org and check the “Learn” tab for more information about our many valuable professional development programs; @CASBOYour series guide Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant; @pjr100. Contact us at edfundingca@gmail.com

How do education stakeholders, political leaders and policy experts view California’s school funding system and what would it take to come together around a comprehensive, coordinated effort to increase funding in California? In this new episode, we explore these and other timely topics with Jason Willis and Carrie Hahnel, two co-authors of “Securing and protecting education funding in California,” a new study from Policy Analysis in California Education (PACE).The report includes a great primer on California's education finance system -- and it provides an excellent frame for thinking about and addressing California’s school funding challenges. New Resource: CA School Funding Crisis Explained in 12 ChartsWe discuss several of the study’s key findings and recommendations – and we use the study as a springboard to engage Carrie and Jason in some “big-picture” conversation about the future of funding in California. Topics include:The political choices and will that drive funding policiesWhy is a new master plan for education funding needed and what would it do?The value of “cross-segment” planningTransparency and accountability in school funding, and more.ABOUT OUR GUESTSCarrie Hahnel is an independent researcher and consultant and a fellow with The Opportunity Institute. Her work focuses on education policy, including school finance, accountability, and ways in which policies and systems can mitigate racial and socioeconomic inequities. Previously, Carrie served nine years at The Education Trust-West, where she led research and policy work. carrie@theopportunityinstitute.orgJason Willis is Director of Strategy & Performance in the Comprehensive School Assistance Program at WestEd, a nonprofit research, development and service agency, where he oversees and guides performance and accountability practice to support state and school district efforts. Previously, he served as budget director, chief financial officer and assistant superintendent in the Oakland, Stockton and San Jose unified school districts, respectively. jwillis@wested.orgYour series guide, Paul Richman, is a public education advocate and consultant. edfundingca@gmail.com; follow at @pjr100Policy Analysis in California Education (PACE) is an independent, nonpartisan research partnership among five CA higher education institutions that seeks to make research accessible and bring evidence to bear on the most critical issues facing our state. MORE RESOURCES"Silent Recession: Why California School Districts are Underwater Despite Increases in Funding," 2018, WestEd Why Investing in Public Education is Crucial to California's COVID-19 Recovery, Episode 15 ABOUT CASBOThe California Association of School Business Officials is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. CASBO is dedicated to promoting excellence and professionalism in all aspects of school business. Learn more at CASBO.org; follow at @CASBO

Economic development and public policy trailblazer Lenny Mendonca -- who most recently served as Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Chief Economic and Business Advisor -- takes us inside the administration’s Office of Business and Economic Development (Go-Biz) and shares insights on a range of vital topics, including: the shape of California’s economic recovery the future of workK-12 and higher education alignmentschool fundingthe importance of leaders making space to openly discuss mental health, and of coursethe impact of the COVID-19 crisis on just about everything. ABOUT OUR GUESTLenny Mendonca grew up in Turlock in California’s Central Valley. He received his MBA and certificate in public management from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he now serves as a lecturer. He holds an AB, magna cum laude, in economics from Harvard College.As a senior partner emeritus with the global consulting firm McKinsey and Company, he has worked with public sector, nonprofit and corporate clients, and developed expertise in areas such as globalization, economic development, regulation and education. Lenny has chaired and served on numerous statewide, national and regional nonprofit boards and coalitions, such as California Forward, New America, Bay Area Council and Children Now (to name just a few) to help advance ambitious budget, education and governance reforms. Soon after being elected in November 2018, Gavin Newsom appointed Lenny as Chief Economic and Business Advisor to the Governor, a position he served in until April of this year, when he stepped down for health reasons. Lenny lives on the Half Moon Bay coast with his wife, Christine. They raised their two daughters, Allie and Rebecca, there and are the founders and owners of the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company and the Mavericks Beer Company.LEARN MOREGovernor’s Future of Work CommissionRegions Rise Together initiative“I faced a challenge one out of every three people in America has: depression and anxiety,” guest commentary by Lenny Mendonca, July 2020 CalMattersQUOTABLE“California is a state with radically different economies, radically different industries, radically different challenges. It was true before the environment that we're in today and this pandemic accelerates it: We need to have a closer integration between understanding what the future of work looks like, what jobs will be available and how to ensure that everyone in the state has the educational experience to succeed."ABOUT CASBOThe California Association of School Business Officials is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. CASBO is dedicated to promoting excellence and professionalism in all aspects of school business.Follow at @CASBOABOUT YOUR SERIES GUIDE Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Contact him at edfundingca@gmail.com. Follow at @pjr100

