ALL RIGHT.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. LIKE TO
CALL THE, UH. MEETING
INFORMATION OR HEARING OF THE
ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE TO
ORDER LIKE TO WELCOME. UM MS
BONTA AND I JUST RAN INTO MR
ALVAREZ, WHO I KNOW IS ON HIS
WAY. UH AND, UM, I LIKE TO
WELCOME THE REST OF THE
COMMITTEE TO JOIN US FOR THIS.
GREAT HEARING THAT WE HAVE, UH,
SUCH A, UM NICE LINE UP OF
EDUCATION POLICY EXPERTS THAT WE
HAVE, UH, LINED UP. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH TO THE EDUCATION
COMMITTEE STAFF FOR ALL YOUR
HARD WORK. BUT THIS HEARING
TOGETHER WE ARE HERE, UH,
GATHERED TODAY TO LEARN ABOUT
THE STATE OF EDUCATION IN
CALIFORNIA. UH, AS OUR STUDENTS
AND SCHOOLS CONTINUE TO WRESTLE
WITH THE ONGOING IMPACTS OF THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC. WE WILL HEAR
TESTIMONY FROM CURRENT THE
CURRENT STATE OF STUDENTS
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. ATTENDANCE
AT SCHOOL. UH, ONGOING
CHALLENGES WITH CHRONIC
ABSENTEEISM. ONGOING CHALLENGES
WITH, UH, ISSUES INVOLVING
MENTAL HEALTH. UH AND OVERALL
WELL BEING AND LAST, BUT NOT
LEAST, UH, ISSUES RELATED TO UH,
STUDENT ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY, UH
, AND OUR ONGOING EFFORTS TO
CLOSE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. WE
WILL ALSO HEAR RECOMMENDATIONS
FROM POLICY EXPERTS AND
PRACTITIONERS. ON PROMISING
SOLUTIONS, UH, GOING FORWARD.
WE'RE GRATEFUL TO ALL OF OUR
PANELISTS, UH, FOR TA, TAKING
THE TIME TO SHARE THEIR RESEARCH
, THEIR PERSPECTIVES AND THEIR
RECOMMENDATIONS HERE TODAY. AT
THE END OF THE HEARING. WE WILL
BE TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT IN
PERSON. UH, COMMENTS MAY ALSO BE
SUBMITTED THROUGH OUR ASSEMBLY
EDUCATION COMMITTEE WEBSITE. SO
WITH THAT, UH, ACTUALLY, UH, LET
ME INVITE MS BONTA. WE, UH DO
YOU HAVE ANY OPENING REMARKS?
OKAY? WITH THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO
JUMP RIGHT INTO IT. OUR FIRST
PANEL IS FOCUSING ON THE
ACADEMIC PROGRESS OF CALIFORNIA
STUDENTS, UH, WE HAVE WITH US
DOCTOR HEATHER HUFF. THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF POLICY
ANALYSIS FOR CALIFORNIA
EDUCATION. UH, WHICH IS A
INDEPENDENT, NONPARTISAN
RESEARCH CENTER, UH, LED BY
FACULTY DIRECTORS AT STANFORD
UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES AND
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,
BERKELEY. AND UH, TO BE FOLLOWED
WITH DOCTOR BRUCE FULLER,
PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION AND
PUBLIC POLICY AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY. I WANNA
WELCOME, MR ALVAREZ. UH, MR
ALVAREZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY OPENING
REMARKS? OKAY. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. SO WE'LL JUMP RIGHT INTO
IT. OUR FIRST WITNESS, UM, HERE
TO TESTIFY IS DOCTOR HUFF? UH,
WELCOME.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? OK, GREAT.
THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY TO TALK
ABOUT STUDENT LEARNING AT THIS
POINT IN PANDEMIC RECOVERY. I'M
HEATHER HUFF, THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF PACE, UM, AS
INTRODUCED PACE IS A NONPARTISAN
RESEARCH CENTER THAT IS
HEADQUARTERED AT STANFORD. AND I
COME TODAY TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE
DERIVED FROM RESEARCH AND FROM
OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH SCHOOL
DISTRICTS. WE CURRENTLY WORK
WITH DOZENS OF DISTRICTS SERVING
MILLIONS OF STUDENTS
REPRESENTING THE FULL DIVERSITY
OF REGION URBAN, A CITY SIZE AND
STUDENT POPULATION STATEWIDE.
UM, CAN I GET OH, AT THIS POINT,
IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT AS A
RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC AND
EXTENDED SCHOOL DISRUPTIONS,
STUDENT LEARNING IS
SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND PRE
PANDEMIC COHORTS OVERALL FROM
2019 TO 2022 SCORES DROPPED 4%
POINTS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
AND 6.4% POINTS IN MATH. THE
RESULTS OF THE 2020 THREE TEST
SCORES ARE EXTREMELY TROUBLING
BECAUSE THEY MAKE CLEAR THAT
WHILE THE DECLINE FROM 2019 TO
2022 WAS DRAMATIC, THE RECOVERY
WILL NOT BE SIMILARLY DRAMATIC.
BETWEEN 2022 AND 2023. SCORES IN
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS CONTINUED
TO DECLINE AND IN MATH SCORES
INCREASED ONLY SLIGHTLY. IN 2023
STUDENTS REMAINED SIGNIFICANTLY
BEHIND PRE PANDEMIC COHORTS IN
BOTH SUBJECTS. MOST CONCERNING
ABOUT THESE SCORES IS THAT THEY
REVEAL SO STARKLY THE LARGE AND
GROWING OPPORTUNITY GAPS BETWEEN
STUDENT GROUPS. I SHOW MATH
SCORES HERE BETWEEN 2019. SO UM.
I SORRY. I THINK THESE ARE THE
OLD SLIDE. UM UH, SEE HERE.
OVERALL FROM 2019 TO 2022 SCORES
DROPPED 4% POINTS IN ENGLISH
LANGUAGE ARTS AND 6.4% POINTS IN
MATHEMATICS. THE RESULTS OF THE
2023 TEST SCORES ARE EXTREMELY
TROUBLING BECAUSE I'M SORRY.
HOLD ON. GIVE ME JUST ONE
SECOND. OK? SO WHAT I WANT YOU
TO SEE FROM THESE SLIDES IS
THAT, UH, I'M JUST GONNA SKIP
THAT. APOLOGIES. SO PRIOR TO THE
PANDEMIC, WE HAD STRONG
ACHIEVEMENT GAPS BETWEEN
STUDENTS AND THESE ACHIEVEMENT
GAPS CONTINUE TO WIDEN POST
PANDEMIC. WHAT YOU'LL SEE. HERE
IS AN ANALYSIS THAT WAS FIRST
CONDUCTED BY ANDREW HO OF
HARVARD, WHICH SHOWS THAT GAPS
BY RACIAL ETHNIC GROUP HAVE
ACTUALLY WIDENED IN THE PERIOD
FROM BEFORE THE PANDEMIC TO NOW
WE SHOW HERE HOW FAR BEHIND
STUDENTS IN DIFFERENT GROUPS ARE
COMPARED TO PRE PANDEMIC COHORTS
IN MONTHS OF LEARNING BY GRADE
AND IN MATH. THIS FIGURE SHOWS
THAT BLACK AFRICAN AMERICAN AND
HISPANIC LATINO STUDENTS HAVE
FALLEN FURTHER BEHIND THEIR
WHITE PEERS, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR
STUDENTS IN GRADE THREE BLACK
AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS ARE
5.8 MONTHS OF LEARNING BEHIND
PRE PANDEMIC COHORTS AND
HISPANIC LATINO STUDENTS ARE 5.5
MONTHS BEHIND, COMPARED TO ONLY
2.4 MONTHS BEHIND FOR WHITE
STUDENTS. THESE GAPS ARE
UNACCEPTABLE AND IF LEFT
UNADDRESSED WILL LEAD TO
INEQUITABLE OUTCOMES IN
GRADUATION RATES, COLLEGE ACCESS
, FUTURE WAGES AND EVEN LIFE
EXPECTANCY. COMPOUNDING THIS
RATES OF CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM OR
THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO
ARE ABSENT, 10% OR MORE OF THE
TIME HAVE SKYROCKETED POST
PANDEMIC BEFORE THE PANDEMIC,
ONLY 12% OF STUDENTS WERE
CHRONICALLY ABSENT. THE RATE NOW
IS MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT AT 25.
AND THE CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM.
PROBLEM IS WORST IN SCHOOLS
SERVING LOW INCOME STUDENTS WHO
ARE PRECISELY THE STUDENTS MOST
IN NEED OF EXTENDED LEARNING
TIME TO CATCH UP. WHAT YOU'LL
SEE HERE ON THIS FIGURE IS THAT
FOR SCHOOLS SERVING OVER 75% OF
ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED
STUDENTS, THAT'S THE BAR ON THE
RIGHT. 60% OF THOSE SCHOOLS HAVE
AN EXTREME CHRONIC ABSENCE RATE,
MEANING THAT OVER 30% OF THE
STUDENTS ARE CHRONICALLY ABSENT.
TO PUT THIS INTO PERSPECTIVE. IF
YOU'RE A TEACHER IN ONE OF THESE
SCHOOLS ON ANY GIVEN DAY, AT
LEAST ONE STUDENT WILL BE ABSENT
. A TEACHER WILL NEVER BE
TEACHING TO A FULL CLASS. WHAT
THIS MEANS IS THAT EVERY DAY A
TEACHER IS PLAYING CATCH UP WITH
STUDENTS WHO WEREN'T THERE
BEFORE SHE CAN CONTINUE ON TO
NEW MATERIAL. OUR CURRENT
SCHOOLING SYSTEM IS DEPENDENT ON
STUDENTS BEING PHYSICALLY
PRESENT IN CLASS. AND SO WITH
THIS SITUATION, IT'S VERY
DIFFICULT FOR TEACHERS TO MOVE
CONTENT FORWARD IF EACH DAY MUST
BE CUT CAUGHT UP. THESE PROBLEMS
ARE HAPPENING ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY AS I'M SURE, YOU KNOW.
BUT OUR SITUATION IS AMONG THE
WORST. FOR EXAMPLE, ON CHRONIC
ABSENTEEISM. OUR RATES ARE VERY
HIGH RELATIVE TO MOST OTHER
STATES. AND AS YOU SEE HERE,
THIS IS A COMPARISON OF MULTIPLE
STATES, UM, THAT WAS CONDUCTED
BY TEAMS AT STANFORD AND
HARVARD. WE STARTED LOW, MEANING
OUR TEST SCORES WERE LOW PRIOR
TO THE PANDEMIC. WE HAD A BIG
DECLINE AS A RESULT OF THE
PANDEMIC, AND WE'VE HAD A SLOW
RECOVERY. SO OUR STUDENTS
OVERALL REMAIN ALMOST A YEAR
BEHIND THE U S¼ AVERAGE. SO WHAT
DO WE DO NEXT? YOU WILL HEAR
ABOUT TUTORING IN SUMMER SCHOOL
AND AFTER SCHOOL LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES, AND THESE ARE ALL
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, BUT THE
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THESE
ACTIVITIES ARE MOST EFFECTIVE
WHEN THEY BUILD UPON AND ARE
ALIGNED WITH A HIGHLY ENGAGING,
RIGOROUS PROGRAM OF STUDY DURING
THE SCHOOL DAY. SADLY MANY
SCHOOLS ARE NOT PLACES WHERE
STUDENTS WANT TO BE OR WHERE
THEY FEEL ENGAGED AND EMPOWERED
IN THEIR LEARNING AT THE
ELEMENTARY LEVEL SCHOOLS NEED TO
BE REORGANIZED SO THAT TEACHERS
WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT
EVERY STUDENT MEETS THE EXPECTED
LEARNING GOALS AND TO PROVIDE
INTERVENTION WHEN THEY DON'T
THERE'S A VERY PROMISING èC E
PILOT. THAT'S THE CALIFORNIA
COLLABORATIVE FOR EDUCATIONAL
EXCELLENCE THAT'S BEING
IMPLEMENTED NOW ALONG THESE
LINES AND AT THE HIGH SCHOOL
LEVEL STUDENTS NEED FLEXIBLE
LEARNING OPTIONS ALIGNED WITH
THEIR INTERESTS. TO KEEP THEM
ENGAGED IN WORKING TOWARD THEIR
PERSONAL GOALS FOR COLLEGE AND
CAREER. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR
HAVING ME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
DISCUSSING FURTHER. THANK YOU,
DOCTOR. HOFF UH AND WE'RE GOING
TO HOLD OFF ON QUESTIONS, UH,
FOR THE WHOLE PANEL. UH, AND SO
I'D LIKE TO INVITE DOCTOR
FULLER. UH, WELCOME. YOU CHAIR.
UM, THANKS FOR THE INVITATION TO
SHARE OUR EARLY RESEARCH
FINDINGS. FOUR DECADES AGO, I
WENT TO WORK FOR A YOUNG BROTHER
, FEISTY ASSEMBLY MEMBER NAMED
JOHN VASCONCELOS. IT'S A GREAT
PLEASURE TO SIT WITH THIS
COMMITTEE ONCE AGAIN MANY YEARS
LATER. UH OUR TEAM HAS BEEN
VISITING SCHOOLS ACROSS THE
STATE SINCE THE SPRING OF 2021.
LEARNING HOW DISTRICT LEADERS
AND FRONT LINE EDUCATORS HAVE
EMERGED FROM AN UNPRECEDENTED
ERA. ALONG WITH HOW THEY SUSTAIN
A VARIETY OF INNOVATIONS TO BUOY
STUDENTS AND STAFF. SLIDE ONE
JUST SIMPLY EMPHASIZES OUR, UH,
BASIC RESEARCH QUESTIONS THAT
WE'RE LOOKING AT IN THE STUDY,
MAINLY FOCUSING ON HOW DISTRICTS
ARE MAKING BUDGET DECISIONS WITH
FEDERAL AND STATE DOLLARS AND
THE KINDS OF INNOVATIONS THAT
THEY'VE SUSTAINED THROUGH THE
PANDEMIC AND NOW INTO LATER
YEARS, THAT IS, ARE THEY TRYING
SOME NEW, UH, ACTIVITIES AND
PROGRAMS WITH STATE DOLLARS THAT
ARE YIELDING PROMISING RESULTS.
OUR WORK IS FUNDED BY THE U S¼
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. AND
THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS AT THE
PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE OF
CALIFORNIA. UH, èC Dð HERE IN
TOWN AND U, èC SAN DIEGO. AS
YOU KNOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
AND THE STATE PROVIDED
SUBSTANTIAL DOLLARS AT THE
OUTSET OF THE PANDEMIC AND THE
STATE DOLLARS CONTINUE. UH, THIS
FIGURE MIGHT BE A LITTLE HARD TO
LOOK AT. BUT THESE BUBBLES SHOW
THE SIZE OF VARIOUS DOLLOPS OF
DOLLARS. UH COMING INTO
CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS. THE SO
CALLED S¼ R $3 ARE THE BIGGEST
DOLL FOR ABOUT $15 BILLION AS
YOU KNOW, EXPANDED LEARNING
OPPORTUNITY GRANTS èC L Ó G
PROVIDE ANOTHER 5 TO $6 BILLION
FREE MEALS, TRANSITIONAL
KINDERGARTEN. THESE ARE ALL
MAJOR PROGRAMS, WHICH YOU ALL
HAVE LEGISLATED IN RECENT YEARS,
AND I WANNA COME BACK TO THE
QUESTION OF WHAT SEEMS TO BE
WORKING IN ADDRESSING THE
ENORMOUS LEARNING GAPS THAT
HEATHER JUST DESCRIBED. FIRST WE
ASK HOW DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN
ALLOCATING STIMULUS DOLLARS
OFTEN BLENDED WITH L èC FF
LOCAL CONTROL FUNDING DOLLARS.
AND THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE MOST
COMMON, UM, STRATEGIES. UH BASED
UPON OUR ANALYSIS OF EL Ó G
PLANS FROM 726 DISTRICTS. UH,
NEW GAL AND HER TEAM AT PP. I
èC UH UH, SPENT MANY, MANY DAYS
GOING THROUGH THESE PLANS. AND
THESE, UH MOST POPULAR
STRATEGIES ARE SOMEWHAT
INSTRUCTIVE. UM, AMONG THE MOST
POPULAR DISTRICTS HAVE ENGAGED
IN IN INCREASING INSTRUCTIONAL
TIME LENGTHENING THE SCHOOL DAY,
IN PART, IN PART THROUGH
LEGISLATION THAT YOU ALL HAVE
SUPPORTED OVER THE YEARS IN
RECENT YEARS. THAT IS, UM AS
WELL AS CREATING ALL SORTS OF
TUTORING OPPORTUNITIES FROM
INTENSIVE TUTORING TO ONE OFF
TUTORING. NOT SO EFFECTIVE
TUTORING. BUT TUTORING, OF
COURSE, IS A VERY POPULAR USE OF
STATE DOLLARS OFFERING FREE
SUMMER SCHOOL WHICH MAY BE
WANING A LITTLE BIT. UH, WE'RE
HEARING FROM OUR
SUPERINTENDENTS. AS FEDERAL
DOLLARS RUN OUT AND, OF COURSE,
EXPANDING AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT LEVELS OF NEW
DOLLARS PER PUPIL MARKEDLY AMONG
DISTRICTS BOTH ESSER FUNDS FROM
WASHINGTON AND LEGISLATIVE
PRIORITIES HAVE WEIGHTED THOSE
DOLLARS TOWARDS MORE CHALLENGED
SCHOOLS SERVING LARGE
CONCENTRATIONS OF DISADVANTAGE.
KIDS BUT SO FAR WE HAVEN'T FOUND
THIS VARIATION OF PER PUPIL
REVENUE IS VERY ASSOCIATED OR
CORRELATED WITH STRONGER
RECOVERY AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
. THAT IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY
YOU ALL SENT TO SCHOOLS IS NOT
PREDICTING ANY BOUNCE BACK THUS
FAR, AND IT MAY BE TOO EARLY FOR
THAT, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE'D
LIKE TO TRACK. OVER TIME. WE DO
KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WHEN
SCHOOLS RETURN TO IN PERSON
TEACHING THAT IS CORRELATED WITH
STRONGER BOUNCE BACK IN STUDENT
ACHIEVEMENT, AND, OF COURSE, THE
MOST, UH, FORCEFUL SET OF
FACTORS HAS TO DO WITH THE
DEMOGRAPHICS OF KIDS SERVED, UH,
AS HEATHER. JUST DETAILED, UH,
IN THE MOST DISADVANTAGED
SCHOOLS, WE SEE THE WEAKEST
BOUNCE BACK RETURN TO PRIOR
ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS. RELATIVE TO
KIDS IN MORE AFFLUENT
IMMUNITIES. BEYOND STUDYING
THESE DYNAMICS ACROSS ALL
DISTRICTS. WE'VE REPEATEDLY
VISITED NINE PARTICULAR
DISTRICTS REPRESENTING THE
DIVERSITY OF THE STATE
REPRESENTING GEOGRAPHIC
DIVERSITY. UM ON THE RIGHT HAND
SIDE OF THIS SLIDE IF YOU CAN
MAKE IT OUT, OR THE LOCATION OF
OUR NINE DISTRICTS ARE QUITE
VARIED FROM DEL NORTE IN THE FAR
NORTH TO SWEETWATER HIGH SCHOOL
DISTRICT ON THE MEXICAN BORDER.
AND FROM THESE DISTRICTS, WE ARE
LOOKING AT COMMON PATTERNS OF
DECISION MAKING THAT WE'VE
OBSERVED ACROSS THESE DISTRICTS.
AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS LIST
THAT IT INCLUDES. SIMILAR AND
ALSO VARYING CONTEXTS IN WHICH
THESE DISTRICTS HAVE TO RESPOND.
UM IN TERMS OF ENROLLMENT
DECLINES ABSENTEE RATES,
ETCETERA. BUT BUT COMMONLY
ACROSS THESE DISTRICTS, WE SEE
SEVERE LABOR SHORTAGES AND THIS
IS A THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT
PROBLEM. YOU ALL MAY WANNA
ADDRESS IN THE COMING MONTHS.
THE CATEGORICAL AID PROGRAMS
THAT YOU'VE LEGISLATED, THOUGH
WELL INTENTIONED, REQUIRE A LOT
OF NEW CLASSIFIED STAFF.
TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN AFTER
SCHOOL PROGRAMS, TUTORING
PROGRAMS AND, AS YOU KNOW, THE
STATE IS SUFFERING FROM A VAST
LABOR SHORTAGES AT A AT A
MACROECONOMIC LEVEL. THIS LEADS
TO VERY, VERY GREAT DIFFICULTY
FOR DISTRICTS IN FINDING
INSTRUCTIONAL AIDS AND PEOPLE
THAT CAN THAT CAN HELP KIDS, UH,
DAY TO DAY SO THERE THE SHARED
EXPERIENCE WITH LABOR SHORTAGES
IS QUITE QUITE SEVERE. THE OTHER
THING WE WANTED TO MENTION. IS
THAT OUR SUPERINTENDENTS IN THE
FIELD STUDY ACROSS THE NINE
DISTRICTS ARE SUPERINTENDENTS
WORRY ABOUT A RETURN TO
CATEGORICAL AID. UH, FIRST OF
ALL, THEY CALL WHAT THEY CALL
THE PANDEMIC THAT IS. EACH
CATEGORICAL AID PROGRAM HAS A
SEPARATE PLAN. THEY ALREADY
SPEND A LOT OF STAFF RESOURCES
AND TIME IN THEIR LCA PLANNING
PROCESS. AND NOW, UH, SACRAMENTO
REQUIRES THEM TO SUBMIT A
SEPARATE PLAN FOR EACH OF THESE
NEW PROGRAMS, AND THAT'S THAT'S
DRAINING CENTRAL RESOURCES, AS
REPORTED BY A LOT OF BY BY THE
NINE SUPERINTENDENTS. SECOND NEW
PROGRAMS, LIKE EXTENDED DAY
REQUIRE HIRING DIFFICULT TO FIND
INSTRUCTIONAL AIDS AS I
MENTIONED THE NINE DISTRICTS
ALSO SEEK TO BALANCE ACADEMIC
LEARNING WITH MORE HOLISTIC
APPROACHES. UH WITH REGARD TO
THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL
BEING OF STUDENTS AND STAFF.
THESE EFFORTS RANGE FROM CALLING
AN 800 NUMBER. IF YOU HAVE A
PROBLEM, JUST SORT OF A SURFACE
LEVEL REMEDY TO PAIRING COLLEGE
STUDENTS WITH INDIVIDUAL KIDS
THROUGH SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS
, UH, THROUGH TUTORING CLASSROOM
ASSISTANTS. AND A ONE ON ONE
SOCIAL TIE. WE KNOW THAT
STUDENTS ARE BOUNCING BACK AT
VARYING RATES. IF YOU LOOK AT
THIS SLIDE ON THE RIGHT HAND
SIDE IF YOU CAN MAKE OUT THESE
THESE BARS UH UH, THE DOWNWARD
SLOPING BARS ARE THE AMOUNT OF
LEARNING LOSS ACROSS OUR NINE
FIELD STUDY DISTRICTS. SO THE
LEARNING LOSS THAT HEATHER
DESCRIBED IS SEVERE, BUT IT'S
ALSO QUITE VARIABLE DURING THE
PANDEMIC. THE BARS ON THE RIGHT
HAND SIDE SHOW THE BOUNCE BACK
AS AS SCHOOLS HAVE COME BACK IN
PERSON AND MOST RECENT ROUND OF
TESTING. NOTABLY KIDS IN COMPTON
UNIFIED AND DEL NORTE UNIFIED,
WHICH ARE TWO OF OUR NINE FIELD
STUDY. DISTRICTS HAVE RECOVERED
IMPRESSIVELY, AND WE'RE TRYING
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHY THEY'VE
HAD SUCH SUCCESS. BUDGET AND
PROGRAM STRATEGIES DO LIKELY
DRIVE DIFFERING RATES OF
LEARNING RECOVERY. AND A PORTION
OF THESE DISTRICTS ARE FOCUSING
HEAVILY ON THE SOCIAL AND
EMOTIONAL WELL BEING OF
STUDENTS. IMPORTANTLY DEL NORTE
DISTRICT, FOR EXAMPLE, IS TAKING
ADVANTAGE OF NEW MEDICAL
REIMBURSEMENT POLICIES TO
BOLSTER THEIR COUNSELING STAFF
THAT'S PROVING TO BE QUITE A
POPULAR, UH, STRATEGY AMONG SOME
OF THESE DISTRICTS. THE OTHER IS
THE OTHER POINT ABOUT WHAT'S
MAYBE WORKING IS THE COMPTON
UNIFIED AVOIDS THE TEMPTATION OF
TACKING ON NEW PROGRAMS AT THE
EDGE OF CORE CLASSROOM TEACHING.
INSTEAD THEY PUSH IN MORE ADULTS
INTO CLASSROOMS AS TUTORS. AS AS
INDIVIDUALS WHO CONNECT AND
DEVELOP PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
WITH KIDS TO BUOY LOW
PERFORMING. STUDENTS COMPTON HAS
A VERY INTERESTING PROGRAM WHERE
THEY TEAM UP WITH CAL STATE
DOMINGUEZ HILLS TO BRING IN
COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO ARE REALLY
KIND OF A DIRECT MENTOR, ONE ON
ONE BETWEEN THE COLLEGE STUDENT
AND A LOW PERFORMING CHILD IN
THE COMPTON SCHOOLS, AND THAT
BUILDS SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS,
SOCIAL TIES AND A COMMITMENT.
THE SCHOOLING. DISTRICT LEADERS
ARGUE THAT LOCAL BUDGET
DISCRETION ALLOWS THEM TO ARRIVE
AT THEIR OWN BUDGET PRIORITIES
AND CONSULTATION WITH LOCAL
STAKEHOLDERS RATHER THAN
REACTING TO REGULATED
CATEGORICAL. SEVERAL DISTRICTS
CAREFULLY ASSESS WHICH NEW
INNOVATIONS ARE PAYING OFF IN
TERMS OF STRONGER STUDENT
ENGAGEMENT AND WHICH REFORMS
REMAIN AFFORDABLE AS FEDERAL
DOLLARS WANE. IN CONCLUSION JUST
TO JUST TO SAY, STAY TUNED OR
OUR OUR DETAILED REPORT SHOULD
BE OUT THIS SPRING, AND WE'RE
HAPPY TO COME BACK UP AND TALK
MORE ABOUT THE DE DETAILED
FINDINGS. THE LEGISLATURE, OF
COURSE, PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE IN
SUSTAINING FUNDING THAT LIFTS
STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. IN THE
WAKE OF THESE HUGE SPENDING
INFUSIONS. WE ARE JUST BEGINNING
TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT'S ACTUALLY
WORKED TO REGAIN LOST LEARNING
AND TO ENRICH THIS LOCAL SPIRIT
OF RENEWAL. FISCAL FLEXIBILITY
AGAIN FOR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS
REMAINS KEY AS DISTRICTS
CONFRONT WILY VARYING CONTEXTS
AND EXPERIMENT TO ADDRESS
STUDENT LEARNING AND BROADER
WELL BEING. EQUITY ELEMENTS OF L
èC F FA. NEW CATEGORICAL AID
REMAIN ESSENTIAL IF THE STATE
AIMS TO NARROW THE ACHIEVEMENT
GAPS THAT HEATHER'S JUST
DETAILED WITH GREATER RIGOR AND
HOPEFULLY MORE EVIDENCE ABOUT
WHAT'S WORKING ON THE GROUND
INSIDE DISTRICTS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM SO, UH,
BEFORE I OPEN IT UP FOR, UH
QUESTIONS II. I WANTED TO UM
JUST TO RECAP. SOME OF. WHAT I
HEARD WERE THE MAIN TAKEAWAYS.
FIRST OF ALL, DOCTOR HUFF. I
MEAN, YOU UM. PRESENT SOME
PRETTY STARK, UH, DATA THAT, UH,
UH, INDICATES THAT, UH, YOU
KNOW, I, I THINK NOT ONLY I N
CALIFORNIA BUT ACROSS THE
COUNTRY. UH WE SAW, UH,
SIGNIFICANT, UH, LEARNING LOSS,
UH FROM THE PANDEMIC, AND
ESPECIALLY FROM THE SCHOOL. UH,
CLOSURES IS THAT CORRECT? YES,
THAT'S CORRECT. AND, UM THE
IMPACTS WERE UM. CONTINUE THE
PATTERNS THAT EXISTED BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC IN TERMS OF, UH, THE
LEARNING LOSSES BEING GREATEST
IN UH, DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES
, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. UH,
ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES, UH, ENGLISH
LANGUAGE LEARNER COMMUNITIES.
YES, THAT'S CORRECT. AND, UM AND
THAT THE RECOVERY UM DESPITE THE
. INFUSIONS OF FEDERAL AND STATE
DOLLARS. UM THAT THE RECOVERIES
UH IN GENERAL HAVE BEEN UNEVEN.
UH, WITH UH, THE, UH. SMALLEST
RECOVERIES, UH, BEING IN THE
SAME DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.
AND SO, UH, DOCTOR FULLER, YOU
UM LOOKING A Tð. WHAT IS IT? UH,
HOW MANY NINE DISTRICTS. 10
DISTRICT NINE AND, UM. WHILE
YOU'RE, UH. STILL STUDYING THE
DATA. UM YOU'RE YOU'RE SEEING
SOME PROMISING, UH, RESULTS FROM
DISTRICTS LIKE COMPTON UNIFIED
AND DEL NORTE. UH UH, UNIFIED.
UM AND SO. AND YOU, YOU
HIGHLIGHT IN IN YOUR.
PRESENTATION UH, SOME OF THE
STRATEGIES, UM, FOCUSING ON
INCREASING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME ON
ON INCREASING UM. UH,
INSTRUCTIONAL AIDS STAFF
TRAINING DIGITAL TECH. UM
ASSISTANCE AS WELL AS THE
OVERALL HOLISTIC SUPPORT. UH UH,
FOCUSING ON WHAT? WE'VE BEEN
CALLING THE WHOLE CHILD
APPROACH. UH, ADDRESSING NOT
JUST THE ACADEMIC SUPPORTS, BUT
ALSO THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL
SUPPORT. YOU KNOW, SO LIKE WE
KEEP COMING BACK TO THIS WORD
COHERENCE DISTRICT LEADERS THAT
TRY TO GET ADULTS IN CLASSROOMS,
ONE ON ONE WITH KIDS AND NOT
GETTING DISTRACTED FROM OTHER
BELLS AND WHISTLES. OK? LET ME
UH, SEE, UH, IF ANY OF MY
COLLEAGUES ON THE PANEL WANT TO
START OFF THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH,
FOR THE PRESENTATION, I THINK,
UH, WHAT? UH, MOST RESONATED FOR
ME AS A CONCERN IS THIS UH THIS.
