hot topics - News You need to know
SD Unified Board of Education Fires Superintendent
September 2024
Superintendent Lamont Jackson has been fired.
The Board announced it in an email sent to District parents on Aug 30th.
"Upon becoming aware of concerns related to inappropriate conduct by the Superintendent towards certain employees, the Board of Education engaged an independent third-party investigator with no ties to the San Diego Unified School District to undertake an investigation. That investigation is now complete. The allegation of inappropriate conduct toward two former employees was found to be credible. Based on that finding, the Board and the Superintendent have mutually agreed that separation is in the best interest of the District. Effective immediately, Deputy Superintendent Dr. Fabiola Bagula will be stepping in as Acting Superintendent."
Jackob McWhinney (Education reporter for the Voice of San Diego) broke the story. Read more here.
Advocacy Alert: Speak Up for G/2e Students
The Issue: In Spring 2024, the District has to write the next 3-year Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) that will outline its goals, actions, and expenditures. It must include parent input (required by law). It must address these 8 state priorities.
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Update/Alert on 6/16/2024: The Board of Education will be voting to approve the new 3-year LCAP at their meeting on 6/25/2024. This is a problem because they only released the draft plan at the very last minute (late on 6/15) and have not done adequate public engagement that should happen as part of this process. As of today (just 7 business days prior to Board approval) the District website has zero information about the current LCAP. No public draft is posted there, and no online survey exists for public feedback on the draft plan. No communications have been sent to District parents to alert them to this new plan, invite feedback, or announce the Board's pending approval of it.
You have to take steps and go to Board Docs and make the effort to look up the draft plan (see Agenda for the 6/18 Board meeting and try to find the attachments). The next BoE meeting on 6/18/2024 includes a "first reading" and discussion of the draft (and hearing public testimony on it) but it is buried as just one item in a packed agenda of 57 agenda items. So it is likely to be a brief discussion, and public testimony will likely be limited to one or two minutes due to the length of the meeting. This may fulfill the letter of the law in terms of what they are required to do, but it violates the intent, which is to involve the public along the way in the development of the plan and solicit feedback on the draft before approval.
This new LCAP reveals a big change in approach, and reduced the LCAP Goals down to just 4 which include: 1) Social Emotional Learning; 2) Broad & Challenging Curriculum; 3) College, Career & Meaningful Graduation; 4) Equity Multiplier.
Although by law, the LCAP MUST address ALL students, as well as certain student subgroups (and all 8 state priorities, including Parent Engagement) the actions the District plans to take are mainly targeted at improving mandated metrics reported on the School Dashboard, and highlighting "Spotlight Students" (defined as TK-8 students who are farthest below the standard in English and Math, and High School students with the lowest grades as determined by their GPA).
Parent Engagement (State Priority 3) that requires opportunities to provide input and participate in school planning and decision-making, is all but absent. Gifted/2e students are nowhere in the Plan. Nothing is included about how high-achieving students will make a year's worth of growth.
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It is crucial that particular student groups (including Gifted/2e) speak up to ensure that this plan will IMPROVE Student Outcomes for those students so they are not over-looked. For example, one possible student outcome might be "Ensure that every student - including the G/2e students - makes a year's worth of growth". Other ideas to support GATE-identified students include: grouping them together, offering advanced classes and/or acceleration, supporting their special educational and social-emotional needs, and refraining from taking away options such as Seminar. Having an experienced, full-time GATE manager, and improving communication and outreach with GATE families would also help support outcomes for G/2e students. You can come up with your own ideas - read the 8 required state priorities to get you thinking about how to help students succeed.
Background: In Feb 2024 the Board of Education announced that it was doing a series of public listening sessions to gather input on "Student Outcomes-Focused Governance" or SOFG. It is based on a book written by this author, who argues that school boards need to focus on student outcomes instead of adult/administrative concerns. The Board wants to hear from families what they think the District should be doing to focus more on student outcomes, as well as what they should stop doing (that is what they are asking in their survey). The Board is holding a Special Meeting on 6/15/2024 about that (you should be able to watch the recording on Board Docs).
The District must write new LCAP goals, and explain the expenditures that will be made to reach the goals. The previous LCAP was written under a different Superintendent, and now Dr. Lamont Jackson has to write a new plan (and budget) and submit it to the Board in June. By law, the LCAP must include input from families and the community.
Due to the expiration of Covid-era funding (and other issues) the District is projecting a $100M budget deficit next year, so cuts are going to have to be made. The District wants to try to base the LCAP on "Student Outcome-Focused" goals, so they are busy trying to define what those are.
