State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Unveils New Recommended Literature List

From California Dept. of Eduction - NEWS RELEASE

List includes Common Core, and College and Career Readiness materials

SACRAMENTO—To help students meet the new Common Core State Standards and prepare for a career, college, and the challenges of a changing world, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today unveiled the newRecommended Literature: Pre-Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve list.

"The books our students read help broaden their perspectives, enhance their knowledge, and fire their imaginations," Torlakson said. "This up-to-date Recommended Literature list represents a vital resource for students, teachers and parents."

The new list is a collection of more than 7,800 titles of recommended reading for children and adolescents. It has been updated with appropriate contemporary titles that reflect rich cultural diversity written over the last decade. This online list also reflects the quality and complexity of texts students should be reading both at school and outside of the classroom. Works include fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama to accommodate a variety of tastes, interests, and abilities.

Read more HERE.

State Schools Chief Announces Spanish Version of Common Core Standards Now Available

From california Dept. of Eduction - NEWS RELEASE

SACRAMENTO—As California moves toward full implementation of the Common Core State Standards, a separate effort underway to translate the English-language arts standards into Spanish has now been completed, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today.

"Common Core en Español" is a joint effort between the San Diego County Office of Education, Council of Chief State School Officers, and California Department of Education.

"At its heart, Common Core is about ensuring that all children—no matter where they come from or where they live—receive a world-class education that's consistent from school to school, and graduate ready to contribute to the future of our state and our country," Torlakson said, noting that in California one in four children comes to school needing to learn English. "Translating the English-language arts standards into Spanish is a good step toward providing teachers and schools the support they need to reach and teach every child."

The Common Core State Standards, which cover English-language arts and mathematics, will provide a clear, consistent understanding of what students are expected to learn, so schools and families know what they need to do to help them. This is a state-led effort to ensure that all students graduate from public schools ready for careers and college. California's leadership means that all 45 states and three territories that have adopted the standards will have free access to a Spanish translation of the English-language arts standards. Officials also intend to translate the mathematics standards.

The effort is coordinated by San Diego County's Silvia C. Dorta-Duque de Reyes, who recently received an "Administrator of the Year" award from the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE). A group of district-level educators and language scholars did the translating, including the "linguistic augmentation" needed to ensure the new document goes beyond a word-by-word literal translation to communicate concepts usefully.

The group presented its initial work to a CABE conference last year, and the final translations are now available online for educators and parents to use for free. Additional information on the Common Core State Standards is available from the California Department of Education's Common Core State Standards Web page.

"California is putting these standards to work as the foundation for remodeling our education system," Torlakson said. "This translation is important because it sets the stage for equitable assessment and curriculum development."

Read release HERE.

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Urges Congress to Prevent Devastating Cuts

From California Department of Education - NEWS RELEASE

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today urged Congressional leaders to work together and immediately pass legislation that would repeal drastic budget cuts set to take effect Friday under sequestration.

"Without Congressional intervention, automatic budget cuts from sequestration will take effect on March 1," said Torlakson in aletter to Congressional leaders. "After years of extensive state and federal budget cuts to education, these cuts will devastate communities across California…. These automatic cuts will cause long-lasting and irreparable harm."

Sequestration cuts could represent a $262 million funding reduction to California’s federal education program. These include estimated cuts of:
* $91 million for Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, intended to improve education for disadvantaged students;

* $72 million in special education funding for programs that serve the needs of students with disabilities;
* $2.8 million for public charter schools;
* $6.9 million for Career and Technical Education;
* $9.6 million in funding for English learners; and
* $3.7 million in Impact Aid affecting students in federally impacted school districts in California, including children of active duty service members.

"Further, these cuts come at a time when California is just beginning a recovery from state-level cuts of over $20 billion to education spending over the last five years," Torlakson added. "The California Department of Education, school districts, and local educational agencies will need to find ways to cut costs even further under sequestration. This could result in school closures; teacher and administrator layoffs; increased student-teacher ratios; the elimination of college counselors and school-based mental health personnel; and deferred purchases, renovations, and repairs. These cuts would come at a crucial time in a student’s life. Many of these students may never make up the lost ground."

Read article HERE.

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces State Approval of Instructional Materials Aligned to Common Core State Standards

From California Department of Education - NEWS RELEASE

SACRAMENTO—Providing a crucial bridge for schools as they shift to the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS), the State Board of Education approved the first supplemental instructional materials aligned to the new standards, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today.

"Approval of these materials gives schools another new tool as they work to bring the new Common Core standards to life in California's classrooms, providing a practical way to prepare children for the challenges of a constantly changing world," Torlakson said. "These materials—and those that will follow—focus on the key knowledge and skills students need for college and a career."

"Today's action by the State Board reflects the concerted efforts of the state's policy, legislative, and administrative bodies to put instructional materials in the hands of local districts to assist them as they transition to California's Common Core State Standards," said State Board of Education President Michael Kirst. "The State Board is working diligently to respond to the needs of students, teachers, and administrators as they implement the Common Core State Standards in their schools."

Read more HERE.

