CDE Today for October 8, 2021

Welcome to CDE Today, a new streamlined weekly publication from CDE Communications designed to provide you with clear, consistent updates on what is important to California schools.

Updates

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Joins Governor for Early Childhood Legislation Announcements

On October 5, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond joined Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders at Sunset Elementary School in Fresno to announce the signing of legislation marking historic and unprecedented investment in early childhood education that will expand opportunities for every child across the state. As part of the Governor’s $123.9 billion pre-K and K–12 education package, California will be providing free, high-quality, inclusive pre-kindergarten for all four-year-olds beginning in the 2022–23 school year, with full implementation by 2025–26. Read the October 5, 2021, CDE news release to learn more.

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announced as Co-Chair of Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education

On October 6, Superintendent Thurmond joined Governor Newsom and legislative leaders at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, where he was announced as co-chair of the newly created Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education. The Council’s work will include identifying instructional resources to teach students about the Holocaust and other acts of genocide and providing young people with tools to recognize and respond to on-campus instances of anti-Semitism and bigotry. Read the October 6, 2021, CDE news release to learn more.

New Executive Order Provides Flexibilities for Schools Affected by Wildfires

On October 4, Governor Newsom signed an executive order (PDF) to assist schools impacted by wildfires this year. The executive order includes various flexibilities related to class requirements, minimum instructional minutes in physical education, and approval of the local control accountability plan. Some of major provisions include:

• The class-size requirements for kindergarten through grade level 8 provided in Education Code sections 41376 and 41378, and for kindergarten through grade level 3 provided in Education Code section 42238.02(d) (3) are waived during the 2021–22 school year for the school districts whose class sizes are affected by the wildfires identified in this Order.
• The requirements to provide minimum instructional minutes in physical education for grade levels 1 through 12 as required by Education Code sections 51210, 51220, 51222, and 51223 are waived during periods of poor air quality due to the wildfires identified in this Order in the impacted counties with respect to school buildings or temporary facilities in which indoor space for physical education is unavailable.
• The time required for a county superintendent of schools and the Superintendent to approve a local control and accountability plan or annual update to a local control and accountability plan pursuant to Education Code sections 52070(d) and 52070.5(d) is extended through November 8, 2021, for all local educational agencies impacted by the wildfires, and in the counties, identified in this Order.
• Residency requirements for those pupils at schools impacted by the wildfires identified in this Order, including those set forth in Education Code sections 48200 and 48204, are waived for the remainder of the 2021–22 school year.
• The requirement in Education Code Section 49068(b) that a pupil’s permanent record must be transferred by the former public or private school within 10 schooldays from the date a request is received is waived to the extent the transferring school was impacted by the wildfires identified in this Order.

Book Drive to Support Superintendent’s Literacy Campaign

Superintendent Thurmond is pushing his statewide effort to secure donations with the goal of providing one million books for students and their families. This book drive happens in conjunction with a statewide literacy campaign launched last month that includes a task force working toward the goal of helping all California students reach the goal of literacy by third grade, by the year 2026. Those interested in participating in the literacy effort, helping with logistics (including collection and distribution of books), and wishing to learn more should email [email protected]. Additional details about the statewide book drive are forthcoming.

Angst: Building Resilience Statewide Initiative to Assist in Addressing Student Mental Health Needs; Free to Schools

Superintendent Thurmond this week announced an exciting partnership between the CDE, IndieFlix Education, the Department of Health Care Services’ CalHOPE program, and Blue Shield of California’s BlueSky initiative to provide Angst: Building Resilience, a film-based youth mental health support program, to districts that serve middle and high school students to help address the increasing mental health challenges faced by students. To bring the Angst: Building Resilience program to your school district at no cost, please visit the Angst: Building Resilience California Initiative web page
. Read more about the initiative in the October 7, 2021, CDE news release.