New Superintendent Reorganizes Leadership Team, Creates New Model
Superintendent Dr Lamont Jackson has reorganized District leadership to reflect the new model that the District has adopted. The new circular model departs from the old hierarchical "org chart" to reflect a student-centered approach. The themes are Equity/Belonging/Thriving with the motto "Ubuntu" which is a Zulu word that means "I am because we are". Another motto being used now is "To BE is >= to DO"
Dr. Jackson talked to the SD Union Tribune about wanting "every student to be seen and heard". Let's hope that includes gifted students too.
As part of the reorganization, there are new Area Superintendents in Fall 2023. You can read more about them here. Information about current senior management can be found here. The new Deputy Superintendent is Fabiola Bagula.
Note that GATE is now part of the new "Equity, Access & Opportunity" department. It falls under the jurisdiction of the new Senior Director of "Humanities" - Maria Montgomery. Her email is mmontgomery@sandi.net or you can email gate@sandi.net
SDUT Article About GATE Testing
SDUT reporter Kristen Taketa published a story on Sun May 1st about GATE testing, with the headline "SDUSD Gifted Program Divided by Race, Income". While some GATE parents spoke with Taketa for this story, it did not relay their message about why we need to universally screen for gifted students and why it matters. Instead, the story focused primarily on discussing equity issues and narrowly defining "gifted" as "potential for high achievement or extraordinary intellectual development".
It also quoted Board of Education Trustee Richard Barrera as saying that he "wants to completely eliminate" the use of a test for GATE identification which he views as "silly" and "never a good idea". Trustee Sabrina Bazzo was quoted as asking "Or is it kind of just serving as a status symbol for students who are in the program and leaving others behind?"
What the article did not make clear is that neuroscience is helping redefine what "gifted" means and it goes well beyond intellect and academic achievement. Experts are very aware of the issues with racial representation in school gifted programs. Organizations like the California Association for the Gifted are working tirelessly to address it, and they know how to structure gifted identification so that it is effective and equitable.
As one of the experts quoted in the story explained, it does not solve the structural inequity problems to end access to gifted education for everyone. That promotes the appearance of equity without really solving the underlying problem. It isn't equitable to ignore the needs of one student group while claiming to care about the needs of ALL students. SD Unified would serve the best interests of their students if they focused more on improving the identification process and on serving the educational needs of these students rather than eliminating gifted education for everyone.
Patrick Henry High School in the News
ICYMI - PHHS has been embroiled in a controversy over the way that changes to courses were decided and rolled out without sufficient parent engagement. Parent advocates rallied together and spoke out to express concern about the elimination of Seminar and some Honors classes, which they said had not been done in a transparent way and left parents and students feeling duped.
The SDUT covered the story ( see 4-26 "School pauses cutting courses : Patrick Henry students protest, call for advanced classes to be restored." and 4-27 "Patrick Henry High restores 2 honors courses Principal had eliminated"). According to the SDUT: "Principal Michelle Irwin’s actions sparked outrage among parents and students and exacerbated fears among some that the school district is slowly getting rid of advanced course offerings."
After the District initially defended her decisions, Irwin eventually made a public apology in a letter to parents. The school also provided a document to explain the decisions to parents. The District held 2 public meetings for parents in late April in order to explain their reasoning and hear parent concerns. As a result, PHHS paused the changes, and eventually reinstated some of the classes, while pledging to do better going forward.
At the BoE meeting April 26th, almost 30 students and parents were granted 1 minute each to speak up in protest. Despite this, the Board went ahead and approved the staff recommendation to adopt three "Guiding Principles" for what they are calling "Student-Centered Scheduling" including Access, Inclusion & Targeted Support.
At the BoE meeting, Superintendent Lamont Jackson said the following: “We may not always get it right, but we’re going to acknowledge that and we’re going to take another crack at this, and we’re going to do it collectively.”
CA Math Framework - Approval Delayed
So many comments were submitted on the latest draft of the proposed Math Framework, the approval by the State Board of Education (SBE) that was planned for July 13-14 2022 is probably going to be delayed. Read the latest draft here.
This message was recently sent to the Listserve: "Updating state guidance for teachers on best practices for aligning instruction to California’s math standards remains a priority. However, rushing the development of the math curriculum framework runs counter to California’s commitment to a transparent process that follows a flexible schedule established at the discretion of the State Board of Education (SBE). The adaptable nature of the schedule allows for broad public participation and careful consideration of all potential impacts. Cognizant of the current amount of feedback received on the latest draft, the framework’s posted Schedule of Significant Events will likely need adjusting."