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces New Tool to Help School Districts Get Families and Community Involved in Students' Education

From NEWS RELEASE - California Department of Education

SACRAMENTO—Recognizing the vital importance of parent involvement in the success of students, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today released a new, free publication, Family Engagement Framework, a Tool for California School Districts, to help school districts engage families in their children's education.

"Parents are every child's first teachers," Torlakson said. "The good news is you don't need an advanced degree to help your child succeed at school. It's the little things that make a big difference—reading at home, talking with your child about school, and setting high expectations. Our Family Engagement Framework provides practical ways to help schools support parents to stay involved and help their children learn."

Read more HERE.

Family Engagement Framework HERE.

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces New Eligibility Guidelines for Low-Income Families to Qualify for Nutritious Meals

From California Department of Education - NEWS RELEASE

SACRAMENTO—More low-income families will be able to afford healthy meals and snacks for their children in day care under new income eligibility guidelines announced today by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.

Under the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), families with children in child care centers can qualify for free or reduced-price meals if their household income is equal to or less than the income eligibility guidelines. Nearly 5,000 local day care centers and 17,000 sponsored family day care home providers in California participate in the CACFP.

Read more HERE.

Governor's Budget

See California Department of Education letter HERE.

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Comments on Governor's State of the State Address

From California Department of Education NEWS RELEASE

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson issued the following statement today on Governor Brown's State of the State Address (Outside Source):

"The Governor's speech made it clear that our schools need a financial rescue plan.

"Students, parents, and teachers are struggling daily to cope with the cuts made over the last four years. New revenues are the only way to prevent additional cuts that could force more districts to further shorten the school year or fall into state receivership. A ballot measure to protect school funding is a critical first step.

"I am heartened by the Governor's call to re-examine state testing requirements. Like many teachers, I have long argued that students need to spend more time learning and less time taking exams.

"I'm looking forward to working with him and the Legislature as it weighs the many choices to be made. I'll be arguing strongly that we need to maintain child care as a learning experience for children, protect the state's constitutional school funding guarantee, and shield schools from another round of deep trigger cuts.

"Education is our future, whether or not you have children in school. I welcome the chance to talk with Californians about the opportunity to invest in our schools again."

Article HERE.

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Urges Schools to Consider Alternative Discipline for Disruptive Students to Keep Them in School

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today issued the following statement during the National Week of Action on school discipline occurring October 1-8:

"A single disruptive student can distract an entire class from learning, which is why it's so important that all students grant their teachers the respect and attention they deserve. Students who fall short of that standard need to be held responsible for their actions.

"I urge school districts, when setting discipline policies appropriate for their communities, to recognize that all children benefit from being in school and consider appropriate alternatives to suspensions and expulsions such as teaching positive behavior and employing intervention techniques to prevent misbehavior in the classroom.

"During this National Week of Action, I encourage all students to stay in school and talk with their teachers about appropriate behavior. I also encourage educators to use this week as a teachable moment to help troubled youth stay on the path to graduation and future success."

See CDE News Release HERE.

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Offers A Blueprint for Great Schools Report Puts Focus on Effective Teaching, Student Support, 21st Century Learning

From the California Department of Education - NEWS RELEASE

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today unveiled A Blueprint for Great Schools, a report by his 59-member Transition Advisory Team calling for California to foster excellence in teaching, provide community support for families, and retool schools to make more students competitive in college and the workforce.

"We are setting our sights high because our students deserve it," said Torlakson. "As our Blueprint for Great Schools shows, there's no substitute for investing in our children's education. But we owe our students much more than just money. We also owe them our leadership, our best thinking—and above all—our very best people."

The 31-page report was prepared by Torlakson's Transition Advisory Team, composed of leading teachers, parents, school employees and administrators as well as community, labor, and business leaders. The team was co-chaired by Stanford Education Professor Linda Darling-Hammond and David Rattray, Senior Vice President of Education and Workforce Development for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.

"The first step in reaching a goal is setting one," Torlakson said. "We've taken an honest look at where we are and where we want to be, and created a vision about how to get there—with a focus on 21st century learning, meeting the needs of the whole child, and building the ranks of California's teachers with resources and respect."

The Blueprint notes that California has established several innovative training and support programs for teachers that have withered amid ongoing budget cuts. The report recommends creating a statewide Commission on Educator Quality to outline how to design and implement effective teacher recruitment, support, and evaluation systems.

"The Blueprint for Great Schools lays out the challenge before us: rejoining the ranks of high-achieving states by investing in quality teaching and creating a system that meets the demands of 21st century learning with forward-looking standards, curriculum, and assessments that ensure students are college and career ready," Darling-Hammond said.

"Teaching is the most important job there is, so our goal is straightforward: We want a great teacher for every child," Torlakson said. "Creating a comprehensive system of teacher recruitment, training, support, and evaluation will take some hard, thoughtful, and ongoing work, and a statewide commission to lead this discussion will be a sound first step."

Recognizing that California faces a potential shortfall of up to one million college-educated workers by 2025, the Blueprint calls for steps to focus rigorous school curriculum, materials, assessments, and accountability measures on problem-solving and critical thinking skills that are vital to college and career readiness.