School Closures for Staff Shortages Require Consultation

The CDE is aware that staff shortages due to COVID-19 related illness and quarantine are very real. Section 19 of Assembly Bill 167 (Chapter 252, Statutes of 2021) amended Education Code Section 46392 to require consultation from CDE and the county office of education before LEAs can submit a request a Request for Allowance of Attendance Due to Emergency Conditions, Form J-13A due to staff shortages to CDE. CDE staff is available for consultation about different options and practices available to help schools stay open for learning. If you are in need of information and support, sign up for your consultation
. Visit CDE’s 2021-22 Form J-13A FAQs web page for guidance related to the requirements and submissions for this fiscal year.

School Health, Safety, and Support

Introducing SHARE, a School Health Repository of Experiences (SHARE)

SHARE is a space provided by the Safe Schools for All Hub to share tools and tips generated by and for California’s local health and school leaders to address COVID-19-related health and safety practices. Note, not all information may apply to your situation; see disclaimer for more. View the inaugural issue of SHARE (PDF). To put forward your own experiences for future editions, complete the SHARE submission form survey
.

Program Highlights

Emergency Connectivity Fund Update—Applications Due October 13

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently announced the first funding wave of Emergency Connectivity Fund applications filed over the summer by schools seeking funding for broadband services and connected devices such as laptops and tablets necessary to support remote learning for the 2021–22 school year. The FCC also announced it would open a second application window, which will close on October 13, 2021, for schools that may have missed the first application window or that may have underestimated their needs in their first-window applications. Schools that wish to apply for funding in the second application window are encouraged to review the CDE and K–12 High Speed Network webinar series
. Webinar number five in the series, which will focus on claims for reimbursement and other program requirements, will be held on Wednesday, October 13, 2021, at 11 a.m. To attend, register at the Zoom ECF Webinar 5 web page
.

Survey to Solicit Input on New Term to Use in the Local Control and Accountability Plan Template and Instructions—Due October 14

The CDE is collecting input from members of the public to identify a new term that will replace the term “stakeholder” in the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) Template and Instructions. The State Board of Education (SBE) will adopt the replacement term during their November 2021 meeting. An online survey is being conducted to inform the recommendation that the CDE will present to the SBE to select a new term. Take the LCAP feedback survey (Online Survey) before it closes Thursday, October 14, 2021. Please contact [email protected] with questions related to this survey.

Educator Workforce Investment Grant (EWIG)

A partnership between the CDE; the California Collaborative for Excellence in Education (CCEE); and the EWIG Special Education grantee, Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), supports educators across the state to learn new techniques addressing the unique challenges teachers and students are facing. Utilize the various statewide resources that support this month’s theme, Goal Setting, by accessing their October newsletter at the Inclusive Literacy by Design web page
. For more information on this resource, contact Michelle Bello, Education Programs Consultant, Special Education Division at [email protected].

Biliteracy Pathway Recognition Program and Webinar—November 9, 10 a.m.

The Multilingual Support Division (MSD) is excited to launch the Biliteracy Pathway Program for the 2021–22 school year. The CDE Biliteracy Pathway Recognitions web page provides additional information about these new optional recognitions for preschool through eighth-grade students. The CDE MSD will host an informational webinar on the new optional Biliteracy Pathway Recognitions Program on November 9, 2021, at 10 a.m. This is a free webinar, but advanced registration is required, so please register on Zoom for the Biliteracy Pathway Recognition webinar
today. If you have questions about this program, contact Gina Garcia-Smith, Education Programs Consultant, MSD, by phone at 916-319-0265 or by email at [email protected].

Events and Opportunities

California STEAM Symposium: October 21–23

Join us at the California STEAM Symposium from October 21–23. This incredible event will bring together passionate people seeking inspiration, energizing engagements via numerous peer-led breakouts, and the opportunity to collaborate with STEAM education experts. Dr. Moogega Cooper, Gabby Rivera, Kate Stanforth, and Dr. Marissa Pei will be keynote speakers. Learn more about them and register at the 2021 California STEAM Symposium web page
by October 14 to be eligible for some amazing prizes. The symposium is co-hosted by the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, the CDE, and the Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation.