Time is running out for Congress and the President to reach a deal that provides additional coronavirus relief funding for states and schools before the end of the year. In this episode, Kevin Gordon, President of Capitol Advisors Group, offer a timely take on the political dynamics in Washington D.C., and the potential implications for California’s classrooms and state budget. Will additional relief be approved? What key differences between the U.S. Senate, the House and the White House must still be worked out? Congress passed the CARES stimulus package in late March, but since then it has failed to reach an agreement on a much-needed new round of relief. This week the Republican-led U.S. Senate headed back into session to resume deliberations on a new bill. Previously in May, the Democrat-led House of Representatives passed a new $3 trillion relief proposal, the HEROES Act, which has not been taken up in the Senate. Both the House and Senate have been considering committing about $70-$100 billion of a total new package to help stabilize school budgets, with varying requirements.Kevin assesses the budget and policy differences between Senate and House proposals to date – and the political calculations that both Democrats and Republicans are making during this election year. Plus, what is the impact on California’s budget, which is counting on additional federal relief, if no new package is approved?KEY RESOURCEAugust 20 CASBO webinar: “On the Road to the Next Federal Relief Package” with federal advocate Bob Canavan, principal of Federal Management Strategies, in which we discuss proposed funding to support schools; potential policy changes to reopening schools; and the need to stabilize state and local K-12 budgets.MORE ABOUT OUR GUESTWidely viewed among the top education advocates in California, Kevin is the President and a founding partner of Capitol Advisors Group. He formerly served as Executive Director of CASBO, and as the Chief Lobbyist and Assistant Executive Director of the California School Boards Association (CSBA). He also served as Chief of Staff to Congressman Robert T. Matsui and as a legislative advocate for the California Building Industry Association (CBIA). He holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of San Francisco. Kevin also provided a “Brief Hike Through Proposition 98 and School Funding History in California” on Episode 3 of our podcast series.ABOUT CASBOThe California Association of School Business Officials is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. CASBO is dedicated to promoting excellence and professionalism in all aspects of school business.Follow at @CASBOABOUT YOUR SERIES GUIDE Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Contact him at edfundingca@gmail.com. Follow at @pjr100

On the last night of August, the California State Legislature wrapped up its 2019-2020 legislative session in a flurry. Many bills were passed and sent to the Governor, but several difficult issues were left unresolved. In this episode, CASBO’s dynamic team of advocates Sara Bachez and Elizabeth Esquivel share highlights. What were some of the legislature’s final actions (or inactions)? What are potential education budget and fiscal implications? And what is a frenzied last night of session in Sacramento really like, especially during this time of physical distancing?Plus, Palm Springs USD Nutrition Services Director Stephanie Bruce joins us again to describe some recent good news out of Washington D.C. related to school meals.KEY RESOURCESFor details about education and budget bills that were (or were not) passed out of the legislature, read CASBO's "End of the 2019-20 Legislative Session NewsBreak." This NewsBreak also includes details about Gov. Newsom's new “Blueprint for a Safer Economy” released on Aug. 28. Additional information about budget and finance bills discussed on this episode:SB 115 -- Makes technical amendments to K-12 education and early education associated with the Budget Act of 2020.SB 820 -- Makes clarifying changes to education programs adopted as part of the Budget Act of 2020. These changes are described in more detail in the CASBO Newsbreak: New Education Budget Changes are Released in SB 820"Legislature fixes funding problem for growing districts and some charter schools," Sept. 2 EdSource article by John Fensterwald"USDA Extends Free Meals for Kids Through Dec. 31, 2020" press release from USDAOUR GUESTS:Sara Bachez, CASBO Chief Government Relations Officer Elizabeth Esquivel, CASBO Senior Director of Policy and GovernanceStephanie Bruce, Nutrition Services Director, Palm Springs USD. Learn more about Stephanie on our March episode, "The Meals Must Go On"Plus a cameo appearance by Jeff Vaca, Chief Governmental Relations Officer, Riverside County Office of EducationABOUT CASBOThe California Association of School Business Officialsis the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. Follow at @CASBO. YOUR SERIES GUIDEPaul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. edfundingca@gmail.com and @pjr100

As California school districts work to safely reopen schools during COVID-19, the alarming specter of costly litigation looms, even as districts follow all state and local health and safety guidelines. In this episode, Santa Clara USD Chief Business Official Eric Dill helps us wade through the murky liability waters brought on by the pandemic. We explore some basics about school district insurance and risk management, and the implications for students, educators and taxpayers of potential COVID-19 litigation. Plus, we'll hear how Assembly Bill 1384, introduced by Assembly Education Committee Chair Patrick O'Donnell, could provide much-needed, temporary legal protection for school districts during this most perilous time. It's a matter of urgency, Eric explains, for legislators to act on AB 1384 before the legislative session ends. "In public education, insurance dollars are public dollars. That same LCFF funding that goes to school districts to hire teachers, buy mobile devices, buy textbooks -- it's the same funding that we have to carve out for insurance," Eric says. "When our losses go up, our premiums go up, and that means fewer dollars are left for our core mission of preparing students for college, careers and the community. This is why everyone needs to be concerned when we are exposed to liability for doing what is a constitutional requirement."MORE INFO and VALUABLE RESOURCESReopening California's Schools: A SISC and Kern CSS Discussion on Liability Issues to Consider, CASBO Summer Series WebinarCoalition Letter from 230-plus organizations in Support of AB 1384Letter signed by 40+ legislators urging a hearing for AB 1384COVID-19 lawsuits: a school district worry, EdSource podcast episodeCalifornia Department of Public Health COVID-19 Industry Guidance: Schools and School-Based Programs, June 5, 2020ABOUT OUR GUESTEric Dill is the Chief Business Official in Santa Clara USD; he'll begin a new role as CBO at Santa Clara COE next month. Previously Eric served for more than 16 years in San Dieguito Union HSD in several positions, including superintendent, associate superintendent of business services, director of risk management and as a loss control analyst. He began his career in private sector risk management. He is a proud graduate of San Diego State University. He also serves on the CASBO Board of Directors. Learn more about Eric in the CASBO Career Chronicle.ABOUT CASBOThe California Association of School Business Officialsis the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. Follow at @CASBO. About your series guide Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Share your feedback at edfundingca@gmail.com. Follow at @pjr100

