Report of the Working Group on Student Learning

Appendix A

What is High-Quality Learning?

Learning prepares the individual for life in a diverse global society.
Learning opportunities exist throughout life and society, but it is the special responsibility of educational institutions to ensure that individuals receive the opportunity to:

• Learn and master the basic cognitive and social skills needed for success in life and the advanced knowledge and skills that will make them competitive with graduates of the best educational institutions in other states and nations;
• Develop an awareness and appreciation of the culture of California, the nation, and the world;
• Instill the social values of integrity, morality, discipline, and civic-mindedness;
• Develop an understanding of the impact of education on their lives and of the educational options available to them; and
• Nurture a love of learning and an enthusiasm for life-long learning.

Learning prepares the individual for work.
The obligation to work must be addressed by most people in their lifetime as the means by which they establish a desired lifestyle and wholesome families. Every sector of the global economy is evolving in response to rapid change, in ways that underscore the growing importance of learning. Requisite job skills are shifting from a reliance on physical ability to a reliance on the ability to use knowledge, solve problems, and think creatively and independently. Various job categories are disappearing and new employment sectors are emerging at an increasingly rapid pace. To ensure that learners are prepared for work, educational institutions play a special role in ensuring that individuals:

• Develop the habits and talents needed to succeed in the workplace;
• Acquire an understanding of life and career options available to them; and
• Learn the life skills needed to be independent and to provide for their family.

Learning prepares society to manage change and effectively respond to challenges.
California has achieved international recognition for social, economic, and scientific achievement largely as a result of its commitment to learning. California has profited immensely from the diversity of its citizens and the contributions of its college-educated populace. Today, the state’s commitment must be expanded beyond traditional college degree programs to meet increasing societal demands for life-long learning. Public educational institutions have a special responsibility to:

• Advance high quality teaching and learning at each educational level and facilitate the successful transition of students from one educational level to the next;
• Advance the frontiers of knowledge;
• Assist in the improvement of elementary and secondary education;
• Apply their combined resources to effectively respond to the challenges of growth; diversity, and change that periodically emerge in the global society.

We view these three learning goals as interwoven and as important for all students at each level of the educational system.

Appendix B

Charge to the Student Learning Working Group

The Working Groups of the Joint Committee were formed to recommend how California’s K-16 educational system can achieve the learning purposes described above from kindergarten through university. The Joint Committee charged the Student Learning Group’s membership with making specific recommendations in seven areas:

1. Define a “high quality” education.

1. Identify and examine the factors that promote (and inhibit) access, opportunity to learn, and success for all students.

1. Identify key K-16 transition points and specify the needed system, professional, and student performance accountabilities for successful transitions.

1. Establish greater coordination across grades/segments by aligning K-16 curriculum and assessments.

1. Ensure that supplemental instructional services and resources (including so called remediation) lead to genuine opportunities and success.

1. Re-examine the eligibility criteria and admissions practices to four-year colleges and universities, and facilitate transfers from community college to four-year institutions.

7. Establish an accountability system that applies to participants at all levels of the K-16 system.

Appendix C

Professional Educators

Ensure that all students K-16 have ready access to credentialed teachers, regularly work with counselors and credentialed administrators who combine subject matter knowledge, high expectations and knowledge of requirements and expectations at the next level in their work with and for all students.