ESSENTIAL ISSUE OF NOT HAVING A
HIGH CORRELATION BETWEEN
MULTIPLE THERE'S A STRATEGIES
AND, UH, THE KIND OF RIGOROUS
BOUNCE BACK THAT WE NEED FOR OUR
CHILDREN RIGHT NOW, UM, BALANCED
WITH THE FACT THAT, UH MANY
SCHOOL DISTRICTS DON'T WANNA BE
TOLD WHAT TO DO WITH THE FUNDING
THAT THE STATE PROVIDES THEM.
UH, SO CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE
BIT TO THAT? WHICH FEELS TO ME A
BIT LIKE AN OXYMORON, RIGHT? UH,
UH, IN IN THAT IT WOULD BE
HELPFUL TO, UH, AT THIS STAGE IN
THE POINT IN TIME NOT HAVE KIND
OF THIS. HIGHLY EXPERIMENTAL.
LET'S SEE WHAT WORKS. THROW IT
UP, YOU KNOW, THROW SPAGHETTI ON
THE WALL, UH, KIND OF SCENARIO.
SORRY TO KIND OF BELITTLE THE
WORK THAT SO MANY HAVE DONE, BUT
, UH, AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE
DWINDLING NOW RESOURCES THAT
NEED TO BE VERY TARGETED FROM
THE STATE. GOOD QUESTION, AND
THE SPAGHETTI METAPHOR IS
PROBABLY QUITE APT. UM I MEAN, I
THINK I THINK IN THE NINE
DISTRICTS WHERE WE'RE WORKING UM
AND REPEATEDLY VISITING. THAT'S
THE SUPERINTENDENT'S DISTRICT
STAFF WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF
THE NEW FUNDING, SO I DON'T I
DON'T WANNA I WANNA MAKE THAT
POINT AT THE OUTSET AND UH, I
WOULD SAY IN GENERAL THERE THEY
AGREE WITH THE LEGISLATIVE
INTENT. I MEAN, THEY'RE VERY
ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT TRANSITIONAL
KINDERGARTEN. THEY SEE THE
UTILITY OF EXTENDED DAY PROGRAMS
. UH THEY CERTAINLY ARE
APPRECIATIVE ART OF ARTS AND
EDUCATION, ARTS AND MUSIC
EDUCATION, SO THERE'S GREAT
APPRECIATION FOR THE FUNDING. I
THINK WHERE THEY'RE NOT SO HAPPY
IS HAVING TO DO A PLAN FOR EACH
OF THESE PROGRAMS. UM AND THEY
S¼. THEY FEEL IN A WAY IT'S
GOING BACK TO THE TO THE GOOD
OLD DAYS WHEN I WORKED IN THIS
BUILDING WHERE WE WERE JUST RAD.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE UP TO ABOUT 68
CATEGORICAL AID PROGRAMS. AND
THEN GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER AND
GOVERNOR BROWN BOTH REDUCED
THOSE THE NUMBER OF CATEGORICAL
AID THROUGH LOCAL CONTROL
FUNDING GAVE DISTRICTS MORE MORE
FLEXIBILITY. SO I THINK THE
DISTRICTS PERHAPS PREDICTABLY,
WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO THAT
LEVEL OF FLEXIBILITY. I THINK AS
YOU'RE POINTING OUT THAT IT'S A
DOUBLE EDGED SWORD BECAUSE WE DO
WANNA KNOW WHAT'S WORKING OUT IN
THE DISTRICT, SO WE WOULD LIKE
TO GET CLEAR EVIDENCE AND
INFORMATION BACK FROM THE
DISTRICTS AS TO WHAT WORKING
WHAT'S WORKING. WE DON'T JUST
WANNA LET THEM THROW SPAGHETTI
AGAINST THE WALL. IN A SENSE, WE
WANT TO KNOW WHAT SPAGHETTI
STICKS TO THE WALL AND IS
EFFECTIVE. WELL, I THINK IT IS A
IT IS SOMEWHAT OF A DILEMMA
BECAUSE THE SUPERINTENDENTS AND
DISTRICT LEADERS ARE VERY
APPRECIATIVE OF THE FUNDING.
THEY THEY COMPADRE WITH, UH,
WITH THE LEGISLATIVE INTENT OF
THESE PROGRAMS, BUT THEY WOULD
LIKE TO THEY DON'T WANT THEIR
HANDS TIED IN TERMS OF HOW THEY
MOVE THEIR THEIR RESOURCES
AROUND. I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT I
THINK IN A TIME LIKE THIS WE
NEED SOME CLARITY ON WHAT IS
EFFECTIVE AND WHAT GOOD PRACTICE
LOOKS LIKE AND THE FLEXIBILITY
AROUND HOW INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS
MEET THOSE GOALS, A LOT OF THE
BARRIERS THAT DISTRICTS ARE
ENCOUNTERING IN IN IMPLEMENTING
THESE POLICIES ARE THINGS LIKE
LOCAL STAFFING CHALLENGES AND
LABOR MANAGEMENT RELATIONS,
LOCAL POLITICS AND SO IN SOME
WAYS, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF
ATTENTION ON THESE BROADER
ISSUES THAT ARE PRODUCING
BARRIERS FOR THEM AND
IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THESE
POLICIES, AND I THINK SOME
COLLECTIVE PROBLEM SOLVING FROM
THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM FROM THE
SCHOOL AND DISTRICT LEVEL UP
THROUGH COUNTIES AND THE STATE
AND THE LEGISLATURE WOULD HELP
TO IMPROVE IMPLEMENTATION. MY
FINAL QUESTION. THANK YOU, UH,
ONE OF THE UH, DATA POINTS. THAT
WAS REALLY QUITE TROUBLING IS
THAT IN CALIFORNIA, HISPANIC AND
LATINO STUDENTS ARE
DISPROPORTIONATELY REPRESENTED
AMONG CHRONICALLY ABSENT
STUDENTS COMPARED TO OTHER
STUDENT POPULATIONS. THIS GROUP
MADE UP 65% OF THE CHRONICALLY
ABSENT STUDENTS IN 2223 AND 56%
OF THE STUDENT POPULATION
OVERALL. SO. OVER HALF OF THE
STUDENT POPULATION AND FAR
OVERREPRESENTED IN CHRONIC
ABSENTEEISM AND TO THE POINT
THAT YOU MADE DOCTOR FULLER. IF
YOU'RE NOT IN SCHOOL, IT'S HARD
TO EVEN BE ABLE TO GET ANY KIND
OF SUPPORT. UH, I DID ALSO
NOTICE THAT ON ONE OF YOUR
SLIDES, YOU HAD A COMMENTARY
AROUND HOLISTIC SUPPORTS AND
THAT KIND OF SCHOOL CLIMATE
ENVIRONMENT BEING ABSOLUTELY
CRITICAL TO ENSURING THAT
STUDENTS WERE COMING BACK AND
FEELING LIKE THEY, UH, BELONGED
AND, UH, AND THAT THAT AND WHAT
THEY WERE EXPERIENCING WAS A
RIGOROUS AND CONNECTED AND
RELEVANT TO THEM. SO IS THERE
ANYTHING EITHER IN COMPTON OR IN
THE EMPIRE WHERE WE'VE KIND OF
SEEN THESE POPS OF SUCCESS?
WHERE THERE'S EVIDENCE OR OF
SPECIFIC PROGRA MMES RELATED TO
OTHER CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM OR
SENSE OF BELONGING. I THINK
WHAT'S IMPRESSIVE ABOUT COMPTON
UNIFIED IS THIS NOTION THAT
EVERY CHILD SHOULD HAVE AN ADULT
? MAYBE A COLLEGE STUDENT, BUT,
UH, AN ADULT THAT THAT STUDENT
CAN TURN TO. SO IN A SENSE, IT'S
NOT THAT COMPLICATED, ALTHOUGH
IT TAKES A LOT OF DISCIPLINE,
HAS A DISTRICT LEADER. THE FOCUS
RESOURCES ON THOSE IMMEDIATE
SOCIAL TIES AND WITH DOMINGUEZ
HILLS AND OTHER SUPPORTS AROUND
THE COMPTON AREA. THEY'VE
MOBILIZE A NUMBER OF ADULTS GET
IN THE CLASSROOM, SIT WITH AND
READ WITH WITH STUDENTS MEET
WITH THEM AFTER SCHOOL. IF THEY
DON'T SHOW UP FOR SCHOOL,
THEY'RE ON THE PHONE TO THE
PARENT. SO I THINK IT'S I THINK
WHAT'S IMPRESSIVE ABOUT COMPTON
IS WITH DESPITE THE BUDGET
CONSTRAINTS AND THE AND THE
BARRIERS WE'VE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT THE DISTRICT LEADERSHIP.
THERE IS FOCUSED ON THESE ONE ON
ONE RELATIONSHIPS FOR KIDS. I'D
LIKE TO ADD THAT WHEN WE THINK
ABOUT CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM,
THERE'S TWO SOLUTIONS. ONE IS.
HOW DO WE GET KIDS BACK IN
SCHOOL AND THE OTHER IS HOW DO
WE CATCH KIDS UP AND KEEP THEM
LEARNING IF THEY'RE ABSENT? AND
I THINK THAT BOTH OF THOSE ARE
IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME
BROADER SOCIAL THINGS THAT ARE
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW THAT ARE
LEADING TO CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM.
I THINK JUST IN GENERAL, SOCIAL
NORMS ARE CHANGING AROUND WHEN
WE GO INTO PHYSICAL SPACES. IF
WE STAY HOME IF WE'RE NOT
FEELING WELL, IF NEED A BREAK.
UM PARENTS ARE WORKING FROM HOME
MORE, WHICH MEANS THEY MAY NOT
BE TRAN IN TRANSITION TO TAKE
THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL. AND SO I
THINK, UM, THIS IS WHERE SOME OF
THOSE IDEAS AROUND SCHOOL
REORGANIZATION ARE REALLY
IMPORTANT, TOO. THE èC èC EE
PILOT THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.
ONE OF I THINK IT'S MAJOR
BENEFITS IS THAT BECAUSE IT'S
STUDENT CENTERED AND EVERY DAY
EVALUATING DID KIDS LEARN WHAT
THEY NEEDED TO LEARN YESTERDAY
IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD TODAY,
AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO IF
THEY DIDN'T AND TEAM OF ADULTS
WORKING TOGETHER TO PROVIDE THAT
INTERVENTION SUPPORT IF A
STUDENT IS ABSENT YESTERDAY,
WHEN THEY COME TO SCHOOL TODAY,
THERE'S AN AUTOMATIC STRUCTURE
FOR DOING THAT EVALUATION AND
PROVIDING THAT SUPPORT AND
THAT'S NOT TYPICALLY HOW OUR
SCHOOLS ARE ORGANIZED. TYPICALLY
THERE IS AN EXPECTATION THAT
YOU'RE MOVING FORWARD ON
INSTRUCTIONAL CONTENT EVERY DAY,
AND WE DON'T HAVE THOSE MULTIPLE
ADULTS READY TO HELP. SO I THINK
THAT ATTENDING TO BOTH OF THOSE
THINGS IS REALLY IMPORTANT
BECAUSE IT'S UNCLEAR AT THIS.
WILL WE EVER GET TO PRE PANDEMIC
ATTENDANCE LEVELS? UM, I'M NOT
SURE THAT WE KNOW. MR ALVAREZ.
THANK YOU, UH, TO THE PANELISTS.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR FOR, UH,
ORGANIZING TODAY'S HEARING. I
WANT TO START WITH A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS BASED ON THE REPORTS.
UH, THAT YOU'VE PRESENTED FOR US
. THE CALIFORNIA TEST SCORES
SHOW LITTLE IMPROVEMENT AFTER
PANDEMIC. UM MISS. HAVE THE.
THERE'S A PARTICULAR SLIDE THAT
JUST CAUGHT MY INTEREST AND
CURIOUS AS TO, UM IF YOU HAVE
ANY FURTHER RESEARCH, IT'S THE
SLIDE. UH, WITH THE DIFFERENT
GRADE LEVELS AND, UH, WHAT'S
HAPPENED WITH THE SCORES AND UM
ALMOST ALL OF THEM. OBVIOUSLY
THEY'RE ALL LOWER THAN 2019.
SOME ARE SHOWING A LITTLE BIT OF
A REBOUND, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS
IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT STANDS
OUT, FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S ACTUALLY
THE TWO ENDS OF THE GRADES.
GRADE THREE, WHICH IS THE FIRST
GRADE WE DO, UH WE DO THE
TESTING AND GRADE 11, WHICH IS
THE FINAL YEAR. THAT THIS
TESTING OCCURS. WAS THERE
ANYTHING IN THE RESEARCH THAT
INDICATED MAYBE SOMETHING
RELATED IN THE CASE OF THE
YOUNGER KIDS. THEY WEREN'T
EVERYBODY WAS IMPACTED. SO THIS
GONNA SOUND HUNT DIRECTORY TO
THAT, BUT THE YOUNGER KIDS
PERHAPS WEREN'T AS IMPACTED
BECAUSE THEY WERE STILL
RELATIVELY YOUNG HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO MAKE UP SOME OF THAT. AND
THEN, ON THE OTHER END WERE THE
KIDS SORT OF OLD ENOUGH TO BE
ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO AND
THEN REALLY THE FOLKS. THE KIDS
IN THE MIDDLE GRADES ARE THE
ONES THAT HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN
ANY KIND OF A BOUNCE BACK. IT
LOOKS LIKE IS THERE ANY OTHER
RESEARCH RELATED TO THOSE TWO
GRADE THREE AND 11 THAT YOU CAN
SHARE? I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH
SPECIFIC RESEARCH ON THIS.
PERHAPS YOU ARE, BRUCE, BUT, UM
I THINK THAT YOUR HYPOTHESES ARE
VALID. STUDENTS AT DIFFERENT
AGES WERE VERY DIFFERENTLY
IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC, SO IF
YOU WERE IN FIFTH GRADE WHEN THE
PANDEMIC HIT, UM AND I HAD A
DAUGHTER WHO WAS THAT AGE, SO I
KNOW THEY WERE, THEY WERE MORE
ABLE TO NAVIGATE ONLINE LEARNING
THAN IF YOU HAD A KINDERGARTNER
AT THAT TIME, UM, WHICH I ALSO
HAD SO THAT THERE THOSE KIDS
WERE REALLY IMPACTED. THEY
COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ONLINE
WITHOUT PARENTAL SUPPORT. UM,
THE OLD THE OLDER KIDS GOT, THE
MORE THEY WERE ABLE TO ENGAGE,
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THEY WERE
MORE IMPACTED, PERHAPS BY THE SO
LACK OF SOCIALIZATION. SO I
THINK THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF
THINGS GOING ON THERE. THE 11TH
GRADE BACK SCORES JUST AS A NOTE
ARE ALWAYS TAKEN WITH A BIT OF
CAUTION BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT AS
STUDENTS GET OLDER, THEY DON'T
TAKE THESE TESTS AS SERIOUSLY.
THEY'RE NOT CONNECTED WITH REAL
STAKES FOR THEM. UM, THERE COULD
BE SOMETHING GOING ON THERE AS
WELL WITH THOSE MEASURES. YEAH,
BUT, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE ALMOST
ACROSS THE BOARD, EVERY GRADE
LEVEL SAW THE SAME LEVEL OF
DECLINE FROM 19 TO 22 THE FIRST
TIME WE DID TESTING AGAIN AND
THEN THE SECOND YEAR 20 THREE.
LOVE GRADE 11 AND THIRD GRADE
HAD THAT VERY SLIGHT, UH,
BALANCE, BUT IT WAS VERY, VERY
SMALL AND THE OTHERS CONTINUED
TO DECLINE, ACTUALLY. UH, LET ME
ASK YOU ABOUT JUST. I'M TRYING
TO GET A SENSE OF AGAIN, UH, THE
IMPACTS AND THIS IS NOW ON
ABSENTEEISM. YOUR REPORT ON
ABSENTEEISM HERE. UM. ELEMENTARY
OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE MORE
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND I'M
REFERRING TO FIGURE FOUR IN THIS
REPORT. OBVIOUSLY IT'S A LARGER
NUMBER. I'M JUST WONDERING IS I
DON'T KNOW, PERCENTAGE WISE. HOW
DOES THAT UH, COMPARED TO MIDDLE
MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, IN TERMS OF ABSENTEEISM. ARE
WE SEEING MORE AT THE LOWER
GRADES OR MORE AT THE UPPER
GRADES? WE SEE A BIT OF A U
SHAPE IN THE GRADES, SO WE SEE
HUGE ABSENTEEISM IN KINDERGARTEN
AND THEN IN THE LATER ELEMENTARY
DIPS DOWN AND THEN HIS STUDENTS
GET OLDER. IT GO THROUGH THE
GRADES. IT INCREASES SO WE SEE A
SIMILAR KIND OF RELATIONSHIP AT
THE SCHOOL LEVEL. I THINK THEY
ARE REASON FOR THAT IS VERY
DIFFERENT. SO AT THE
KINDERGARTEN LEVEL, FOR EXAMPLE,
YOU KNOW STUDENTS ARE VERY YOUNG
KINDERGARTEN IS NOT MANDATORY IN
SO WE SEE A MUCH HIGHER RATE. UM
AS PARENTS AS KIDS GET. OLDER
PARENTS ARE LESS IN THE DRIVER'S
SEAT ON GETTING A KID TO SCHOOL.
SO FOR A KINDERGARTENER, IT'S
THE PARENTS' JOB TO PUT THE
SHOES ON AND GET THEM IN THE
CAR. AS STUDENTS GET OLDER, THEY
HAVE A LOT MORE AGENCY IN TERMS
OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY CHOOSE TO
GO TO SCHOOL, SO WE SEE A HIGHER
PERCENTAGE RATE IN HIGH SCHOOL
THAN WE DO IN THE LOWER GRADES.
SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTS A LOT OF,
UM HIGHER NEEDS SCHOOLS. THE
FIGURE THREE WAS, UM QUITE
SHOCKING, UH, ESSENTIALLY 86% OF
SCHOOLS WHO ARE. IN THIS, UH, IN
IN, IT HAS HAVE THESE STUDENTS
AS A POPULATION. HAVE EXTREME OR
HIGH, CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM. UH
AND THAT'S. THAT'S UH, REALLY
CONCERNING DID YOU GET HAVE YOU
HAD A CHANCE TO DO ANY RESEARCH
ON ANY OF THE STRATEGIES THAT
ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED BY SCHOOL
DISTRICTS AND UM. IS THERE ANY
RESEARCH FORTHCOMING ON
STRATEGIES THAT ARE BEING
EFFECTIVE BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT CLEARLY IS.
HUGELY DISPROPORTIONATE HERE.
YEAH. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF
RESEARCH ACTUALLY ON WHAT KINDS
OF STRATEGIES ARE EFFECTIVE. WE
WORK CLOSELY WITH ATTENDANCE
WORKS. THEY'RE A NATIONAL
ORGANIZATION THAT DOES RESEARCH
ON, UM ON ATTENDANCE AND GETTING
KIDS BACK INTO SCHOOL. THE WAY
TO THINK ABOUT IT IS, UH, IN
TERMS OF TIER ONE, TIER TWO AND
TIER THREE INTERVENTION. SO WHAT
ARE THE THINGS WE DO FOR ALL
KIDS TO MAKE SCHOOL MORE
WELCOMING, MORE ENGAGING, AND,
UH, THAT THAT IS AKIN TO THE
SOME OF THOSE STRATEGIES THAT
PROFESSOR FULLER MADE OUT AS WE
THEN MOVE UP OUT OF THAT OUT OF
THAT BASELINE SYSTEM. WE'RE
THINKING, HOW DO WE PROVIDE
TARGETED SUPPORTS TO GET THEM
INTO SCHOOL? AND SO AS WE'RE
LOOKING AT KIDS WITH REALLY HIGH
RATES, IT'S ATTENDANCE
COORDINATORS, ITS SOCIAL WORKERS
. IT'S FOLKS WITHIN THE SCHOOL
WHO ARE CALLING THE FAMILIES AND
SAYING, WHAT IS HAPPENING THAT'S
PREVENTING YOU FROM GETTING TO
SCHOOL. AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO
SUPPORT YOU AND ALONG THOSE
LINES? UH, THERE ARE SCHOOLS WHO
ARE PROVIDING REALLY TARGETED
SUPPORTS, WHO ARE THINKING ABOUT
COORDINATING TRANSPORTATION WHO
ARE IN FRESNO? THEY'RE PUTTING
LAUNDRY INTO SCHOOL SO THAT
STUDENTS CAN DO THEIR LAUNDRY AT
SCHOOL BECAUSE NOT HAVING CLEAN
CLOTHES WAS AN IMPEDIMENT FOR
STUDENTS COMING TO SCHOOL. SO AS
WE THINK ABOUT, UH ABOUT
INTERVENTIONS, A LOT OF IT IS
HOW DO WE MAKE SCHOOLS IN
GENERAL PLACES WHERE STUDENTS
WANT TO BE AND WHERE STUDENTS
FEEL SUPPORTED AND WHERE
STUDENTS FEEL EMPOWERED FOR
THEIR LEARNING, AND THEN BEING
ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE TARGETED
SUPPORTS AS NEEDED. OK? NOW
MOVING ON TO, UM THE OTHER
PRESENTATION, WHICH IS MUCH MORE
FOCUSED ON SORT OF THE UM FISCAL
. MATTERS RELATED TO THESE
PROGRAMS. UM I WANTED TO ASK
ABOUT THE LABOR SHORTAGE ISSUE.
WE'VE WE'VE FUNDED AS YOU WENT
OUT. ALSO IN YOUR PRESENTATION,
UH, WE FUNDED A LOT OF PROGRAMS
TO TRY AND ENSURE THAT EDUCATION
WAS ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE AND
SUPPORT SYSTEMS EXISTED. AND. WE
DON'T, UH, RECAPTURE THE FUND
BALANCES THAT EXIST NOW YOU
TALKED ABOUT A LABOR SHORTAGE.
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS. DID YOU DO
ANY ANALYSIS ON WHAT THAT MEANT
OF IN TERMS OF UNUSED DOLLARS BY
DISTRICTS THAT THEY GOT TO
ACTUALLY BECAUSE WE DIDN'T ASK
THEM TO GIVE THAT MONEY BACK AS
A RESULT OF LABOR SHORTAGES AND
ALL THESE PROGRAMS. IT'S A GREAT
QUESTION. HEATHER AND I WERE
TALKING BEFORE THE HEARING
STARTED. I MEAN, ONE REASON THE
DISTRICTS. MAY NOT SPEND OUT
THEIR FEDERAL DOLLARS BY THE END
OF SEPTEMBER IS THEY HAVE SO
MANY OPEN POSITIONS. THEY JUST
CAN'T FIND PEOPLE. RIGHT? UM AND
. OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE THIS
MACROECONOMIC CONDITION IN
CALIFORNIA. I MEAN, IT'S A GOOD
NEWS. BAD NEWS STORY. WE HAVE
VERY HIGH. UM, YOU KNOW, VERY
LOW UNEMPLOYMENT. BUT THEN WE
HAVE DIFFICULTIES IN FINDING
INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR Tð
Kò FOR TUTORING PROGRAMS. SO.
DISTRICTS ARE HAVING TO STRUGGLE
WITH THIS MACROECONOMIC
CONSTRAINT. WELL FACING THIS
FEDERAL DEADLINE AND TRYING TO
SPEND THEIR DOLLARS AND I, IT'S
A TOUGH SITUATION FOR A LOT OF
DISTRICTS. MEANWHILE THE PRIVATE
SECTOR OF COURSE YOU CAN GO GO
TO WORK FOR AND AL BURGER AND
MAKE MORE MONEY AS YOU'VE HEARD,
THEN YOU CAN BE AN INSTRUCTIONAL
AIDE AT A ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SO
THE PRIVATE SECTORS INCREASE IN
WAGES IS GREAT, AND THE AND THE
MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE IS A HUGE
BENEFIT. BUT IT DOES
DISADVANTAGE DISTRICTS WHO ARE
TRYING TO KEEP UP MM-HMM AND
YOU, UH, TALKED QUITE A BIT
ABOUT DISTRICTS. THEIR FEEDBACK
HAS BEEN, UM UNDERSTANDINGLY SO
THAT THEY WANT THE FLEXIBILITY.
THAT L èC FF PROVIDES AND NOT
RETURNING TO GET CATEGORICAL.
UM, I'M CURIOUS, THOUGH. IF YOU
HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IN,
PARTICULARLY THE SCHOOLS, THE
DISTRICTS THAT YOU REALLY WERE
FOCUSED ON UM, ON WHAT THEIR L
CAP PROCESS WAS LIKE, AND HOW
SPECIFIC THEIR GOALS WERE IN THE
CAP SPECIFICALLY TO
UNDERACHIEVING SCHOOLS AND
STUDENT SUBGROUPS, BECAUSE, YOU
KNOW, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, LAST
YEAR, UM, DOCTOR WEBER IN THE
ASSEMBLY LED AN EFFORT. UM ON
WHAT IS CALLED THE EQUITY
MULTIPLIER, WHICH IS TO FOCUS
DOLLARS AND HIGHER NEEDS.
SCHOOLS. UM BECAUSE AND I'LL
JUST. OR SAY ON THE SIDE NOTE.
UH, THERE IS SOME SOME REPORTS
THAT I'VE READ RESEARCH THAT
I'VE READ THAT SAID THAT FOCUSED
DOLLARS TO HIGHER NEEDS. SCHOOLS
HAVE HAD AN IMPACT. A POSITIVE
IMPACT I KIND OF HEARD BUT THE
OPPOSITE IN IN IN THIS
PRESENTATION, SO WE CAN TALK
MORE ABOUT THAT. BUT UM, ONE OF
THE THINGS IS THE L CAPS REALLY
LEAD TO WHAT STRATEGIES GET
USED. AS YOU REFERRED TO DID YOU
ANALYZE THOSE L CAPPS ARE THE
FOCUS ON THOSE STUDENT SUBGROUPS
. UM BECAUSE FLEXIBILITY IS
GREAT. BUT IF IT'S NOT BEING
UTILIZED THE STUDENTS THAT NEED
THE SUPPORT SYSTEMS. UM THEN
THAT'S WHERE WE IN THE
LEGISLATURE NEED TO REVIEW THAT.
YEAH. WELL, IT'S A GREAT
QUESTION. I THINK MAYBE TWO
LAYERS ONE IS THE EXTENT TO
WHICH L èC FF IS PROGRESSIVELY
STRUCTURED EQUITY MULTIPLIERS IS
A SMALL STEP TOWARDS MAKING IT
MORE PROGRESSIVE IN TERMS OF
GETTING DOLLARS TO HIGHLY
CHALLENGE. SCHOOLS AND YOUR AND
YOUR RIGHT. OUR COLLEAGUES AT
PP. I HAVE SHOWN THAT THAT
DISTRICTS THAT BENEFIT FROM
CONCENTRATION DOLLARS THEIR
STUDENT GAINS HISTORICALLY HAVE
BEEN BETTER GOING BACK TO 2013.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE PANDEMIC
SHOCK SO L èC FF HAS BEEN A
SUCCESS STORY IN TERMS OF AT
LEAST IN DISTRICTS THAT ARE
RECEIVING SOME OF THE
PROGRESSIVELY TARGETED DOLLARS.
WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS IF YOU
LOOK AT THE STIMULUS DOLLARS,
THE AMOUNT OF FEDERAL AND STATE
STIMULUS DOLLARS RECEIVED IS SO
FAR IN ITS EARLY YOU KNOW, WE'RE
STILL EARLY IN THIS RECOVERY, I
THINK, BUT SO FAR THE REVENUE
PER CHILD. FROM THE STIMULUS
DOLLARS DOESN'T PREDICT ANY
STRONGER BOUNCE BACK. I MEAN,
HOPEFULLY IT WILL LONG TERM BUT
THUS FAR IT HASN'T AND THEN
SECONDLY, TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT
EL CAP UM. I MEAN, CAPS ARE IF
YOU CAN'T FALL ASLEEP AT NIGHT,
READ AN L CAP. RIGHT UM AND I
THINK THERE IS A DEBATE OVER
WHETHER WHETHER THE L CAP
PROCESS LEADS TO MORE EFFECTIVE
STRATEGIES FOR DISADVANTAGED
YOUNGSTERS. I MEAN, THERE'S A
LOT OF POSITIVE RHETORIC ABOUT
MOVING DOLLARS TO THOSE KIDS. WE
COME BACK TO OUR EARLIER
CONVERSATION. WE NEED TO KNOW
MORE ABOUT WHAT'S WORKING FOR
THOSE STUDENTS AND JUST HAVING
HIGH SOUNDING PROGRESSIVE
RHETORIC AND AN L CAP DOESN'T
MEAN YOU'RE INVESTING IN A IN AN
EFFECTIVE STRATEGY. AND I WOULD
SAY THE SAME THING TO THE
DISTRICTS, RIGHT? JUST SAYING
AND HAVING THE RHETORIC THAT
YOU'RE FOCUSING THE DOLLARS AND
THE WAYS THAT ARE WE NEED THE
FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA
FOCUS THE DOLLARS WHERE WE NEED
THEM. WELL THAT'S GREAT. BUT ARE
YOU SHOWING STUDENT PROGRESS?
AND THAT'S WHERE, UM YOU KNOW,
FLEXIBILITY. NEED FLEXIBILITY
MEETS, UH, THE UH, IMPORTANCE OF
OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY ON
HOW THOSE DOLLARS ARE BEING
SPENT BECAUSE I. I AM CONCERNED
THAT IN PROVIDING FLEXIBILITY,
AND THERE WAS A LOT OF NOT JUST
WITH L èC FF ON AN ANNUAL
ALLOCATION BASIS BY THE STATE,
CERTAINLY THE FEDERAL DOLLARS
BUT ALL THE OTHER STATE DOLLARS
THAT WERE, UH, WEREN'T REALLY
STIMULUS DOLLARS, BUT THERE WERE
DOLLARS GIVEN THROUGHOUT THE
LAST SEVERAL YEARS. UM MANY OF
THOSE CAME WITHOUT ANY REAL. UM,
SPECIFIC METRICS OF SUCCESS, AND
SO. I GET AGAIN TO ANYBODY WHO'S
LISTENING FROM THE DISTRICTS,
AND THEN WE'LL DEFINITELY TALK
ABOUT THIS IN THE BUDGET OF
THREE, BUT, UM FLEXIBILITY IS
GOOD ONLY TO THE TO THE EXTENT
THAT YOU'RE USING IT AND PUTTING
IT PUTTING YOUR DOLLARS TO USE
TO MEET THE OUTCOMES THAT WE
DESIRE. OTHERWISE UM, FLEXIBLY
JUST TO MAKE PEOPLE'S. BUDGETING
LIFE EASIER IS NOT REALLY MY, UM
VISION OF. OF WHAT THAT'S
INTENDED TO DO SO, YEAH, 222
QUICK POINTS. ONE IS A LOT OF
MID SIZE AND SMALL DISTRICTS
DON'T HAVE THE STAFF TO ACTUALLY
DETERMINE WHAT'S WORKING, RIGHT?
