Contents
- 1 ARTICLES & ANNOUNCEMENTS (CALIFORNIA FOCUS)
- 1.1 California Teachers Summit–Free Statewide Event on July 31 Expected to Attract 20,000 PreK-12 Educators
- 1.2 Published Versions of California Mathematics Framework Chapters are Now Posted Online
- 1.3 “Common Core” Term Replaced with “California Standards” by Supt. Torlakson
- 1.4 LCAP Toolkit for STEM Advocates
- 1.5 Update: California’s New Accountability System
- 1.6 Update and Request for Input on Proposed Revisions to California’s Teacher Accreditation System
- 1.7 California Mathematics and Science Partnership Grant Recipients Announced
- 1.8 Career Pathways Trust Grant Recipients Announced
- 1.9 Science Educators are Needed to Serve on Subject Matter Expert Panel (CSET: Science)
- 2 ARTICLES & ANNOUNCEMENTS (NATIONAL FOCUS)
- 2.1 STEM Twigs
- 2.1.1 “11 Female Inventors Who Helped Power The Information Age”
- 2.1.2 The New York Times Year-End Round-up of Math, Science, Health, and Technology Lesson Plans
- 2.1.3 U.S. Joins Scientists from Around the World in a New Era of Research at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN
- 2.1.4 Big Bang Theory [Television Series] Science, Math Scholarships to be Awarded at UCLA
- 2.1 STEM Twigs
ARTICLES & ANNOUNCEMENTS (CALIFORNIA FOCUS)
California Teachers Summit–Free Statewide Event on July 31 Expected to Attract 20,000 PreK-12 Educators
URL: http://blogs.calstate.edu/pa/news/?p=6950
On Friday, July 31, over 20,000 PreK-12 teachers, preservice teachers, and school administrators are expected to attend the Better Together: California Teachers Summit, a free conference hosted simultaneously from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at 33 locations throughout the state (http://tinyurl.com/BetterTogetherMap).
The goal of the Summit is to help teachers build a powerful network of peers, share best practices, celebrate their work, and access effective and useful resources to help implement the California Standards. The program will include presentations by nationally renowned speakers and discussions about innovative practices led by skilled teachers. Continuing education credit (0.5 unit) will be available.
The Summit was developed by the New Teacher Center (NTC), the California State University (CSU), and the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU) with $3.5 million in grant support to NTC, CSU Fullerton, and Loyola Marymount University from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
A Summit flyer is available at http://tinyurl.com/BetterTogetherFlyer2015
For more information or to register online, please visit www.cateacherssummit.com, and follow #CATeachersSummit for up-to-date information.
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Published Versions of California Mathematics Framework Chapters are Now Posted Online
Tom Adams, Director of the Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division of the California Department of Education, reported the following:
“I am pleased to announce that published versions of many chapters of the Mathematics Framework are now posted on the California Department of Education Mathematics Curriculum Framework page at www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ma/cf/draft2mathfwchapters.asp. In addition to the Introduction, Overview of the Standards Chapters, Transitional Kindergarten, and Kindergarten chapters, new versions of all of the grade-level chapters, grades 1-8, are posted. These chapters are indicated by a 2015 posting date. While the content of these chapters is nearly identical to the draft chapters, the new versions have been edited and designed for publication and look much different.”
Note: Since many of the pages in the draft chapters may not display properly within certain internet browsers, you may want to download the chapters as PDF files before viewing.
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Related Link:
Video Overview of the Mathematics Framework for California Public Schools
URL: www.cde.ca.gov/re/cc/mathfwvid.asp
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“Common Core” Term Replaced with “California Standards” by Supt. Torlakson
In a memo to County and District superintendents and charter school administrators, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson wrote that he has changed the way he refers to the state’s new academic standards in speeches and written materials. He has replaced the term “Common Core” with “California Standards.” Doing so “covers, in addition to English and math, the Next Generation Science Standards, English Language Development Standards, and, in two years, the new social science standards,” Torlakson wrote.
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LCAP Toolkit for STEM Advocates
Source: California STEM Learning Network
URL (Policy Brief): http://tinyurl.com/q6ra34z
URL (Toolkit): www.cslnet.org/what-we-do/policy-advocacy/local-control-accountability-plan/
The California STEM Learning Network (CSLNet) and the Lawrence Hall of Science have partnered to create a new toolkit to help educators, parents, students, community partners and business leaders participate in the development of their school district’s Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). This toolkit is available at the website above.
LCAPs are part of a new process that requires all school districts to involve their community as they develop and publicly report on their annual program priorities and budget plans. The toolkit builds on findings from CSLNet’s new policy brief, “Science Education and Local Control” (http://tinyurl.com/q6ra34z), which reported that fewer than half of the district plans reviewed included references to STEM education or identified plans for implementing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in their 2014 LCAPs.
