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The San Ramon Valley Unified School District is taking advantage of some one-time funding from Sacramento, with the school board approving a funding plan Tuesday for the Low Performing Student Block Grant to help support students who are struggling in its schools.
A state education funding initiative with the goal of supporting students identified as low performing, district staff have created a plan to distribute the $1.1 million in English language arts and mathematics programs at all schools over the next two years.
“For the first time in my memory, the state has decided to give the district money to help struggling students that don’t fall into certain categorical programs,” deputy superintendent of educational services, Toni Taylor, said at Tuesday night’s board meeting in Danville. “So (we’re) really excited when we found out that our district is eligible.”
Taylor explained that the money for the grant is generated by students who scored either a one or two on the standardized California Achievement Test, in either the math or English language arts categories. The funds are intended to be used to help these students improve their scores and close the “achievement gap.”
Funds will be evenly divided among elementary and secondary students, with funds being distributed over the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years.
Funds will be spent on training and coaching for classroom teachers, screenings to help identify students in need and to support the delivery of small group instruction.
“The whole point here is we are not looking at a one-size-fits-all intervention model,” Taylor said. “We want to make sure that we are truly identifying students by name and by need. And providing them with the intervention that is necessary to meet their needs.”
Taylor added that staff hope to bring a more comprehensive plan to the board in the spring, being unable to do so now due to the deadline for grant funding coming up on March 1.
In other business
* During the meeting’s non-agenda comment session several parents, teachers and community members voiced their concern over the consolidation of the Del Amigo High School in Danville with San Ramon’s Venture Independent Study School, which was approved by the board last month.
* SRVUSD staff presented a proclamation designating March as Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month.
Board members briefly discussed the possibility of outfitting school sites with Naloxone, a medication designed to rapidly reverse an opioid overdose, directing staff to investigate the possibility further and potentially return to a future board meeting with options.
“I think delay is wrong and if we can save one child who has made a mistake and save that child’s life it is worth it,” Trustee Greg Marvel said in support of outfitting schools with the overdose antidote.
* Trustees heard a brief report on the planned conversion of SRVUSD trustee elections to district-based, instead of the current practice of at-large elections.
District officials continue to seek public input on how trustee area maps should be drawn, with the next public hearing on the impending transition set to be held Thursday, 7 p.m. at Dougherty Valley High School, 10550 Albion Road, San Ramon.
* The SRVUSD received a distinguished recognition this month, becoming the only school district in the world to be placed on the College Board’s AP District Honor Roll every year since the program’s inception in 2011.
* The board unanimously voted for Meredith Meade, Richard Severy and De’shawn Woolridge to serve as representatives to the California School Boards Association Delegates Assembly for the region.
*The board approved bargaining topics proposed by each side for the district’s labor negotiations with one of its employee unions, the California School Employees Association local chapter.
* SRVUSD’s parcel tax turns 10 this year, and to celebrate the board held an informational meeting led by members of the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee, to review the history of the fund and the projects it has funded.
Originally approved by district voters in 2009, the $144 per parcel tax generates approximately $6.8 million for district uses annually.
* Trustee Ken Mintz was absent from the meeting’s open session, leaving after the closed session due to feeling ill.
This is wonderful to read. There has been so much focus on “star” students and achievements, which is great, but the “mediocre” student has been getting lost in the shuffle.
IMO, it’s important to recognize all levels of students and recognize and assist those who need it.
As a parent who’s two children have attended Danville schools, K-12, I’ve always noted this need.
Kudos to “the system”. I truly hope it works.
This was needed a long time ago. Many students are graduating from the SRVHSD with poor academic skills. They are just being allowed to graduate so they are no longer the school’s problem. These poor kids don’t have the grades or test scores to be accepted into college. I hope this program helps these kids who are falling through the cracks in our school system. They don’t qualify for resource yet they aren’t successful in the classroom.
Bet in several years no improvement at all will be measurable in achievement scores. Instead, focus on wood & metal shop classes and basic electronics classes. Some students would much rather work with their hands & think three dimensionally.
Careers in carpentry, plumbing, contracting etc. are much more fulfilling for some high school graduates than the one size fits all scheme of attending college & “getting a degree”, like in sociology or English, please, give me a break!
If the District could look into creating a California Connections online program here in our community blended with some classroom it would be amazing. Pearson.com (our kids use their textbooks in our schools) is the creator of much of the online school program. Online high school has been a complete success in turning around a non scholastic student that wanted to try the online school. That student almost flunked one of our local schools and now has a “B” average in his first year. This student now puts in the time to learn because the information is presented so that student can grasp it. That student learns for that sake of learning the higher grade just follows. Teachers availablity is excellent. Communication is clear. Lessons are computer generated with some writing. Weekly classroom meetings. If there is money for students falling through the traditional system please please take the time to look into Pearson’s. Giving a child a chance to succeed will build their self confidence as they grow into adults. Failing a child that can’t write constant papers or keep up with the pace is such a shame.
Giving them more time to do write as the class just keeps moving forward is not helping them. Blending elective classes and having a few core classes online will reach a good number of those students that the funds intended to reach.
I agree with giving students a chance to explore trade work or any other career choices. Online school is completely designed for flexibility with structure. A student might take a complete day weekly or a few mornings to learn hands on a career trade. They can finish an assignment at their pace nothing is due the next day and other than a weekly meeting, there is no being late to class. They now have a chance to succeed in school and pursue a future trade interest.
Look at the Universitys that students have been accepted to from Connections online program it is amazing. It also offers AP classes.
It is kind of the best of both if online and brink and mortar schools could be offered.