What are some of the vital operational elements that school business leaders must keep moving forward and aligned as their districts implement school safety and back to school plans? In this episode, Lafayette School District Chief Business Official and CASBO Vice President Diane Deshler helps us explore the ongoing work of a school business office during these days of pandemic and economic crisis. How has her school district approached planning and navigated changing circumstances? What types of health and safety protocols are being put in place and what guidance is available if a new outbreak occurs? What are some implications for human resources and collective bargaining? And what keeps CBOs like Diane awake at night? This insightful journey will help illuminate these and other timely topics. Plus, we'll discuss new Learning Loss and Mitigation Funds and learn about Diane's somewhat unusual (and tasty) pathway into public education and becoming a CBO. KEY RESOURCE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Reopening California's Schools: A FCMAT Discussion on Understanding & Planning for Federal Funding -- CASBO Webinar with Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team CEO Michael FineOTHER VALUABLE LINKS:Reopening California's Schools: A Discussion on Political Insights for 2020-21 -- Webinar with CASBO's Governmental Relations team, Sara Bachez and Elizabeth EsquivelCalifornia Department of Education's Coronavirus Response and School Reopening Guidance webpageABOUT OUR GUESTDiane Deshler is the Chief Business Official (CBO) at Lafayette School District, which serves about 3,500 Kindergarten through eighth-grade students in Contra Costa County in Northern California. She also serves as CASBO Vice President and has been a member of CASBO for 24 years. She is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego. Following college and working at a publishing company, Diane changed her career focus and attended professional chef school in California and Paris, France. Diane worked at Chez Panisse in Berkeley as the Pastry Chef, and at George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch in Marin County as Head Chef. Her path to serving students started with her interest in student nutrition and school lunch. From working in school lunch to a variety of school business areas, Diane graduated from the CASBO/FCMAT CBO Mentor Program and is in her 6th year as a school district CBO. Diane grew up in the Bay Area. She currently lives in the East Bay and has two children in college; both will attend classes through distance learning as they begin the new school year. If Diane had the opportunity for vacation, she would be spending her free time in the mountains or at the beach with her family.ABOUT CASBOThe California Association of School Business Officials is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. Follow at @CASBO. Discover the many critical resources, advocacy updates and professional development opportunities at www.casbo.org.About your series guide Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Share your feedback at edfundingca@gmail.com. Follow at @pjr100

She serves as President of the California State Board of Education, President and CEO of the Learning Policy Institute, and is one of the nation’s leading education researchers...In this episode Dr. Linda Darling Hammond shares what’s on her mind as plans for the new school year continue to take shape. How is distance learning going? What have other countries done to re-open their campuses safely and what else should our federal government do to support efforts here? Plus, we explore the role everyone in schools plays in providing social-emotional supports to students; key objectives for the new Learning Continuity and Attendance Plans that districts must adopt before October – and fact-checking presidential tweets about education.With back to school season upon us, local and state leaders are working tirelessly to ensure as Gov. Newsom has said, “learning is non-negotiable” while prioritizing the health and safety of students and staff during this time of COVID-19.In a recent Forbes article, “The Urgency of Reopening Schools Safely,” Linda discussed what other countries are doing to re-open their school campuses. She makes the compelling case that “where these re-openings have succeeded, governments have been responsive to addressing the significant financial needs.” Yet, with nearly $2.8 trillion in federal aid dedicated to the recovery so far in the U.S., less than half of one percent of the total funding has been allocated specifically for K-12 education. MORE RESOURCESReopening California's Schools: A Discussion on Political Insights for 2020-21, CASBO webinarReopening California's Schools: A FCMAT Discussion on Understanding & Planning for Federal Funding, CASBO WebinarCDE's Coronavirus Response and School Reopening Guidance webpageABOUT OUR GUESTDr. Linda Darling Hammond was appointed by Gov. Newsom to the State Board of Education in February 2019, and currently serves as President. She is President and CEO of the Learning Policy Institute (LPI), an organization that conducts and communicates independent, high-quality research to improve educational policy and practice. Linda is also the Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education Emeritus at Stanford University where she founded the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education and served as the faculty sponsor of the Stanford Teacher Education Program. She is past president of the American Educational Research Association and recipient of its awards for Distinguished Contributions to Research, Lifetime Achievement, and Research-to-Policy. Full bio here.ABOUT CASBOThe California Association of School Business Officials is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. Follow at @CASBOAbout your series guide Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Contact him at edfundingca@gmail.com. Follow at @pjr100

With so much information, guidance and politics swirling about how the new school year will begin due to COVID-19, it can feel stressful, overwhelming or in the words of one district superintendent, as if we are often “scrambling remotely.” In this episode, we invite you to – breathe in deeply and exhale slowly – as we "recenter" ourselves and connect with three truly inspiring individuals: a student, teacher and principal. Each shares unique and powerful experiences about what they are learning during the crisis and how can we build on it. Our guests also help explore how to stay focused on what matters most as this unique back to school season gets underway. MEET OUR SPECIAL GUESTSRosie Reid, National board-certified English and English language development teacher at Ygnacio High School in Mt. Diablo USD and 2019 California Teacher of the Year -- reidr@mdusd.org, @msreidenglish;Amy Rovai Gregory, Principal at Greer Elementary School in San Juan USD -- arovai@sanjuan.edu; and Angel, a high school student in Northern CaliforniaWatch more about Rosie Reid on this episode of the public TV series Inside California Education.About CASBOThe California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO) is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. CASBO is dedicated to promoting excellence and professionalism in all aspects of school business. Founded in 1928, CASBO serves more than 23,000 members by providing certifications and training, promoting business best practices and creating opportunities for professional collaboration. CASBO members represent every facet of school business management and operations. The association offers public school leaders an entire career's worth of growth opportunities. Follow at @CASBO. About your series guide Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Follow him at @pjr100.We value your feedback! Share your comments and ideas at edfundingca@gmail.com.