The initial draft released in June 2021 met with a backlash. An open letter (signed by 900) asking to "Replace the Proposed New California Math Curriculum Framework" was sent to Governor Gavin Newsom, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, the State Board of Education, and the Instructional Quality Commission. Read more here.
GATE-Identified Student Numbers Keep Dropping
According to publicly available demographic data fom SD Unified (source is posted on the Downloads page here), there was a total of 23,873 GATE identified students in K-12 in 2014-15 but only 17,910 in 2019-20 and just 15,587 in 2020-21. Part of that drop is due to the switch in the test and identification process used to screen and identify gifted students that was first implemented back in 2015-16.
SD Unified Board News - Math
Access the link to Board meeting info here.
SD Unified Mathematics Curriculum Revision
District staff presented info about the new DEMI Math Assessment to the Board on Oct 12th. See Agenda Item E3 - 2021 Assessments. The math presentation begins around the 1:11 mark on the video recording if you want to watch it. Several Board members expressed concern and pressed the staff because it raised more questions than it answered (Board comments begin around 1:30 on the recording).
Parents are concerned about the lack of transparency and inclusion in the development of the DEMI. They are also asking why such a lengthy additional math assessment is needed twice/year - on top of the annual CAASPP testing at the end of the school year (and MAP testing that some schools do throughout the year to monitor progress in student learning over time). Parents are also unclear whether the DEMI counts towards the student's math marks on their report card, or whether it just provides qualitative information for guiding instruction and learning. [UPDATE: the District has clarified that DEMI is not replacing CAASPP and is not being used for grading or for placement decisions, including GATE identification).
The website for parents about SDEM and DEMI can be found here. It says: With a focus on developing a positive culture and community, students will engage in activities that promote a growth mindset, identify all students as mathematicians, and highlight process and peer feedback as core components of a mathematically powerful classroom.
The new assessment is the latest addition to the District overhaul of its math curriculum, known as SDEM (San Diego Enhanced Math) being developed with private math consultant Dr. Patrick Callahan. The District's TK-12 Instructional Coordinator of Mathematics (Aly Martinez) and an Instructional Support Officer (Wendy Ranck-Buhr) are also members of the District's math team. SDEM curriculum is based on Illustrative Math.
They explained to the Board that the DEMI assessment was given for the first time to 3rd-11th graders in May 2021 and will be given again in Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 . Parents receive a report on the results (see a sample DEMI Student Report). The test includes 4 parts: Knowledge, Application, Communication, and a "Math Mindset" survey. They said the test was intended to be taken during one instructional period. The test is being graded externally by the outside consultant who is under contract with the District.
Ask your teacher if you have questions about the new DEMI Math Assessment, e.g., how your student performed, what it is going to be used for, or if you haven't received a copy of your student's test results yet. Talk with them about their experience with it.
New Online High School for 2e Kids
Los Angeles-based Bridges Academy (a longtime leader in twice-exceptional education) is launching an online high school beginning in the 2021-2022 academic year. The program — with Western Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation and University of California A-G approved courses — is designed to bring Bridges’s unique brand of strength-based learning to students, regardless of their geographic location. More info about this program go here.
The synchronous program features Bridges’s team approach, with a focus on talent development, personalized academic support for 2e students, and a robust school-family partnership.
Legislative Updates
The Issue: On June 26, the California legislature passed the state budget for 2020-21 with important implications for school funding. The Legislature approved the final, balanced budget along party lines — 29-11 in the Senate and 57-16 in the Assembly.
This fall, schools are being told to “offer in-person instruction to the greatest extent possible” according to AB-77, the education trailer bill accompanying the 2020-21 budget that legislators and Gov. Gavin Newsom agreed to this week.
Schools can offer distance learning if ordered by a state or local health official, or for students who are medically at-risk or are self-quarantining because of exposure to Covid-19, which has killed more than 5,630 people in California as of June 23, according to the California Department of Public Health.
Per-student funding will be guaranteed at 2019-20 rates before the onset of COVID-19. California schools will continue to provide 180 days of instruction per year (175 days for charter schools). Instructional minutes will be reduced to a minimum 240 minutes per day for grades 4-12 (180 minutes for kindergarten, 230 minutes for grades 1 to 3) in an effort to offer teachers more flexibility during distance learning (see section 43501 of AB-77).
CA Association for the Gifted (CAG) Legislative Efforts: CAG now has 3 clear advocacy goals that it is working on (see more on that here). That involves restoring language in the CA Education Code that defines Gifted & Talented Learners, establishes equity in Gifted identification, and includes GATE students as their own "student group" on the CA School Dashboard.