I MEAN, THIS IS THIS IS A PRO.
THIS IS A REAL CONSTRAINT. I
MEAN, BIG URBAN DISTRICTS MIGHT
HAVE ANALYTIC STAFF AND THEY
CONTRACT WITH PEOPLE LIKE PACE
TO FIGURE OUT EMPIRICALLY WHAT'S
WORKING, BUT A LOT OF DISTRICTS
DON'T HAVE THAT. CAPACITY SO, SO
MAYBE THE STATE SHOULD PLAY A
ROLE IN THAT IF WE'RE PROVIDING
DOLLARS FOR SPECIFIC OUTCOME,
THEN MAYBE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE'RE MEASURING THAT THOSE
OUTCOMES ARE BEING DELIVERED.
AND I AND THE èC Dð S¼ CREDIT.
THEY ARE INVESTING IN OUR WORK
TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS
WORKING. SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT
OF ACTIVITY THERE AT THE STATE
LEVEL. BUT I, I AGREE THE STATE
MIGHT BE BETTER POSITIONED TO
DEVELOP THE ANALYTIC CAPACITY,
THEN 1000 LOCAL LET ME JUST ASK
THOSE FINAL QUESTION. UH, MR
CHAIR ON YOUR SLIDE ON COMPTON.
IT REALLY CAUGHT MY, UH,
INTEREST. UM IN THE CASE OF
COMPTON. THEY ESSENTIALLY I
THINK THE WAY I'M READING YOUR
YOUR IN MATH. UH THEY
ESSENTIALLY LOST 5% OF, UM,
PROFICIENCY, BUT THEN THEY
GAINED IT RIGHT, SO THEY'RE BACK
TO WHERE THEY WERE. ARE ACTUALLY
A LITTLE BIT ABOVE IT LOOKS LIKE
WHERE THAT AMI READING THAT
CORRECTLY. A GOOD READER OF
GRAPHICS PRECISELY. UH VISUAL
LEARNER. UM SO THEN AND YOU
MENTIONED SPECIFICALLY IN THIS
WILL BE THE LAST ONE. I PROMISE.
UH, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD FROM A
LOT OF SUPERINTENDENTS ABOUT THE
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL ISSUE AND IN IN
THIS CASE, YOU MENTIONED THAT
COMPTON WAS REALLY FOCUSED. ON
THAT I I'D LOVE TO HEAR MORE
ABOUT THAT, UH, AS YOU DEVELOP
MORE RESEARCH, BUT UM, THAT IS
ONE OF THE FUNDING. FEDERAL
FUNDING PROGRAMS THAT I KNOW IS
COMING TO AN END. IN TERMS OF,
UM LIKE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
SYSTEMS FOR OUR SCHOOLS THAT IS
VERY CONCERNING TO
SUPERINTENDENTS, SO I'M JUST
CURIOUS HOW COMPTON IT HAS BEEN
DOING THIS WORK TILL NOW AND HOW
THEY HOPE TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT
WORK. GIVEN THAT IT SEEMS THAT
THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A REALLY
EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR THEIR FOR
THEIR BOUNCE BACK. YEAH THEY'VE
INVESTED HEAVILY IN N
CLASSIFIED STAFF, INSTRUCTIONAL
AIDS, AND THEN AGAIN, THEY'VE
THE SUPERINTENDENT. I THINK IT'S
BEEN VERY SKILLED IN TEAMING UP
WITH CAL STATE DOMINGUEZ HILLS
AND OTHER N G Ó PARTNERS TO
BRING MORE ADULTS ON THE
CAMPUSES TO DEVELOP THESE
RELATIONSHIPS WITH KIDS, I WOULD
MENTION QUICKLY DEL NORTE DEL
NORTE COUNTY. THEY SAY DEL NORTE
UP THERE, BUT DEL NORTE COUNTY
UM, HAS REALLY SKILLFULLY Tð.
INTO THE MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT,
AND THAT'S THAT'S BEEN A HUGE
POSITIVE. A BIG ACHIEVEMENT
LEGISLATIVELY. I THINK HERE IN
THE CAPITOL BECAUSE THEY CAN NOW
GET REIMBURSED FOR A LOT OF THE
COUNSELING SERVICES TO DEAL WITH
ATTENDANCE AND FOLLOW UP THAT
HEATHER MENTIONED. OTHERWISE
THEY WOULD NOT HAVE A STABLE
SOURCE FOR THAT KIND OF SOCIAL
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT. RIGHT THANK
YOU FOR SHARING THAT. CAN I NOTE
TOO THAT, UM, RESEARCH FROM
SEVERAL YEARS AGO THROUGH PAY
SHOWED THAT CALIFORNIA HAS ONE
OF THE LOWEST REIMBURSEMENT
RATES FOR MEDICARE AND SCHOOLS,
SO THIS IS CONTINUES TO BE MONEY
THAT'S STILL ON THE TABLE. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR
CHAIR. THANK YOU, MS BANTA.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. UH I AM
GOING TO HAVE TO STEP OUT FOR A
MOMENT SO PARTIALLY DIRECTED TO
THIS PANEL. UH, BUT ALSO I'M
GOING TO BE VERY SAD TO SEE SOME
OF MY FORMER FRIENDS IN KU,
CURRENT FRIENDS AND FORMER
COLLEAGUES, UH, AND NOT HEARING
WHAT THEY PRESENT. UM SO I THINK
ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU ALL
RAISE THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL IS,
UH, WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE
ADVANCED POST COVID IN THE WAY
IN OUR SCHOOLS IN THE WAY THAT
WE HAVE IN OUR WORK. UH, MANY OF
OUR PEOPLE ARE STILL ENGAGED IN
A LIFE OF TELECOMMUTING OF
HYBRID WORK SCHEDULES OF DOING
THINGS IN A DIFFERENT WAY. UH, I
SAT ON THE SCHOOL BOARD WHEN, UM
COVID HIT AND A LOT OF THE ESSER
DOLLARS AND FUNDING WAS
LITERALLY JUST SPENT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE HAD HVAC UNITS AND,
UH, AND COMPUTERS AND TABLETS IN
IN CLASSROOMS TO BE ABLE TO JUST
SUPPORT THE BASIC FUNCTIONING OF
CLASSROOMS. BUT WHAT ALSO
HAPPENED IS THAT STUDENTS GOT
USED TO LEARNING IN AN ADAPTIVE
WAY. UH, FOR BETTER OR FOR
WORSE, AND SO I THINK PART OF
THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT
NOW IS ENSURING THAT WE'RE
ACTUALLY KEEPING THE GOOD PART
OF WHAT CAME FROM THAT LEARNING
EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS OVER
SEVERAL YEARS. UH, NOT
EVERYTHING HAPPENED, UH, IN
THEIR LEARNING, UH, ENVIRONMENTS
INSIDE FOUR WALLS IN A
CLASSROOM. EDUCATORS HAD TO
ADAPT. UNFORTUNATELY AND ALSO
THANKFULLY, UH, TO ENSURING THAT
STUDENTS HAD THE ABILITY TO PACE
THEMSELVES, UH, IN THEIR
LEARNING PROGRESS OVER THE
COURSE OF A YEAR AND SO PART OF
WHAT I HOPE WE GET FROM THIS,
UH, HEARING AND OVERALL IN OUR
WORK, UH, IN THE EDUCATION
COMMITTEE IS THAT WE'RE REALLY
THOUGHTFULLY LOOKING AT THE WAYS
THAT WE NEED TO ADAPT THE
ENTIRETY OF OUR, UH, LEARNING
PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT
LEARNERS WHERE WE ARE UH, BOTH,
UH, DEVELOPMENTALLY, BUT ALSO
SITUATIONALLY, UH AND I THINK
ANY DOLLARS AND I SAY THIS, UH
WITH GREAT RESPECT FOR THE
BUDGET SUB CHAIR, UH, AND UNDER
EDUCATION AND HOPE, UH, THAT WE
ACTUALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
ENSURE THAT THE DOLLARS THAT WE
CAN SPEND RIGHT NOW, UH, EITHER
DIRECTED OR FLEXIBLY HAVE THE
ABILITY TO REALLY CAPTURE THE
BEST OF WHAT WE LEARNED DURING
COVID, WHICH IS THAT WHENEVER
YOU MEET A CHILD, WHERE THEY ARE
UH, THEY HAVE A BETTER
OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO LEARN.
AND SO I'M I'M LOOKING FORWARD
TO THAT BEING A STRAND OF THE
CONVERSATION AS WE MOVE FORWARD
IN THIS HEARING, UH AND WE'LL
ALSO SAY THAT ONE OF THE
GREATEST CHALLENGES UH, THAT
THAT ASPIRATION LEADS TO IS THE
WAY IN WHICH WE CONTINUE TO HAVE
, UH, TECHNOLOGY AND, UH, AND
BROADBAND ACCESS WIDELY AND.
CERTAINLY AVAILABLE FOR EVERY
CHILD. I SEE SOME OF MY
COLLEAGUES, UH, FROM OAKLAND IN
THE IN THE ROOM AND IN THE SPACE
, UH, WHO HAVE FELL DOWN FOR
LARGELY AROUND THE IDEA OF
BROADBAND BEING EQUITABLY? UH
AND CERTAINLY AVAILABLE TO EVERY
INDIVIDUAL. UH AND I THINK WE
HAVE A CHALLENGE THERE IN
MATCHING OUR ASPIRATIONS
EDUCATIONALLY TO THE ACTUALITY
OF HAVING EVERYONE. THE
TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGICALLY
ENABLED. DURING THIS TIME OF
BOUNCE BACK. I KNOW WE WOULD WE
DO IT. I KNOW THAT WE CAN DO IT.
UH BUT I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE
CHALLENGING. SO THANK YOU. CHAIR
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU,
MS. BONAI. WE KNOW THAT. UH UH.
YOU, UH HAVE, UH, IMPORTANT
MATTERS TO ATTEND TO, BUT I JUST
WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WE HAVE
OUR THIRD PANEL ON CLOSING A
DESERT RIDE AND YOU CAN, UH,
COME BACK. WE YEAH. YEAH. THANK
YOU, UM. I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP
ON OUR OUR COLLEAGUES. YOU KNOW,
I. I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT WE
HAVE, UH SAN DIEGO, OAKLAND AND
THE LOS ANGELES AREA REPRESENTED
UP HERE. AND SO WE, UH UM YOU
KNOW, ARE ARE COVERING AT LEAST
THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS. UM
UH, IN IN THE IN THE STATE. UH,
IN IN ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES,
UM I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON. YOU
KNOW THE THIS, UH HEALTHY DEBATE
BETWEEN UM UH M BTA. MS ALVAREZ
IN TERMS OF THE BALANCING ACT
BETWEEN, UM YOU KNOW, GIVING
DISTRICTS MORE FLEXIBILITY TO BE
ABLE TO ADDRESS THEIR PARTICULAR
LOCAL NEEDS. UH VERSUS UH, YOU
KNOW, THE STATE WANTING TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE YOU KNOW, ARE
HOLDING DISTRICTS ACCOUNTABLE
AND SPENDING THE DOLLARS
ESPECIALLY, UH, YOU KNOW. FROM
OUR PERSPECTIVE, THE STATE
DOLLARS? UH, MOST EFFECTIVELY,
UM. HOW DO WE THAT THAT'S A
CONSTANT UH UH. BALANCING ACT IN
A CONSTANT DEBATE THAT WE HAVE
HERE IN IN THE STATE CAPITAL.
YOU KNOW, TO WHAT EXTENT, DO WE,
UH, YOU KNOW, RESPECT THE LOCAL
CONTROL OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS. UH
VERSUS, UH, WANTING TO ENSURE
THAT, UH, DISTRICTS ARE BEING
HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND, UH, BEING,
YOU KNOW, EFFECTIVELY SPENDING
THE DOLLARS OF FEDERAL AND STATE
DOLLARS THERE THAT, UH UM ARE
ARE ARE ARE BEING APPROPRIATED.
UM. I. I JUST WANTED TO, UH,
GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH TO
EITHER OR BOTH OF YOU. YOU KNOW,
IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON, YOU
KNOW ANY ADVICE FOR US IN TERMS
OF HOW TO, UH IN GENERAL, UH,
STRIKE THAT THAT BALANCING ACT
YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. I. I THINK
IT'S SOMETHING I'M I'M THINKING
ABOUT A LOT RIGHT NOW AS WELL.
I. I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS THAT
WE'RE ASKING SCHOOL DISTRICTS
AND EDUCATORS TO DO SOMETHING
THAT HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WAY WE
ACCEPT WE THE WAY WE CLOSED
ACHIEVEMENT GAPS AND GREW
STUDENT LEARNING. IT WAS VERY
SLOW OVER VERY MANY YEARS. AND
THEN WE HAD THIS HUGE DROP. WE
DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THE HUGE
GAIN. AND WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE
THAT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT
ACCOUNTABILITY BECAUSE IT'S NOT
YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING. YOU
KNOW HOW TO DO IT. ARE YOU DOING
IT? IT'S NONE OF US REALLY KNOW
HOW TO DO THIS. HOW ARE WE GOING
TO COLLECT DATA? HOW ARE WE
GOING TO MONITOR? HOW ARE WE
GOING TO BUILD CAPACITY? HOW ARE
WE TOGETHER, GOING TO THINK
ABOUT HOW WE REMOVE THE BARRIERS
THAT PEOPLE ARE ENCOUNTERING TO
DO THE WORK? AND I THINK THAT
THAT'S PART OF THE CHALLENGE IS
THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'VE BUILT
STATEWIDE TO SAY. WHAT ARE
PEOPLE DOING? IS IT WORKING? HOW
DO WE SHARE THOSE PRACTICES? IF
YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO DO SOME OF
THESE THINGS THAT WE ARE SEEING
ARE EFFECTIVE. HOW DO WE BUILD
THAT CAPACITY FOR YOU TO DO IT
LOCALLY? AND AS PROFESSOR,
FULLER NOTED, WE REALLY DON'T
HAVE AN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR
COLLECTING DATA. WE DIDN'T BUILD
THAT INTO MOST OF THE
LEGISLATION OR THE FUNDING FOR
THESE VARIOUS PROGRAMS. AT THIS
POINT. WE HAVE VERY LITTLE
INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S
HAPPENING AT SCALE AND WHAT
KINDS OF PRACTICES ARE WORKING
FOR WHICH STUDENTS UNDER WHAT
CONDITIONS BUILDING THAT
INFRASTRUCTURE IS THE FIRST STEP
TO THEN BEING ABLE TO ALL COME
TOGETHER AND SAY, HOW DO WE
SUPPORT THE PLACES THAT AREN'T
MOVING THE DIAL THAT DON'T SEEM
TO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO THE
WORK AND WHY. YEAH, I WOULD JUST
ADD I. I THINK ABOUT THIS AT TWO
LEVELS. ONE IS, HOW ARE WE DOING
IN TERMS OF SCHOOL FINANCE
OVERALL. AND MR ALVAREZ, I THINK
WAS ON TO A GOOD LINE OF
REASONING THAT THE WAY WE
STRUCTURED L èC FF DOES SEEM TO
BE YIELDING SOME BENEFITS IN
TERMS OF NARROWING ACHIEVEMENT
GAPS. NOTWITHSTANDING THE
PANDEMIC. CATASTROPHE. SO WE
HAVE TO KEEP ANALYZING. HOW ARE
WE DOING? SUPPLEMENTAL GRANTS
CONCENTRATION, MULTIPLE EQUITY
MULTIPLIER. UH, BUT THEN AT A
SECOND LEVEL WHEN WE LEGISLATE
THESE PROGRAMS, I THINK WE'VE
GOT TO GIVE èC Dð MORE
RESOURCES AND BETTER CAPACITY TO
EVALUATE THEM. I MEAN, I'VE BEEN
PART OF A CONVERSATION TO TRY TO
GET AN EVALUATION GOING OF
TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN AND
THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE YEAR
AFTER YEAR JUST DOESN'T WANT TO
FUND AN EVALUATION AND IT'S
REALLY PENNY WISE AND POUND
FOOLISH. I THINK TO SPEND
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN EACH OF
THESE PROGRAMS. BUT THEN THE
ADMINISTRATION OR LEGISLATIVE
LEADERSHIP FEELS THAT UH,
CAREFUL. EVALUATION IS NOT WORTH
THE MONEY. WE'RE JUST IT KEEPS
US IN THE DARK, EMPIRICALLY.
WELL, I, YOU KNOW. I MEAN, II. I
THINK WE'RE ALL OR, UH, HAVING
THE DATA TO MAKE DATA DRIVEN
POLICY, UH, DECISIONS, BUT, UH,
YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE ALSO
CONFRONTED WITH THE UH, THE
OFTEN HEARD, UH UH, DEMANDS THAT
, UH, YOU KNOW DOLLARS SHOULD BE
SPENT MOST IN THE CLASSROOM
RATHER THAN ON ADMINISTRATORS,
AND, UH, UM SO THAT IS, UH. YOU
KNOW THE CHALLENGE THAT THAT
THAT WE FACE? UM BUT, UH I, UH
WE HEAR LOUD AND CLEAR. WE IF WE
WANT TO, UH, IDENTIFY THE MOST
EFFECTIVE DATA DRIVEN
STRATEGIES. UH, THAT WE NEED TO,
UH INVEST IN THAT
INFRASTRUCTURE. UM DOCTOR HUFF.
YOU, UH. UM, WE'RE JUST TALKING
ABOUT HOW WE DON'T REALLY KNOW.
UH, WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE MOST
EFFECTIVE. STRATEGIES IN TERMS
OF, UH UH. DRIVING UH, RAMPING
UP THAT THAT LEARNING RECOVERY,
ESPECIALLY FOR COMMUNITIES THAT
THAT SUFFERED, UH UH, THE MOST
IMPACTS AND YET, YOU, UH, SLIDE
SHOW, UH, YOUR YOUR SLIDES, UM.
I HAVE SO MANY SLIDES. I N
FRONT OF ME, BUT, UH UM YOU, UH.
IT'S NOT A NUMBER OF YOUR YOUR
LAST SLIDE IN YOUR FIRST, UH,
DECK. UH, IT IT IT, IT SHOWS THE
RELATIVE UM. UH ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE SCORES AS WELL AS
THE RECOVERIES BEFORE AND AFTER
THE PANDEMIC. UM AMONG STATES.
AND, UH, YEAH, AGAIN. THESE ARE
SOBERING. UH, UH, IT'S A
SOBERING GRAPH. UM THAT, UH, II.
I OFTEN SEE UM. AND UH, WELL,
FIRST OF ALL, LIKE THIS IS THE
GRAPH THAT, UH, THAT THAT SHOWS,
YOU KNOW, MASSACHUSETTS, UH, AS
OFTEN AS THE CASE SEEMS TO BE
THE TOP STATE IN THE COUNTRY IN
TERMS OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
AND CALIFORNIA BEING WELL BELOW
THE UNITED STATES AVERAGE. WHAT?
WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO
WELL, I THINK THE MOST THE
BIGGEST PIECE OF IT IS A LONG
HISTORY OF UNDERFUNDING HEADING
INTO THE PANDEMIC. WE HAD
AMONGST THE LOWEST PER PUPIL
FUNDING WHEN ADJUSTED FOR COST
OF LIVING. WE HAD WE WERE 39TH
IN THE COUNTRY IN EDUCATION
SPENDING, ADJUSTED FOR COST OF
LIVING 40TH IN EDUCATION
SPENDING AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE
TOTAL ECONOMY, AND BECAUSE OF
THAT, WE WERE 48TH NATIONALLY
AND TEACHER TO STUDENT RATIOS,
48 IN GUIDANCE COUNSELORS AND IN
LIBRARIANS. SO WHEN WE THINK AND
THERE'S A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE
IN THESE STATES THAT ARE AT THE
TOP AROUND BUILDING STATE LEVEL
STRUCTURES AND SUPPORTS TO BUILD
CAPACITY LOCALLY FACE OVER THE
YEARS HAS DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH
, LOOKING AT DIFFERENT TOPIC
AREAS AND TRYING TO SEE WHAT ARE
THESE OTHER STATES DOING, UM,
THAT ARE BETTER OR THAT MAYBE
HAVE A STRONGER FOUNDATION.
THEY'VE HAD LONGITUDINAL DATA
SYSTEMS FOR 20 YEARS. THEY HAVE
A STATEWIDE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR
TRACKING WHAT WORKS. AND UNDER
WHAT THEY HAVE A LOT CLEARER
EXPECTATION OF WHAT GOOD
INSTRUCTION LOOKS LIKE AND
ALIGNMENT IN THOSE IN THOSE I
GOALS FROM POLICY THROUGH
TEACHER EDUCATION THROUGH
FUNDING THROUGH ACCOUNTABILITY
AND SUPPORT. SO I THINK IT'S NOT
JUST WHAT ARE THEY DOING? POST
PANDEMIC ARE THEY INSTITUTING
CERTAIN KINDS OF POLICIES THAT
WE KNOW ARE EFFECTIVE LIKE
TUTORING, ETCETERA. IT'S BIGGER
THAN THAT. IT'S THAT GOING INTO
THE PANDEMIC, THEY HAD A
STRONGER FOUNDATION, AND THE
STAFFING ISSUE IS ONE THAT WE
JUST HAVE TO. REALLY LOOK AT
THAT. I THINK ABOUT IT IN TERMS
OF DROUGHT BECAUSE WE'RE IN
CALIFORNIA, YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE
DROUGHT IF YOU HAVE DROUGHT
PARCHED SOIL WHEN IT RAINS, IT'S
HARD FOR IT TO ABSORB IT, AND WE
HAD A DROUGHT PARCHED EDUCATION
SYSTEM. AND SO WHEN WE POURED
ALL THIS MONEY INTO IT, WE
WEREN'T ABLE TO ABSORB AND MAKE
USE OF THAT MONEY IN THE SAME
WAY THAT SOME OF THESE OTHER
SYSTEMS THAT HAD THAT STRONGER
CAPACITY THAT HAD MORE ADULTS IN
SCHOOL BUILDINGS WERE ABLE TO DO
SO. I THINK AS WE THINK ABOUT
OUR RECOVERY, WE REALLY HAVE TO
BE THINKING ABOUT THESE LONG
TERM SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS. WE
ALSO KNOW THAT IN CALIFORNIA
FROM THE DAY DISTRICTS GOT THIS
ADDITIONAL MONEY. THEY KNEW IT
WAS GOING AWAY. PEOPLE WERE
TALKING ABOUT THE FISCAL CLIFF
THE FIRST DAY THEY GOT NEW MONEY
, SO THEY KNEW THAT THEY WEREN'T
ABLE TO CREATE NEW WORKFORCES
NEW PIPELINES BECAUSE THEY WERE
LOOKING AT A VERY SHORT TERM
FIX. AND SO AS WE THINK ABOUT
OUR LONG TERM RECOVERY, WHICH IS
PRETTY CLEAR, WE HAVE TO BE
THINKING ABOUT LONG TERM
RECOVERY. WE HAVE TO BE THINKING
ABOUT HOW DO WE BUILD THAT
FOUNDATION SO THAT OUR SCHOOLS
ARE PLACES WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO
BUILD THAT CAPACITY LONG TERM?
DOCTOR FULLER. AND DO YOU HAVE
ANY COMMENTS? OK, SO, UH THE
DOCTOR HOFF, UM. SO YOU YOU'RE
YOU'RE SAYING THAT DESPITE THE
FACT THAT YOU KNOW, IN OUR
GENERAL CALIFORNIA'S GENERAL
FUND BUDGET THAT WE SPEND MORE
ON Kò 12 THAN THAN ON ANY OTHER
PROGRAM AREA, UH, THAT THAT
COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE
COUNTRY, WE ARE STILL, UH WE ARE
HISTORICALLY WE HAVE, UH, BEEN,
UH UH, WAY FAR BEHIND IN TERMS
OF THE PER PEOPLE SPENDING AND
THAT AND WE'VE HAD IMPROVEMENTS
OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
ABSOLUTELY BUT THE COST OF
LIVING IN CALIFORNIA CONTINUES
TO BE VERY CHALLENGING THAT EVEN
AS PER PUPIL SPENDING GOES UP
WHEN YOU ADJUST THAT FOR COST OF
LIVING. IT'S STILL VERY LOW
COMPARED TO OTHER STATES BECAUSE
THE BUYING POWER OF A DOLLAR IS
DIFFERENT HERE THAN IN OTHER
PLACES, WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT
TO HIRE STAFF. IT MEANS THAT AND
I THINK THIS IS A LOT OF WHAT WE
SAW IN THE TEACHER STRIKES
DURING THE PANDEMIC. IS THIS
DEMAND FOR HIGHER WAGES? HIGHER
SALARY, UM, TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD
TO LIVE IN THE PLACES WHERE
PEOPLE WORK OR EVEN NEAR THE
PLACES WHERE PEOPLE WORK? AND SO
WE CONTINUE TO HAVE VERY FEW
ADULTS IN OUR BUILDINGS EVEN AS
WE'VE INCREASED THE FUNDING.
OKAY? UM. DOCTOR FULLER. YOU, UH
YOU'RE YOUR PRESENTATION. UM UM.
HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE MOST
COMMON STRATEGIES. UH MOST
COMMON BUDGET AND PROGRAM
STRATEGIES AMONG UH, THE 700 TW
26 DISTRICTS THAT YOU? UH UH
STUDIED. UM AND, UH, AND YET
YOU'RE TALK I. I HEARD YOU
SAYING, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M
WRONG, THAT THAT YOU KNOW YOU.
YOU AGREED WITH MS BONS ANALYSIS
OF THROWING SPAGHETTI AGAINST
THE WALL. I MEAN, UH, I MEAN,
WE'D WE'D LIKE TO THINK THAT WE,
YOU KNOW, KNOW BETTER THAN AND
WE'RE MAKING. UH, YOU KNOW THESE
THESE, UH, BUDGET AND POLICY
DECISIONS? UM, YOU KNOW, WITH
MORE THAN JUST THROWING
SPAGHETTI AGAINST THE WALL. I
MEAN, DON'T DON'T. WE HAVE A
BETTER SENSE OF, UH, YOU KNOW,
III I KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL GOING
TO BE ANXIOUSLY AWAITING YOUR
YOUR SPRING. UH, REPORT? UH UM
BUT, UH UH, IT IT IT IT LIKE,
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S THERE SEEMS
TO BE A COMMON THEME. UM NOT
ONLY IN TERMS OF YOUR
PRESENTATION, BUT I REMEMBER
LAST YEAR WE HEARD FROM LOS
ANGELES UNIFIED, UH, ABOUT HOW I
MEAN THEY WERE. THEY WERE KIND
OF BRAGGING ABOUT, UH, HOW THEY
THEY'VE BEEN HAVING, UH, YOU
KNOW, UH UM EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS
IN WITH LEARNING RECOVERY, UH,
WITH THEIR THEIR SUMMER SCHOOL
PROGRAMS WITH HER AFTER SCHOOL
PROGRAMS. I MEAN THERE, THERE
SEEMS TO BE A COMMON THEME OF
LIKE. FOCUSING MORE ATTENTION,
YOU KNOW, GETTING MORE
INSTRUCTIONAL AIDS GETTING MORE
TUTORS GETTING MORE LITERACY
COACHES GETTING YOU KNOW MORE
CAL STATE DOMINGUEZ HILLS KIDS?
UH UH, W WORKING WITH KIDS THAT
THAT THAT KIND OF MORE
INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION FOR THE
KIDS WITH THE GREATEST NEEDS AS
WELL AS THE OVERALL UH, UH,
INVESTMENTS AND EXPANDING
INSTRUCTIONAL TIME, WHETHER IT'S
SUMMER SCHOOLS OR WHETHER IT'S
UH, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING MORE
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS. I MEAN,
IT AAA Tð LEAST. UH UH, DO WE
HAVE? SHOULD WE BE FOCUSING ON
ON THOSE GENERAL? UH,
STRATEGIES. WELL I THINK I THINK
YOU DO HAVE SOME SUCCESSES
ALREADY, LIKE TRANSITIONAL
KINDERGARTEN. I MEAN, THERE'S
BEYOND HEATHER'S SHOP AND OUR
SHOP. WE HAVE OF RESEARCH
COLLEAGUES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY,
AND I THINK STARTING EARLY WITH
PRE Kò AND Tð AND Tð Kò. WE KNOW
THAT'S LIKELY TO PAY OFF. UM
WE'D LIKE TO KNOW WHETHER THE
CALIFORNIA PROGRAM HAS
SUFFICIENT QUALITY TO REPLICATE
THESE RESULTS. BUT I POINT
NUMBER ONE IS YOU HAVE SOME
SUCCESSES ALREADY. IN TERMS OF
WHERE YOU'RE TARGETING DOLLARS,
I THINK EL Ó G IS EXTENDING THE
SCHOOL DAY AND WE KNOW THAT IF
WE CAN EXTEND INSTRUCTIONAL TIME
AT A FAIRLY HIGH LEVEL OF
QUALITY FOR KIDS THAT'S GONNA
THEY ARE, SO I THINK I THINK THE
GOOD NEWS IS EVIDENCE IS
MOUNTING ON SOME OF THESE BASIC
STRATEGIES THAT SEEM LIKE PRETTY
SOLID BETS. UM SECONDLY, OUR
SPRING REPORT, I THINK WILL ADD
SOME PRECISION TO THIS BECAUSE
WE'LL WE'LL TAKE ALL THOSE
STRATEGIES. WE'VE WE'VE RECORDED
AND CODED FROM THE 720 PLANS AND
WILL STATISTICALLY SEE WHETHER
THOSE STRATEGIES ESTIMATE A
STRONGER BOUNCE BACK FOR
CALIFORNIA KIDS. BUT WE'RE GONNA
TRY TO ADD PRECISION TO WHAT WE
KNOW ABOUT WHAT WORKS. BUT I
THINK AROUND THE COUNTRY AND
GIVEN THE RESEARCH CAPACITY IN
CALIFORNIA, WE DO KNOW STARTING
EARLY, LONGER INSTRUCTIONAL,
TIME INTENSIVE TUTORING,
NURTURING THESE ONE ON ONE
SUPPORT RELATIONSHIPS WITH MORE
ADULTS. WE DO KNOW ALREADY THAT
THOSE HAVE REALLY PROMISING
EFFECTS. SO I, I THINK I THINK
YOU'RE MAKING SOME REALLY
RATIONAL DECISIONS THUS FAR. NOW
WE NEED TO. WE NEED GREATER
PRECISION. I THINK AS TO WHICH
OF THESE DISTRICT STRATEGIES ARE
A RE PAYING OFF. OK, DOCTOR HUFF
. YEAH I JUST WANT TO UNDERLINE
QUALITY IN ALL OF THIS BECAUSE
RESEARCH ON ALL OF THESE
PROGRAMS SHOWS THAT IT'S NOT
JUST ADDING THE EXTRA TIME OR
PUTTING KIDS INTO SUMMER SCHOOL.