The new state budget agreement will include up to $11.1 billion in K-12 payment "deferrals." But what exactly are deferrals? How do they help the state balance its budget? And what are the implications for local school districts?In this special “explainer” episode, guest Matt Phillips, director of management consulting services at School Services of California, is back to describe everything you need to know about this highly significant but seldom understood fiscal mechanism. Matt provides clear examples that will help finance-minded and non-finance-minded folks alike gain a solid grasp of the ins and outs of payment deferrals, including how they differ from budget cuts. Deferrals, Matt says, are the "lesser of two evils," but they pose their own significant complications for school districts.Given the pending adoption of a new California State Budget, this is an episode you won’t want to postpone listening to.In this episode, you'll learn:What is a payment deferral?How do deferrals help the state to balance its budget? Are deferrals similar to budget cuts?What are the implications of deferrals for school districts?Why do school districts need to pay such close attention to their "cash positions"?What options do school districts have to mitigate the impact of deferrals?Latest state budget information:CASBO Newsbreak: "Governor Newsom and Legislature Reach Budget Agreement""In California budget deal, no cuts for K-12 but billions in pate payments to schools" by John Fensterwald in EdSource, June 23, 2020About Our GuestMatt Phillips, CPA, serves as Director of Management Consulting Services at School Services. In this role, he provides support to school districts for fiscal-related matters including budget reviews, salary schedule analyses, organizational reviews, and negotiations. He also presents workshops across the state on a variety of topics including the Local Control and Accountability Plan, collective bargaining, district budgeting, and auditing. His background as a Certified Public Accountant, experience working in a school district, and completion of the Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team Chief Business Official (CBO) Mentor Program that resulted in the CASBO CBO certificate provide the foundation for these areas. Matt graduated from California State University, Chico, with a degree in business administration with emphasis in accounting.About CASBOThe California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO) is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. Follow at @CASBO and @CASBOGRAbout your series guide Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Contact him at edfundingca@gmail.com. We value your feedback! Follow him at @pjr100

When schools start up again, we do not have to go back to business as usual in our educational system. Instead, the disruption caused by COVID-19 provides an opportunity for us all to see, engage and act differently to produce success for all students in the system, not just some. That's the call to action brought forward in this episode by our special guest Hugh Vasquez, senior associate with the National Equity Project. He says, "The crucial question confronting us at the moment, is not can we prepare to come back differently, but will we?"Hugh illuminates key points from his recent article, “What If We…Don’t Return To Business As Usual,” including strategies for encouraging collaborative inquiry across the district, and practical tips for pumping up those strategic equity leadership muscles. Who or what exactly is the “system” and how does it perpetuate inequities among students? Can the disturbance caused by COVID-19 actually push us to innovate and make change? And what are the biggest challenges to bringing about the monumental culture shift to a more equitable system? We also explore more deeply what business NOT as usual might look like in a classroom or in a district, including a shift to organizing around how students engage and project based learning.About Our GuestHugh Vasquez joined the National Equity Project as a Senior Associate in 2010 with responsibility for developing and expanding their Leading for Equity projects. He works with a range of school district and nonprofit partners to plan and implement racial equity initiatives. Previously, Hugh served as Executive Director of the San Francisco Education Fund, a non-profit working to bring educational equity to public schools. Hugh is also a partner with the Center for Diversity Leadership and the founder of the Todos Institute in Oakland, whose mission is to help individuals and groups heal from the effects of oppression, build cross-cultural alliances, and create environments where youths and adults from all cultures are honored, valued, and respected. Hugh has worked with hundreds of organizations to establish diversity initiatives and has provided training to thousands of individuals. He is a presenter with Speak Out, a national organization providing top speakers on social justice topics, and a primary cast member in the award-winning film The Color of Fear. He has co-authored the books No Boundaries: Unlearning Oppression and Building Multicultural Alliances and Making Allies Making Friends: A Curriculum For Middle Schools, as well as published various articles on strengthening cultural roots and eliminating privileged systems. Hugh has a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. hvasquez@nationalequityproject.org; @hughjvasquez.About CASBOThe California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO) is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. Follow at @CASBO and @CASBOGRAbout your series guide Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Contact him at edfundingca@gmail.com. We value your feedback! Follow him at @pjr100