• Teachers with deep knowledge of the subjects they teach;
• Teachers who understand and use knowledge of learning and of students’ differences to inform instructional decisions and multiple teaching strategies;
• Teachers who are adequately trained to teach the standards and college preparation requirements at the grade level or for the subject areas they are assigned to teach;
• Teachers who are adequately trained to address the language development needs of English Language Learners, and the developmental needs of special education students;
• Teachers who have the cultural and linguistic skills and backgrounds to provide exemplary teaching and learning for California’s diverse communities;
• Teachers who have reasonable class sizes to devote sufficient time to each students’ development (hence, are provided classrooms with a reasonable cap on class size);
• Teachers who have a caring attitude towards students;
• Teachers who receive ongoing professional development and training that includes time in their work year to plan with colleagues, to write, think, and learn about improving instruction, and to receive support for developing standards-based lessons and assessments;
• Teachers and other educational professionals who are prepared and willing to serve as instructional coaches and advocates for teachers and as advocates to support teaching and learning.
• Educational professionals at every school who serve as “mentors” for students, at every school, so that every student has an adult professional who knows him or her well and monitors his or her academic progress continuously
• Teachers, counselors, and librarians who are (trained) knowledgeable in college preparation and admissions, community college and four-year college programs, and postsecondary financial options;
• Counselors who are available to individual students at regular intervals throughout the school year;
• Counselors who serve as student advocates, and support the instructional leaders, and parent leaders in the schools;
• Administrators who function as an integral part of the teaching and learning system.
• Administrators who see themselves as the educational leader in teaching and learning at their school sites
• Administrators who value the role of collaboration, partnerships, and public engagement as a means to involve all stakeholders
• Administrators who are advocates to their students and staff to provide the best teaching and learning environment (facilities, safety, textbooks, technology, professional development, etc)

Appendix D

Curriculum Materials

Adequate learning materials and resources that are most current, in good condition, and appropriate to the learning needs of students, including:

• Suitable chairs, desks and other classroom equipment.
• Materials, equipment, and other instructional materials necessary to support the instructional program at each level, as recommended in the state content standards;
• Individual textbooks, workbooks and other instructional materials (e.g., graphing calculators for mathematics) for use in and out of school;
• Books that can be borrowed from the school library and elsewhere that the student may use individually;
• Computers with internet access that each student may use on a regular basis;
• Resources for teachers to tailor and creatively adapt curriculum to the interests and needs of individual students.
• Curriculum and materials for the English Language Learner
• Curriculum and materials for the learning disabled

Appendix E

Learning Environments

Guarantee suitable learning environments for all students including classrooms, facilities and buildings including:

• School facilities located within a reasonable commuting distance to student’s home;
• Clean, well maintained, and well-lighted classrooms
• Classrooms with adequate ventilation, necessary heating and air conditioning
• Classrooms free of health hazards such as vermin, mold, and asbestos
• Uncrowded classrooms with adequate space for other instructional needs
• Adequate laboratories and studios for students to complete rigorous work in all subjects;
• Bathrooms and sanitary facilities that are unlocked, accessible, well-stocked and maintained in decent, safe, and sanitary condition;
• Outdoor space sufficient for exercise and sports and free of health and safety hazards;
• Adequate school nursing services;
• Adequate lunch periods with nutritious food;
• Educational programs during “off-track” periods;
• A safe and supportive school environment, including:

Protection from harassment or abuse of any kind;
A fair and nondiscriminatory system of student discipline;
A student body of a manageable size which permits the development of a safe and personalized learning community.

• A drug free and violence free school

Appendix F

Definition of Learning Support:
California Department of Education

Learning support is the collection of school, home, and community resources, strategies and practices, and environmental and cultural factors that gives every young person the physical, emotional, and intellectual support he or she needs to learn.

Learning support includes the following two categories of strategies:
1. Additional instruction that supplements the general curriculum, and
2. Student support services and programs needed to address the barriers to learning.

Additional instruction is the provision of extra time for more focused instruction and/or increased student-teacher instructional contact time designed to help students achieve the learning standards.

Student support services and programs are strategies and interventions that address the barriers to student academic progress and may include, as needed, school guidance and counseling, strategies to improve attendance, violence and drug abuse prevention programs, coordination of community services, and increased parent or family involvement.

