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[From Forward Through Ferguson, A Path To Racial Equity, a report by the Ferguson Commission.] CHILD WELL-BEING AND EDUCATION EQUITY Working Group Co-Chairs: Commissioner Becky James-Hatter Commissioner Grayling Tobias (December 1, 2014 – April 13, 2015) Desired Changes: Build a region that ensures that all children and youth, ages 0-25, are thriving in their daily lives by: • Growing and developing to their full potential; • Retaining the ability to be children; and • Preparing to become fulfilled and contributing adults Secure educational achievement, fairness, and opportunity for all youth by: • Setting high expectations; • Recognizing unique differences and developmental stages; • Advancing outcome-based approaches; • Aligning and coordinating customized services; and • Producing college-ready and career-ready students Topics Explored: • School District and School Accreditation • Hunger and Food Instability • Public Education Funding • College Access and Affordability • Human Capital in Education • Social Service Coordination with Schools • Caring Adults (mentors, coaches) • Early Childhood Education • Parent Education and Engagement • Childhood Health Review the full list of calls to action from this working group in the “Calls to Action” section of the report. Sept 14, 2015 Forward Through Ferguson: A Path Toward Racial Equity by k12newsnetwork

Florida House and Senate Ed. Committee member email addresses:   alan.williams@myfloridahouse.gov bob.cortes@myfloridahouse.gov bruce.antone@myfloridahouse.gov charlie.stone@myfloridahouse.gov Chris.sprowls@myfloridahouse.gov colleen.burton@myfloridahouse.gov cynthia.stafford@myfloridahouse.gov dan.raulerson@myfloridahouse.gov dennis.baxley@myfloridahouse.gov dwayne.taylor@myfloridahouse.gov elizabeth.porter@myfloridahouse.gov erik.fresen@myfloridahouse.gov fred.costello@myfloridahouse.gov heather.fitzenhagen@myfloridahouse.gov irving.slosberg@myfloridahouse.gov janet.adkins@myfloridahouse.gov jose.diaz@myfloridahouse.gov joseph.geller@myfloridahouse.gov keith.perry@myfloridahouse.gov larry.ahern@myfloridahouse.gov larry.lee@myfloridahouse.gov larry.metz@myfloridahouse.gov manny.diaz@myfloridahouse.gov marlene.otoole@myfloridahouse.gov mia.jones@myfloridahouse.gov mike.miller@myfloridahouse.gov richard.stark@myfloridahouse.gov ross.spano@myfloridahouse.gov shawn.harrison@myfloridahouse.gov shevrin.jones@myfloridahouse.gov Gaetz.don@flsenate.gov Montford.bill@flsenate.gov Bullard.dwight@flsenate.gov Galvano.bill@flsenate.gov Legg.john@flsenate.gov Ring.jeremy@flsenate.gov Simmons.david@flsenate.gov Stargel.kelli@flsenate.gov Detert.nancy@flsenate.gov Benacquisto.lizbeth@flsenate.gov Brandes.jeff@flsenate.gov Clemens.jeff@flsenate.gov Garcia.rene@flsenate.gov Sobel.eleanor@flsenate.gov Compiled by Cindy Hamilton

Director of the Office of Education Technology Michael Culatta’s letter to the Los Angeles Unified School District serves as a basic guide to implementing teaching that uses computers to benefit a wide range of students.

In 2012, when the state of California was only just starting to emerge from the depths of the Great Recession and our millionaire’s tax ballot initiative to fund public education had not yet passed, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson issued the results of a study he conducted that identifies the ways he plans to improve the career path for teachers at public schools. The long-term study is a plan to introduce more steps on the career ladder for teachers so that they can be recognized as master teachers in the classroom and also master teachers of other teachers. It’s called Greatness By Design. Torlakson explored best practices in several high-achieving countries that have student/family demographics similar to that of California. He gathered and sifted all the information together to drive forward a new vision of the teaching profession and the ways the state of California could support and develop new and seasoned teachers. Diversity, retention, reliance on research-backed and proven best practices, peer mentoring, resources to support teaching professionals, and continuing reflection on and perfection of one’s craft are central to Greatness By Design. See below for the full report. California Department of Education: Greatness By Design

The San Jose Mercury News is reporting that SB 1177, if signed into law, could become the nation’s most stringent student privacy law. It regulates “operators” (vendors) and what they may do with regard to student data. It says that any student data generated belongs to the district. Does it define testing companies as “operators”? Remains to be seen. Does it enable high-stakes testing? Perhaps. It may need revisiting to actually build in provisions to slow or halt HST. It’s a good start, at least. This piece from TechWire is an excellent overview of both SB1177 and AB1584. AB1584 spells out what the responsibilities are of local education agencies (LEAs) are to families and students regarding student privacy. For example, AB1584 requires that LEAs: Do establish that the local educational agency owns and controls student records. Do describe how students can keep control of their projects and other content created for school, along with a way to transfer their content to a personal account later. Do prohibit third parties from using student information for purposes outside of those named in the contract. Do describe how parents, legal guardians or students can review and correct personally identifiable information contained in their records. Do outline actions that third parties will take to make sure that student data is secure and confidential. Do describe procedures for notifying affected parents, legal guardians or eligible students when there is an unauthorized disclosure of student records. Do certify that student records will not be retained or available to the third party once the contract is over and lay out how that will be enforced. Do describe how local educational agencies and third parties will comply with the federal FERPA legislation. Do prohibit third parties from using personally identifiable information from student records to target advertising to students. Clearly our federal hole-riddled FERPA law needs updating. Anyway, here’s a link to actual bill text for both SB1177 and AB1584: SB1177 AB1584

California has the strongest student data privacy laws in the nation. Should we model the federal Student Digital Privacy Act on them? Find out what’s covered.

This is the Coalition for Community Schools’ fact sheet on how Community Schools work in ESEA’s reauthorization and how they should be given permanent funding status and elevated as a remedy for schools in impoverished districts.    

Complete Storify notes of the panel discussion with Q&A and bios of the panelists.

This is a great report put together by advocates who know education law, as they’re parents and attorneys, and have children with special needs. The focus here is on charter schools, which have a notorious reputation for “skimming” or “creaming” only the most motivated and test-savvy children, and pushing children with disabilities or other challenges back into the neighborhood school system. Charter Schools and Students With Disabilities Final

Greatness By Design: Supporting Outstanding Teaching to Sustain a Golden State by k12newsnetwork