What will school bus service look like when schools re-open? What will it take to get those yellow buses we all miss back on the roads?In this episode, two California school transportation experts lead us on an adventure into “Bus World.” We explore how school districts are planning to meet the many challenges posed by COVID-19 so that California students can be safely transported to and from their school campuses. Guests Matt Sanchez, Director of Transportation for Elk Grove USD and Kevin Sellstrom, Transportation Specialist in the El Dorado Union High School District, illuminate key issues and considerations for school communities, including: How new safety guidelines could dramatically impact bus service and routes Options and strategies being considered to re-start bus servicePrioritizing the needs of those who depend most on busesScheduling and routing in a time of uncertaintyKeeping buses clean and disinfectedCollaborating with all departmentsSpecial challenges for rural communities, andNavigating the difficult funding crossroads (trying to do more with less).Bus drivers are the most visible and integral part of the school transportation team. We discuss whether the role of drivers will change during the pandemic. Plus, many districts in the state and nation face a serious school bus driver shortage. Matt describes the training and support drivers may need to help their students adjust to changes in school bus services -- and he offers an impromptu call to those who may be interested in a rewarding career as a school bus driver.We also explore essential operations that school district transportation departments have carried out during the time of campus closures, including the vital role of mechanics. All along the route, Matt reminds us to embrace a mindset of flexibility during these difficult and uncertain times. We also include a brief "explainer" to help you gain a better understanding about key elements of California's school bus system, including what school districts are required to provide for students.Coronavirus Response and School Reopening Guidance from California Department of EducationABOUT OUR GUESTSMatt Sanchez has led the Elk Grove USD transportation department since 2018; he also served in the district previously between 1988-2002. In addition, he served as a Transportation Consultant for the California Department of Education for 11 years, and also as Director of Transportation for Rocklin USD. Matt is currently the CASBO State Chair for Transportation, and also serves on the Communications, Advocacy and Public Relations Subcommittee for STARTS, the Student Transportation Aligned for Return to School, which includes collaboration between the National Association for Pupil Transportation, National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services and the National School Transportation Association. He holds a bachelor’s degree in communication studies with a minor in business form CSU Sacramento. (mmsanche@egusd.net)Kevin Sellstrom began his career in education as a special education instructional assistant. He has also served as a bus driver, scheduling technician, MOT supervisor and transportation specialist in multiple California School districts. (ksellstrom@eduhsd.k12.ca.us)About CASBOThe California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO) is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. About your series guide Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Contact him at edfundingca@gmail.com. We value your feedback!

Catch up quickly on the latest California state budget news with CASBO’s governmental relations team, Sara Bachez and Elizabeth Esquival. They highlight recent legislative reactions and deliberations since the May Revise was released on May 14, as California grapples with closing a massive state budget deficit. Sara and Elizabeth review key elements of the Governor's proposal, which called for, among other things, a 10 percent cut to the Local Control Funding Formula. They describe some initial, positive momentum with regard to special education funding and the state providing more flexibility to school districts; plus, they share top concerns raised by CASBO and the state's Education Coalition. For a detailed description of CASBO's position in response to the May Revise, read CASBO's May Revise Position Letter, released on May 21, 2020. This letter notes that "the proposed state funding for public education will create new barriers to safety, educational attainment and access; yet, schools are critical to reopening the economy that has been severely impacted by COVID-19. In that spirit, CASBO will continue to emphasize that we prioritize the health and safety of our 6 million students and their families, educational staff, and communities."A recently released Education Coalition letter stated, "Schools cannot physically reopen safely with the funding level that has been proposed in the May Revision."Sara and Elizabeth also explain next steps in the state budget process and -- importantly -- they set out a call to action for the next two weeks to ensure that the voices and expertise of those who serve in local school districts inform the state's ultimate policy and fiscal decisions surrounding the budget. Be sure to visit the CASBO's Advocacy Page.PLUS: We premier a new musical piece created especially for this unique moment by Tommy Dunbar. We call it The Coronavirus State Budget Blues. You'll want to turn it up.About Our GuestsSara Bachez serves as Chief Governmental Relations Officer for CASBO. Contact her at sbachez@csabo.org.Elizabeth Esquivel serves as Senior Director, Policy & Governance for CASBO. Contact her at eesquivel@casbo.org.Tommy Dunbar is a professional musician, songwriter and producer. Since the 1970s he has been playing guitar all over the world with his band, The Rubinoos. Tommy handles all all of our sound, mixing and music for the podcast.About CASBOThe California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO) is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. CASBO is dedicated to promoting excellence and professionalism in all aspects of school business. Founded in 1928, CASBO serves more than 23,000 members by providing certifications and training, promoting business best practices and creating opportunities for professional collaboration. CASBO members represent every facet of school business management and operations. The association offers public school leaders an entire career's worth of growth opportunities.About your series guide Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Contact him at edfundingca@gmail.com. We value your feedback and ideas!

Students, families, communities -- our entire society -- we're facing tough times. During such times, California's public schools are more vital than ever -- and schools depend on talented, knowledgeable school business officials to keep all aspects of our education system functioning smoothly and safely.In this episode, Jamie Dial, CASBO President and the Assistant Superintendent of Business Services for Kings County Office of Education, joins us for a timely conversation about school business.From financial services, payroll, accounting, transportation, and human resources, to child nutrition, special education, risk management, facilities, maintenance & operations, technology, and more, California school business officials support educators and staff on behalf of more than 6 million schoolchildren and their families.Jamie describes her pathway into school business and helps us explore the profession: What are some of the key challenges? How do leaders stay current on the wide range of pertinent issues, practices and laws? And of course, how can we continue to act and lead effectively in times of crisis such as these?Jamie also discusses the importance of being a lifelong learner, of mentoring, and the valuable role CASBO has played in her professional development. You can also listen to Jamie's comments about the California's state budget crisis on our recent episode, "Extreme Budget Turbulence Ahead." About JamieJamie Dial serves as Assistant Superintendent of Business Services for the Kings County Office of Education. As CASBO President, she also represents more than 23,000 school business officials throughout the state. Prior to her current position, Jamie served for more than a decade in the Kings County Office of Education and also as a fiscal services specialist at Hanford Elementary School District. She began her career in finance in the retail and merchandising industries before moving into public education. Jamie has also held numerous leadership positions within CASBO. Contact Jamie at jamie.dial@kingscoe.org.About CASBOThe California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO) is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. CASBO is dedicated to promoting excellence and professionalism in all aspects of school business. Founded in 1928, CASBO serves more than 23,000 members by providing certifications and training, promoting business best practices and creating opportunities for professional collaboration. CASBO members represent every facet of school business management and operations. The association offers public school leaders an entire career's worth of growth opportunities.About your series guide Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Contact him at edfundingca@gmail.com. We value your feedback and ideas!