The barriers to learning that student support services may address include, but are not limited to:
• Attendance problems
• Behavior and discipline problems
• Family-related issues
• Health-related issues
• Nutrition-related issues
• Mobility/transfer issues
• School climate and safety concerns

Appendix G

Indicators for an Adequate Accountability System

Learning Conditions Indicators PreK-12

Professional Educators:

• Collect and report data of percentage of teachers assigned to schools including the following: (A) the length of teaching experience; (B) possession of a professional clear teaching credential. (C) National Board Certification.
• Percentage of teachers with emergency, pre-intern and intern permits and teachers assigned outside their subject area at schools
• Percentage of teachers teaching English Learners that have certification or credentials which prepare them for addressing the second language acquisition and language development needs of English Learners.
• The ratio of credentialed counselors to students;
• The percentage of credentialed counselors who receive orientation and information about career options, college admissions requirements, and financial aid from the colleges and universities
• The percentage of students and families in a counselor’s load who receive orientation and information about college admissions requirements, and financial aid (e.g. SB 813 10^th grade counseling)
• Percentage of assigned principals with a Tier II Administrative Credential for at least five years and having completed at least 150 hours of professional growth after receiving the Tier II credential.

Facilities:

• Classroom and playground square footage per enrolled pupil (a measure of over-crowdedness)
• Number of regular classrooms and number of portable classrooms
• Number of fully functioning (at least 90% of the time) toilets available to each gender.
• Percentage of classrooms with heating and air conditioning capable of maintaining temperature between 68 and 80 degrees at all times school is in session.
• Number of complaints or report regarding the presence of mold, cockroaches, mice, rats or other vermin has been made to school authorities in the reporting period.
• Pupil/teacher ratios that are in legal compliance with the amount of square footage required per student.
• Library Facilities – square footage, number of books, librarian
• Science Facilities with basic utilities (High School and Middle School)
• Class size limits for science and other lab class that are in compliance with the amount of square footage required per student
• Computer technology – Number of computers with access to the Internet; Number of fully functioning computers available for student use for a variety of instructional purposes; Number of computers with current operating systems

Textbooks and Curriculum Materials

• The ratio to pupils of up-to-date textbooks containing curricula consistent with state standards by grade level and course
• The availability of curriculum materials to support the learning disabled and English Language Learners
• The availability of curriculum supports such as teacher’s guide for textbooks

Curriculum Offerings

• The number of pupils served in after school tutoring programs and school run day care, dropout prevention programs, and college access programs.

For high schools:

• The number of courses available that meet the requirements for admission to the University of California, as established by the Regents of the University of California. The number of available advanced placement course sections in subject areas that meet the requirements for admission to the University of California, as established by the Regents of the University of California.
• The percentages of pupils, by subgroup, taking and passing the courses that meet the requirements for admission to the University of California, as established by the Regents of the University of California.
• The percentage of pupils, by subgroup, taking advanced placement.
• Number of students participating in Dual Credit programs
• The percentage of pupils, by subgroup and course section in subject areas meeting the requirements for admission (grades of B or better) as established by the Regents of the University of California, for each of the following: (a) Algebra I by the end of grade 9. (b) Geometry by the end of grade 10. (c) Algebra II by the end of grade 12.)
• Number of students taking A-G courses as part of their graduation requirements.

Performance Indicators K-16

We need multiple, standards-based benchmarks that inform the public about how the educational system is achieving its goals. Such measures provide the opportunity to collect and share with educators, schools, and communities the achievement of students at different grade levels and of those who have already graduated. California policymakers and educational professionals can use this comprehensive information to determine whether or not they are effectively preparing their students for successive grades and for life. Importantly, all reports of these data should include percentage of the student population assessed, and the percent English language learners included.