Federal Stimulus and EDGAR Workshop: October 28 and November 4

On October 28 and November 4, CDE and Brustein and Manasevit PLLC will present a two-session workshop on federal education programs. These workshops are designed to help local educational agencies understand the federal stimulus funding requirements and the flexibilities offered as a result of disruptions caused by COVID-19. See CDE’s Federal Stimulus Funding web page for additional information on registering for one or both sessions. Please email Evelyn Sanchez at [email protected] with any questions about registering.

Science Education Survey—Due October 22

In collaboration with the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), an independent nonpartisan research institution, CDE invites you to participate in a PPIC survey about science education
during the COVID-19 pandemic. The deadline for feedback is October 22. The survey results will be used to provide insight into the impact of the pandemic on science education in California. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Niu Gao, Senior Fellow at PPIC, by phone at 415-291-4491 or by email at [email protected].

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST)

The National Science Foundation (NSF) administers the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) on behalf of The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. For school year 2021–22, the award will honor science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science teachers working in grade levels kindergarten through six. Nominations close on January 7, 2022. Applications for K–6 teachers must be completed by February 6, 2022. Nominations and applications can be completed at the PAEMST web page
.

Universal Design for Inclusive Literacy Series

Session #2: Goal-Setting—October 11, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Goals are the foundation of any effective learning experience, so when we clarify what we want learners to accomplish, we can then design learning experiences and flexible assessments that support student agency and ownership of learning. In this session, we will explore how to separate the means from universally designed goals that focus instruction to empower both educators and learners. Register at the Goal-Setting web page
. For additional information on this nine-part webinar series and future sessions, visit the California Coalition for Inclusive Literacy Webinar Series web page
. For more information on this resource, contact Michelle Bello, Education Programs Consultant, Special Education Division at [email protected].

Celebrations

CDE Emergency Services Team’s Fight Against Wildfires Featured in EdSource

The CDE’s Emergency Services Team was featured in EdSource, highlighting the work it does and its efforts to help schools across California communicate with state and federal agencies during emergencies. The article gives an overview of how the team has assisted school leaders in wildfire-affected Plumas County and about the new School Emergency Reporting System. Read the EdSource story
.

Important Dates and Deadlines

ESSER III Plans Must Be Adopted on or Before October 29

Local Educational Agencies’ Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief III (ESSER III) Expenditure Plans must be adopted by the local governing board or body of the LEA at a public meeting on or before October 29, 2021. Visit the CDE Frequently Asked Questions about the ESSER III Expenditure Plan for more information. Questions regarding the ESSER III Expenditure Plan can be sent to [email protected]. Additional information about ESSER III funds can be found on the CDE American Rescue Plan Funding web page.

Youth Advisory Council—Applications Due October 15

The CDE launched the Youth Advisory Council (YAC) to advise policymakers and interested parties on educational issues affecting young people. Under the Department’s Equity Branch, the YAC will be representative of a diverse spectrum of young voices from across the state. Among other tasks, YAC will assess topics and educational resources and participate in policy development to create equitable change with local and state government officials. Districts are encouraged to share with families and invite all students ages fifteen to eighteen to apply now through October 15 via the Youth Advisory Council Application web page. Follow the Youth Advisory Council on Instagram
.

October is LGBTQ History Month

The CDE encourages you to honor and celebrate LGBTQ History Month in October, an annual month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. The CDE will present a webinar series to explore and discuss the importance of teaching LGBTQ+ history. View the first LGBTQ History webinar on the CDE Facebook page
. Stay tuned for further webinars. Learn more at the LGBTQ History Month website
.

National Hispanic Heritage Month

The CDE encourages you to annually recognize National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15–October 15, 2021. Learn more at the Library of Congress’ National Hispanic Heritage Month web page
.

Digital Citizenship Week—October 17 to 23

The CDE encourages you to recognize October 17–23, 2021, as Digital Citizenship Week. This event is one of many efforts in California to build capacity for students and families to make safe, smart, and ethical decisions in the digital world. Digital Citizenship Week is recognized on the third week of October each year. Read more about it on CDE’s Digital Citizenship web page.

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CDE is committed to improving communications with more than a thousand school districts and county offices and 10,000-plus school districts. If you have any feedback about this publication or would like to see information on particular topics, please email [email protected].

Last Reviewed: Friday, October 8, 2021