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Riverside County Superintendent of Schools outlines five-point improvement plan for Coachella Valley schools
Kenn Young, Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, today (October 29, 2008) praised the progress of the Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) in raising student achievement and presented a five-point plan to help the district meet the goals outlined by the federal No Child Left Behind Act. (View video)
The State Board of Education in March assigned the Riverside County Superintendent of Schools as the Trustee for CVUSD for a period of approximately two years because the district did not meet all requirements contained in the No Child Left Behind legislation as contractually agreed with the California Department of Education.
Young said the district year after year has made some of the largest gains in Riverside County in academic achievement as measured by the state’s Academic Performance Index (API), raising its scores 36 points in just the last year, and the Riverside County Office of Education’s has a District Assistance Intervention Team (DAIT) in place in the district to help it meet No Child Left Behind standards.
“Because the district has been making solid academic gains over several years, and in light of the high degree of collaboration between the district and the RCOE DAIT team, it has not been necessary to assume the traditional role of a full-time, on-site Trustee,” Young said.
Young was joined at the press conference by Tut Pensis, Superintendent of the Coachella Valley Unified School District and Gloria Maldonado, President of the District’s Board of Trustees.
He outlined five major areas of improvement recommended by the RCOE team:
- Fully implement the new math adoptions in 2008 and new reading adoptions in 2009. The new math program books and materials were in all classrooms for the first day of school. The team will continue to work with the district to ensure the full implementation of the current reading language arts program of instruction. They will also assist in planning the process to adopt and implement the new reading language arts program in September of 2009.
- Hold all district office and site staff accountable for increased student achievement in reading/English language arts (also known as ELA) and mathematics. The district increased its monitoring of the instructional program implementation with continued site and classroom visits to monitor full implementation of the curriculum. The success of these efforts is being monitored through district and site staff participation in on-going analyses of student assessment data.
- Increase the degree and quality in the use of data and the district data system. The district revised its grades K-6 benchmark math and ELA assessments to ensure full alignment to grade level ELA and mathematics standards and pacing guides. The district’s grades 7 through 12 ELA assessments are in the revision process. Principals and teachers are receiving ongoing training in using assessments to guide and inform instruction.
- Provide all students additional assistance and interventions in order to access the core reading/ELA and mathematics content. For fall 2008, students needing additional assistance were placed in extended classes with additional instructional time. English Learners receive structured English Language Development instruction for 45 minutes daily in grades K through 6 and through an additional class period as appropriate to their needs in grades 7 through12.
- Provide all district staff professional development for the new mathematics adoptions, and current and new Reading Language Arts adoptions. Approximately 700 teachers received 40 hours of training in new math adoptions this past August. All K-12 principals also attended this training. Teachers and principals are receiving support to implement new adoptions through site coaching.
An interim report on the work in the district was submitted by the DAIT team to the State Board of Education on August 15 and the revised Local Education Agency Plan Addendum and DAIT’s recommendations on September 21, Young said. The California Department of Education will report to the State Board of Education on the DAIT work at the Board’s November meeting.
For information contact:
Rick Peoples,
Public Information Officer
Telephone: (951) 826-6642
Fax: (951) 826-6199
rpeoples@rcoe.us
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