California’s already inadequately funded schools now face the prospect of unprecedented budget cuts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode, special guests Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, CASBO President Jamie Dial, and school finance guru Rick Simpson help us consider the difficult budget circumstances we find ourselves in -- and how to prepare for the jarring journey ahead. While there’s no sugarcoating that the financial news is bleak, we also look for rays of optimism and try to remain solutions-oriented. With our guests, we explore some of the proposals Gov. Newsom has put forward and implications of the state's massive budget deficit on local school districts. Jamie shares some of the biggest challenges school districts face during this unprecedented time. Assemblymember Muratsuchi notes the vital need for additional federal relief, plus he shares a new idea he'll be introducing to try to raise some additional, critically needed revenue. And Rick offers candid advice for the education community about framing the conversation and context when communicating with key state decision makers in dire fiscal times like these.Note: Gov. Gavin Newsom released his May Revise to the state budget on May 14. It reflects an estimated state budget deficit of $54.3 billion over two year -- and a $19 billion drop in the school funding minimum guarantee since January. For more specific May Revise details, check out CASBO’s News Break. Also be sure to watch the recent webinar with FCMAT's Michael Fine on budget planning during the crisis.About Our GuestsAssemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) represents California’s 66th Assembly District, located in the South Bay of Los Angeles County. He is a former prosecutor and Deputy Attorney General with the California Department of Justice and a former Torrance School Board member. As a legislator, he has championed efforts to increase the state's overall investment in public education. Full bio.Jamie Dial serves as Assistant Superintendent of Business Services for the Kings County Office of Education. She also serves as CASBO President, representing more than 23,000 school business officials throughout the state. Prior to her current position, Jamie served for more than a decade in the Kings County Office of Education and also as a fiscal services specialist at Hanford Elementary School District. She began her career in finance in the retail and merchandising industries before moving into public education. Jamie has also held numerous leadership positions within CASBO.Before retiring in 2016, Rick Simpson served in senior legislative positions for four decades, including serving for nine Assembly Speakers, two Education Committee Chairs, and a governor. He is highly regarded as an expert in school finance and policy, and played a key role drafting many significant state education budgets and bills.About CASBOThe California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO) is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. CASBO is dedicated to promoting excellence and professionalism in all aspects of school business. Connect with us on Twitter: @CASBOAbout your series guide Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Contact him at edfundingca@gmail.com. We value your feedback and ideas!

What will it take so schools across California can re-open in ways that are safe for students and staff? In this special episode, we explore key considerations and questions related to school facilities, operations and custodial services posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Special guests Tony Almeida -- Custodial Manager for Elk Grove USD in Sacramento County -- and Paulo Azevedo -- Director of Maintenance. Operations, Transportation and Facilities for San Ysidro SD in San Diego County -- offer their professional insights into the challenges and complexities of school cleaning and disinfecting amid the pandemic. Plus, they help identify key questions districts and communities should be considering as they plan to successfully re-start schools. As a special feature, we also talk with a high school student to hear her vital perspective and concerns before going back to campus. Note: We have changed our series format during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide more topical guidance and inspiring stories about how California schools are addressing the crisis.About Our GuestsPaulo Azevedo has served in his role at San Ysidro for 1 1/2 years. Prior to that he held facilities and operations leadership positions with several private corporations. At San Ysidro School District, he is part of the Superintendent's cabinet and is responsible for overseeing seven campuses serving more than 4,000 students. He also serves on CASBO's Professional Council for Maintenance & Operations. Contact Paulo at: paulo.azevedo@sysdschools.orgTony Almeida has served in cleaning industry for 32 years, 25 years in public education and seven in private industry. In his current role at Elk Grove USD, he oversees 75 buildings with more than 6 million square feet and 287 full-time staff members. Tony and the EGUSD Maintenance & Operations department are very passionate about green cleaning, sustainable and healthier solutions for school environments. EGUSD was the first district in California to use OSG (on site generation) of electro-chemically activated solutions.Tony currently is also an active steering committee member for Healthy Green Schools and Colleges and his district are current members of the International Sanitary Suppliers Association (ISSA). He has served as the professional council chair for CASBO section board for Maintenance & Operations. His department won the Green Cleaning award for Schools and Universities Silver award in 2017. Tony also has served on the HFI field advisory board for the Healthy Facilities Institute (HFI). Contact Tony at: TALMEIDA@egusd.netAbout CASBOThe California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO) is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. CASBO is dedicated to promoting excellence and professionalism in all aspects of school business. About your series guide Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Contact him at edfundingca@gmail.com -- we value your feedback and ideas!