A recent EdSource article available at http://edsource.org/2015/report-finds-school-districts-lag-in-implementing-new-science-standards/ provides additional details, including statements from State Board of Education member Trish Williams, a strong advocate for PK-12 science education.
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Update: California’s New Accountability System
URL (Agenda): www.cde.ca.gov/be/ag/ag/yr15/agenda201505.asp At last month’s State Board of Education (SBE) meeting, Agenda Item 10 (“…Discussion on System Coherence to Support Continuous Improvement in California’s New Accountability System; Update on the Local Control Funding Formula including Evaluation Rubrics…”) provided the opportunity for an informative overview of the state’s new accountability system (www.cde.ca.gov/be/ag/ag/yr15/documents/may15item10.doc). It was noted that “at the 2015 March SBE meeting, the board took action to suspend the Academic Performance Index (API) for the 2014-15 school year and to begin the transition to a multiple measures approach to accountability aligned with the [Local Control Funding Formula] state priorities.”
SBE recently posted slides from Agenda Item 10 presentations. The video archive is available at http://cde-ca.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=46e44922-f5c5-11e4-9422-f04da2064c43 The accompanying slides are available below:
“New Accountability for Continuous Improvement in California’s Education System” presented by Linda Darling-Hammond (Stanford University):
www.cde.ca.gov/be/ag/ag/yr15/documents/may15item10slides3.pdf
“The Challenges and Opportunities of a Systems Approach to Accountability” presented by David T. Conley (University of Oregon):
www.cde.ca.gov/be/ag/ag/yr15/documents/may15item10slides1.pdf
“Local Control Funding Formula: Update and Evaluation Rubrics” presented by Jannelle Kubinec (Director, Comprehensive School Assistance Program at WestEd):
www.cde.ca.gov/be/ag/ag/yr15/documents/may15item10slides2.pdf (Also see http://lcff.wested.org/lcff-channel/lcap-webinars/)
Related Website: California Collaborative for Educational Excellence: http://ccee-ca.org/meetings.asp (CCEE’s purpose is to advise and assist school districts, county superintendents, and charter schools in achieving the goals set forth in their local control and accountability plans.)
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Update and Request for Input on Proposed Revisions to California’s Teacher Accreditation System
URL (Agenda): www.ctc.ca.gov/commission/agendas/2015-06/2015-06-agenda.html
At its April 2015 meeting, the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing received an update on the work to strengthen and streamline the Commission’s Accreditation System. Six task groups were identified, and four of these groups will present updates at the Commission’s meeting later this month (June 17-19). See items 5B-5F on the agenda located at www.ctc.ca.gov/commission/agendas/2015-06/2015-06-agenda.html for more details.
Excerpts from Agenda Item 5D (www.ctc.ca.gov/commission/agendas/2015-06/2015-06-5D.pdf) appear below:
…The Preliminary Standards Task Group is charged with recommending updates to preliminary program standards and to the Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs)… Currently California has thirteen TPEs (www.ctc.ca.gov/educator‐prep/TPA‐files/TPEs‐Full‐Version.pdf).
The TPEs are used by Commission‐approved programs to guide candidate preparation for teaching, and the Teaching Performance Assessments (TPAs) measure the candidates’ knowledge, skills, and abilities relative to the TPEs. Each candidate must demonstrate … knowledge and skills identified in the TPEs prior to being recommended for a Preliminary Teaching Credential…
The Task Group has reviewed the TPEs and is proposing to reorganize the TPEs into 10 “Beginning Teacher Performance Expectations” or “BTPEs.” [Of particular interest to COMET readers may be the proposed replacement of TPE 1 (Specific Pedagogical Skills for Subject Matter Instruction) with BTPE 5 (Content Specific Pedagogy) and BTPE 6 (Integrating Educational Technology). The text can be found on page 7 of Agenda Item 5D (www.ctc.ca.gov/commission/agendas/2015-06/2015-06-5D.pdf).
Readers may also be interested in reviewing the mathematics and science subject specific pedagogy performance expectations, which are grounded in the approved California Standards. These can be found on the following pages in Agenda Item 5D:
– Multiple Subject Mathematics: pp. 12-13
– Multiple Subject Science: pp. 13-14
– Single Subject Mathematics: pp. 16-17
– Single Subject Science: pp. 18-19
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[From www.ctc.ca.gov/commission/agendas/2015-06/2015-06-5D.pdf]Commission staff created four electronic surveys to collect initial public feedback on the following parts of the work:
1) Common Standards
2) Preliminary Multiple and Single Subject Program Standards
3) Performance Expectations
4) General Education Induction Program Standards
The four electronic surveys opened at the end of May and will be available through 12 June 2015 for initial feedback. Staff will summarize the initial feedback and include an oral update during the appropriate agenda items at the June Commission meeting.