IT'S MAKING SURE THAT THAT IS
TAUGHT BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE
RIGHT KNOWLEDGE THAT IT'S
ALIGNED WITH THEIR SCHOOL DAY
PROGRAM, AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO
COLLECT MEASURES OF QUALITY. BUT
WITHOUT THAT, WE DON'T REALLY
KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHETHER WE
SHOULD EXPECT IT TO BE
EFFECTIVE. MM. OK THANK YOU. I
THIS IS GONNA BE IMPORTANT AS WE
, UH, ARE GONNA BE FACING A LOT
OF, UH, DIFFICULT BUDGET
DISCUSSIONS. UH UH, THIS YEAR,
UM LÀ LAST. UH UM UH, FOR
MYSELF, AND I'LL, UH ASKED MR
ALVAREZ IF HE HAS ANY FURTHER
QUESTIONS, BUT, UH UH, DOCTOR
HUFF, UM YOU, UH, TALKED ABOUT,
UH YOU KNOW HOW. WELL FIRST. UH
UH. WOULD YOU AGREE THAT, UM
THAT ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE
STRATEGIES IN UH IN ATTEMPTING
TO CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP IS
BY, UH, FOCUSING OUR EFFORTS ON
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION? UH,
YES. UH, A LOT OF RESEARCH HAS
SHOWN THAT WE THAT EARLY
EDUCATION AND HAVING STUDENTS
START WITH, UH, WITH MORE EVEN
FOOTING IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR A
LONG TERM SUCCESS IN SCHOOL AND,
UM MR ALVAREZ'S EARLY QUESTIONS
FOCUSED ON HOW THE CHRONIC
ABSENTEEISM IS PARTICULARLY
PRONOUNCED IN KINDERGARTEN. UH
AND SO WHILE WHILE THAT'S NOT
PRE Kò, OF COURSE THAT UH UH IS
THE EARLIEST, UH, IN THE Kò 12
SCHEME. UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE, UH
UH, CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO, UH,
TO BRING IN, UH, UNIVERSAL
TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN, BUT,
UH, I MEAN, WE WOULD YOU, UM.
UH, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT MAKING
KINDERGARTEN MANDATORY? WELL I
THINK I IN TERMS OF ATTENDANCE.
UH, WE KNOW THAT HAVING HIGHER
RATES OF ABSENTEEISM AND
KINDERGARTEN SETS HABITS THAT
CONTINUE INTO THE REQUIRED
GRADES. WE ALSO KNOW THAT, UH,
HAVING MANDATORY EDUCATION IN
GRADES ONE THROUGH 12 ISN'T
NECESSARILY MAKING IT SO THAT WE
DON'T HAVE AN ATTENDANCE
PROBLEM. SO I THINK THAT WHAT
MAKING KINDERGARTEN MANDATORY
MIGHT DO IS TO COMMUNICATE TO
PARENTS. THIS IS EXPECTED. THIS
IS A REQUIREMENT. I THINK THAT
THERE ARE MANY WAYS IN ADDITION
TO THAT, THAT THAT CAN BE
COMMUNICATED IN A WORK GROUP
THAT WE PULLED TOGETHER OR AT
THE END OF LAST YEAR. WE UH, DID
TALK WITH FOLKS ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF AN ATTENDANCE
CAMPAIGN. A REMINDER TO PARENTS
THAT GOING TO SCHOOL IS
IMPORTANT EVERY DAY AND WHY SO I
THINK THAT WAY THAT WE CAN
REMIND PARENTS OR REINFORCE
EXPECTATION IS IMPORTANT. UM I
DON'T THINK THAT IT WOULD
PROBABLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM IN
AND OF ITSELF. DARK FULLER, AND
HE BASICALLY AGREE WITH THAT.
THE OTHER POINT, I THINK, IS
THAT YOU KNOW. ONE WE'RE SORT OF
FACING A CURIOUS PROBLEM AROUND
THE BUILD UP OF Tð Kò HAS BEEN
SLOWER THAN EXPECTED. TIMES
COVERED THIS LAST MONTH. AND IT
MAY BE LINKED TO SOME OF THE
ISSUES THAT HEATHER'S ALREADY
PUT ON THE TABLE FOR FOUR YEAR
OLDS THAT ARE WORRIED ABOUT
HEALTH CONDITIONS PER PARENTS
ARE NOT UNDERSTANDING Tð Kò
RELATIVE TO OTHER EXISTING PRE
Kò PROGRAMS, SO THERE'S A BUNCH
OF EXTERNAL FACTORS OUT THERE. I
THINK THAT HEATHER'S REFERRING
TO THAT ARE SUPER IMPORTANT THAT
ARE AFFECTING PARENTS' DECISION
MAKING ABOUT WHETHER TO GET UP
AND IF THE CHILD TO SCHOOL OKAY.
WELL THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD
SEGUE TO OUR NEXT PANEL. MR.
ALVAREZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY OK?
JUST JUST VERY BRIEFLY. UM IT'S
REALLY CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. YOU
ALREADY HEARD ME SORT OF TALK
ABOUT THE ISSUE OF ENSURING THAT
PROGRAMS ARE WORKING, AND, UM
THE FACT THAT WE'VE PROUDLY TALK
ABOUT Tð Kò GONNA BE UNIVERSAL
IN CALIFORNIA. YET AREN'T UM.
MEASURING WHAT OUTCOMES WE ARE.
BE SEEN FROM THAT IS CERTAINLY
SOMETHING WORTH WORTHY OF
DISCUSSION. AS WE LOOK TO EXPAND
THAT AND SPEND SIGNIFICANTLY
MORE DOLLARS EVERY SINGLE YEAR,
NOT JUST IN HUMAN, UH, CAPITAL,
BUT IN INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL.
IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THAT. AND
REALLY FOCUSING, YOU KNOW THE
WAY. WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS THAT
THE WAY WE'VE STRUCTURED IS
BASED ON WHAT WE'VE SEEN BE
SUCCESSFUL IN OTHER MODELS. BUT
THERE'S ONE THING IN MODELING
AFTER YOU KNOW, SUCCESSFUL
PROGRAMS, AND IT'S ANOTHER
IMPLEMENTATION. AND SO I THINK I
JUST ONE TAKE AWAY FOR ME
SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO
ONE PROGRAM THAT'S RELATIVELY
NEW, BUT A SIGNIFICANT LONG TERM
INVESTMENT IN CALIFORNIA'S
EDUCATION SYSTEM. UH BUT
SIMILARLY SAME ANALYSIS SHOULD
BE DONE ON IS IT WORKING OR THE
DOCTOR HE MENTIONED SOMETHING
ABOUT LIKE IS, IS IT? UM ARE WE
ACCOMPLISHING WHAT WE'RE HOPING
TO ACCOMPLISH? AND I THINK WE
GOT TO ASK THAT ABOUT EVERY
PROGRAM AND WE HAVE TO ANALYZE.
THROUGH DATA COLLECTION. AND WE
HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO
THAT. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK
YOU. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO
OUR OUR PANELISTS FOR OUR FIRST
PANEL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL
RIGHT, MOVING ON THEN TO, UH,
OUR NEXT PANEL, UH, FOCUSING ON
THE OVERALL WELL BEING OF
CALIFORNIA STUDENTS. UH, WE ARE,
UH, VERY PLEASED TO HAVE, UH UH,
FORMER ASSEMBLY MEMBER. UH TED
LEMERT, PRESIDENT OF CHILDREN
NOW, UH AND TARA KENNY, CHIEF OF
POLICY PROGRAM AND PROGRAMS FROM
THE LEARNING POLICY INSTITUTE.
WELCOME. MR LAMBERT, WHICH IS I
LIKE TO START. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MR CHAIR. IT'S AN HONOR TO
BE BACK BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE
AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR TAKING THIS WHOLE CHILD
APPROACH. WE KNOW THAT, UH
STUDENTS WHO ARE HEALTHY AND
GIVEN THE UNIQUE SET OF SUPPORTS
THAT THEY NEED ARE CERTAINLY
GONNA, UH, FARE BETTER IN SCHOOL
. AND I KNOW I'M SPEAKING TO THE
CHOIR, BUT I JUST REALLY WANNA
EMPHASIZE THE NEED TO DOUBLE
DOWN ON YOUR LEADERSHIP AND
ACTUALLY MAKE KIDS THE TOP
PRIORITIES OF EVERYONE TOP
PRIORITY KIDS. A LOT OF REASONS
ONE IF YOUR KIDS RIGHT NOW.
DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES. AND SO IT'S
ESSENTIAL THAT EVERY SINGLE KID
HAS THE UNIQUE SET OF SUPPORTS
BUILDING OFF ASSEMBLY MEMBER
VONTA COMMENTS ABOUT UNIQUE
SUPPORT. FOR EACH KID SO THEY
CAN REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
AND IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE
ECONOMY, THE SOCIETY AND BE ABLE
TO SUPPORT UM ALL OF US AND THEN
ALSO, AS GOES, CALIFORNIA GOES
TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY AND
REALLY APPRECIATED THE PREVIOUS
CONVERSATION ON COMPARING WITH
OTHER STATES, UM, WE LEAD ON A
NUMBER OF AREAS IN THIS STATE.
WE DON'T LEAD ON KIDS WELL BEING
AN E CASEY FOUNDATION EVERY YEAR
PUTS OUT A MEASURE OF KIDS. WELL
BEING CALIFORNIA RANKS 33RD. NOW
THE GOOD NEWS THANKS TO YOURS
AND OTHERS LEADERSHIP BECAUSE
WE'VE MOVED UP. UH, WE WERE 42ND
A DECADE AGO. SO WE ARE MAKING
PROGRESS. UH BUT THAT 33RD IS
UNACCEPTABLE. AND THAT LEADS ME
TO, UH, THE CHILDREN NOW REPORT
CARD, WHICH I KNOW YOU AND THE
OTHER MEMBERS HAVE A HARD COPY
OF, UM OF FOLKS WHO ARE
LISTENING. PLEASE GO TO OUR
WEBSITE AT CHILDREN NOW.ORG TO
LOOK THROUGH. I'M JUST GONNA
HIGHLIGHT IN THIS FOR THE SAKE
OF TIME AND TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS. JUST A FEW THE
MEASURES DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT
THIS WAS NOT A REPORT CARD. I
WOULD HAVE LIKED ANY OF MY
DAUGHTERS TO BRING HOME. IT'S A
SEA MINUS AVERAGE. UM, WE ARE
ACTUALLY SEEING SOME SLIGHT
IMPROVEMENT, BUT HAVE A LONG
WAYS TO GO. SO I WANNA REFER YOU
FIRST TO PAGE SEVEN.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND JUSTICE
. UM WHERE WE LOOK AT THE RATE
OF ASTHMA. A MAJOR THEME OF ALL
THE HEALTH SECTIONS IS THE LACK
OF PROGRESS THAT THE STATE HAS
MADE IN ADDRESSING RACIAL
DISPARITIES IN HEALTH OUTCOMES.
ASTHMA IS ONE OF THE MANY HEALTH
CONDITIONS THAT IMPACT KIDS OVER
WELL BEING AND SUCCESS IN SCHOOL
. AND THESE RACIAL DISPARITIES
ARE CAUSED BY SYSTEMIC BIAS AND
ACCESS TO SAFE HOUSING, CLEAN
AIR, ADEQUATE HEALTH CARE, AND
YOU'LL SEE IN OUR REPORT. UM
THAT 19% OF LATINOS IN 15% OF
BLACK KIDS. UM MISSED MORE THAN
THREE DAYS OF SCHOOL, UH, DUE TO
ASTHMA. UM SECOND, AND I'M JUST
FLIPPING THROUGH. THERE'S A LOT
TO GO OVER HERE, SO I'M JUST
HIGHLIGHTING A FEW OF THE
HIGHLIGHTS OR LOWLIGHTS AS THE
CASE MIGHT BE, UM, IN THIS CASE
IN THE NEXT IS ON PAGE 20
SUBSTANCE ABUSE, WHICH ACTUALLY
GOT ONE OF OUR LOWEST GRADES A
Dð MINUS THE GOOD NEWS. DRUG USE
AMONG YOUTH IN CALIFORNIA HAS
GONE DOWN, HOWEVER. IT'S BECOME
MORE DEADLY, UH, WITH THE
INTRODUCTION OF FENTANYL AND
YOU'LL SEE ONE OF THE CHARTS IN
OUR REPORT CARD IS SHOWING THAT
IN 2021, THERE WERE 794 OVERDOSE
DEATHS A MONTH, CALIFORNIA USED
DUE TO FENTANYL. UH, THE
IMPORTANT THING I WOULD URGE YOU
TO REMEMBER IS THAT KIDS ARE
USING DRUGS BECAUSE THEY'RE IN
PAIN. THE QUESTION FOR US AS
ADULTS IS. HOW DO WE HELP THEM
HEAL SO THAT DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
ARE TO SUPPORT THAT THEY TURN TO
NEXT, UM ON PAGE 28. WE GO
THROUGH CHILDCARE AND I WANT TO
THANK YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES
FOR REALLY TREMENDOUS LEADERSHIP
LAST YEAR IN PRIORITIZING
CHILDCARE, BOTH IN TERMS OF RATE
REFORM AND FAMILY FEES, THE GRAY
DID GO UP. I KNOW èC MINUS IS
IN A GREAT GRADE, BUT IT WENT UP
FROM THE DERANGE. UM, IN THE
PREVIOUS REPORT CARD. UM, BUT AS
YOU'LL SEE FROM THE STATS HERE,
UM WE HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO AND
IN CHILDCARE, UM, INCLUDING THE
GROWING ECONOMIC LOSS TO THE
STATE AS A WHOLE, AND THAT FOR A
SINGLE INCOME FAMILY 48% OF
THEIR FUNDS RIGHT NOW ARE GOING
TO CHILDCARE AND I DID WANT TO
KNOW. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF
BACK AND FORTH ON Tð Kò ALREADY.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE EXTRA
POINT. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF
DEBATE, UM, IN THE BUILDING
ABOUT HOW Tð Kò. HURT CHILDCARE
AND THAT THE ECONOMIC MODEL FOR
CHILDCARE RELIES SO HEAVILY ON
FOUR YEAR OLDS. I THINK, UM ALL
OF US HAVE CHILDREN NOW, AND I
KNOW SPEAKING FOR SO MANY OTHERS
ACROSS THE STATE IS THAT THE
ANSWER IS NOT TO DELAY STALL
INTERRUPT Tð Kò EXPANSION BUT TO
INVEST MORE IN CHILDCARE AND
THAT THAT THE Tð Kò BEEN A MULTI
DECADE GOAL OF FO FOLKS IN
CALIFORNIA TO HAVE THAT
UNIVERSAL ACCESS. IT'S CRITICAL
THAT WE CONTINUE ON THAT PATH.
UM, THE NEXT, UH, STATS I'D LIKE
TO HIGHLIGHT ON PAGE 36. ENGLISH
LEARNERS. AS YOU KNOW,
CALIFORNIA HAS THE LINK LARGEST
ENGLISH LEARNER STUDENT
POPULATION IN THE COUNTRY. OVER
TWO MIL MILLION STUDENTS. AND
THESE STUDENTS ARE A HUGE ASSET
FOR THE STATE. UM, BUT WE NEED
TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PROVIDING
ADEQUATE SUPPORT. UM YOU CAN SEE
, UM IN IN IN ON PAGE 37 WITH
THE STATS WERE SHORT OF OUR GOAL
OF 100 AND 50,000 HIGH SCHOOL
GRADUATES ENTERING THE STATE
SEALED BY LITERACY AND THEN IN
TERMS OF OUR ENGLISH LEARNERS,
UM, YOU'LL SEE ON THE BOTTOM OF
THAT. THAT 16% OF ALL CALIFORNIA
. UH UH, SIX GRADE ENGLISH
LEARNERS ARE STILL NOT ENGLISH
PROFICIENT BY SIXTH GRADE. SO SO
FAR SOME FAIRLY BAD NEWS. WE
WANNA HIGHLIGHT ONE OF OUR
HIGHER GRADES AND THAT'S ON PAGE
4041 EXPANDED LEARNING PROGRAMS
HAVE REALLY A SALUTE. UM THE
ADMINISTRATION OF THE
LEGISLATURE ON YOUR EXPANSION
AND NUMBER OF EXPANDED LEARNING
PROGRAMS. I WOULD NOTE THAT IS,
WE PROGRESS TO IMPLEMENT THE
EXPANDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITY
PROGRAM ELOP THAT WE HAVE TO SET
MINIMUM PROGRAM QUALITY
STANDARDS AND STAFFING
QUALIFICATIONS. I THINK, JUST
BUILDING UP THE LAST
CONVERSATION IN SO MANY OF THESE
PROGRAM HAVING THOSE MINIMUM
STANDARDS AND QUALITY STANDARDS
IS ESSENTIAL AND THEN ALSO
PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS. I THINK WE
LEARNED THROUGH, UH, COVID, AND
EVEN BEFORE THAT, THERE'S SUCH A
NEED. IN ADDITION TO THE, UM,
STAFFING, WE'LL GET INTO IN A
MINUTE, YOU KNOW, REALLY MAKING
SURE WE'RE WE'RE LEVERAGING
SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY WHO
CAN CERTAINLY HELP WITH THESE
EXPANDED LEARNING PROGRAMS AND
OTHERS. SO THEN TO PAGE 46. I
WAS, UM APPRECIATED. UH,
HEATHER'S COMMENTS PREVIOUSLY
WAS, SHE HIGHLIGHTED THE, UM,
STAFFING RATIOS? I THERE'S A
LONG STANDING DEBATE IN THIS
BUILDING. ABOUT WHERE DO WE RANK
IN EDUCATION FUNDING? YOU KNOW,
I'VE HEARD FROM SECOND TO 49TH.
I THINK CHILDREN NOW WOULD SAY
WE'RE HOVERING AROUND THE
NATIONAL AVERAGE 21ST NOW BUT
AFTER THIS YEAR'S BUDGET MIGHT
DROP BELOW NATIONAL AVERAGE
WHAT'S NOT IN DEBATE IS THE
STAFFING RATIOS THAT HEATHER
HIGHLIGHTED AND WE HIGHLIGHT
THOSE IN OUR REPORT CARD ON PAGE
47, WHERE WE'RE NEAR THE VERY
BOTTOM OF THE COUNTRY IN TOTAL
STAFF, SO THAT'S TEACHERS THAT'S
PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT
PRINCIPALS. THAT'S GUIDANCE
COUNSELORS THAT STUDENT SUPPORT
STAFF AND THAT'S NURSES. UM AND
WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER STATES,
AND THE QUESTION WAS ASKED, WHY
ARE THEY DOING BETTER? THEY HAVE
HIGHER RATIOS. AND I WOULD ALSO
URGE YOU KNOW IF WE LOOK AT, UM
SOME OF THE MORE EXPENSE OF
PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THIS STATE.
UM I. I THINK I WOULD ARGUE THAT
WHAT ARE THE WHAT'S THE
DIFFERENCE? NOT TEACHER QUALITY.
THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF ADULTS ON
THOSE CAMPUSES FOR A LOT LESS
KIDS. SO THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY
CRITICAL THINGS AND I. I DO.
JUST WANNA ADD SINCE WE WERE
HIGHLIGHTING. UM UH UH UH, YOU
KNOW, MASSACHUSETTS AND OTHER
STATES. WE DO. FOCUS A LOT ON.
UM UH UH, A PROP 98 IN THE
MINIMUM GUARANTEE. I THINK ONE
HEALTHFUL WAY OF LOOKING AT
THINGS IS WE'RE GROUPED IN ALL
THOSE HIGHER PERFORMING STATES
IS A HIGH TAX STATE. WE RANK IN
THE TOP 10 IN STATE AND LOCAL
TAXES. SO WHY DON'T WE RANK IN
THE TOP 10 IN EDUCATION FUNDING?
I THINK THAT'S A BETTER APPROACH
THAN WHAT'S  PROP 98
GUARANTEE YEAR AFTER YEAR. AND
THEN THE, UH FINALLY. AND I'M
SORRY. A LITTLE OUT OF ORDER
HERE. I DO WANT TO TAKE YOU
BACK. UM I THINK EVERYTHING I'VE
JUST MENTIONED IS COULD BE
APPROPRIATELY TERMED FROM A
YOUTH OR STUDENTS POINT OF VIEW
OF A CRISIS. THE LAST POINT I
WANT TO MAKE II. I THINK IT'S
NOT. IT'S NOT AN OVER
EXAGGERATION TO SAY AN EMERGENCY
. UM THAT'S STUDENT MENTAL
HEALTH. UM SO APPRECIATE YOU, MR
CHAIR AND THE LEGISLATURE AND
GOVERNORS. UH, EFFORTS HERE AND
INCREASED INVESTMENTS IN YOUTH
MENTAL HEALTH, UM AND IT IS
MAKING A DIFFERENCE, BUT JUST
NEED TO HIGHLIGHT THE STATS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES ARE THE NUMBER ONE REASON
CALIFORNIA KIDS ARE
HOSPITALIZED. UM, THERE WERE
OVER 15. 1000 SELF HARM
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS. UM,
BY UH, FEMALE STUDENTS. THIS IS
PAGE 19, AND OVER. UH, 400. WELL
469 SUICIDES BY, UH, YOUNG MALES
, UM, IN 2021, AND I THINK THE
ISSUES WE JUST TALKED ABOUT IN
STAFFING AND FUNDING AND OTHERS,
UM, HIGHLIGHT UM, THE MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUE AND I'LL JUST CLOSE
AND NOT TO BE THE BEARER OF BAD
NEWS. BUT UM, I HEAR LOTS OF TOP
PRIORITIES BOUNCED AROUND. I
DON'T HEAR KIDS KIDS KIDS YEAR
AFTER YEAR YEAR AFTER YEAR TOP
PRIORITY, AND THEY JUST GETS
BACK TO WHERE WE RANK NATIONALLY
AND THE REPORT CARD HIGHLIGHTS
43RD AND PERCENT OF G Dð P SPENT
ON SCHOOLS 49TH FOR KIDS WITH
TOOTH DECAY OR CAVITIES. 50TH IN
PERCENTAGE OF KIDS RECEIVING
THEIR CHECKUP 50TH IN PERCENT OF
KIDS WITH A TIME VISIT TO AN EYE
DOCTOR, AND I KNOW YOU KNOW, MR
CHAIR THAT EARLY CHILDHOOD ORAL
HEALTH VISION, HEALTH, MENTAL
HEALTH, PHYSICAL HEALTH ARE ALL
CRITICAL TO, UM THE EE EVERY KID
MAKING SURE THEY RECEIVE A GREAT
EDUCATION AND ON A ATTEND ON A
POSITIVE NOTE, WE ARE MAKING
PROGRESS IN MIGHT NOT SOUND LIKE
IT, BUT WE ARE, BUT IT'S SMALL
PROGRESS, AND WE NEED TO MAKE
MUCH MORE DRAMATIC PROGRESS. UM,
TO MAKE SURE WE'RE A LEADER IN
CHILD WELL BEING. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. UM THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU TODAY
. UM I WANNA START BY JUST
ECHOING THE CHALLENGES. I WE
JUST HEARD FROM MR LIMBERT AND
FROM THE PRIOR PANELISTS,
DESPITE CALIFORNIA BEING THE
FIFTH LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE
WORLD, NEARLY TWO THIRDS OF OUR
STUDENTS COME FROM LOW INCOME
FAMILIES, AND THAT'S A NUMBER
THAT'S GROWING. UH 3% OF
CALIFORNIA'S STUDENTS ARE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND
NEARLY 40% COME FROM HOMES. UH,
WE'RE THE FIRST LANGUAGE SPOKEN
IS NOT ENGLISH. SO ON THE ONE
HAND, WE'RE AN ENORMOUSLY
DIVERSE AND WEALTHY STATE AND ON
THE OTHER HAND, OUR SYSTEM OF
PUBLIC SCHOOLS SERVES UP STUDENT
POPULATION WITH SIGNIFICANT
NEEDS, WHO ARE FACING A GREAT
DEAL OF POVERTY IN A STATE WITH
AN EXTREMELY HIGH COST OF
LIVING. SO YOU'VE HEARD TODAY
ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES
? UH, WE'RE FACING AS WE WORK TO
RECOVER FROM THE PANDEMIC, BOTH
IN TERMS OF ACADEMIC OUTCOMES.
AND IN TERMS OF STUDENT WELL
BEING. I WANNA FOCUS MY REMARKS
TODAY, UH, ON CALIFORNIA'S
EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THESE
CHALLENGES AND TO SUPPORT THE
WHOLE CHILD. SO WHAT DO I MEAN
BY WHOLE CHILD SUPPORTS? I MEAN,
SUPPORTS THAT RECOGNIZE THE
INTERRELATIONSHIPS AMONGST ALL
AREAS OF CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT,
THEIR PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL,
COGNITIVE, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL
DEVELOPMENT. THESE INCLUDE
ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD,
HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL SUPPORTS
SECURE RELATIONSHIPS, EDUCATIVE
AND RESTORATIVE DISCIPLINARY
PRACTICES AND LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE REALLY
DESIGNED TO CHALLENGE AND ENGAGE
STUDENTS WHILE SUPPORTING MO
MOTIVATION THEIR SELF CONFIDENCE
TO PERSEVERE AND SUCCEED.
CALIFORNIA HAS TAKEN THIS KIND
OF A WHOLE CHILD APPROACH,
RESPONDING TO THE CHALLENGES OF
THE PANDEMIC, WITH A ROBUST AND
A COHERENT SET OF POLICIES THAT
TOGETHER CREATE A WEB OF
SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS AND THEIR
FAMILIES, BOTH IN AND OUT OF
SCHOOL. THIS INCLUDES PROVIDING
UNIVERSAL SCHOOL MEALS, WHICH
WAS FIRST ENABLED BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT DURING THE PANDEMIC.
BUT CALIFORNIA WAS THE FIRST
STATE TO, UH, MAKE THAT A
PROMISE BY COMMITTING ONGOING
STATE FUNDS WERE JUST ONE OF
EIGHT STATES TO HAVE DONE SO.
MEDI NOW COVERS MORE THAN HALF
OF CALIFORNIA CHILDREN AND
CALIFORNIA HAS INVESTED $4.6
BILLION IN THE CHILDREN AND
YOUTH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
INITIATIVE. THIS INITIATIVE IS
WORKING TO BREAK DOWN THE SILOS
SEPARATING THE STATE'S CHILD
SERVING. AND LINKING THE EFFORTS
OF THE HEALTH, EDUCATION AND
OTHER SECTORS TO GIVE
CALIFORNIA'S CHILDREN BROADER
ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH AND
SUBSTANCE ABUSE SUPPORTS. WE'VE
ALSO INVESTED $4 BILLION
ANNUALLY AND PROVIDING EXPANDED
LEARNING THROUGH THE EXPANDED
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM
BEFORE SCHOOL AFTER SCHOOL
DURING SUMMER AND INTERCESSION
THAT'S HANDS ON AND ENGAGING AND
THAT REALLY HELPS TO MEET
STUDENTS, ACADEMIC, SOCIAL,
EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL NEEDS
RIGHT AND MEET THEIR INTEREST.
UH, THESE ARE NOT YOUR REMEDIAL
SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND IN
2021, THE STATE APPROVED THE
PLAN TO PROVIDE UNIVERSAL PRE Kò
TO ALL FOUR YEAR OLDS IN INCOME
ELIGIBLE THREE YEAR OLDS. WE'VE
HEARD A LOT ABOUT THAT TODAY
WITH THOSE PRE Kò INVESTMENTS.
UP Kò INVESTMENTS LE, A S¼ HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO STEADILY ROLL OUT
UPK ACROSS THE STATE WITH 4/5 OF
DISTRICTS OFFERING Tð Kò AT ALL
OF THEIR ELEMENTARY SITES OVER
4/5 OFFERING FULL DAY Tð Kò.
OVER ONE THIRD OF L'S OFFERED
EARLY ENROLLMENT Tð Kò IN 2022
23 AND PLAN TO CONTINUE THAT
OFFERING THIS SCHOOL YEAR. SO
THEY'RE EXPANDING. UH, THE ROLL
OUT OF TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN
AHEAD OF THE LEGISLATED, UH,
SCHEDULE. MORE THAN 80% OF LE, A
S¼ ARE COMBINING MULTIPLE
FUNDING STREAMS AND PROGRAMS. EL
Ó P, FOR EXAMPLE. ACES èC S¼
PP HEAD START AND MORE TO OFFER
FULL DAY AND EXTENDED DAY, UH,
FOR TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTENERS
AND EVEN FOR THREE YEAR OLDS.