"California's businesses need workers who can solve problems and get things done," Rattray said. "The Blueprint for Great Schools is designed to make sure success in a California classroom today means success in college and a career tomorrow."

Torlakson noted that the California Department of Education (CDE) already had begun work on several areas highlighted in the report, including an overhaul of the state's school accountability system and by taking a lead role in a consortium of states developing the next generation of student assessments aligned to the new Common Core State Standards.

The report also makes a wide range of recommendations to foster community partnerships and other efforts to provide students and their families with literacy, health, nutrition, and other services—before, during, and after school.

"Great teachers know you have to meet children where they are, so the Blueprint looks at the steps communities can take to meet the needs of the whole child, to give every student the best chance to succeed," Torlakson said.

Torlakson made A Blueprint for Great Schools public at a news conference at CDE headquarters in Sacramento, where he was joined by teachers, business leaders, superintendents, and representatives of community and education organizations.

He also posted the report on the CDE Web site at A Blueprint For Great Schools Report - A Blueprint For Great Schools and created a special e-mail address, blueprint@cde.ca.gov to encourage feedback and input.

The transition advisory team did not estimate the cost of carrying out the report's recommendations. Torlakson said that he would work with the Governor, the State Board of Education, and members of the state Legislature as well as staff at the CDE to set priorities about carrying them out over time.

"My top priority continues to be restoring California's investment in education, and the Blueprint makes it clear that while some ideas will cost little, or even save money, much of what we want to do will take resources," Torlakson said. "We also have to consider the cost of not providing a vision for education in this state, and that would place the future of California and its children at risk."

No taxpayer funds were used to create the report or support the team, whose work was funded by donations from the David & Lucile Packard Foundation, The California Endowment, the Stuart Foundation, and the James Irvine Foundation.

Article HERE.

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Applauds Passage of Whooping Cough Vaccine Extension Bill

From the California Department of Education - News Release.

SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today praised the Legislature's swift passage of legislation to provide school districts an additional 30 days to verify that certain students are vaccinated against pertussis, also known as whooping cough.

"I'm grateful that the Legislature has recognized our schools need some extra time to meet the immunization deadline," Torlakson said. "We don't want to see students lose precious learning time or be turned away from classes at the start of school. I urge the Governor to sign this legislation, and continue to also urge parents to immunize their children as soon as possible, both to protect their health and to prevent the spread of this dangerous disease."

Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease that can be debilitating at any age and lethal to infants. California's current pertussis epidemic has killed 10 babies and stricken more than 11,000 people since last year. Pertussis got its nickname from the sound children make while gasping for air in-between coughs.

Legislation signed last year requires students entering or advancing to grades seven through twelve in the 2011–12 school year to be immunized with a pertussis vaccine booster called the tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine. That new requirement went into effect this month and affects all students—current, new, and transfers—in public and private schools.

Senate Bill 614 (Kehoe) would grant local educational agencies an extra 30 days after classes begin to verify vaccinations of all seventh through twelfth grade students in California.

For more information on pertussis and Tdap, please visit the California Department of Education's Web page at Pertussis (Whooping Cough) Vaccine Requirement - Health Services & School Nursing.

Article HERE.

State Superintendent Tom Torlakson Announces New Superintendent for California School for the Deaf, Fremont

From the California Department of Education - News Release

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today announced that Sean M. Virnig has been selected to serve as the new superintendent of the California School for the Deaf, Fremont (CSD), where he graduated as class valedictorian in 1992.

Virnig is the school's 10th superintendent since its inception in 1850, and its first Deaf superintendent. Virnig succeeds Dr. Henry "Hank" Klopping, who is retiring after 36 years.

"I welcome Sean back to CSD, which has earned an international reputation as a leading school for the Deaf," Torlakson said. "He brings the skills, training, and experience that parents, students, staff, and the CSD community called for in a new superintendent.

Read complete News Release HERE.

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Responds to Governor's May Revise

From the California Department of Education - News Release

SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today issued the following statement after Governor Jerry Brown released his May Revision [http://gov.ca.gov/news.php?id=17036] (Outside Source) of the 2011-12 state budget:

"The $3 billion increase in education funding proposed by the Governor is welcome news to schools across the state where students are eager to learn; parents are engaged; and teachers, administrators, and school employees are working day and night to help our students achieve.

"Providing schools the resources they need is our shared responsibility, and the Governor's proposal — after $18 billion in cuts over the last three years — offers us a chance to begin to meet it.

"The May Revision also foreshadows the stark choices we face if Republicans and Democrats cannot reach agreement on a long-term solution to the financial emergency in California's schools.

"The alternative to the Governor's plan is to impose devastating additional cuts that our schools cannot afford — further crowding classrooms, laying off even more teachers, and shortening a school year that is already one of the shortest in the industrialized world.

"I also look forward to working with the Governor and the Legislature to recognize the importance of completing work on the data systems we need to meet federal mandates and promote student achievement.

"World-class public schools and universities were the economic engines that for decades fueled California's success. I urge the Legislature to quickly embrace the Governor's plan to invest in our classrooms and our future."

Read News Release HERE.