Indicators of K-12 Performance

• Academic achievement of student grade cohort groups over time, school and district as defined by:
• 3rd to 4th grade retention rate as well as other grade level retention rates specified by AB 1626 (Wayne) in 1998.^[12]
• Achievement in state criterion-referenced, standards-based exams that replace norm-referenced tests
• Portfolio evaluation containing multiple measures
• Graduation rate (included in “graduation rate above) four year dropout rates
• Estimated GPA of public high school graduates

Indicators of Post-Secondary Performance

• Admissions
• Community college transfer rate
• Certificate and degree completion
• Number of years taken to complete degree
• Postgraduate status

Indicators of the High School to College Transition

• CA public high school graduates completing and passing the university preparatory curriculum
• Scores of 12^th graders on AP exams
• Disposition of college applications for admission, at CSU, UC, independent colleges and universities, and out-of-state universities
• Participation in college remedial classes
• Increasing rate of college graduation within 6 years
• Increasing year-to-year persistence/retention rates
• Increasing number of students participating in Dual Credit programs

Community College to University/Work Transition

• Full year community college transfers to CSU, to UC, to independent colleges and universities, and out-of-state universities
• Disposition of application for admission of Community College transfer applicants
• Graduation of transfers within 3-4 years at CSU and UC
• Number of transfer students in remedial programs
• Year-to-year persistence/retention rates
• Percentage of community college students who enrolled in vocational programs who completed those programs
• Percent of graduates who have found employment specific to training and ability
• Percent of graduates who have been consistently employed in a job specific to training and ability over time, 5 years, 10 years.
• Employer satisfaction with college graduates
• Salaries for college graduates
• Survey of student satisfaction with college courses

University to Work Transition

• Graduation within 6 years, general, CSU, UC
• Percent of a given student cohort in remedial programs year 1, year 2, year 3
• Year-to-year persistence/retention rates
• Percent of graduates who have found employment specific to training and ability
• Percent of graduates who have been consistently employed in a job specific to training and ability over time, 5 years, 10 years
• Employer satisfaction with college graduates
• Salaries for college graduates
• Survey of student satisfaction with college courses

System Performance Indicators
Measures of Policy and State Implementation Outcomes

Teacher Quality:

• increased recruitment of talented people into teaching;
• increased diversity of the teaching workforce;
• the fair distribution of certified teachers across schools and communities;
• expansion of high-quality teacher preparation programs;

• expansion of high-quality teacher professional development programs;

• retention of teachers;

• retention of teachers in "hard-to-staff" schools.

Student Learning

• The percentage and rate at which students are improving academic performance and completing rigorous college preparatory courses?

• Students’ attitude toward preparing academically for college and planning for a productive future are improving;

• Level of students’ educational aspirations and expectations; and knowledge of college programs, costs, and financial aid opportunities?

• baseline information on students' prior course completions, grades earned, and standardized test scores;

• students' course enrollments during each program year;

• students' academic performance at each grade level (e.g., attendance, grades earned, standardized test scores);

• growth in students' knowledge of postsecondary education program options, costs, and financing options;

• students' attitudes toward education across each program year;

• students' increasing efforts to plan for and aspire toward completing a rigorous college preparatory curriculum and ultimately earning a college degree;

• Percentage of students passing college-prep courses

• Percentage of students performing at grade level by the end of 8^th grade in math, English/language arts (ELA), and science

• Percentage of schools with "basic track" courses in math, ELA, and science

• Is there a specific timetable/benchmarks for eliminating these courses and enrolling more students in high-level courses?

Appendix H

Families and Students Rights to Participate in Accountability

Students and families must be afforded:

• Access to mediation services to resolve conflicts with teachers, principals, or other school personnel;

• Resolution of conflict with teachers, principals, and other school personnel at the lowest level possible

• Information about school and district policies regarding resolving conflicts between teachers, principals, and other school personnel

• Access to mediation services to resolve conflicts with teachers, principals, or other school personnel after school and district policies and procedures have been exhausted

• Access to an ombudsperson who will advocate on behalf of students and families in their interactions with schools, districts, and the state after school and district policies and procedures have been exhausted

• “Whistle-blowing” protection for those who might expose violations of law or standards of fairness and equity.