Following this meeting, staff will work with the Task Groups’ co‐chairs to update the drafts based on the initial feedback as well as on the Commission’s input and potential direction. Additional feedback will be solicited from stakeholders in July and August 2015. Staff anticipates bringing action items to the Commission in both August and October 2015 for the Commission to discuss and possibly take action.
For the documents and the surveys, please visit the “New Items” section of the [CTC Professional Services Division] web page: www.ctc.ca.gov/educator-prep/
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Related Information:
Proposal to Update Supplementary Authorization in Computer Concepts and Applications
Item 7B on this month’s California Commission on Teacher Credentialing meeting agenda (www.ctc.ca.gov/commission/agendas/2015-06/2015-06-3B.pdf) addresses a proposal to amend the Supplementary Authorization in Computer Concepts and Applications. As part of this agenda item, the Commission will also review the regulations and policy for Single Subject Teaching Credential content area authorizations for teaching the full range of computer science courses.
A short and informative 2-page overview of the proposed changes is available on the California STEM Learning Network (CSLNet) website at www.cslnet.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/concept-paper.pdf
If approved by the Commission, a public hearing will be scheduled following the required 45-day comment period.
(Related: A bill to expand computer science education is moving through the legislative process in Washington state: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2015/06/washington_passes_bill_to_boost_K12_computer_science_education.html?cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS3)
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California Mathematics and Science Partnership Grant Recipients Announced
Source: California Department of Education
URL: www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr15/yr15rel47.asp
On June 4, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced that 28 school districts will share nearly $18.2 million in California Mathematics and Science Partnership (CaMSP) grants to enhance mathematics and science instruction for disadvantaged students. For a list of awardees, visit www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r12/camsp14result.asp
CaMSP is a federal grant administered by the state that is designed to help local school districts partner with other education groups. These groups must be interested in providing professional development for teachers in math and science, but also in technology and engineering. In order to qualify for the grant, at least 40 percent of the districts’ students must be low-income.
Of the 28 districts sharing the $18.2 million in funding, 25 competed for new funding and were selected based on the quality of their plans to improve math and science education. The remaining three districts were awarded continued funding based on the success of their existing programs.
For more detailed information, visit the California Department of Education’s CaMSP funding profile Web page: www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/profile.asp?id=3594
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Career Pathways Trust Grant Recipients Announced
Source: California Department of Education
URL: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ct/pt/
On May 27, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson awarded $244 million in grants to 40 programs that blend academic and career technical education, connect employers with schools, and train students for jobs in high-demand fields, such as health care, advanced manufacturing, information technology, and software development.
The grants are provided through the California Career Pathways Trust (CCPT) program (www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ct/pt/), which is the largest program of its kind in the nation. The program is providing nearly $500 million in career tech grants over a two-year period.
CCPT grant recipients are tasked with creating sustained career pathways programs that link businesses, K–12 schools, and community colleges to prepare students for the 21st century workplace. For more information, visit www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ct/pt/
Related: To subscribe to the Perkins/Career Technical Education mailing list, visit www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ct/pk/mailinglist.asp
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Science Educators are Needed to Serve on Subject Matter Expert Panel (CSET: Science)
Source: California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing is seeking applications and nominations for science educators to serve on an examinations subject matter expert panel to align the CSET Science Examinations with the Next Generation Science Standards. Teachers and teacher educators are especially needed for the following areas: Multiple Subject Science, General Science, Earth and Planetary Science, and Physics. For more information, or to apply or nominate someone, please visit www.carecruit.nesinc.com/cset/
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Reminder: Applications from preservice teachers to serve as the Educator Preparation Student Liaison to the Commission are due on June 30 (see www.ctc.ca.gov/commission/educator-prep-liaison.html)
STEM Twigs
“11 Female Inventors Who Helped Power The Information Age”
URL: www.buzzfeed.com/intel/female-inventors-who-helped-power-the-informati
The New York Times Year-End Round-up of Math, Science, Health, and Technology Lesson Plans
U.S. Joins Scientists from Around the World in a New Era of Research at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN
URL: www.fnal.gov/pub/presspass/press_releases/2015/LHC-Run-II-20150603.html
URL (CERN): http://home.web.cern.ch/about/updates/2015/06/lhc-experiments-back-business-record-energy
Big Bang Theory [Television Series] Science, Math Scholarships to be Awarded at UCLA
URL: www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-ln-ucla-big-bang-20150528-story.html