How Can You Help? Go to EdSource for the latest news on school finance. Go to the CAG website legislation page for information on their advocacy goals. Join advocacy organizations like CAG, NAGC, and SENG to support the important work they do on behalf of gifted families.
Parent Advocacy News
The Issue: San Diego Unified has a history of being roundly criticized for a lack of transparency and for failing to take parent engagement on policy seriously. That is despite parent engagement being a state-mandated priority since the LCFF was passed in 2013.
Background: A 2016 report by LA-based "Families in Schools" states the following: "Unfortunately, parent engagement in California has lacked rigor and authenticity for far too long. Few, if any, school districts have developed successful and sustainable ways of bridging the gap between the home and the classroom. This has contributed to sluggish student achievement growth, particularly among high-need student populations." This short, user-friendly report, called Ready or Not: How California School Districts are Reimagining Parent Engagement in the Era of Local Control Funding Formula examines the inner workings of districts across California as they try to meet the parent engagement expectations of LCFF. It makes these 6 key recommendations for districts to follow: 1) Develop statewide standards for parent engagement; 2) Build relationships and partnerships between parents and school staff; 3) Invest funding & resources in parent engagement to meet LCAP goals; 4) Partner with community groups and other external organizations; 5) Tailor programs to the different needs of parents; and 6) Provide professional development on parent engagement.
How Can You Help? Read the "Ready or Not" report (above) and figure out how to apply the lessons to your own school site (and to the District's Clusters and the parent-led District Advisory Committees).
Learn more about the challenges we face locally, by reading these Op-Ed articles in Voice of San Diego. Read one 2020 article here and one 2018 article here. There is a 2017 article here and one more here .
Read this 2019 article "Gifted Education Faces Clear & Present Problems" that highlights a study examining American attitudes towards gifted education.
Get involved and help school administrators do a better job fostering effective parent engagement. Talk with your Principal about school governance, and volunteer at your school. Offer to be the school representative on the GATE DAC or other District committees. Attend your Cluster meetings and talk with your Area Super and Board of Education trustee. Tell them that parent voices matter, because research shows that strong family-school partnerships are important for student success.
District Strategic Planning - Vision 2030 & LCAP
The Issue: This year should have been a very busy time for SD Unified strategic planning. Their first 3-year LCAP was ending in June 2020 and development of the new LCAP was underway when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived. The state has hit the pause button on LCAP and will allow the development of the next 3-yr plan to be delayed until the winter. Read updates here.
This is not the time to throw up our hands and forget about thinking strategically. The pandemic has upended education, providing an unprecedented opportunity to rebuild and reimagine our schools. Now is actually the best time to get involved, speak up, and push for reforms.
Background Story: It is important for parents in SD Unified to be aware of the core ideas that were about to shape the District's next 3-yr LCAP - as well as the underlying vision that will frame the District's next decade (known as Vision 2030 - it is an update to Vision 2020, the District's former 10-year guiding vision that included the 12 Indicators of a Quality Neighborhood School).
Probably not many of you participated in the District's Vision 2030 Cluster presentations where they highlighted Marc Tucker’s 2019 Book “Leading High-Performance School Systems - Lessons from the World's Best” and introduced the "9 Building Blocks" that are common to world-class school systems. In those meetings they compared American schools to top-performing schools in countries that scored well in math and reading on international educational assessments like TIMSS and PISA. Singapore is one example. Others include Canada, Finland, and Hong Kong. In case you missed it, that presentation is posted on our Downloads page here along with other helpful documents explaining LCAP. Perhaps you filled out the Vision 2030 survey that asked for your input on the cognitive, personal and interpersonal competencies that you feel SD Unified students should have when they graduate. All of that hints at where the District's thinking is coming from and where we are headed.
Parent leaders who chair the various District Advisory Committees have been sitting in meetings with the District about this for the past year, and they have a lot to say about it, if you ask them. If you want to have a say in how our schools are run in coming years then you need to be paying close attention to what the District is doing right now and ask a lot of hard questions.
How Can You Help? Get involved in the District Advisory Committees (whether you are interested in GATE, Special Education, Title 1, English Language Learning, or the PTA). For a quick primer, read the Feb 18 GDAC LCAP & Vision Presentation PDF posted here. I strongly encourage you to learn about the 9 Building Blocks common to world-class education systems that were influencing the District's planning, They are even more relevant today, as we look forward and plan for school reopening. Let's choose not to go "back" to the way things were, but instead think boldly and use our voices to imagine how much better our schools can be going forward. Our kid's futures depend on us.