Welcome and 2017-18 Look Ahead

Welcome to the 17-18 academic year. Hopefully, you had an opportunity to enjoy some personal time over the summer. We look forward to continuing to working with you and using the Monday Missive as a means to disseminate pertinent and relevant information.  

Looking at the year ahead, through CEC we will focus on topics of shared interest, hear from schools and districts leaders on practices that are being effective, address emerging issues, policy, and trends, as well as provide a space for collaboration and discussion. ESSA will loom large this year as SBE approves California’s plan in September. Most importantly, this time needs to be your time and topic input is not only welcomed but highly encouraged.

The state accountability system continues to evolve and understanding the implications, along with communicating it to our shareholders, will be important discussion items in the LCAP Community of Practice (COP). Time will be spent delving into implementation science and how we can “get better at getting better”. We are also adding COPs specifically for small school districts in order to better support their needs.  

On the curriculum front, NGSS and History/Social Science will be a focus for professional development. The State Board of Education will vote on approved publishers for H/SS and the SLO publishers fair is already scheduled for January 10th, 2018.  More information will come out closer to the date. ELPAC testing will feature prominently in the spring of 2018 with NGSS materials not far behind.

The Educational Support Services Team is looking forward to working and connecting with you this academic year.