FINALLY THE STATE HAS INVESTED
MORE THAN $4 BILLION TO CREATE
AND SUSTAIN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS,
WHICH IS A KEY STRATEGY REALLY,
FOR ORGANIZING THE RESOURCES OF
THE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY AROUND
STUDENT SUCCESS. IT OFFERS A
FRAMEWORK FOR REALLY INTEGRATING
MANY OF THE SUPPORTS. WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT TODAY IN A WAY THAT
ATTENDS TO THE WHOLE CHILD NEEDS
OF, UH OF STUDENTS AND THEIR
FAMILIES. THESE VARIOUS WHOLE
CHILD PROGRAMS, AND MANY OTHERS
ARE CRITICAL INVESTMENTS
INTENDED TO PROVIDE THAT WEB OF
SUPPORTS THAT WRAP AROUND
CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES TO
ENABLE HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT AND
RESPOND TO STUDENT NEEDS AND
ADDRESS STUDENTS LEARNING
BARRIERS. THE FOUNDATION THAT
THEY REST ON, OF COURSE, IS THE
CORE WORK OF TEACHING AND
LEARNING, SO THE STATE'S ONGOING
AND SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENTS IN
THE LOCAL CONTROL FUNDING
FORMULA ARE CRITICAL TO ENABLING
THIS CORE WORK. WE'RE NOW A
DECADE. YOU UH, THIS MORE
EQUITABLE APPROACH TO
DISTRIBUTING FUNDS BASED ON
STUDENT NEEDS RIGHT AND THEN
ALLOWING LOCAL DISTRICTS TO MAKE
DECISIONS ABOUT HOW TO SPEND
THAT FUNDING THROUGH OUR
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM THAT'S
LOOKING NOT JUST AT STUDENT TEST
SCORES, BUT THAT, UH, AT OTHER
MEASURES OF STUDENT AND SCHOOL
SUCCESS REALLY ADOPTING THAT
WHOLE CHILD APPROACH AND OUR
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM. RECENTLY
RELEASED RESEARCH ON L èC FF
FROM U èC. BERKELEY PROFESSOR
RUCKER JOHNSON FINDS THAT L èC
FF FUNDING INDUCED FUNDING
INCREASES IMPROVED ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENT FOR EVERY GRADE AND
SUBJECT ASSESSED IN BOTH MATH
AND READING, WITH STUDENTS IN
CONCENTRATION GRANT DISTRICTS
HAVING THE LARGEST ACHIEVEMENT
BOOST, AND I'VE, UH, PROVIDED A
BRIEF THAT SUMMARIZES THOSE
FINDINGS. I THINK IN YOUR PACKET
THE OTHER FOUNDATIONAL
INVESTMENT THAT THE STATE HAS
MADE IS IN THE RECRUITMENT,
PREPARATION AND RETENTION OF A
WELL PREPARED EDUCATOR WORKFORCE
. WE'VE HEARD A LOT TODAY ABOUT
THE IMPACT THAT STAFFING
SHORTAGES IS HAVING ON THE
ABILITY TO, UH, IMPLEMENT MANY
OF THE NEW PROGRAMS WITH QUALITY
, SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
MENTION THAT FOUNDATIONAL
INVESTMENT SO I'M GONNA CLOSE BY
SHARING A FEW EXAMPLES OF
DISTRICTS THAT ARE LEVERAGING
THESE VARIOUS INVESTMENTS THAT
CALIFORNIA HAS MADE TO SUPPORT
THE WHOLE CHILD IN WAYS THAT ARE
MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR STUDENTS
, ACADEMIC OUTCOMES AS WELL AS
THEIR OVERALL WELL BEING. SO
LOST HILLS, FOR EXAMPLE, IS A
SMALL RURAL ELEMENTARY DISTRICT
IN KERN COUNTY, SERVING A
STUDENT POPULATION. THAT'S MORE
THAN HALF ENGLISH LEARNERS AND
MORE THAN 80% STUDENTS FROM LOW
INCOME FAMILIES. THIS DISTRICT
HAS FULLY LAUNCHED A COMMUNITY
SCHOOL STRATEGY. THEY FIRST
LEVERAGED A FEDERAL FULL SERVICE
COMMUNITY SCHOOLS GRANT AND ARE
NOW USING CALIFORNIA'S COMMUNITY
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
GRANT FUNDING. THEY'RE PART OF
THE WEST KERN CONSORTIUM FOR
FULL SERVICE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS,
SO THAT'S ENABLING SCHOOLS IN IN
THAT TO ALL HAVE A COMMUNITY
SCHOOL COORDINATOR, A SOCIAL
WORKER AND AN AMERICORPS MENTOR,
WHO'S WHO ARE WORKING TOGETHER
TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES
IN THOSE SCHOOLS THEY'RE
OFFERING AFTER SCHOOL
PROGRAMMING, SHARED NURSING
SERVICES AND PRESCHOOL AND THE
CONSORTIUM HAS BEEN ABLE TO
PILOT ME SPONSORED MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES DIRECTLY ON CAMPUSES
ONE DAY A WEEK. ON THE ACADEMIC
FRONT. THEY IDENTIFIED MATH
EDUCATION AS A FOCUS AREA, AND
SO THEY'RE PROVIDING MATH
COACHING FOR TEACHERS AND FOR
INSTRUCTIONAL AIDES, WHO ARE
PROVIDING SMALL GROUP
INSTRUCTION IN MATH, AND THESE
EFFORTS ARE PAYING OFF
ACADEMICALLY. THEY SAW DOUBLE
DIGIT GAINS IN ELEEL A AND MATH.
UM SINCE THE PANDEMIC. UH AND
I'VE INCLUDED, UH, A SUMMARY OF,
UH, THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON
THERE. MODESTO CITY ELEMENTARY.
UH, SERVE, YOU KNOW, SERVES THE
STUDENT POPULATION WHO ARE UH,
ONE THIRD ENGLISH LEARNERS AND
85% OF WHOM COME FROM LOW INCOME
FAMILIES, THEIR LEVERAGING EL Ó
P FUNDING AND Tð Kò FUNDING TO
PROVIDE EXPANDED LEARNING
DISTRICT WIDE AND THEY'RE DOING
THAT, UM, BOTH THROUGH AFTER
SCHOOL PROGRAMS AT ALL OF THEIR
Tð Kò EIGHT SITES THAT INCLUDES
ACADEMIC INTERVENTION CLASSES AS
PART OF THE AFTER SCHOOL
PROGRAMMING THAT ARE TAUGHT BY
CLASSROOM TEACHERS, ENRICHMENT
CLASSES, INTRAMURAL SPORTS AND
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS IN CITY
PARK AND SO THE DISTRICT'S DATA
ON THAT PROGRAM SHOW THAT OF THE
NEARLY 1200 Kò SIX STUDENTS WHO
PARTICIPATED IN ACADEMIC
INTERVENTION FOR EL A THERE,
MORE THAN 90% MET THEIR GROWTH
TARGETS 15% OR MORE FROM THE
BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO THE END
OF THE YEAR AND CHRONIC
ABSENTEEISM IN THAT DISTRICT,
WHICH IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE, BOTH
FOR THAT DISTRICT AS WE HEARD
FROM HEATHER FROM SO MANY OTHERS
DECLINED BY 17% POINTS LAST YEAR
, COMPARED TO THE STATES
STATEWIDE DECLINE OF 6% POINTS.
OAKLAND UNIFIED IS ANOTHER
DISTRICT THAT'S BEEN ABLE TO
LEVERAGE BOTH COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
FUNDING RIGHT AS AS WELL AS SOME
OF THESE OTHER PROGRAMS TO
IMPLEMENT A COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
APPROACH DISTRICT WIDE AND IS
SEEING, UM, SUCCESS WITH THAT
STRATEGY. SO, UM THE WHOLE CHILD
INVESTMENTS THAT CALIFORNIA HAS
MADE AS WELL AS OUR ONGOING
INVESTMENTS IN L èC FF ARE
ENABLING EDUCATORS IN THESE AND
OTHER DISTRICTS, UM, TO ATTEND
TO THE MANY ASPECTS OF
CHILDREN'S WELL BEING THAT
CREATE THE FOUNDATION FOR
LEARNING AS YOU HEARD FROM DR
FULLER. WE'RE STILL REALLY EARLY
ON IN IMPLEMENTING MANY OF THESE
INVESTMENTS. UM, THERE'S MUCH TO
BE LEARNED ABOUT HOW
IMPLEMENTATION IS GOING AND HOW
IT CAN BE IMPROVED. UH, LP, I IS
ENGAGED IN RESEARCH ON SOME OF
THESE INITIATIVES ON U Kò ON
COMMUNITY SCHOOLS ON THE
EDUCATOR, WORKFORCE INVESTMENT,
SO LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING THAT
RESEARCH WITH YOU WHEN IT COMES
OUT, BUT I THINK THERE ARE MANY
FOLKS IN THIS ROOM. UM, WHO WANT
TO LEARN WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH
THESE PROGRAMS? UM, AND STAND
READY TO SUPPORT YOU AS AS YOU
DO SO? ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. THIS IS, UH, A
GREAT, I, UM UM UH, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER? UH, LAMPERT. UH, YOU, UH
. FIRST PRESENTED, UH. A VERY
CRITICAL PICTURE OF CALIFORNIA'S
UH UH, INVESTMENTS AND, UM UH
AND, UH, OVERALL CHILD WELL
BEING, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF
OUR OUR OUR BUDGETS. AND WHILE
YOU KNOW EVERYONE HAS BEEN
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE HAVE MADE
A TREMENDOUS UH UH, STRIDES AND
IN IN RECENT YEARS, UM UH, I I'M
I'M I'M CURIOUS. UH, YOU KNOW,
AS A FORMER STATE LEGISLATOR, UM
UM. IN A MS KENNY. UH,
CORRECTLY, UM. PAINTS THE
PICTURE PROVIDES THE DATA THAT
THAT SHOWS THAT THAT OVERALL I
MEAN, CALIFORNIA. UM WE ARE NOT
ONLY THE, UH, ONE OF THE
WEALTHIEST STATE IN THE COUNTRY,
BUT WE ALSO, UH PROBABLY HAVE
AMONG THE BIGGEST, UH MOST HIGH
NEEDS POPULATION IS THAT FAIR TO
SAY? YES, ABSOLUTELY. AND SO A
LOT OF THE, UH THE UH UH, THE
CHALLENGES THAT YOU HIGHLIGHT IN
YOUR, UM UH, CHILDREN NOW REPORT
CARD. IS IN PART, A REFLECTION
OF HOW YOU KNOW WE HAVE NEARLY
TWO THIRDS OF OUR STUDENTS
COMING FROM, UH, FROM LOW INCOME
FAMILIES. UH, THAT, UH, WE HAVE
THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE. WE ARE
NUMBER ONE IN THE COUNTRY IN
TERMS OF, UH, OF, UM UH, THE, UH
, PERCENTAGE OF ENGLISH
LEARNERS. STUDENTS? UM. THAT UH,
WE ARE HIGH WEALTH, BUT WE ARE
HIGH NEED I MEAN, THAT'S THAT'S
KIND OF LIKE AAA BOTTOM LINE
TAKEAWAY. UM AND SO GIVEN THAT
WE ARE RIGHT, YOU KNOW? THE
FIFTH OR FOURTH, YOU KNOW,
DEPENDING ON WHO YOU'RE TALKING
TO, WITH THE LARGEST ECONOMY IN
THE WORLD, UH AND YET, YOU KNOW,
ACCORDING TO REPORT CARD. WE'RE
DOING SO MUCH WORSE THAN, UH,
AND MOST OF THE STATES IN IN IN
IN IN THE COUNTRY. I MEAN, ARE
ARE WE JUST SPENDING? UH, A
SMALLER PERCENTAGE OF OUR
OVERALL BUDGET? I MEAN, I KNOW
YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THIS WHOLE
CHILD APPROACH THAT WE CAN'T
JUST TALK ABOUT OUR PROP 98
FUNDING, BUT BUT ALL OF THIS, UH
SPENDING, CHILD CARE, HEALTH
CARE SERVICES? UH MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES. I MEAN, OVERALL, DOES
IT? IS IT YOUR OPINION? UM
ASSEMBLY MEMBER. UH UM, THAT, UM
, THAT WE ARE BEHIND? UH OR ARE
WE BELOW THE U S¼ AVERAGE IN
TERMS OF THE OVERALL INVESTMENT
AND, UH, THE WELL BEING OF OUR
CHILDREN? YEAH. SO BIG QUESTION.
JUST A FEW BRIEF ANSWER. I MEAN,
IF YOU PUT ALL THESE PROGRAMS
TOGETHER, CERTAINLY WE'RE AROUND
NATIONAL AVERAGE AND EDUCATION,
WHICH IS THE LARGEST AND THEN ME
THE NEXT LARGEST EXPENDITURE FOR
KIDS, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THOSE
REIMBURSEMENTS AREN'T AS HIGH
FOR KIDS AND THEN THIRD LARGEST
IS CHILD SUPPORT. SO YES, IN
GENERAL, WE ARE CERTAINLY BELOW
WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF TAXES.
AND I'M NOT SAYING WE DON'T NEED
MORE REVENUE. WHAT I'M SAYING
IS, IF WE'RE TOP 10 AT STATE AND
LOCAL, WE DON'T HÌ. WE DON'T
THINK ABOUT THAT. OFTEN ENOUGH.
IF OUR REVENUE IS TOP, 10, WHY
AREN'T ALL THESE EXPENDITURES
TOP 10 WHEN WE ARE WE TEND TO BE
, UM, BE BELOW, UH BELOW AVERAGE
. AND YOU KNOW THE OTHER PIECE,
I. I THINK YOU KNOW DATA WAS
MENTIONED ONE OF THE GREATS. IT
WENT UP IN THIS REPORT CARD.
THAT LONGITUDINAL DATA SYSTEM
FOR Kò 12 THE HIGHER ED. WE NEED
TO MAKE THAT A WHOLE CHILD
SYSTEM SO WE CAN SEE WHAT'S
WORKING. I MENTIONED
PRIORITIZATION BECAUSE, AS YOU
KNOW, IT'S SO CRITICAL IN
DRIVING, UH, THE DECISIONS AND I
ALMOST FEEL WE HAVE A
COMPLACENCY WHEN IT COMES TO
KIDS, LIKE OH, YEAH, KIDS. OH,
YEAH. THEY'RE NOT DOING AS
OPPOSED TO THAT'S THE TOP ISSUE,
AND THEN IF THERE'S ANOTHER TOP
ISSUE THAT'S GETTING A LOT OF
ATTENTION. WELL, HOW'S THAT
AFFECTING KIDS? SO IF THE TOP
ISSUE THIS YEAR IS NOT KIDS BUT
HOMELESSNESS THEN LET'S LOOK AT
CHILDHOOD HOMELESSNESS WHERE THE
FOCUS HASN'T BEEN RIGHT. AND SO
WE Y YOU. YOU KNOW IF YOU LOOK
AT OUR REPORT CARD, WHICH WERE
VERY SO THAT THE NUMBER OF
HOMELESSNESS WHERE MOST OF THE
FUNDING RIGHT NOW FOR
HOMELESSNESS IS NOT DIRECTED, SO
I DO THINK THAT, UM IT GET THAT
WE TOO OFTEN ACCEPT WHERE WE ARE
WITH KIDS ABOUT SAYING WHAT'S
THE TOP ISSUE OF THE STATE THIS
YEAR? ITS WELL BEING EVERY YEAR
UNTIL WE TURN SHINE AND THE GOOD
NEWS IS WE SHOWED THE SUBSTANCE
TAKES A WHILE HEALTH INSURANCE
WASN'T THAT LONG AGO WHEN MORE
THAN 10% OF OUR KIDS DON'T HAVE
HEALTH INSURANCE. NOW IT'S VERY
FEW. AND THAT'S NOT JUST
OBAMACARE. AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S
THIS STATE'S EFFORT TO COVER ON
DO AND ALL KIDS UNIVERSAL
PRESCHOOL. ANOTHER EE EXAMPLE
WHERE FOR YEARS WE TALKED ABOUT
IT AND GOT IT DONE, SO I THINK
WE'RE, UH YOU, YOU YOU, YOU
KNOW, FEEL THAT THESE THIS SEEMS
OVERWHELMING, BUT IT DOESN'T
NEED TO BE. LET'S FOCUS ON EACH
OF THESE AREAS WHERE WE'RE
TRYING TO GET AND STAY FOCUSED
AND THEN ON THE EDUCATION
FUNDING SINCE YOU REFERENCE MY
PASS SERVICE REMEMBERING THE
EARLY DAYS OF PROP 98, AND I
KNOW YOU'VE HEARD THIS MANY
TIMES. IT WAS A, UH, A FLOOR,
NOT A CEILING, AND I DON'T THINK
ANYONE IN THEIR WILDEST
IMAGINATION THOUGHT THAT PROP 98
WOULD EVER BE WAIVED FOR A FEW.
YOU KNOW, A FEW YEARS WHAT IT
WAS THAT WOULD EVER ACTUALLY BE
BEFORE AND SO THAT'S WHY I MADE
MY COMMENT EARLIER WHERE I FEEL
ALL OF US, NOT JUST THE
POLICYMAKERS, BUT ON THAT, BUT
OUTSIDE ADVOCATES AS WELL. WE
TEND TO JUST TAKE PROP 98 IS
THAT'S WHERE WE START WITH
EDUCATION FUNDING, AS OPPOSED TO
LET'S START THE DEBATE LOOKING
AT RESEARCH LIKE YOU'VE HEARD
TODAY, WHERE DO WE RANK WITH
OTHER STATES? AND WHAT IS THE
APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF FUNDING? TO
MAKE SURE THAT EVERY KID HAS
THE, UH, THE APPROPRIATE
SUPPORT. SO, UM. AGAIN IN TERMS
OF THE HIGH LEVEL TAKEAWAYS. I
MEAN, WE, UH WE'RE WE'RE TOP 10%
IN IN IN IN THE COUNTRY IN TERMS
OF REVENUES, AND YET WE ARE, UH
UH, WELL BELOW AVERAGE IN TERMS
OF THE OVERALL. INVESTMENTS IN
OUR THE OVERALL WELL BEING OF
OUR CHILDREN. YES, AND I CAN'T.
I JUST HAVE TO MAKE ONE OTHER
POINT SINCE THE COMMENT ABOUT IN
AND OUT AND THE STAFFING
SHORTAGES. WHAT CORRELATES TO
THAT AS WELL. IS AND WE
HIGHLIGHT THIS IN THE REPORT
CARD. LET'S JUST FOCUS ON THE
PUBLIC SECTOR. LET'S NOT FOCUS
ON PROBABLY IF YOU WORK WITH
KIDS, YOU MAKE LESS. EVEN IF YOU
NEED A BACHELOR'S DEGREE PLUS
AND SO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
IN GENERAL, UNLIKE THOSE PRIVATE
SECTOR NONPROFIT, WE'RE NOT
REALLY PROVIDING AN EDUCATION
PREMIUM. WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR
WHEN DO WE LOOK AT OUR
WORKFORCE? SO YOU KNOW, JUST
FOCUSING ON OUR WORKFORCE. WHAT
WE YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE SENDING
THE WRONG MESSAGE WITH HOW WE
ALLOCATE FUNDING BY SAYING, IF
YOU WORK WITH KIDS, YOU'RE YOU
KNOW, AND WHETHER THAT'S IN
HEALTH OR, WELL, OBVIOUSLY IN
EDUCATION. EVERYONE WANTS TO
WORK WITH THE KIDS. BUT COMPARED
TO OTHER SECTOR AND EMPLOYMENT
AND CERTAINLY CHILDCARE IS, YOU
KNOW, LITERALLY JUST HANGING IN
THEIR MINIMUM WAGE. YOU KNOW,
YOU WORK WITH KIDS, YOU'RE
MAKING LESS AND, YOU KNOW, LET'S
JUST FOCUS ON THE PUBLIC SECTOR
WHERE YOU ALL HAVE THE ABILITY
TO MAKE THOSE SHIFTS. SO THE, UH
THAT, UM IT'S A GOOD UH UM
BRIDGE TO MY. MY QUESTION TO MS
KENNY. I MEAN, UM I UH, MR
LAMPERT'S COMMENTS REMINDED ME
OF A QUESTION THAT I INTENDED TO
ASK THE FIRST PANEL, BUT I'LL
ASK IT TO YOU NOW. UM, THERE WAS
EARLIER. UM DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW
DISTRICTS ARE NOT SPENDING UH,
THE, UH, FEDERAL AND STATE
DOLLARS THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED
BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FILL THE
POSITIONS. UM IS, IS THERE
EVIDENCE INDICATING THAT? THAT
YOU KNOW DISTRICTS. USING SOME
OF THOSE UNSPENT DOLLARS TO PAY.
YOU KNOW HIGHER SALARIES TO TRY
TO MAKE SURE THAT INSTRUCTIONAL
AIDS ARE MAKING MORE THAN IN AND
OUT BURGER EMPLOYEES. UM I THINK
YOU KNOW THE STAFFING SHORTAGES,
ISSUES THAT HAVE, UM BEEN A
THEME THROUGHOUT TODAY. OUR OUR
REAL I MEAN, WHEN DISTRICTS
CAN'T HIRE QUALIFIED STAFF, THEY
WILL, YOU KNOW, TURN TO PEOPLE,
FOR EXAMPLE, WITH AMONGST
TEACHERS WHO HAVEN'T COMPLETED
TE TEACHER PREPARATION DON'T YET
HAVE A TEACHING CREDENTIAL. UM
AND OR THEY'LL INCREASE CLASS
SIZE. THEY MAY CANCEL CLASSES IF
THEY'RE ELECTIVE, OR THEY JUST
LEAVE THOSE VACANCIES UNFILLED
IF THEIR AID POSITIONS ET
CETERA, UM I THINK, UH, YOU
KNOW, RAISING SALARIES. WE'VE
SEEN THAT BE A REALLY SUCCESSFUL
STRATEGY, ESPECIALLY FOR GETTING
SUBSTITUTES TO COVER CLASSES. UM
SO A NUMBER OF DISTRICTS HAVE
SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED THEIR
THEIR DAILY SUB RATE AND HAVE
LIKE ELIMINATED THEIR SUBSTITUTE
SHORTAGES IN THAT WAY, RAISING
SALARIES FOR YOUR FOR TEACHERS
AND OTHER STAFF IS, UM, YOU
KNOW, THERE'S A LONG A ROBUST
RESEARCH BASE SHOWING HOW THAT
IS, UH, RELATED TO, UM YOUR
ABILITY TO FILL YOUR STAFFING.
MM. SO UM, SPECIFICALLY WITH
INSTRUCTIONAL AIDS ARE ARE YOU
FAMILIAR WITH ANY? UH I HAVEN'T
SEEN THE RESEARCH ON
INSTRUCTIONAL AIDS IN PARTICULAR
I. I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD
THING TO DIG INTO. BUT, UH II. I
KNOW. I, UM. HAVE A BILL TO TRY
TO INCREASE. UH, SALARIES? UH,
UM FOR THE OVERALL EDUCATION
WORKFORCE IN ORDER TO TRY TO
SOLVE THIS. IRONIC, UH,
WORKFORCE SHORTAGE CHALLENGE,
BUT, UH UH, YOU, UM THE SHARED,
UH, YOU YOU YOU BELIEVE THAT
DATA SHOWS THAT, UH, ESPECIALLY
WITH SUBS SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS?
THAT IS CLEARLY, UH, HELPED, UH,
RESOLVE THE SUBSTITUTE TEACHER
SHORTAGE AND IN CALIFORNIA,
WHERE AND AS IN OTHER STATES, UM
YOU KNOW, TEACHERS MAKE ABOUT 80
CENTS ON THE DOLLAR OF OTHER
COLLEGE EDUCATED PROFESSIONALS,
AND THAT'S AFTER YOU TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT THE SHORTER WORK HERE SO
TO THE POINT ABOUT COMPETING
WITH WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR, IT
IS VERY HARD TO DO WITH SALARIES
AS THEY ARE OK. UM ANOTHER
QUESTION I HAVE FOR BOTH OF YOU
IS, UH UM. YOU KNOW, I, UM, I. I
HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH TO
TRAVEL THIS PAST FALL TO, UH UH,
BOSTON AND NEW JERSEY TO LOOK
AT, UH, UM HOW, UH,
MASSACHUSETTS AND NEW JERSEY HAS
BEEN TRYING TO, UM UH, EXPAND
UNIVERSAL. UH PRE Kò, UH, WHILE
AT THE SAME TIME SUPPORTING THE
CHILDCARE. INDUSTRY
INFRASTRUCTURE. UM. AND ONE OF
THE TAKEAWAYS FROM MY TRIP, THEN
WAS, YOU KNOW TO THE IMPORTANCE
OF INVESTING, UH, IN YOU KNOW?
WELL, IT'S PRIORITIES UNIVERSAL
PRE Kò AND, UH, THE CHILDCARE
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, NOT
LOWERING STANDARDS. UH IN IN IN
IN TERMS OF THE WORKFORCE. UM
BUT IT WOULD SEEM TO ME AND IN
FACT, WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT HOW
HAVING HIGH STANDARDS FOR THE
WORKFORCE, YOU KNOW, CREATES THE
CHALLENGE IN TERMS OF THE
WORKFORCE SHORTAGE. UM AND ANY
ANY THOUGHTS ON, UH. ON, UH,
THAT CHALLENGE SPECIFICALLY FOR
CALIFORNIA. YEAH, WELL, YOU'RE
TOUCHING ON A, YOU KNOW, REALLY
CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT ISSUE,
AND I THINK IT'S ESPECIALLY
TRICKED, TRIGGERING A BUDGET
YEAR LIKE THIS WHERE WE'RE IT'S
SO IMPORTANT, LIKE FOR Tð Kò
THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON QUALITY
AND THE APPROPRIATE RATIOS FOR
THAT AGE GROUP AND AT THE SAME
TIME RECOGNIZING WE NEED TO KEEP
A PROGRESS GOING, SO I THINK
IT'S I IT. IT'S CRITICAL TO KEEP
THE FOCUS ON QUALITY. AND IF
THERE'S ANY BRIEF, UM, EXEMPTION
FROM THAT WE AGREE TO GO RIGHT
BACK TO IT. AND THEN YOU'RE A
BROADER POINT THAN VERY
SPECIFICALLY, THIS IS NOT TO LET
FOLKS OFF THE HOOK, BUT I THINK
ONE OF THE STRUGGLES WE FACE
WITH THE EARLY CHILDHOOD AND
LIKE SOME OF THESE OTHER ISSUES
IS IF ONLY WE KNEW DURING THE
NEW DEAL OR GREAT SOCIETY WHAT
WE KNOW TODAY. THIS IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT INVESTMENT. MM THIS IS
WHERE WE SHOULD BE PUTTING THE
MOST DOLLARS IN THOSE EARLIEST
YEARS. AND OF COURSE,
HISTORICALLY DOES NOT JUST
CALIFORNIA, BUT THE UNITED
STATES HAS BEEN WAY BEHIND THE
INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS ARE
ARE, UM, FRIGHTENING. YEAH,
WE'RE ABOUT $500 PER CæA CAPITAL
CHILDCARE. MOST OTHER COUNTRIES
ARE OVER 1520 25,000, SO WE'VE
GOT A LONG WAYS TO GO. BUT I
THINK THE WAY TO LOOK AT THAT IS
TO RECOGNIZE THAT THAT YOU KNOW
WE'RE LATE TO THE GAME HERE, BUT
THAT'S WHY ANY AVAILABLE DOLLAR
KIDS EARLY, YOU KNOW, EARLY
YEARS LAST PLACE YOU CUT, SO WE
LOOK BACK IN THE LAST I CAN USE
THE WORD RECESSION NOW, BUT YOU
LOOK BACK DURING THE GREAT
RECESSION. WHAT DID WE CUT FIRST
CHILDCARE? THAT SENT US WAY
BACKWARDS. SO NOW DURING THIS
BUDGET SHORTFALL, YOU KNOW WE'RE
ON A BETTER PATH, BUT WE NEED TO
ENSURE THAT YOU KNOW, WE DON'T
EVER LOOK AT CUTS FOR KIDS AND
HAVE TO GO ELSEWHERE, THEN SHARE
SPECIFIC POINT ABOUT THE
WORKFORCE. UM, WE THE GOAL AND
BUILD BACK BETTER, YOU KNOW, HAD
THIS ABOUT. WE'RE REALLY LOOKING
AT EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS
MATCHING, UH Kò 12 EDUCATORS IN
TERMS OF SALARY, AND THEN THEN
LOOKING AT EVEN THAT BEING TOO
LOW, BUT THAT'S THE GOAL. WE
NEED TO STRIVE FOR, SO YOU KNOW,
AS WE GET CLOSER TO THAT GOAL
THAN THOSE EDUCATION QUALITY
REQUIREMENTS BECOME VERY, VERY
DOABLE, AND I THINK WE JUST NEED
TO BE THOUGHTFUL HOW WE PHASE
THAT IN, BUT IT IT SHOULDN'T BE
A WILD EYED, UM, GOAL TO SAY
THAT THAT EARLY CHILDHOOD
EDUCATOR SHOULDN'T BE ON ON PAR
AND IT IT IT. YOU KNOW,
ANECDOTES ARE SOMETIMES HELPFUL.
I KNOW MY, UH WE WERE FORTUNATE
ENOUGH TO HAVE OUR KIDS IN IN IN
QUALITY CHILDCARE, AND I KNOW
TALKING TO THE TEACHER OF MY
THREE YEAR OLD. WAS JUST AS
COMPLICATED AS MY TEACHER
CONFERENCE THE NEXT DAY WITH MY
SECOND GRADER, RIGHT? AND
ACTUALLY MORE SO, SO THIS YOU,
YOU, YOU IT'S WE NEED TO
RECOGNIZE THAT THE EARLY
CHILDHOOD WORKFORCE MOSTLY WOMEN
, MOSTLY WOMEN OF COLOR AND FUR.
HISTORY NOT GIVEN THE SUPPORT.
AND SO WHERE DO WE WANNA GET
LET'S SET THAT AS A GOAL AND
MOVE THERE AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE AND ADJUST THE
EDUCATIONAL AND WORKFORCE
STANDARDS AS WE MOVE THAT ALONG.
MISS KENNY, DO YOU HAVE ANY?
YEAH I MEAN, I THINK I WOULD
JUST I POINT TO AS WELL THE
STATE'S ROLE HERE BECAUSE WITH
DISTRICTS, CITIES, COUNTIES IT.
THEY CAN'T SOLVE THE STAFFING
CHALLENGES ON THEIR OWN. WHEN
THERE'S AN OVERALL SHORTAGE
ACROSS THE STATE, RIGHT, THE
NEIGHBORING DISTRICT OR CITY OR
COUNTY CAN PAY MORE. AND WOO
THOSE THOSE EDUCATORS AWAY. UM
SO, I, I THINK THAT THE
STATEWIDE INVESTMENTS YOU KNOW
THE STATES PUT 100 MILLION INTO
THE UK PLANNING AND
IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS. THE 100
MILLION THAT WAS SET ASIDE FOR
LAUGHING THERE IN PRE Kò, Tð, Kò
AND KINDERGARTEN. IT'S A REALLY
IMPORTANT INVESTMENT, THE
STATEWIDE INVESTMENTS AND THINGS
LIKE THE GOLDEN STATE GRANTS,
YOU KNOW. SERVICE SCHOLARSHIPS
FOR TEACHERS, INCLUDING IN IN
Tð, Kò AND CHILDCARE, UM,
TEACHER AND SCHOOL COUNSELOR
RESIDENCY PROGRAMS. THOSE
INTEGRATED TEACHER PREPARATION
PROGRAMS AND UNDERGRAD,
INCLUDING WITH OUR NEW P, THREE
CREDENTIALING PROGRAMS ARE ALL
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO BUILDING
UP THAT STATEWIDE SUPPLY OF
QUALIFIED EDUCATORS. OK? UM.