Guest Heather Hough, executive director of Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), joins us to highlight research and perspectives related to the fundamental importance of public education, school funding levels and policies, and proactive approaches that should be on the table as California plans its recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. Heather emphasizes that significant investment in California education must be a priority. "Schools are essential to the economy thriving." We're looking at a situation in which our students are going to need even more support than they got before in order to thrive when they re-enter schools, she says. "So now is really the time to invest in education as a way both of raising up what that level was before, but also supporting students, supporting families and over the medium-term supporting the economy." Even before the pandemic, research shows school districts were already underfunded and in a financially delicate place. "What's happening now with COVID-19 might be the straw that breaks the camel's back, if we're not really proactive in helping to solve it."We also discuss inequities the COVID-19 crisis has made even more apparent -- and opportunities the recovery may present to address those inequities in a more assertive way. Heather shares recent polling data that demonstrates voters are highly supportive of efforts to close racial achievement gaps.And, Heather highlights the imperative for us to better understand student needs once schools do re-open, especially since state assessments and California School Dashboard data have been suspended for the year. ResourcesTranscript of this episode with links to specific researchGetting Down to Facts II, Research on California's preK-12 education system"Our children’s education should be a priority as California recovers from coronavirus," by Heather Hough in CalMattersAbout HeatherPrior to her current role at PACE, Heather led the partnership between PACE and the CORE Districts. Her recent work has focused on using research to strengthen state structures supporting continuous improvement and advance policies that support the whole child. Dr. Hough has worked in a variety of capacities to support policy and practice in education, including as an Improvement Advisor at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and a researcher at the Public Policy Institute of California, the Center for Education Policy Analysis at Stanford University, and the Center for Education Policy at SRI International. Dr. Hough holds a PhD in Education Policy and a BA in Public Policy from Stanford. PACE is an independent, nonpartisan research partnership among five CA higher education institutions that seeks to make research accessible and bring evidence to bear on the most critical issues facing our state.About CASBO: The California Association of School Business Officials is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. Your guide: Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Contact him at EdfundingCA@gmail.com

What if you considered all the ingredients that go into making a great educational experience for students? If you added these up, how much do you think California would need to invest per student to make sure we could provide a quality education to all? That's exactly the study that our guest, Jesse Levin, principal researcher at American Institutes for Research spearheaded. It's a landmark California education funding adequacy study released in 2018 that was part of the statewide Getting Down to Facts II project. Jesse takes us "inside the room" as he recounts how a series of professional judgment panels made up of educational experts deliberated about the programs and services students would need to successfully achieve the State's academic and content standards.We explore how their models considered various school types and the different needs of student populations, all while attempting to maximize cost-effectiveness. And yes: we arrive at the amount that Jesse and his team determined California schools would actually need to invest. Hint: It's more than current spending levels.Jesse puts the findings of this adequacy study into illuminating context, plus he reflects on reactions to the study when it came out. It's an important and fascinating journey into the world of California education research.Note: This episode was recorded just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the State's economic outlook has changed dramatically; however, the findings of this landmark study have not changed. We felt it was still highly relevant to present details about the study as a way to provide valuable context for current and future school funding deliberations. Key ResourcesWhat Does It Cost to Educate California’s Students? A Professional Judgment ApproachWhy Funding California Schools Is Crucial to the State's COVID-19 Recovery CASBO Podcast episodeAbout Jesse D. Levin Over the past 18 years at AIR, Jesse has directed projects investigating school finance equity and adequacy, resource allocation, and educational effectiveness. He currently serves as the director of several cost analysis/cost effectiveness studies for various educational interventions, and recently served as the director of a national study of district weighted student funding systems and as deputy director for a national study of Title I resource allocation, both funded by the U.S. Department of Education. In addition to California, Dr. Levin has conducted funding-related studies in Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Nevada and Pennsylvania.He is an appointed member of the California Practitioner Advisory Group, which advises the California State Board of Education, participates in the California Department of Education Technical Design Group, and serves a board trustee in his local district (Pacifica School District). Read full bio.About CASBO: The California Association of School Business Officials is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders. Your guide: Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Contact him at EdfundingCA@gmail.com

Special guest Mary Jane Burke, Marin County Superintendent of Schools, describes how schools, community organizations and local government agencies are stepping up together in a powerful way to meet the needs of children and families. Marin County was one of the first regions to establish an emergency pop-up childcare program to support essential workers at a time when school campuses and regular childcare facilities are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Marin sprang into action even before Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on April 4 to help facilitate expanded access to these types of childcare facilities. What key steps did the partners in Marin County take? And what are some early lessons learned? It’s an inspiring story of collaboration, ingenuity and staying focused on doing the right things.Plus, we’ll check in with CASBO’s Governmental Relations team, Sara Bachez and Elizabeth Esquivel, to learn the latest news about the state budget and federal relief package, and the potential implications for school funding and students.ResourcesCalifornia Department of Education COVID-19 Guidance for Early Learning and Care Programs and Coronavirus (COVID-19) Main Web Page"Marin expands ‘pop-up’ child care during pandemic," Marin Independent Journal articleExecutive Order on Child CareGuidance on Child Care for Essential WorkersCalifornia Department of Finance letters submitted as part of an interim fiscal update to the Joint Legislative Budget CommitteeLegislative Analyst's Office report, "State Budget Effects of Recent Federal Actions to Address COVID-19Marin County Pop-up Child Care Partners include: County of Marin, Marin County Office of Education, Marin County public school districts, Marin County Free Library, City of San Rafael, North Bay Children’s Center, Community Action Marin, Marin YMCA, and North Marin Community Services.About Mary Jane BurkeAs County Superintendent of Schools, she is responsible for managing the Marin County Office of Education, which serves more than 40,000 students ages birth to 22 years and oversees more than $450 million in public education funds. The County Superintendent of Schools provides a critical fiscal oversight role for the county’s 18 schools districts to guarantee that public funds are managed appropriately and efficiently. In addition, she oversees a broad range of student and education services countywide including special education, alternative education, outdoor education and programs for foster and homeless youth.About CASBOThe California Association of School Business Officials is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders.