LAST. UH UM. YOU KNOW, AS WE, UM
. UH, BEGIN OUR DISCUSSIONS ON.
UH, A VERY DIFFICULT BUDGET YEAR
COMING UP, UH AND WITH DIFFICULT
BUDGET YEARS GOING FORWARD. UM
DID. I KNOW IT'S ALWAYS EASIER
TO SAY WE NEED TO INVEST MORE IN
CHILDREN. UH, AND IT'S HARDER TO
ANSWER. WHERE'S THAT MONEY GONNA
COME FROM? UM. IF WE'RE NOT
TALKING ABOUT, UH, NEW REVENUES,
WHICH OF COURSE, IS ALWAYS AN
OPTION. UM. BUT UH DO YOU HAVE
ANY GENERAL THOUGHTS? UH, YOU
KNOW, ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT
OTHER STATES LIKE HOW IF OTHER
STATES ARE ARE ARE SPENDING, UH
YOU KNOW, A, UH. OUR OTHER
STATES. UH II. I GUESS THIS
MIGHT TIE INTO MY EARLIER
QUESTION, BUT ARE ARE OTHER
STATES. SPENDING A BIGGER UH
PORTION OF THEIR BUDGETS ON ON
SUPPORTING THE OVERALL WELL
BEING OF KIDS. AND IF NOT, YOU
KNOW. DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS
IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW THE ADVICE
FOR US IN TERMS OF HOW TO, UH
PRIORITIZE, UH, CHILDREN'S
OVERALL WELL BEING, YOU KNOW.
AND WHERE? WHERE THAT MONEY
SHOULD BE COMING. FROM WHAT?
WHAT OTHER PROGRAMS SHOULD WE BE
TAKING MONEY FROM IN ORDER TO,
UH, TO SUPPORT? UH UH, YOU KNOW
MORE OF THESE PROGRAMS
SUPPORTING CHILDREN. IN GENERAL,
WE ARE BEHIND, UM, IT MONEY IS
MOST WOMEN NOT THE ONLY POINT. I
THINK SOME COMMENTS WERE MADE
EARLIER ABOUT JUST, UM, WHETHER
IT'S A ACCOUNTABILITY OR REALLY
EVALUATING PROGRAMS THAT WORK
AND STICKING WITH THAT. HAS BEEN
IMPORTANT ON THE MONEY SIDE. UM
III. I WOULD JUST REPEAT, LET'S
NOT MAKE I THINK ERRORS WE MADE
IN THE RECENT PAST. SO WHEN
THERE IS A BUDGET SHORTFALL, AND
THIS GETS TO PRIORITIZATION, HOW
ABOUT WE SAY THAT IF THERE'S ANY
AVAILABLE DOLLARS. IT GOES TO
KIDS, AND I SEE IN THE BUDGET
RIGHT NOW. THERE ARE ALBEIT
SMALL, BUT THERE ARE SOME SMALL
AREAS WHERE THERE'S PROPOSED
INCREASES. UM THAT NOT FOR KIDS
THAT HAS TO BE FOR KIDS. AND THE
SECOND IS LAST PLACE YOU CUT AND
THIS GOES ACROSS EDUCATION,
EARLY CHILD CHILD WELFARE.
YOU'RE AWARE OF THE VERY SERIOUS
PROPOSED CUTS FOR YOUTH AND
FOSTER CARE. THE LAST PLACE YOU
CUT IS KIDS. AND IF YOU TAKE
THAT, AS THE PRINCIPAL THAT'S
GONNA HELP KEEP US MORE IN LINE
WITH OTHER STATES, UM, RATHER
THAN AND THEN DROPPING BELOW
OTHER STATES AND THEN IN TERMS
OF NEW REVENUE, YOU KNOW, PAST
EFFORTS HAVE BEEN WHICH WE, WE
CHILDREN NOW SUPPORTED. DON'T
WANNA DON'T GET ME WRONG, BUT
THEY HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON KIDS
EVEN GOING BACK TO PROP 30, THE
PROP 15 THAT THAT NARROWLY
FAILED THO. THOSE ARE GENERAL
GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS AND SO AS IT
I KNOW, FOLKS AREN'T COMPLETELY
FOCUSED ON IT RIGHT NOW, BUT AS
WE LOOK TO A FUTURE REVENUE
MEASURE YOU LOOK AT THIS REPORT
CARD. LET'S FOCUS IT ON ITS
HEALTH. EDUCATION EARLY
CHILDHOOD TO HIGHER ED, UM AND
YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE, AND SO
BOTH, UM YOU KNOW, PRIORITIZING
IT WITHIN THE CURRENT PIE, WHICH
WE DON'T DO ENOUGH. AND IF WE
TALK ABOUT NEW REVENUE, NOT
GENERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO BE
FOCUSED ON KIDS. NOT THAT THERE
AREN'T OTHER IMPORTANT POINTS.
BUT THIS IS WHERE WE'RE FURTHEST
BEHIND. THIS IS WHAT PUTS US AT
GREATEST RISK AS A STATE.
ALRIGHT. MISS KENNY. ANY
THOUGHTS? THAT'S A TOUGH
QUESTION, AND I'M GLAD I DON'T
HAVE YOUR JOB. UM, BUT, UH I, UM
I GUESS, I. I WANNA SAY I
MENTIONED THE FOUNDATIONAL
INVESTMENTS IN L èC FF. I THINK
WE ARE SEEING THAT THAT POLICY
HAS BEEN GOOD FOR STUDENTS IN
CALIFORNIA. UM SO I WOULD JUST
NAME THAT AS AS A BUILDING BLOCK
FOR US AS A STATE. UM AND IN
TERMS OF MANY OF THE INVESTMENTS
I'VE TALKED ABOUT AND OTHERS
HAVE TALKED ABOUT TODAY. UM I
JUST WE ARE STILL VERY EARLY IN
IMPLEMENTATION. IT TAKES A LOT
FOR DISTRICT LEADERS AND OTHERS
TO STAND UP THOSE PROGRAMS TO
GET THEM GOING RIGHT TO LEARN
FROM THEIR SUCCESSES AND
FAILURES AND TWEAK AND REFINE
AROUND THE EDGES OR OR REBOOT
COMPLETELY, UM, TO GET IT
WORKING CORRECTLY, AND I THINK,
UM I WORRY ABOUT PEOPLE HAVING
STOOD THEM UP. AND THEN, UM YOU
KNOW, WATCH THEM GO AWAY. I
THINK WE THAT'S PART OF HOW WE
LOSE EDUCATORS FROM THE SYSTEM.
UM AND SO, I. I THINK LEARNING
FROM WHAT'S WORKING THERE,
ELEVATING THOSE SUCCESSES, UM
AND DOUBLING DOWN WHERE WE'RE
SEEING THE SUCCESSES IS
SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE KEEPING
IN MIND, OKAY? ALL RIGHT. WELL,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, UH,
REALLY APPRECIATE. UH, SHARING.
WITH THANK YOU. OKAY, UM. LAST.
BUT NOT LEAST WE HAVE OUR THIRD
PANEL. UM TECHNOLOGY ACCESS FOR
CALIFORNIA STUDENTS, UH,
ADDRESSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
WE HAVE, UM. THREE PANELISTS, UM
WANT TO WELCOME. A NEW GAL
SENIOR FELLOW WITH THE PUBLIC
POLICY INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA.
UH AUGUSTINE OR GILLES, A SCHOOL
TO HOME EXECUTIVE MANAGER,
CALIFORNIA EMERGING TECHNOLOGY
FUND. AND TERRY LOFTUS, THE
ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT AND
CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER. UH,
FOR THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY OFFICE
OF EDUCATION. WELCOME EVERYONE.
UH, WHY DON'T WE START WITH MS
GAO? THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY THIS
MORNING. PP I èC IS AN
INDEPENDENT, NONPARTISAN
RESEARCH INSTITUTION AND DOES
NOT TAKE POSITIONS ON
LEGISLATION. MY COMMENTS ARE
BASED ON RECENT PP S¼ E RESEARCH
ON THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN
CALIFORNIA AND EFFORTS TO
ACHIEVE DIGITAL EQUITY FOR
CALIFORNIA STUDENTS. THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC MADE DIGITAL
ACCESS AND EDUCATIONAL NECESSITY
AND HIGHLIGHTED THE STATE'S LONG
STANDING DIGITAL DIVIDE DEFINED
AS DISPARITIES IN RELIABLE
ACCESS TO INTERNET AND DEVICES
IN SPRING 2020 WHEN SCHOOLS
SHIFTED TO DISTANCE LEARNING
ONLY 68% OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH
SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN HAVE
RELIABLE ACCESS TO DEVICES AS A
RESULT OF FEDERAL, STATE AND
LOCAL EFFORTS, 82% OF HOUSEHOLDS
HAD RELIABLE DEVICE ACCESS BY
THE FALL OF 20 WITH THE GREATEST
GAINS AMONG LOW INCOME
HOUSEHOLDS, HOUSEHOLDS WITHOUT
ANY COLLEGE GRADUATES AND BLACK
AND LATINO HOUSEHOLDS. HOWEVER
INTERNET ACCESS IMPROVED MORE
MODESTLY THEIR SHARE OF
HOUSEHOLDS WITH RE WITH RELIABLE
INTERNET ACCESS ROSE FROM 71% TO
75% BETWEEN THE SPRING AND FALL
OF 2020 GAINS WERE STRONGEST
AMONG LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AND
HOUSEHOLDS WITHOUT A BACHELOR'S
DEGREE. MOREOVER PROGRESS ON
BOTH DEVICE AND INTERNET ACCESS
STALLED IN THE SPRING OF 2021.
41% OF LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS
STILL DO NOT HAVE FULL DIGITAL
ACCESS FOR DISTANCE LEARNING.
NEITHER DO 37% OF LATINO
HOUSEHOLDS IN 29% OF BLACK
HOUSEHOLDS. THE LACK OF FURTHER
PROGRESS COULD BE CONTRIBUTED TO
A FEW FACTORS. FIRST MOST
SCHOOLS HAD TO REOPEN FOR IN
PERSON INSTRUCTION BY THE SPRING
OF 2021 2ND MANY LOW INCOME
COMMUNITIES AND ALSO RURAL AREAS
DO NOT HAVE BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH MAY TAKE
MANY YEARS TO DEVELOP. KEY
BARRIERS TO UNIVERSAL DIGITAL
ACCESS INCLUDE AVAILABILITY,
AFFORDABILITY AND ADOPTION.
FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS
HAVE ENACTED A LOT OF MAJOR
POLICY INITIATIVES TO LOWER
THOSE BARRIERS TO ACCESS DURING
THE PANDEMIC. IN THE INTEREST OF
TIME, I WOULD JUST HIGHLIGHT
THREE KEY INVESTMENTS. THE FIRST
IS THE FCC'S EMERGENCY
CONNECTIVITY FUND, OR E, èC F
CREATED IN 2021, THE E èC F
PROVIDES 7.2 BILLION TO HELP
SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES PROVIDE
INTERNET OR DEVICES TO SCHOOL TO
STUDENTS AND SCHOOL STAFF. IT
COVERS ELIGIBLE DEVICES, WIFI
HOUSE BELTS, ROUTERS AND
CONNECTIVITY. PURCHASES FOR OFF
CAMPUS USE EDUCATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS SCHOOL
DISTRICTS IN CALIFORNIA HAVE
REQUESTED NEARLY $1.4 BILLION IN
E èC F FUNDING THE FUNDING HAS
PROVIDED ABOUT 1.6 MILLION
CONNECTED DEVICES TO CALIFORNIA
SCHOOLS. THE SECOND MAJOR
INVESTMENT IS THE FCC'S
EMERGENCY BROADBAND BENEFIT
PROGRAM, OR EBB, CREATED IN
FEBRUARY. 2021 EBB PROVIDES
ABOUT 3.2 BILLION TO HELP
ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS CONNECT TO
THE INTERNET. THE PROGRAM WAS
REPLACED LATER THAT YEAR BY THE
$14 BILLION AFFORDABLE
CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM OR A èC P.
ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVE $30
PER MONTH TOWARDS BROADBAND
SERVICES RIGHT NOW, ABOUT 5.8
MILLION CALIFORNIA HOUSEHOLDS
ARE ELIGIBLE. A èC P PROGRAM,
AND HALF OF THOSE HOUSEHOLDS ARE
CURRENTLY ENROLLED TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE MONTHLY
SUBSIDIES. THERE IS CONSIDERABLE
VARIATION ACROSS COUNTIES IN
IMPERIAL COUNTY, FOR EXAMPLE,
100% OF THE ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS
ARE PARTICIPATING, WHEREAS ONLY
5% OF ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS IN
MONO COUNTY HAVE ENROLLED. THE
GOOD NEWS IS THAT COUNTIES WITH
HIGHER POVERTY RATES TEND TO
HAVE HAVE HIGHER PARTICIPATION
RATE. IT IS ALSO WORTH NOTING
THAT AS AS OF FEBRUARY 8TH
CONGRESS HAS TAKEN NÓ ACTION TO
RENEW FUNDING FOR THE A èC P
PROGRAM. AS A RESULT, THE A èC
P PROGRAM IS NÓ LONGER.
ACCEPTING NEW ENROLLMENTS AND
ENROLLED HOUSEHOLDS WILL
CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THE MONTHLY
BENEFIT UNTIL THE PROGRAM
EXHAUSTS MONEY, WHICH IS
PROJECTED IN APRIL. 2024 AND
THIRDLY, CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE
BILL OR S¼ B 156 ALLOCATED $6
BILLION TO INCREASE EQUITABLE
AND AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO
INTERNET AND TO HIGH SPEED
INTERNET AND THE TIME IS PASSING
IN. 2021 S¼ B ONE, F 56 WAS THE
LARGEST PUBLIC BROADBAND
INVESTMENT IN THE COUNTRY. IN
OUR RESEARCH. WE HAVE SEEN
SCHOOL DISTRICTS, CITIES AND
COUNTIES LEVERAGING THOSE NEW
INVESTMENTS TO BOLSTER THEIR
EFFORTS TO CLOSE THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE. TWO DECADES AGO, THE
IMPERIAL VALLEY
TELECOMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY,
WHICH IS A COLLABORATIVE OF 35
AGENCIES, INCLUDING SCHOOL
DISTRICTS, CITY GOVERNMENTS, THE
COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION ER
COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN SAN DIEGO
STATE UNIVERSITY, ESTABLISHED A
FIBER OPTIC NETWORK TO PROVIDE
THE INTERNET SERVICES TO OVER
100 AND 20 EDUCATION. AGENCIES
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND RECENT
11 TIME DOLLARS HELP THE COUNTY
REPLACE EQUIPMENT FOR SECURITY
PURPOSES, EXPAND NETWORK
CAPACITY AND ALSO INCREASE THE
NUMBER OF ANTENNAS. FRESNO
UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT LEVERAGE
ITS FIBER OPTIC BACKHAUL AND
SCHOOL BUILDINGS AS A PLATFORM
TO DEPLOY A PRIVATE L Tð E
SERVICE, COVERING ABOUT 20
SQUARE MILES AND SUPPORTING MORE
THAN 6 500, CONCURRENT STUDENT
CONNECTIONS. AND FINALLY,
LINDSAY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
A SMALL RURAL, UH, A SMALL RURAL
DISTRICT IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY
BUILT A COMMUNITY WIFI NETWORK
IN 2016 TO DELIVER HIGH SPEED
INTERNET TO STUDENTS AT HOME,
STATE AND A FEDERAL FUNDING
ALLOW THE DISTRICT TO MAINTAIN
ITS NETWORK DURING THE PANDEMIC.
IN CONCLUSION, THE PANDEMIC HAS
SHINED THE SPOTLIGHT ON THE
IMPORTANCE OF DIGITAL
CONNECTIVITY. FEDERAL STATE AND
LOCAL EFFORTS HAVE LED TO
CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN
DIGITAL ACCESS FOR STUDENTS WITH
SPECIAL STRONG PROGRESS IN
ACCESS TO COMPUTING DEVICES.
HOWEVER THREE IN 10 HOUSEHOLDS
WITH SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN STILL
DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO EITHER
RELIABLE INTERNET OR A DEVICE
AND DISPARITIES AMONG RACIAL,
ETHNIC AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC LINES
PERSIST, GIVEN THE INCREASED
FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY OF
FLOODING, WILDFIRES, EARTHQUAKES
AND EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS.
UNIVERSAL BROADBAND ACCESS IS
KEY TO BUILDING RESILIENCE INTO
THE EDUCATION SYSTEM, SO
LEARNING CAN CONTINUE WHEN
SCHOOL BUILDINGS ARE CLOSED, AND
ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH
QUA HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION.
ALRIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, NEXT. I'D LIKE TO, UH
WELCOME, MISTER OLES.
SEE, WE'RE TRYING TO I'M KINDA
OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UM,
ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
EMERGING TECHNOLOGY FUND, WE
REALLY APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO
BE PART OF THIS IMPORTANT
DISCUSSION. AMONGST I'M IN
CHARGE OF SCHOOL TO HOME AS
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE OF èC E Tð
F TO CLOSE BOTH THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE. AND THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP,
HELPING TITLE ONE MIDDLE SCHOOLS
USE TECHNOLOGY EFFECTIVELY. UM
THE URGENCY OF THIS HEARING IS
UNDERSCORED BY THE RECENT 2023
STATEWIDE DIGITAL EQUITY SURVEY
CONDUCTED BY èC Tð F, THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
TECHNOLOGY AND U S¼ èC
RESEARCHERS WHICH FOUND THE
FOLLOWING POINTS I'M GONNA SHOW
SHARE THESE POINTS. BUT I ALSO
WANNA SAY THAT THERE WILL BE A
BRIEFING ON THIS SURVEY FOR
LEGISLATIVE STAFF ON THE 29TH OF
FEBRUARY, SO JUST FY I, UH, THE
FIRST, UH, HIGHLIGHT. OF NOTE,
UH, BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY FOR
FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN IN SCHOOL
DROP FROM A PEAK OF 97% IN 2021
DURING THE PANDEMIC TO 90 3% IN
2020 THREE IN PART DUE TO THE
ENDING OF SCHOOL BASED
CONNECTIVITY PROGRAMS. THERE HAS
ALSO BEEN A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE
IN THE SHARE OF Kò 12 HOUSEHOLDS
REPORTING THEIR CHILDREN HAVE A
COMPUTER THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO
SHARE AT HOME FOR SCHOOL USE.
DECLINING FROM, UH FROM 95% IN
2021 TO ABOUT 70% IN 2023. AND
THIS MAINLY IMPACTS LOW INCOME
STUDENTS. ADDITIONAL DATA FROM A
RANDOM SAMPLE OF FAMILIES WHO
ATTENDED ONE OF THE 75 IN PERSON
. A èC P ENROLLMENT EVENTS, THE
èC E Tð F CONDUCTED ACROSS
CALIFORNIA LAST YEAR, WE LEARNED
THAT 75% OF THOSE, UH, SIGNING
UP EARN LESS THAN $40,000 PER
YEAR. 65% OF THE FAMILIES WITH
CHILDREN IN SCHOOL DID NOT OWN A
COMPETING DEVICE. 37% SAID THAT
THEIR CHILDREN'S SCHOOL DID NOT
PROVIDE A DIGITAL DEVICE FOR
EACH STUDENT AND 47. THEIR
CHILDREN'S SCHOOL DID NOT ALLOW
FOR DEVICES TO GO HOME.
UNFORTUNATELY A èC P FACES
UNCERTAIN FOUNDING FUNDING. AS
YOU HAVE HEARD. THIS WILL
REINSTATE AFFORDABILITY AS AN
ISSUE THAT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY
CONTRIBUTE TO THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE. èC E Tð F WILL CONTINUE
WORKING. UM, A, UH COURTS,
MAKING SURE THAT THIS ISSUE IS
ADDRESSED. BY SUPPORTING, UM,
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BACKUP PLAN
TO A èC P IN THE FORM OF TWO
BILLS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UP FOR
CONSIDERATION. ASSEMBLY BILL UH
1588 AND SENATE BILL 1179, WHICH
WILL REQUIRE I S¼ P VENDORS TO
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO
PROVIDE AFFORDABLE OFFERS FOR
QUALIFYING FAMILIES. BUT WE ALSO
NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THE
DIGITAL DIVIDE ALONE OR SOLVING
THE DIGITAL DIVIDE ALONE WILL
NOT SOLVE THE CHALLENGES
CONFRONTING OUR SCHOOLS SERVING
LOW INCOME STUDENTS. THEY NEED A
COMP COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM A
FRAMEWORK OF SUPPORT LIKE WHAT
WE HAVE SEEN IN SCHOOL TO HOME
TO HELP THEM ADOPT AND USE
TECHNOLOGY EFFECTIVE. AND
MAXIMIZE THE IMPACT OF THESE
RESOURCES. THESE ARE SOME
RECOMMENDATIONS. FROM OUR
EXPERIENCE WORKING IN THIS AREA.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THESE
DEVICES AT HOME. COMPUTING
DEVICES, AND WE NEED TO DECLARE
THAT DIGITAL DEVICE FOR STUDENT
IS ESSENTIAL TO LEARNING TODAY
AS ESSENTIAL TO LEARNING TODAY
AS TEXTBOOKS AND REQUIRE THAT
DEVICES PURCHASED WITH PUBLIC
FUNDING CAN BE TAKEN HOME BY
STUDENTS FOLLOWING GUIDELINES
ESTABLISHED BY èC Dð TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF
THESE DEVICES. NEXT RECOMMEND
THAT ALL MIDDLE SCHOOLS SERVING
HIGH NEED STUDENTS PROVIDE
DIGITAL DEVICES TO THEIR
STUDENTS TO USE THAT SCHOOL AND
HOME AND OFFER TRAINING TO
PARENTS ON HOW TO USE TECHNOLOGY
TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN'S
EDUCATION AND RECEIVE
INFORMATION ON AFFORDABLE, UH,
INTERNET SERVICE OFFERS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE. NEXT REQUEST STATE
BOARD OF EDUCATION TO PROVIDE
DISTRICTS WITH INFORMATION ON
WHAT'S WORKING ON GUIDANCE FOR
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY BEST
PRACTICES INTO THEIR LOCAL
CONTROL ACCOUNTABILITY PLANS.
FURTHERMORE UH WE CAN ASK THE
CALIFORNIA COLLABORATIVE FOR
EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE TO
CONVENE LEARNING COMMUNITIES
AMONG INTERESTED HAI DISTRICTS
TO IMPLEMENT, UH, PROGRAMS AND
RESOURCES AND PROMISING
PRACTICES. LIKE WHAT'S BEEN, UH,
DONE IN SCHOOL TO HOME. TO AND
THEN REPORT THE FINDINGS TO
INFORM CAPS OF DISTRICTS WITH
HIGH STUDENTS. AND THEN WE CAN
ALSO URGE THE LEGISLATURE. STATE
SUPERINTENDENT GOVERNOR TO
RECRUIT PHILANTHROPIC
FOUNDATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY
COMPANIES TO FUND THESE
CONVENINGS. UH, FINALLY, WE CAN
LOOK AT UPDATING THE CALIFORNIA
COMMUNITY SCHOOLS PROGRAM TO
REQUIRE GRANTEES TO INCORPORATE
STRATEGIES THAT BEST AND BEST
PRACTICES THAT OPTIMIZE
TECHNOLOGY USED AND HELP
FAMILIES SIGN UP FOR LOW COST
OFFERS, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE
SERVICES AND SUPPORTS CAN BE
DELIVERED ONLINE. AGAIN THANK
YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. WE'RE
COMMITTED TO CLOSING THIS
PERSISTENT GAP. WE REALLY NEED
TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE
MILLIONS THAT WERE SPENT DURING
THE PANDEMIC ON TECHNOLOGY
HARDWARE, CONNECTIVITY SOFTWARE,
EVEN TRAININGS IS FULLY
MAXIMIZED. AND WE BUILD ON THAT
TO ADDRESS A LOT OF THE GAPS
THAT ARE STILL IMPACTING OUR
HIGHEST NEEDS STUDENTS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING CHAIR MAY SUU KYI
STAFF AND GUESTS, UH, I HAVE THE
HONOR OF SERVING AT THE SAN
DIEGO COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION
WHERE OUR WORK IS CENTERED ON
SUPPORTING MORE THAN 550,000, Kò
12 STUDENTS AND STAFF ACROSS THE
COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO. WE'VE JUST
HEARD SOME GREAT STATEWIDE AND
REGIONAL METRICS, AND I
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PROVIDE SOME INSIGHTS AT A LOCAL
LEVEL. SO UH, WE SERVE, UH OVER
470,000 STUDENTS IN 40 THREE
SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND 100 AND 29
CHARTER SCHOOLS. OUR SCHOOLS
SERVE A BEAUTIFULLY DIVERSE SET
OF LEARNERS, WITH THE COUNTY
ITSELF, BEING GEOGRAPHICALLY AND
CULTURALLY DIVERSE. WHAT WE SEE.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE
OVERARCHING, UH, DEMOGRAPHICS
FOR SAN DIEGO COUNTY AND PUTTING
TOGETHER TODAY'S COMMENTS. I
FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE
SHARE THAT THE TECHNOLOGY NEEDS
OF CALIFORNIA STUDENTS AND
INDEED, THE STUDENTS OF SAN
DIEGO COUNTY, UH, ARE DIRECTLY
AFFECTED BY ECONOMICS AND
SOCIOECONOMICS STATUS, AS WE'VE
HEARD FROM OTHER PANEL PANELISTS
EARLIER TODAY. AND TAKING A LOOK
AT THE NUMBERS ON THE SCREEN. WE
KNOW THAT OUR FAMILIES CONTINUE
TO STRUGGLE WITH 51% OF OUR
STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES
CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN THE FREE
AND REDUCED MEALS, UH, PROGRAM
AND RESEARCHERS FROM THE
NONPROFIT SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION
HAVE FOUND THAT SAN DIEGO
COUNTY'S TOTAL POVERTY METRICS
ARE GREATER THAN THOSE OF 93% OF
OTHER COUNTIES IN THE UNITED
STATES. WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING
YOU WOULD COMMONLY THINK WHEN
YOU THINK ABOUT SAN DIEGO
COUNTY. WHILE THESE CHALLENGES
ARE NOT UNIQUE TO SAN DIEGO, UH,
I, I KNOW THAT THESE STATISTICS
AS THEY ARE REALLY KEY TO THE
UNDERLYING CAUSE OF THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
TODAY. SO WHEN THE PANDEMIC
BEGAN IN 2019, WE FOUND THAT ONE
IN FIVE STUDENTS IN SAN DIEGO
LACKED ACCESS TO RELIABLE,
AFFORDABLE BROADBAND
CONNECTIVITY. IT'S STILL
STAGGERING TO THINK THAT, UH, WE
HAD 100,000 STUDENTS LACKING PRO
PROPER CONNECTIVITY AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC.
LOOKING AT THE CONNECTIVITY
PORTION OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE A
BIT CLOSER. WE HAVE LEARNED THAT
THERE ARE AREAS WITH LIMITED OR
NÓ CONNECTIVITY OPTIONS IN SAN
DIEGO COUNTY, AND YET, UH, WE
ALSO HAVE AREAS WHERE
CONNECTIVITY IS AVAILABLE, BUT
IT'S TOO SLOW OR UNRELIABLE, AND
IT MEANS THAT THE CONNECTIVITY
WILL SIMPLY NOT SUPPORT UH,
DIGITAL LEARNING CURRICULUM
PLATFORMS OR ENGAGING ONLINE.
MOST STUDENTS AND FAMILIES MAKE
UP. UH, THIS NUMBER UH AND, IN
FACT, 65,000, APPROXIMATELY FROM
SAN DIEGO'S SOUTHERN REGION, UH,
WHERE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND
CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE A HAVE A
MUCH HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF FREE
AND REDUCED MEAL. UH RECIPIENTS,
ENGLISH LEARNERS, MIGRANT AND
HOMELESS STUDENTS. WE HAVE A
DISTRICT IN SOUTH COUNTY WITH
25% OF THE STUDENTS ARE
HOMELESS. MY OFFICE, AS WITH
OTHER COUNTY OFFICES OF
EDUCATION ACROSS THE STATE HAVE
FACED A RANGE OF TECHNOLOGY
NEEDS AT THE START OF THE
PANDEMIC WITH SOME OF THOSE, UH,
REMAINING TO THIS VERY DAY. AND
THE NOTES PROVIDED TO THE
COMMITTEE. I'VE OUTLINED A FEW
WAYS WE INITIALLY RAMPED UP
EFFORTS TO CLOSE THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE SAN DIEGO COUNTY FROM
COORDINATING A WIDE ARRAY OF
DONATIONS TO DIRECT TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE, SUCH AS ENSURING THE
MANY THOUSANDS OF WI FI HOTSPOTS
THAT WERE BEING GIVEN OUT TO
STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE
SAFE. UH TO LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY
TO PROCUREMENT ASSISTANCE. UH,
DURING A TIME, YOU MIGHT
REMEMBER WHERE SUPPLY CHAIN WERE
WERE RADICALLY DISRUPTED AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC.
THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL NOTES
PROVIDED BUT I WANT TO MOVE ON
TO TAKING A LOOK AT, UH, THE
FACT THAT WHILE STS HAVE BEEN
MADE, THERE IS A STILL A NUMBER
OF OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD AS
FUNDING RUN RUNS OUT AND, UH, WE
ARE FACING, UH, CHALLENGING
FINANCIAL TIMES AHEAD. THIS THE
SIGNIFICANT STRIDES MADE DURING
THE PANDEMIC ARE EVIDENT, UH,
WITH NOW OVER 90% OF SAN DIEGO
COUNTY STUDENTS HAVING ACCESS TO
MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICES AND THE
NUMBER OF STUDENTS AND FAMILIES
NOT HAVING BROADBAND DROPPING BY
APPROXIMATELY 50. WELL WE COULD
DELVE MORE DEEPLY INTO THE
DISCUSSION OF STUDENT NEEDS
TECHNOLOGY AND OTHERWISE, UH,
I'D LIKE TO CONCLUDE TODAY'S
COMMENTS WITH VERY BRIEF LOOK AT
THE AT THE ROAD AHEAD. SO AS WE
LOOK, FORWARD, Kò 12 STUDENTS,
STAFF AND FAMILIES FACE A WIDE
ARRAY OF OPPORTUNITIES AND
OBSTACLES. UH IN OUR SCHOOLS,
UH, WE COMMONLY UTILIZE AN
ASSETS BASED APPROACH, UH, WITH
OUR STUDENTS, FOCUSING ON
STRENGTHS AND OPPORTUNITIES, SO
AS AN EDUCATOR, I'M GONNA TAKE
THAT TACK THIS MORNING AND START
WITH THE POSITIVES AND THE
ASSETS FOR THE ADULTS IN THE
ROOM, UH, AND TALKING ABOUT THE
BROADBAND FOR ALL INITIATIVE,
WHICH IS A TRANSFORMATIVE
INITIATIVE, UH, FOR OUR STATE
AND MOSTLY FOR OUR STUDENTS, UH,
IT IT WILL EMPOWER Kò 12
STUDENTS AND FAMILIES UP AND
DOWN THE STATE. I HAVE THE HONOR
OF SERVING ON THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS FOR SCENIC, WHICH IS
THE THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR.
UH UH, TASKED WITH A DESIGN,
CONSTRUCTION AND ACQUISITION OF
THE MIDDLE MILE NETWORK
INFRASTRUCTURE. UH, THAT'S
CRITICAL TO REACHING,
PARTICULARLY THE RURAL UNSERVED
AREAS OF OUR STATE, SUCH AS OUR
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES. THIS WORK IS
STILL IN PROGRESS, BUT HAS THE
BIGGEST POTENTIAL TO ERASE
CONNECTIVITY INEQUITIES. THAT
WOULD BE A PROFOUND CHANGE IN
OUR STATE. THE SECOND ITEM IS
MORE SPECIFIC. Kò 12. THE
LEADERS OF OUR STATE HAVE LONG
HELD THAT EDUCATION MUST BE A
BUDGET PRIORITY AND AN AREA OF
CONSISTENT ANALYSIS AND CONSTANT
ANALYSIS AND IMPROVEMENT.
LEGISLATORS COMMITTEES LIKE THIS
ONE, AS WELL AS STATE AGENCY AND
PRIVATE PARTNERS HAVE ALL
RALLIED AROUND THE IMPORTANT
TOPIC OF Kò 12 EDUCATION. SO,
SPEAKING OF THE RECOGNIZING THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE Kò 12 SECTOR,
EVEN OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS ARE
STARTING TO TAKE NOTICE, AND IN
FACT, AS WE WORK WITH THEM ON
CYBER SECURITY ISSUES AND
OTHERS, UH, THERE'S A GREAT
QUOTE THAT I GOT FROM THE
DIRECTOR. UH DIRECTOR EASTERLY
FROM, UH FROM SISA, THE UNITED
STATES CYBER SECURITY
INFRASTRUCTURE AGENCY WHERE THEY
HAD POSTED. THERE IS QUOTE THERE
IS NÓ MORE IMPORTANT INSTITUTION
TO THE FUTURE PROSPERITY AND
STRENGTH OF THE UNITED STATES
THAT OUR NATION'S Kò 12
EDUCATION SYSTEM. I THINK
EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM WOULD
PROBABLY AGREE. AGREE WITH THAT
QUOTE. I WILL KEEP, UH, THE
FEDERAL FOCUS. UH, KEEP WITH THE
FEDERAL FOCUS FOR JUST A MOMENT.
UH, AS, UH, COLLEAGUES HERE.
PANELISTS UH, MENTIONED ABOUT
THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY
PROGRAM. UM THIS IS A REALLY
POWERFUL PROGRAM THAT IS
POSITIVELY IMPACTING. UH,
STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES, UH,
NATIONALLY ACROSS OUR STATE AND
IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY. AND SO IN
SAN DIEGO JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME
MORE SPECIFICS. YOU HEARD SOME
OVERARCHING NUMBERS FOR THE
STATE AND THE NATION. BUT JUST
TAKING A LOOK AT THE GRAPHIC
THERE. WE HAVE 227,000 FAMILIES
THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR AND HAVE
SIGNED UP FOR IN RECEIVING, UH,
REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE A èC P.
THINK ABOUT THE NEGATIVE IMPACT
OF PULLING A èC P FUNDING FROM
THESE FAMILIES AND HOW IT WILL
EXPAND. THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
AGAIN UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS
A FEDERAL PROGRAM, BUT THE
REPERCUSSIONS FOR US HERE IN
CALIFORNIA ARE GOING TO BE VERY
REAL. UNFORTUNATELY. THE LAST
TOPIC. I BELIEVE THE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS WILL BE SEEING AND
HEARING MORE ABOUT WHEN WE'RE
THINKING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY,
STUDENT INEQUITY AND ACCESS IS
CYBER SECURITY AND DIGITAL PRIV
PRIVACY ISSUES AS WELL AS A I
AND QUANTUM COMPUTING. ON THE
CYBER SECURITY FRONT. VERY
BRIEFLY, UH, THESE THREATS ARE
INCREASING AND EVOLVING AT AN
ALARMING RATE AND ARE IMPACTING
LE A S¼, UH, WITH THE LEAST
RESOURCES THE MOST THOSE THAT
HAVE THE LEAST ARE FIND IT MOST
DIFFICULT TO RECOVER FROM
ATTACKS OR TO RESPOND TO THEM OR
TO PREVENT THEM IN THE FIRST
PLACE. A 12 IS UNDER RESOURCE
FOR THIS CHALLENGE. UH, LACKING
INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING AND
EXPERTISE. UH, IN THE LAST, UH,
ELEMENT AND NOT TO BE REPEATING
WHAT WHAT'S BEEN SAID MULTIPLE
TIMES TODAY. BUT UH, IS THE
STAFFING ELEMENT AND, UH,
TEACHERS ARE VERY MUCH SHOULD BE
AT THE CENTER OF ALL OF THESE
CONVERSATIONS. UH, BUT WE KNOW
THAT THE WORKFORCE ACROSS THE
STATE IS INCREDIBLY DIVERSE
ITSELF. UH IN AN INDIVIDUAL
SCHOOL DISTRICT. THERE'S
HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT ROLES, UH,
THAT THAT ARE SERVED ON BOTH
CERTIFICATED AND CLASSIFIED
FRONTS. AND UH, WHEN IT COMES TO
TECHNOLOGY, WE HAVE BEEN WELL
BEHIND THE GAME. SO IT WAS SAID
EARLIER THAT IF YOU SERVE KIDS
YOU MAKE LESS. UH, THAT IS
ABUNDANTLY CLEAR. IF YOU ARE A
TECHNOLOGY WORKER IN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA, WANTING TO SERVE
THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AND
COMMUNITIES, UH AROUND Kò 12 I,
IN FACT, TODAY MICROSOFT IS
SAYING AS WE SIT HERE, THERE ARE
THREE 0.5 MILLION CYBER SECURITY
JOBS UNFILLED GLOBALLY. AND SO
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT LONG
QUEUE OF WHO NEEDS THE THIS
EXPERTISE THESE FOLKS TO HELP
PROTECT KIDS? UH, SENSITIVE DATA
, UH, AND SUPPORT THEIR THEIR
ONGOING PRIVACY. UH, WE'RE AT
THE BACK OF THE QUEUE.
THANKFULLY WE'VE HAD SOME
LIMITED FEDERAL RESOURCES COMING
ONLINE. UH, WE'VE GOT LOCAL
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE HERE WE HAVE
A ORGANIZATION CALLED CALIFORNIA
I Tð AND EDUCATION. UH, THAT
REALLY EMPOWERS. I Tð STAFF
MEMBERS TO WORK TOGETHER TO
COLLABORATE TRADING RESOURCES SO
THAT WE CAN DO THE BEST WE CAN,
WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE
CURRENTLY HAVE AS FAR AS
STAFFING IN THE STATE. UH, BUT
ULTIMATELY THERE'S A LOT OF WORK
TO DO ON MANY OF THESE FRONTS
AND AS WE CONNECT MORE STUDENTS
AND THEIR FAMILIES, WE WANNA
MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALSO
AFFORDING THE TRAINING, DIGITAL
CITIZENSHIP AWARENESS AND
PROTECTIONS AGAINST EVOLVING AND
ESCALATING CYBER SECURITY
THREATS. SO UH, ULTIMATELY MY
COUNTY IS THANKFUL FOR THE
RESOURCES AND SUPPORT OF THIS
COMMITTEE AND ALL THOSE, UH,
WORKING TO SERVE Kò 12 STUDENTS
STAFF AND Kò 12 COMMUNITIES HERE
IN CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH TO ALL THREE OF OUR
PANELISTS, UM AND SAY, UM. HAVE
A MONOPOLY ON ON ON THE MIC IN
TERMS OF QUESTIONS AT THIS
POINT. UH UH, I I'M GONNA UM
BOUNCE AROUND, UM. UH, AMONG OUR
THREE PANELISTS AND, UH
APPRECIATE YOUR INSIGHTS. UH, SO
STARTING WITH, UH UM WITH, UH MR
LOFTUS. UM. YOU YOU YOU TALKED
ABOUT, UM, THE BROADBAND FOR ALL
INITIATIVE, UH, AS AS HAVING THE
BIGGEST POTENTIAL TO ERASE
CONNECTIVITY IN EQUITIES. UM
COULD YOU UM EXPAND ON THAT.
ABSOLUTELY SO. THE. THE MONEY
SET ASIDE BY THE LEGISLATURE,
THE GOVERNOR, UH, AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC,
REALLY, UH, HAD AN AIM, OF
COURSE OF CONNECTING ALL
CITIZENS, AND SO, UH, AS THE
METRICS HAVE SHOWN BOTH AT A
LOCAL LEVEL AND ALSO STATEWIDE,
UH, THE THOSE MOST IMPACTED BY
LIFE. HIGHLIGHTS. THANK YOU.
HERE AND THEY'RE ALL WOMEN
FOCUS. SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE HAVING
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES ALL BLACK
PRINT MAKERS FROM THE BAY AREA.
WHAT'S UP? UM, AND THEN IT LOOPS
THROUGH THIS GALAXY. NOTHING IN
THERE THAT OF RELEVANCE TO THIS.
THEN IT COMES INTO OUR UNITY
CENTER THROUGH THE BACK END OF
IT. AND YOU.
OH, LOOKS LIKE OUR WE'RE BACK
UP. WITH. NÓ INDICATION OF A
CYBER ATTACK A Tð THIS MOMENT?
YEAH. ALL RIGHT. I PROMISE. MY
COMMENTS WERE NOT FORESHADOWING.
OR THAT WASN'T UH, THAT WASN'T
STAGED. RIGHT THAT WASN'T PART
OF YOUR PRESENTATION. IT WAS
NOT. IT WAS NOT. UM UH, BUT TO
RETURN TO YOUR QUESTION, UH,
CHAIR, UH, THE BROADBAND FOR ALL
INITIATIVE. NÓ A VIDEO.
OK? ALRIGHT, BUT. THANK YOU. ALL
RIGHT. YOU WERE HIGHLIGHTING THE
VALUE OF YOUR YOUR JOB, SIR. SO
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE
BACK ON. AND, UH UM YES. THANK
YOU, UH, WHERE THE PUBLIC'S
PATIENCE WE HAD SOME IT
DIFFICULTIES WHICH HIGHLIGHTS
THE, UH THE EXACT POINT THAT MR
LOFTUS WAS MAKING ABOUT, UH, THE
NEED FOR, UH OR I Tð WORKFORCE,
ESPECIALLY FOR OUR Kò 12. UH, LE
A ARE ARE ARE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL.
AGENCIES AND, UM. AND SO WE WERE
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF, UH, MR
LOFTUS. UH, UH, FROM, UH, SAN
SAN DIEGO COUNTY TALKING ABOUT,
UH, THE BROADBAND, UH, FOR ALL
INITIATIVE AND HOW THIS UH UH,
HAS POTENTIALLY HAS THE, UH THE
BIGGEST, UM, MAY HAVE THE
BIGGEST IMPACT TO, UH, ADDRESS
CONNECTIVITY IN EQUITIES. PLEASE
PROCEED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
AGAIN. UH, YES, THE BROADBAND
FOR ALL. UH JUST SIMPLY PUT IS
I. I THINK DISPROPORTIONATELY
BENEFICIAL, UH, IN A GOOD WAY TO
THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES OF
CALIFORNIA. SO SPEAKING, UH UH,
ON THE SPECIFIC BENEFIT, I'LL
I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT SAN DIEGO. IS THAT AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC? UH,
IT WAS, UH, IN ALL HANDS ON DECK
TO GET STUDENTS AND FAMILIES
CONNECTED. THAT WAS DONE AS YOU
KNOW, PREDOMINANTLY THROUGH
MOBILE WI FI HOTSPOTS. UH WE
PARTNERED WITH, UH, WITH VAT AND
STARLIN. TO INSTALL SATELLITE,
UH, CONNECTIVITY AND SOME OF OUR
MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS AND DESERT
AREAS. UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE AREAS
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, WHICH IN
THIS DAY AND AGE DON'T EVEN HAVE
CELLULAR COVERAGE. AND SO THAT'S
HARD FOR A LOT OF FOLKS TO
REALIZE THAT LIVE IN IN IN IN
PLACES THAT DO HAVE, UH, GOOD
COVERAGE. UH, SO THE SOLUTIONS
IN MANY CASES, UH, BRIDGED THE
GAP, BUT THEY WERE VERY MUCH
THAT IT WAS A IT WAS A VERY MUCH
A TEMPORARY SOLUTION, AND WHAT
WE NEED IS SOLID INFRASTRUCTURE.
PARTICULARLY FIBER, UH, OUT TO
RURAL AREAS AND TO REACH THESE
UNDERSERVED, UH OR UNSERVED
POPULATIONS THAT JUST CAME TO
LIGHT DURING THE PANDEMIC, BUT
EXISTED WELL BEFORE THE PANDEMIC
ITSELF, SO IT VERY MUCH, UH, THE
BROADBAND, FOR ALL HAS HAS, UH,
AS A RESULT OF THE SPOTLIGHT
BEING SHOWN, UH, ON THIS BROADER
, UH, SET OF INEQUITIES, UH, THE
BROADBAND FOR ALL. UH, WE'RE
VERY, VERY HOPEFUL THAT, UH, IN
IN IN, UH, SOME YEARS AHEAD.
WE'RE GONNA BE A MUCH BETTER
PLACE TO PROVIDE BROADBAND SO
AGAIN BROADBAND THAT DEFINITION
OF SOMETHING THAT'S HIGH SPEED.
IT'S RELIABLE. IT'S CONSISTENT,
UH AND IT'S AFFORDABLE. UH,
WHICH, OF COURSE, IS A KEY
ELEMENT AS WELL. AND SO FOR THE,
UH, THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT TO
COULD COULD YOU TALK ABOUT, UM
YOU KNOW, THE BASIC, UH
PARAMETERS OF THE BROADBAND FOR
ALL INITIATIVE AS IT RELATES TO
I MEAN, YOU YOU MENTIONED BY A
S¼ AND STARLINK. I MEAN, IT'S
NOT SATELLITE, RIGHT? IT'S
LAYING. ARE CHARACTERS. CORRECT
THOSE WERE YOUR SPOT ON THAT
THOSE WERE THE TEMPORARY FIXES.
IF YOU WILL. THE LONG TERM FIX
IS ACTUAL INFRASTRUCTURE SO
FIBER AT ITS KIND OF SIMPLEST
DESCRIPTION, UH, BEING RUN
TRENCHED A CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE, AND THERE
ARE MULTIPLE COMPONENTS. I CAN
SPEAK MOST TO THE WHAT'S KNOWN
AS THE MIDDLE MILE BROADBAND
INITIATIVE. UH, BECAUSE THAT IS,
UH, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE
CONNECTIVITY OF OUR CITIZENS OF
OUR STUDENTS, WE'RE REALLY KIND
OF DIVIDING IT UP INTO THREE
SIMPLE BUCKETS. ONE IS THAT THAT
ORIGIN OR FIRST MILE THE MIDDLE
MILE AND THEN WHAT'S KNOWN AS
THE LAST MILE, SO THE MIDDLE
MILE ITSELF WAS OUR BIGGEST AREA
OF OPPORTUNITY IN THE STATE,
WHICH IS AGAIN THERE ARE PARTS
OF THE STATE THAT SIMPLY HAS NÓ
CONNECTIVITY. AND IT'S NOT
BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE, UH,
VENDORS AND COMPANIES THAT ARE
INTERESTED IN PROVIDING IT. IT
JUST DIDN'T MAKE ECONOMIC SENSE
FOR THEM TO DO THIS, UH, THE
THESE LARGE, COSTLY PROJECTS TO
AREAS WITH SMALL POPULATIONS AND
SO THE MIDDLE MILE BROADBAND
INITIATIVE. SPECIFICALLY AS A
COMPONENT OF THE BROADER UH UH,
BROADBAND FOR ALL, UH,
INITIATIVE IS REALLY FOCUSED ON
THAT PIECE. UH TO, UH, PROVIDE,
UH, NOT ONLY CONNECTIVITY BUT
ALSO ECONOMIC INCENTIVE TO SOME
OF THOSE PRIVATE PARTNERS THAT
MIGHT BE ABLE TO COME IN AND
PARTNER WITH THE STATE. AND SO
THAT, UM, BUT IT IT, UM, IS IT
ACCURATE TO SAY THAT THAT WOULD,
UH UH, MAKE THE BIGGEST
DIFFERENCE FOR RURAL
COMMUNITIES. YES I THINK THAT'S
A THAT. THAT'S AN APT STATEMENT.
UH I. I THINK THERE'S BENEFITS
TO ALL. UH, I THINK THERE'S
BENEFITS. UH, AGAIN, UH, THERE'S
MANY PLACES WHERE THERE ARE AN
OFFERING OF CONNECTIVITY. LET'S
SAY CELLULAR. UH BUT MAYBE YOU
ONLY HAVE ONE PROVIDER AND
THERE'S NÓ CHOICE. UH AND COSTS
ARE VERY HIGH. UH AND SO
BROADBAND, EVEN IN AREAS THAT
TECHNICALLY HAVE SOME
CONNECTIVITY NOW WE'LL ALSO SEE
BENEFITS. OK, SO, UM BUT BUT
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH UM,
THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. CHALLENGES
AND, UH URBAN AND SUBURBAN
COMMUNITIES. UH, WHERE WE'RE
WE'RE TALKING. UH, PRIMARILY UM,
II, I GUESS, I. I WOULD ADDRESS
THIS TO, UH, ANY OR ALL OF THE,
UH, THE PANELISTS ARE. WE'RE
WE'RE WE'RE TALKING PRIMARILY
THE AFFORDABILITY OF. OF UH,
RELIABLE INTERNET ACCESS. UH,
THE AVAILABILITY OF THE DEVICES.
AND THE DIGITAL LITERACY. OF THE
. NOT ONLY OF THE STUDENTS BUT
THE PARENTS, THE FAMILIES IS
THAT AN ACCURATE? UH SUMMARY
DEFINITELY AND THE, UM AND I
THINK THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE
IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT
THERE'S A GAME PLAN OR WHEN A
èC P CEASES TO EXIST. RIGHT SO
AT THIS POINT, UH, LIKE I
MENTIONED èC, BECAUSE BECAUSE
YOU PULL YOUR MICROPHONE. YEAH,
SURE. SURE UM SO MAKING SURE
THAT WE HAVE A GAME PLAN FOR
WHEN A èC P CEASES TO EXIST, OR
, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY èC E
Tð F HAS REALLY BEEN FOCUSED ON
THESE TWO BILLS. THE UH, A B
1588 AND S¼ B 1179 BECAUSE THERE
ARE, UH AFFORDABLE OFFERS
AVAILABLE FROM I S¼ P S¼, BUT WE
JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT P
S¼, UM MAKE THEM AVAILABLE AND
LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT THIS IS
AN OPTION. SO THAT'S SORT OF A
SECOND. NEXT BEST, UH, SCENARIO
FOR OUR HIGHEST NEED FAMILIES
AND THEN THE DEVICE, AT LEAST
FOR FAMILIES THAT HAVE THE UH
UH, CHILDREN THAT ARE IN SCHOOL,
MAKING IT SO THAT IT'S EASIER OR
MORE LIKELY THAT THOSE DEVICES
WOULD GO HOME WITH SOME KIND OF
TRAINING AND DIGITAL LITERACY.
UH, IS IMPORTANT. AND I THINK
WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT THE BIG
CARROT FOR PARENTS TO
PARTICIPATE WHEN PARENTS IT'S
SOMETIMES IS CHALLENGING FOR
PARENTS TO COME TO THE SCHOOL
PARTICIPATE IN TRAINING. BUT ONE
DAY KNOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA
LEARN HOW TO SUPPORT THEIR
CHILDREN WHEN THEY KNOW THAT
THEY'RE GONNA LEARN HOW TO
MONITOR GRADES THAT THEY CAN
COMMUNICATE WITH PARENTS THAT
THEY CAN USE ANY OF THE PROGRAMS
THAT WE'RE SPENDING SO MUCH
MONEY ON, UH, YOU KNOW, GREAT,
ADAPTIVE LEARNING PROGRAMS THAT
MAKES IT MORE LIKELY THAT
THEY'RE GOING TO PARTICIPATE AND
, YOU KNOW, BECOME MORE FAMILIAR
ON HOW TO USE THE DEVICE OR HOW
TO MONITOR THEIR KIDS USING THIS
DEVICES, SO IT'S A COMBINATION
OF SOME OF THOSE, UH, STRATEGIES
MMHM. AND SO. UH, ON ON ON THAT
LAST POINT ABOUT THE COULD YOU
GIVE EXAMPLES OF LIKE, YOU KNOW
WHAT ARE THE MOST? UH, IN IN
IMPORTANT, UM UH, YOU KNOW,
LESSONS OR OR KNOWLEDGE THAT
NEEDS TO BE, UH, PASSED ON TO
FAMILIES TO SUPPORT THE OVERALL
DIGITAL LITERACY. IN ORDER TO,
UH. AS A DIGITAL. I THINK IT
JUST NEEDS TO BE COMMUNICATED
THAT, UM BY SCHOOLS, AND I KNOW
THAT THEY THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF
WORK ON SETTING UP THAT.
WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT, ALBEIT
MORE PARENT FRIENDLY AND SORT OF
A SPECIFIC DRAW FOR PARENTS IS,
UM, THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS
ACCESS. BUT TO REALLY DO IT IN A
WAY THAT UNDERSCORES WHAT
THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO,
BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY MAY NOT
KNOW WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW. SO IF
THEY, UH IF THEY MAKE IT CLEAR
THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO USE
MAKE BETTER USE OF THESE PORTALS
. A LOT OF THE PORTALS THAT WE
SEE ARE NOT, UH, FULLY
SUBSCRIBED, RIGHT? AND THEY'RE
THERE'S LOTS OF GREAT
INFORMATION. AND UM, AND THESE
PORTALS AND, UH, SOFTWARE THAT
AGAIN COULD HAVE HIGHER RATES OF
USE. IF YOU, UH IT'LL SCHOOL BY
SCHOOL. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU
DON'T REALLY HAVE AS MANY
STUDENTS THAT REALLY NEED TO
ACCESS THESE PROGRAMS, SO THE
MORE PARENTS UNDERSTAND THAT
THEY'RE GOING TO LEARN HOW TO
USE THAT. AND THEN IF THEY DO,
THEIR CHILDREN ARE GONNA DO
BETTER. UM IT JUST COMES DOWN TO
THE COMMUNICATION AND KIND OF
SETTING UP THE ENVIRONMENT THAT
INVITES PARENTS TO BE PART OF
THAT PROCESS. OK, SO FOR
EXAMPLE, LIKE I KNOW, UH. AS A
PARENT WHEN I'M LOOKING AT MY
DAUGHTER'S RECORDS, I MEAN, YOU
KNOW, I. I WE USE A IN OUR
SCHOOL DISTRICT, I. I DON'T KNOW
IF THAT'S A COMMON UH UH. UM
PLATFORM, BUT, UH. IT'S THINGS
LIKE ACCESSING GRADES, ACCESSING
CLASSROOM SCHEDULES.
COMMUNICATING WITH SCHOOL STAFF.
THEY THO THOSE A RE èC THAT
THEY THAT KIND OF PRACTICAL
THINGS THAT YOU WANNA MAKE SURE
THAT ALL FAMILIES I, I DO WANNA
SAY AS A PARENT OF TWO DAUGHTERS
AND MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL. I UM
, REGULARLY LEARNING OF THE NEW
FUNCTIONALITIES THAT, UM, YOU
KNOW, YOU CAN GO DEEPER IN TERMS
OF RESOURCES AND THINGS LIKE
THAT. SO IT'S ALWAYS, UH,
HELPFUL TO GET AS MUCH OF THAT
ON THE FRONT END. OK? I. I WOULD
JUST SIMPLY ADD THAT Kò 12 IS
UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO HELP
FAMILIES, UH AND CONNECT WITH
THEM AS FAR AS UH, SHARING
INFORMATION ON AVAILABLE DIGITAL
CURRICULUM, BECAUSE IT'S ALL OF
THOSE THINGS, THE GRADES BEING
ABLE TO INTERACT WITH YOUR
SCHOOL INTERACT WITH PARENT
TEACHER INTERACTIONS, EMAIL AND
OTHERWISE, UH, BUT IT'S A WIDE
ARRAY OF, UH OF OTHER, UH,
AWARENESS. UH, DIGITAL
CITIZENSHIP THAT STUDENTS
WORKING ONLINE ARE PROPERLY
CITING WORK. UH UH, THERE'S A
WHOLE BROAD, UH, BRUSH WHEN WE
THINK ABOUT DIGITAL CURRICULUM,
AND SO Kò 12 SCHOOLS ARE
UNIQUELY POSITIONED AND WE FOUND
WHEN WE LOOKED AT THOSE A èC P
NUMBERS BEING SO HIGH FOR SAN
DIEGO COUNTY, ONE OF THE HIGHEST
IN THE STATE WAS BECAUSE IT WAS
Kò 12, BRINGING THAT MESSAGE
HOME TO FAMILIES BACKPACKING
HOME, A FLYER SAYING, HEY,
THERE'S THIS NEW PROGRAM THAT A
èC P THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE TO
YOU, UH, WORKING WITH OUR
PARTNERS, UH, COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS, FAITH BASED
ORGANIZATIONS, UH, BUT HAVING A
TRUSTED SOURCE LIKE Kò 12 IS
VERY POWERFUL ON A LOT OF
FRONTS. PARTICULARLY IN THIS
INITIATIVE TO RAISE AWARENESS
ABOUT, UH, BROADBAND
CONNECTIVITY. BUT UH, I. I
RECEIVED A NOTE SAYING THAT I WE
SHOULD WRAP UP TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE HAVE ENOUGH FOR, UH, TIME FOR
PUBLIC COMMENTS. BUT IIII I HAVE
SO MANY QUESTIONS. I, I I'M I'M
GONNA, UH UH, PUSH BACK A LITTLE
BIT AND ASK, UH UM I MEAN, I. I
SO. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A LOT
OF EMPHASIS ON THE A èC P
PROGRAM, BUT THE A èC P PROGRAM
I AM I CORRECT IN UNDERSTANDING
THAT THAT BASICALLY PROVIDES
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN ORDER
TO, UH, ACCESS THE PRIVATE FOR
PROFIT INTERNET SERVICE
PROVIDERS SERVICES. AND IT'S A
SUBSIDY FOR $30 A MONTH. OKAY
AND 70 FOR OUR TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES. AND I REMEMBER
WHEN, WHEN I WAS, UH UH, WORKING
, UH, WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO, UH
UM, ON A. PUBLIC BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE. BOND. UM THAT,
UH. THERE IS A LOT OF DISCUSSION
ABOUT. YOU KNOW THE PROS AND
CONS OF A PUBLIC BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE VERSUS THE
PRIVATE, BUT I MEAN IT. BOTTOM
LINE, YOU KNOW IS ARE ARE ARE WE
STILL SO FAR AWAY FROM BEING
ABLE TO BUILD. UH, A PUBLIC
BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT
YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO
RELY ON. PROVIDING SUBSIDIES SO
THAT WE CAN PROVIDE MORE
CUSTOMERS FOR THESE FOR PROFIT
INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS. I. I
THINK SHORT ANSWER WOULD BE IS
THAT COULD YOU? COULD YOU? UH,
S¼ SPEAKING. I THINK THAT A èC
P HAS GONE AWAY NOW. RIGHT, SO
THERE'S THIS IS SORT OF THE MOST
IMMEDIATE, IMMEDIATE AND YOU
KNOW, REALLY? MOTIVATING I S¼ P
S¼ TO HAVE A REALLY AFFORDABLE
OFFER. YOU KNOW AS MUCH AS THE
STATE CAN, UH, WILL REALLY HELP
FOR NOW. UH, WELL, YOU KNOW,
THERE MIGHT BE OTHER
OPPORTUNITIES. OK, ALL RIGHT.
POINT WON'T WE? YES. ONE MORE
THING. I THINK IN THE STATE, YOU
KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THE
BROADBAND FOR ALL INITIATIVE.
WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING A LOT OF
COUNTIES ARE ACTUALLY STARTING
TO BUILD, YOU KNOW, A PUBLIC,
UH, COMMUNITY OWNED WI FI
NETWORK. SO COUNTIES LIKE SANTA
CLARA AND ALSO, UH AND ALSO NAPA
VALLEY ARE ALSO CONSIDERING YOU
KNOW, SOME KIND OF PUBLIC
INFRASTRUCTURE TO GET TO YOUR
POINT ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
AFFORDABILITY, UH, IN THE U S¼
AVERAGE BROADBAND COSTS ABOUT
$68. SO THE A èC P, YOU KNOW
HELPS, BUT IN A LOT OF COASTAL
AREAS IT JUST REALLY A DROP IN
THE BUCKET. SO WHICH YOU KNOW,
WHICH WAS ONE OF THE REASONS
WHERE, UH, WHY THE A èC P TAKE
UP RATE HAS NOT BEEN AS HIGH AS
WE'VE HOPED. SO I THINK YOU KNOW
RIGHT NOW WITH THE FEDERAL AND
ALSO THE STATE, YOU KNOW
INVESTMENTS. WE HAVE A REALLY
GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING A LOT
OF THE VERY INNOVATIVE, UM
PUBLIC PUBLIC PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIPS GOING ON ACROSS THE
STATE AS WELL. AND YOU
HIGHLIGHTED, MISS GAO? UM FOR
EXAMPLE, IMPERIAL COUNTY. UM SO
THEY HAVE AJ, UH, JOINT POWER
AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH A FIBER
OPTIC NETWORK SERVING OVER 100
20 LE, A S¼ THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTY THAT NOT ONLY PROVIDES
THE INTERNET ACCESS AT THE
SCHOOL SITES, BUT IT DOES THE
DOES IT ALSO, UM, PROVIDE
INTERNET ACCESS, YOU KNOW, IN
THE VICINITY OF SCHOOL SITES FOR
STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, YES,
CORRECT. IT ALSO PROVIDES
INTERNET ACCESS FOR STUDENTS AT
HOME. SO WHEN YOU KNOW WHEN THE
WHEN THE PANDEMIC BEN, YOU KNOW,
THE COUNTY WAS ACTUALLY IN A
REALLY GOOD POSITION TO PIVOT
INTO DISTANCE LEARNING. AND YOU
KNOW, THE Dð P A WAS
ESTABLISHED, YOU KNOW, MANY
YEARS AGO, EVEN BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC, SO THERE HAS BEEN SOME
VERY INNOVATIVE LOCAL PRACTICES
OUT THERE, AND IT OFFERS A LOT
OF GOOD A LESSON AND ALSO SOME,
UH, PRACTICES. GOOD PRACTICE.
YOU KNOW, BEST PRACTICES FOR US
TO, YOU KNOW, SKILL THOSE UP
ACROSS THE STATE. IF I MIGHT
JUST ADD THAT ONE WORD OF
CAUTION TO THAT, THOUGH THE
REALITY IS THE VAST UH UH,
MAJORITY OF OUR LE, A S¼ RECEIVE
WHAT'S KNOWN AS THE E RATE
FUNDS. UH AND SO, UH, THAT DOES
NOT ALLOW FOR PROVIDING INTERNET
ACCESS ANYWHERE OUTSIDE OF THE
SCHOOL GROUNDS. AND SO, YES,
INNOVATIVE PROJECTS ARE
HAPPENING, BUT WE'RE HAVING TO
BE CLEVER AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL
AND DISTRICT LEVEL AND COUNTY
LEVEL AS TO HOW WE'RE DIVIDING
THOSE UP BECAUSE IF I'M A SCHOOL
DISTRICT, AND I HAVE, UH, 80% OF
MY INTERNET CONNECTIVITY COSTS
SUBSID. IS BY THE FEDERAL ERE
PROGRAM. I DO NOT WANT TO LOSE
THAT AS A RESULT OF PROVIDING
CONNECTIVITY OUTSIDE THE BOUNDS
OF E, RIGHT? AND SO THE F èC
èC, UH, AND CHAIR WOMEN, ROSA
MORAL IS WORKING ON. HOW ARE WE
RELAXING THOSE OR EXPANDING
THOSE, UH, IN IN THE YEARS
AHEAD. I THINK THAT'S A MUCH
BROADER SOLUTION TO SOME OF
THESE, UH BUT RIGHT NOW, JUST TO
FOR THE COMMITTEE TO BE AWARE
THERE ARE SOME CONSTRAINTS THAT
LE A S¼ ARE WORKING WITH THAT
THEY DON'T WANT TO HARM
THEMSELVES FROM THE SERVICES
THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING BY. TO
EXPAND IT, AND IN FACT, WE HAD
SOME ISSUES WITH WITH E RATE
WHEN IT CAME TO THE DISTRIBUTION
OF HOTSPOTS NOT BEING COVERED,
UH, BY THE FEDERAL E RATE
REIMBURSEMENT PLAN, SO II, I
WOULD ADD THAT AS A JUST A
CURRENT REALITY. UM, YES. THANK
YOU FOR THAT, UH, REALITY.
CHECK. HOW HOW DOES ER COUNTY
DEAL WITH THAT? YOU KNOW? UH, SO
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE COUNTY
ACTUALLY IS DRAWING MONEY FROM
MULTIPLE SOURCES. SO E RATE IS A
CHALLENGE FOR A LOT OF THE
DISTRICTS. BUT AS UH, AS MY
COLLEAGUE MENTIONED, F èC èC
IS LOOKING INTO A POSSIBLE
SOLUTION. AND THEN THE OTHER, UM
, THE OTHER CHALLENGES THAT A
LOT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT YOU
KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, DURING
THE PANDEMIC, MANY SCHOOL
DISTRICTS ACTUALLY HAVE TO TAKE,
YOU KNOW, STEP UP, UH, AND ACT
AS A ROLE OF I S¼ P PROVIDER,
WHICH HAS NOT BEEN THE
TRADITIONAL RULE THAT, UM MANY
DOES HAVE TAKEN SO I'VE SEEN
SOME DISTRICTS ARE STARTING TO
WONDER. IS THAT A ROLE REALLY
FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PLAY AND
, UH WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
IMPLICATIONS? YOU KNOW, FOR
MANY, FOR MANY, UM, PERSPECTIVES
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING A SCHOOL
DISTRICT SERVING AS AN INTERNET
SERVICE PROVIDER. OK SO WHAT I'M
HEARING UM YOU SAYING MISS GAL
B¢O BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THERE
ARE WAYS TO GET AROUND. UH THE
CURRENT, UH, E RATE. UH,
RESTRICTIONS. IN ORDER TO
PROVIDE PUBLIC. AFFORDABLE
RELIABLE INTERNET ACCESS NOT
ONLY AT THE SCHOOL SITES BUT AT
HOMES. YES, IT TAKES A LOT OF
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS AND ALSO
EFFORTS AND, UM. I MEAN, I. I
DON'T WANNA GET TOO MUCH INTO
THE WEEDS IN TERMS OF THE
TECHNOLOGY, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE
YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU'RE SAYING
THAT, UH WITH THE IMPERIAL
COUNTY PUBLIC BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE. THAT SO, UH,
SOMEHOW CAN EXTEND ACCESS TO, UH
RE, UH, PUBLIC, RELIABLE
INTERNET ACCESS ALL THE WAY TO
HOMS THROUGHOUT IMPERIAL COUNTY.
I THINK THAT, UM THE MODEL OF
PUBLICLY OWNED BROADBAND HAS
BEEN TRIED AND ALSO, UM, IN SOME
PLACES, SUCCEEDED IN OTHER PARTS
OF THE U S¼. AND I THINK IN
CALIFORNIA WHEN WE LOOK AT S¼ B
156 IMPLEMENTATION WE'VE HEARD
FROM A LOT OF COMMUNITIES
LOOKING INTO THOSE KIND OF, YOU
KNOW, UM, PUBLIC OWNED BROADBAND
NETWORK, BUT I THINK THERE ARE
SOME LEGISLATIVE CHALLENGES OR
LEGAL CHALLENGES, AND THERE ARE
ALSO POLITICAL CHALLENGES, FOR
EXAMPLE. IT TAKES A LOT OF, YOU
KNOW, POLITICAL CONNECTION AND A
POLITICAL WILLINGNESS,
ESPECIALLY AND THE LOCAL LEVEL
TO REALLY ESTABLISH THOSE
PARTNERSHIP. FOR EXAMPLE, THE
GPA IN THE IMPERIAL COUNTY AND
WE'VE RUN INTO A FEW COUNTIES
WHERE THEY HAVE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS GOING, BUT THEN
GIVEN THE POLITICAL TURNOVER,
THE JP A JUST DIDN'T WORK OUT.
AND SO I THINK THERE ARE YOU
KNOW, A IN SOME OTHER PLACES IN
THE U S¼, THOSE KIND OF PUBLICLY
OWNED NETWORK HAS PROVIDED VERY
PROMISING MODEL AND A POTENTIAL
FOR A LOT OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES
FOR CALIFORNIA TO LEARN AND ALSO
ADOPT, BUT, UH IT TAKES A LOT
YOU KNOW MORE THAN JUST, YOU
KNOW, MONEY AND ALSO POLITICS
AND ALSO LEGAL CHALLENGES TO
REALLY MAKE THIS WORK. SO, UM
BUT BUT THE EMURA COUNTY UH THE
IMPERIAL èC E, UM UH, FIBER
OPTIC NETWORK IS ISN'T THAT A
PUBLICLY OWNED BROADBAND
NETWORK? YES, IT IS. ALL RIGHT.
UM. AND UH HO HO. HOW DO THEY
PAY FOR THAT? UH UH, BROADBAND
NETWORK. THERE IS SOME USES. AND
THERE'S SOME, UH, FEES THAN THE
YOU KNOW THE NETWORK CHARGES AND
I THINK THAT PAYS FOR MOST OF
THE MOST OF THE MAINTENANCE COST
. WERE THERE ANY BOND FUNDS USED
TO, UH, TO ESTABLISH THAT, UH AS
FAR AS MY UNDERSTANDING GOES,
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY BOND.
FUNDING THAT GOES INTO IT. BUT
IT IS THAT A PO I MEAN, ARE YOU
AWARE OF ANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS
THAT HAVE USED BOND FUNDS TO
CREATE LIKE A BROADBAND? UH,
INFRASTRUCTURE. UM. I'M NOT
AWARE OF THAT. SO I THINK THERE
HAS BEEN SOME DEBATE ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, GIVEN THE FOR EXAMPLE,
USING. USING BOND MONEY TO PAY
FOR DEVICES OR INTERNET ACCESS,
YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE LIFE CYCLE
OF THOSE AND DEVICES AND
ACTUALLY, MY. MY QUESTION IS,
UH, FOR THE BROADBAND IN FOR THE
FIBER, UH, NETWORK. UM I'M NOW
AWARE OF ANY DISTRICTS ARE
PLANNING TO DO THAT. AND, UH,
IMPERIAL UH, COUNTY OFFICE OF
EDUCATION. DID NOT USE BOND
FUNDS. UH NOW TO MY
UNDERSTANDING. ALL RIGHT, WELL,
II, I CAN GO ON AND ON, BUT, UH,
II, I THINK, UH, TO GIVE
EVERYONE ELSE AN OPPORTUNITY TO,
UM TO, UH UH, PARTICIPATE AND BE
HEARD, UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU,
UH, VERY MUCH. AND UH UH, II. I
SUSPECT I'LL BE FOLLOWING UP
WITH, UH, WITH, UH, QUESTIONS
FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
COMING OUT FOR TODAY'S HEARING.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, UM. SO
WITH THAT I LIKE TO, UH UH, OPEN
UP FOR A PUBLIC COMMENTS AND, UM
, GIVEN THE, UH, RESTRICTIONS ON
, UH, OUR OUR TIME, I ASK, UH,
EACH SPEAKER TO LIMIT THEIR
REMARKS TO ONE MINUTE EACH, UM
PLEASE PROCEED. UH, MARK EPSTEIN
, CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL
TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION NETWORK,
AND OVER THE YEARS I'VE ALSO
SERVED AS ON DIFFERENT
ITERATIONS OF THE SACRAMENTO
AREA DIGITAL TASK FORCE FROM THE
DISCUSSION ON THIS PANEL. ONE
ASPECT AS FAR AS ON DIGITAL
DIVIDE THAT HAS NOT COME UP AND
NOT DISCUSSED IS THAT THE USE OF
DIGITAL TOOLS IN IN IN, UH, IN
INSTRUCTION? THE REALITY IS IN
CALIFORNIA. OF WHAT DIGITAL
TOOLS AND APPLICATIONS ARE USED
HAS NOT CHANGED IN 25 YEARS IN
THESE TOOLS WOULD UH, ENHANCE
AND ENGAGE IN AS FAR AS
INSTRUCTION, PARTICULARLY WITH
DATA SCIENCE BECOMING MORE
IMPORTANT, AND THE PROBLEM WE
HAVE IN CALIFORNIA IS THE VAST
MAJORITY OF OUR TEACHERS DO NOT
KNOW THAT THESE THINGS EXIST.
THIS IS TURNING INTO A WORKFORCE
COMPETITIVENESS ISSUE. I'VE ALSO
HAVE THE LAST 15 YEARS HAVE HAD
THIS DISCUSSION WITH FOLKS OVER
THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND
I'VE HAD VERY HONESTLY A HOSTILE
RESPONSE WHERE WE IT'S NOT. WE
DO NOT WANT TO HAVE THE
RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE THE
SCHOOLS AWARE, AND BECAUSE OF
THAT THE LEGISLATURE NEEDS TO
START TAKING A LOOK. ACTION TO
LOOK AT THIS ASPECT OF THE
DIGITAL DIVIDE IN CALIFORNIA. Kò
12. THANK YOU. HØI THERE. RACHEL
BAG WITH A èC LU CALIFORNIA
ACTION. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. UM
I'M HERE. I JUST WANTED TO
QUICKLY SHARE THAT, UH, STUDENT
WELL-BEING IS IMPACTED BY THE
SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE IN
CALIFORNIA. UM, SCHOOL POLICING,
SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION. DO
HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON
STUDENT WELLNESS, AND THIS
ACTUALLY GOES REALLY HAND IN
HAND WITH THE STAFFING ISSUES
AROUND STUDENT SUPPORT
PROFESSIONALS THAT WAS DISCUSSED
MUCH EARLIER IN THIS HEARING.
CALIFORNIA HAS ONE OF THE MOST
EXPANSIVE SCHOOL POLICING
SYSTEMS IN OUR COUNTRY AND
PAIRED WITH OUR LACK OF STUDENT
SUPPORT STAFF THAT SHOWN THAT
30% OF OUR STUDENTS ATTEND A
SCHOOL WHERE THERE'S A POLICE
OFFICER, BUT NÓ NURSE, SOCIAL
WORKER OR COUNSELOR OUR KIDS ARE
STRUGGLING, MAYBE MORE THAN THEY
EVER HAVE, AND WE KNOW THAT
RIGHT? AND WHEN STUDENTS ACT OUT
OR THEY SHOW UP TO SCHOOL UNDER
THE INFLUENCE IN CALIFORNIA, WE
SEND THEM TO THE COPS, OR WE
SUSPEND OR EXPEL THEM NOT TO A
COUNSELOR BECAUSE OF RESOURCES.
LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTACT DOES NOT
HELP OUR KIDS HEAL. CHILDREN
NEED SUPPORT, NOT TRAUMA AND TED
FROM CHILDREN. NOW WHO MAY BE
HERE STILL, UM, YOU KNOW,
HIGHLIGHTED THIS EARLIER. AND
UH, COUNTLESS RESEARCH ALSO
SHOWS THAT, UH, POLICE DON'T
MAKE SCHOOLS SCHOOLS SAFER. UM
AND SO THIS YEAR, YOUR COMMITTEE
IS GOING TO HEAR SEVERAL
PROPOSALS THAT WOULD ROLL BACK
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND KICKING
STUDENTS OUT OF SCHOOL AS THE
DEFAULT RESPONSE FOR MANY
BEHAVIORS, AND THESE WOULD KEEP
STRUGGLING STUDENTS IN THEIR
SAFE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS AND
HELP THEM THRIVE. SO I URGE YOU
TO CONSIDER PLEASE THESE
APPROACHES AS A IN INVESTMENT IN
STUDENT WELL BEING AND SUCCESS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
MR. CHAIR CARLOS ROJAS,
REPRESENTING THE KERN COUNTY
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS OFFICE
, AS WELL AS THE 46 SCHOOL
DISTRICTS IN KERN COUNTY. UM I
APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION AND
ACKNOWLEDGE THE TENSION BETWEEN
INCREASED FLEXIBILITY ON LOCAL
SCHOOL BUDGETS TO MEET COMMUNITY
NEEDS AND THE LEGISLATURE'S
DESIRE TO BE MORE PRESCRIPTIVE
ON HOW LE A IS ALLOCATE STATE
DOLLARS. IT'S A DELICATE ISSUE,
BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S AN EITHER
, OR, UH, I WOULD STATE THAT THE
STATE ALREADY HAS AN
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM THAT HELPS
PROVIDE STATE OVERSIGHT. THE L
èC, CALIFORNIA SCHOOL DASHBOARD
AND THE STATEWIDE SYSTEM OF
SUPPORT. AS WAS STATED EARLIER
IN DR FULLER'S TESTIMONY. WE
HAVE EXAMPLES OF CATEGORICAL
PROGRAMS IN WHICH DISTRICTS
ACROSS THE STATE HAVE LARGE SUMS
OF UNSPENT FUNDS FOR MULTIPLE
REASONS. SCHOOLS AREN'T LOOKING
FOR LESS ACCOUNTABILITY. WHAT
THEY ARE LOOKING FOR AND ASKING
FOR IS EFFICIENT AND APPROPRIATE
ACCOUNTABILITY THAT SUPPORTS THE
WORK THAT THEY DO, WE WOULD
ENCOURAGE THE STATE TO STAY TRUE
TO THE SPIRIT OF THE L èC FF
AND PRIORITIZE RESULTS BASED
ACCOUNTABILITY THROUGH THE
EXISTING STRUCTURE AND IMPROVE
UPON IT, WHERE NEEDED. TO ENSURE
FUNDS ARE BEING ALLOCATED
TOWARDS STRATEGIES THAT LEAD TO
THE LOWEST PERFORMING STUDENT
GROUPS SHOWING APPROPRIATE
GROWTH. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING,
SASHA HORWITZ WITH LOS ANGELES
UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. UH, LOS
ANGELES UNIFIED HAVE BEEN USING
A VARIETY OF STRATEGIES TO
ADDRESS LEARNING LOSS, INCLUDING
OFFERING SUMMER SCHOOL TO OVER
116,000 UNIQUE STUDENT
PARTICIPANTS IN JULY, 2023. IN
2020 THREE. WE ALSO, UM GAVE 40
THREE 1000 UNIQUE PARTICIPANTS,
UM, ACCESS TO OUR WINTER ACADEMY
AND THE FALL OF SEMESTER 20,
THREE 24/100 AND EIGHT UNIQUE
STUDENTS RECEIVED SMALL GROUP
AND HIGH DOSAGE VIRTUAL AND IN
PERSON TUTORING TO IMPROVE THEIR
ENGLISH LANGUAGE, ARTS AND MATH
OUTCOMES. ACROSS THE BOARD.
WE'RE SEEING IMPROVEMENTS IN
READING AND MATH AS A RESULT OF
OUR TARGETED INTERVENTIONS.
THROUGH OUR I ATTEND EFFORT A
COMPREHENSIVE, MULTI TIERED
APPROACH TO REDUCING CHRONIC
ABSENTEEISM. THE DISTRICT
ENGAGED OVER 300,000 FAMILIES IN
2020, THREE WITH PHONE CALLS,
HOME VISITS AND ATTENDANCE
CONFERENCES TO ADDRESS CHRONIC
CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM AND
FACILITATE REGULAR ATTENDANCE.
WE APPRECIATE THE GOVERNOR'S
PROPOSAL TO ALLOW DISTRICTS TO
RECOUP ADA THROUGH ATTENDANCE
RECOVERY PROGRAMS USING ELOP AND
OTHER FUNDS AND URGED THE
LEGISLATURE TO PROVIDE MAXIMUM
FLEXIBILITY IF POSSIBLE IN ONE
TIME AND ONGOING STATE FUNDS
THAT WILL ENABLE SCHOOL
DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE. THE
BEST MEAT THAT LOCAL NEEDS OF
STUDENTS. SPEAKING TO TECHNOLOGY
ACCESS FOR CALIFORNIA STUDENTS,
LU S¼ Dð HAS TAKEN STEPS NOT
JUST BE THE STATE'S LEADER, BUT
THE NATION'S LEADER ON DIGITAL
EQUITY. WE'VE GOT TO ASK YOU TO
WRAP UP. UM ACCORDING ACCESS TO
HIGH SPEED AND RELIABLE INTERNET
ACCESS HAVE PROVIDED PROVEN TO
BE A NECESSARY UH, TO REDUCE THE
HOMEWORK CAP BRING THE HEIGHT OF
THE PANDEMIC WITH FUNDING
READILY AVAILABLE. LAU S¼ Dð
WORKED HARD TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE
SOLUTIONS TO STUDENT INTERNET
CONNECTIVITY, INCLUDING MARK,
UM, MAKING HOTSPOTS AVAILABLE TO
EVERY STUDENT AND PROVIDING
UNIVERSAL BROADBAND ACCESS TO
FAMILIES OF U S¼ Dð. LAU S¼ Tð
STUDENTS. UM WE'D ALSO LIKE TO
SAY THAT WITH FEDERAL èC F AND
A èC F FUNDS DRYING UP THIS
YEAR, IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN
EVER THAT THE STATE SAFEGUARD
INVESTMENTS IN THE MIDDLE MILE
BROADLY INITIATIVE SO THAT OUR
COMMUNITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
CAN ACCESS THE PUBLIC ACCESS
THEY NEED. THANK YOU. THAT WAS
TWO MINUTES. HØI MY NAME IS
DOMINIQUE TENAY WITH ED VOICE IN
SHORT, THE CONCERNING EARLY
LITERACY RATES IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA PREDATE THE PANDEMIC
AND HAVE ONLY WORSENED BECAUSE
OF IT. DATA FROM CALIFORNIA
STANDARDIZED TESTS SHOW THAT ONE
IN THREE 10 1 IN 10 OR THREE IN
13TH. GRADE STUDENTS FROM LOW
INCOME COMMUNITIES ARE ON GRADE
LEVEL AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
COMPARED WITH SIX AND 10 OF
THEIR HIGHER INCOME PEERS,
NEARLY 100 AND 78,000
ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED THIRD
GRADERS IN CALIFORNIA. NOT
MEETING STATE STANDARDS FOR
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, AND THE
MAJORITY OF THOSE FALLING BEHIND
ARE CHILDREN WHO ARE
DISPROPORTIONATELY BLACK AND
LATINO STUDENTS FROM LOW INCOME
COMMUNITIES, ENGLISH LEARNERS
AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
THIS IS A CRISIS THAT CAN ONLY
BE ADDRESSED WITH COMPREHENSIVE
EARLY LITERACY REFORM AS
POLICIES ARE CONSIDERED FOR HOW
BEST TO SERVE CALIFORNIA'S
CHILDREN, WE MUST PRIORITIZE
ENSURING THE STUDENTS CAN READ
OR THESE ACADEMIC GAPS WILL
BECOME LIFELONG OPPORTUNITY GAPS
. THERE'S NÓ GREATER ISSUE
CONCERNING PUBLIC EDUCATION AT
THIS MOMENT IN TIME, MR CHAIR
VOICE IS COSPONSORING ASSEMBLY
WOMAN RUBIO'S BILL A B 2222 TO
ADDRESS THE GROWING EARLY
LITERACY AND EQUITIES. OUR STATE
. UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE
DISCUSSIONS. THANK YOU. CHA SUU
KYI AND OTHERS. UH, GLAD TO BE
HERE. LANCE CHRISTENSEN, VICE
PRESIDENT OF CALIFORNIA POLICY
CENTER, AND, UH FATHER OF FIVE
WHO HAVE ALL BEEN IN THE PUBLIC
SCHOOL SYSTEM. I ALSO LIVE IN A
RURAL AREA. IT REALLY IS NOT
ABOUT TECHNOLOGY. IT'S ABOUT
ACTUALLY CURRICULUM AND TEACHING
BASICS THINGS LIKE THE SCIENCE
OF READING. POOR STATES LIKE
MISSISSIPPI HAVE INCREASED
DRAMATICALLY THEIR LITERACY
RATES BY SIMPLY ENACTING
POLICIES THAT WILL NOT JUST
TEACH KIDS THE SCIENCE FING BUT
ALSO THE TEACHERS BUT ALSO
EMPLOYED, THINK MORE ABOUT NOT
GROWING THE MONOPOLY OF THE
GOVERNMENT SYSTEM. BUT TO
ALLOWING FOR MORE CHOICE.
CHARTERS HAVE BEEN AN INCREDIBLE
ASSET TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
AND, UH, FREEING RESTRICTIONS ON
THOSE WILL IMPROVE ACADEMIC
OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN ACROSS THE
STATE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. PATRICK MESICK, TITLE
ONE EDUCATOR AND DIRECTOR OF
OAKLAND DIVIDED I APPRECIATE HOW
TODAY'S DISCUSSION HIGHLIGHTED
DIGITAL LITERACY AS A FOCAL AREA
, BUT TO BE CLEAR DIGITAL
LITERACY IS A PRIVILEGE FOR
THOSE WHO ALREADY HAVE HOME
INTERNET ACCESS IN OAKLAND'S
HIGHEST POVERTY SCHOOLS, 30% OF
STUDENTS LACK ACCESS TO RELIABLE
, HIGH SPEED HOME INTERNET THE
BASIC TOOL OF A 21ST CENTURY
EDUCATION. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE
IN SILICON VALLEY'S BACKYARD?
THE NUMBER ONE BARRIER TO
STUDENT ACCESS IS DISCRIMINATORY
PRICING ABSENT COMPETITION,
MONOPOLISTIC PROVIDERS CHARGE
THE HIGHEST RATES FOR THE WORST
QUALITY SERVICE IN HIGH POVERTY,
BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES. THE
èC PU èC S¼ OWN FINDINGS
CONFIRM THIS MISS BRANDY, A
MOTHER RAISING TWO SCHOOL AGE
CHILDREN IN PUBLIC HOUSING IN
WEST OAKLAND WOULD NEED TO PAY
100 AND $50 TO HER MONOPOLISTIC
PROVIDER TO RECEIVE SPEEDS
ADEQUATE TO ATTEND HER SON'S
VIRTUAL IP MEETINGS. WE WON'T
COOP ON OUR WAY OUT OF THIS
CRISIS WITH A èC P AND DON'T
BUY THE HYPE ABOUT MO
MONOPOLISTIC PROVIDERS. PROGRAMS
ELIG ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA ARE
INCREDIBLY RESTRICTIVE. AND AS
MISS PATRICIA, AN ELDER IN EAST
OAKLAND, PUBLIC HOUSING WHO
RELIES ON ONE OF THESE PROGRAMS
TOLD ME YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY
FOR. EVEN FOR THOSE FORTUNATE
ENOUGH TO AFFORD THE EXORBITANT
RATES, THE INTERNET QUALITY FOR
PAYING CUSTOMERS IS UNTENABLE
SPEED TEST I CONDUCTED AT MISS
BRANDY'S APARTMENT SHOW HER HER
PROVIDER DELIVERING LESS THAN
10% OF ADVERTISED SPEEDS SHE'S
PAYING FOR EACH MONTH, AND MISS
BRANDY IS NOT AN OUTLIER.
RESULTS OF OVER 100,000 SPEED
TESTS CONDUCTED FROM THOUSANDS
OF UNIQUE LOCATIONS IN OAKLAND'S
LEAST CONNECTED COMMUNITIES SHOW
THAT ONE IN EVERY THREE PAYING
FOR HOME INTERNET PLANS AREN'T
PROVIDED SPEEDS THAT QUALIFY AS
BROADBAND INTERNET. SO WHAT DO
WE DO? WRAP UP? SO WHERE DO WE
GO FROM HERE? THE LEGISLATOR
MUST CHANNEL COURAGE TO STAND UP
TO INDUSTRY AND ALONGSIDE
COMMUNITY TO ACTUALIZE THE
PROMISE OF BROADBAND FOR ALL BY
ENSURING CALIFORNIA'S HISTORIC
BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE
INVESTMENTS SERVE THE HIGHEST
POVERTY, LEAST CONNECTED URBAN,
RURAL AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES.
PUBLIC DOLLARS. MUST SERVE
PUBLIC BENEFIT. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. HØI CYNTHIA OAKLAND.
UNDIVIDED. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF
COMMUNITY IMPACT. OAKLAND
UNDIVIDED STARTED AT THE ONSET
OF THE PANDEMIC WITH A MISSION
TO PROVIDE HOME DIGITAL ACCESS
TO OAKLAND'S MORE THAN 50,000
PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS. WE'VE
DONE OUR BEST WITH THE COVID ERA
RESOURCES WE'VE HAD AVAILABLE,
SUCH AS THE EMERGENCY
CONNECTIVITY FUND AND THE
AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM,
AND I HAVE TRIED A HOTSPOT AND
SUBSIDIZE OUR WAY OUT OF THE
DIGITAL DIVIDE. BUT YOU CANNOT
AND WE MUST NOT RELY ON BAND AID
SOLUTIONS ANY LONGER. AS YOU'RE
THINKING ABOUT WAYS TO MEET THE
TECHNIQUES OF OUR STUDENTS. I
URGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT LONG
TERM RATHER THAN SHORT TERM
SOLUTIONS THAT LEAVE OUR
STUDENTS AT THE MERCY OF
TEMPORARY GOVERNMENT PRODUCTS
LIKE PROGRAMS LIKE THE E, èC F
AND A èC P. AS MY COLLEAGUE
PATRICK MENTIONED TIME AND TIME
AGAIN, WE HEAR FROM OUR STUDENTS
THAT COST AND CONNECTIVITY
ISSUES ARE THE MAIN BARRIERS
THAT KEEP THEM DISCONNECTED.
THERE IS A REASON WHY GAINS IN
INTERNET ACCESS HAVE BEEN MODEST
WITHOUT ADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURES
IN AREAS LIKE EAST AND WEST
OAKLAND. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO
BE THE CASE AND WE WILL ALWAYS
END UP WHERE WE WERE BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC WITH OUR LEAST
CONNECTED HIGHEST POVERTY
COMMUNITIES ON THE WRONG SIDE OF
THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. BUT UNLIKE
MARCH OF 2020, WE DON'T HAVE TO
BE REACTIVE AND WE CAN BE
PROACTIVE AND DEVELOP. AND
SUPPORT SOLUTIONS THAT AIM TO
ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING ISSUES OF
THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. THIS IS A
HISTORICAL ONCE IN A GENERATION
MOMENT WHERE CALIFORNIA IS
LOOKING TO INVEST $8 BILLION TO
IMPROVE ITS BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE. PLEASE PLEASE
WORK WITH US TO ENSURE THAT
THESE PUBLIC DOLLARS ARE A
PUBLIC BENEFIT, AND THAT THIS
MONEY IS INVESTED IN THE URBAN,
RURAL AND TRIBAL AREAS THAT
INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS HAVE
DEEMED UNPROFITABLE FOR DECADES.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SEE NÓ
FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYONE FOR
COMING OUT FOR TODAY'S HEARING.
UM, THIS, UH, HEARING IS
ADJOURNED.