In less than two weeks, nearly all school districts and schools in California have closed to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. These closures impact six million students and their families, plus hundreds of thousands of educators, school and district staff, and leaders. Moreover, school closures deeply affect our local communities. We're interrupting our planned schedule of ed funding topics to provide this special update. Join guests Sara Bachez and Elizabeth Esquivel from CASBO’s Governmental Relations team as they share important information about the school closures. They highlight actions that state leaders have taken to minimize spread of the virus. On March 13, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order, which ensured that schools continue to receive funding and outlined key efforts that schools should pursue. This past weekend the state legislature acted swiftly to approve a number of bills to support the effort. Also this week, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammond, and the Departments of Education and Health briefed thousands of educators to help carry out the Governor’s executive order. The CDE is providing the latest, updated guidance on its website. Sara and Elizabeth also provide a quick recap about:Who makes the decisions to close schools? What services and instruction (such as distance learning) are school districts working hard to provide during this most challenging time?What is the vital role schools play in ensuring that students have access to meals, even when schools are closed.What else do schools need to remain stable and be able to support students and their communities right now?We also share news that the Governor has issued another executive order, pending federal approval, to suspend statewide standardized testing for this year. Update: President Trump announced Friday that the federal government would suspend national testing requirements this year.For certain, responding to a pandemic that has closed down schools and forced millions to shelter in place is largely unchartered territory for Californians. As we press forward in the days and weeks ahead, more information and guidance will be coming from the state and local leaders. CASBO will help share this information. If you have questions, email Sara or Elizabeth at sbachez@casbo.org or Eesquivel@casbo.org.ResourcesCalifornia Department of Education Website CA.Gov California Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response"What California Parents and Students Should Know About COVID-19" from EdSource“Learning in the Time of COVID-19” – Online Resources for Educators, Parents and more from the Learning Policy InstituteCalifornia Releases New COVID-19 Guidance for K-12 Schools, Governor's OfficeCASBO.orgInformation for Schools on Responding to the COVID-19 Outbreak from CSBA

Amanda and Vickie cover some new laws that California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law at the end of the school year in May, and discuss some that California has started implementing this 2019 / 2020 school year. Show Highlights: The LGBTQ+ law concerns incorporating the LGBTQ community into all the teachings that schools have. Part of that is the idea of gender identity.  Amanda shares a story about the Oak Park Unified in Los Angeles County. They published their plan for the upcoming school year of the changes being implemented in grades K-5. At a school board meeting, they had to clear up a lot of misconceptions that the parents had about what they were actually doing. Oak Park’s plan to satisfy the law was to hold a class for enrolled students to learn about gender identity once per year, in a 30-40 minute class taught by a school counselor, using age-appropriate books and lesson plans. The gender diversity program is about teaching children in age-appropriate language expressions of gender, including male, female, non-binary, and transgender. An example of mislabeling was suggested as a crayon that is labeled as red, but is really blue. Parents do not have the ability to opt their child out of the class, because the course is not considered sex education. The state law requires districts to include this LGBTQ+ community into its teachings, so along with educating students on gender diversity, this program is designed to help curb suicide among students in the LGBTQ community. The state code already had prohibitions on matters reflecting adversity upon persons because of their race, sex, color, creed, handicap, and national ancestry, so this bill added sexual orientation to that list. Another section of the bill directs the governing boards of the school districts to adopt instructional material that accurately portrays the cultural and racial diversity of our society.  Administrators should learn from Oak Park’s example of giving the parents an overview of the materials ahead of time. Senate Bill 419 makes changes to the California Education code, including public and charter schools. This bill prevents students in Grades 4-8 from being suspended for disrupting school activities or otherwise willfully defying the valid authority of those school personnel engaged in the performance of their duties. Kids with disabilities and kids of color are being suspended far more often than their white, neuro-typical peers. A recent study found that students lost over 150,000 days of school due to suspensions of this specific nature in the 2016 / 2017 school year. For IEP students who are engaged in “willful defiance”, the first questions that need to be asked is "Does he have a behavioral support plan?” and “How did we get here?”. Links/Resources: Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show. Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns: Facebook Instagram Twitter IEP website This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matters, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs. YOU ARE INVITED!! 5th ANNUAL FUNDRAISING EVENT Building the Bridge Between Literacy and the Consequences of Falling Behind Thursday, October 24, 2019  5:30 PM - 7:30 PM Huntington Bay Club 4121 Warner Ave, Huntington Beach, CA FOR MORE INFORMATION: https://squareup.com/store/inclusive-education-project/ TICKETS AT THE DOOR: $40 —-> We Have Babysitters!!!!!

Mark Wilson Show 08/01/19 3 California education re-education camps department

Education Week magazine reported in 2017 that among all states, California's K–12 public education ranked 41st in conditions that help children succeed, 39th in school finance and 30th in achievement. So what can we expect in 2019? In a major upset against his opponent Marshall Tuck, Tony Thurmond was elected California State Superintendent of Public Instruction this past November. He was the endorsed candidate of the California Democratic Party and all five 2018 California Teachers of the Year. He previously represented the 15th Assembly District, which encompasses the northern East Bay. Thurmond became the second African-American to hold the office and fourth African-American to win statewide office in California following Wilson Riles. Prior to being elected to the Assembly in 2014, he was a member of the Richmond City Council, a board member of the West Contra Costa Unified School District and social services administrator. Come hear his plans for improving California's schools. In association with CALMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SPEAKERS Tony Thurmond California Superintendent of Public Instruction In Conversation with Ricardo Cano K–12 Education Reporter, CALMatters This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on March 21st, 2019.

School's In with Dan Schwartz and Denise Pope: "Improving Education from the Inside with guest Heather Hough" Policy Analysis for California Education executive director Heather Hough talks about the value of arming local officials with the best information to make great decisions when it comes to improving schools. Originally aired on SiriusXM on January 19, 2019. Recorded at Stanford Video.