FOCUS 2005-06: Addressing Issues of Under Achievement

This year on the California 2005 Accountability Progress Report, all schools in the Fremont Union High School District increased their Academic Performance Index (API) score. Cupertino, Fremont, Homestead, Lynbrook, and Monta Vista High Schools are some of the best schools in the state—their reputation and overall ranking are outstanding. However, each of our schools has some students who struggle academically and this year the District is aggressively examining two areas of concern: why some students struggle to learn Algebra and how our English language learners progress in school.

Under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), schools and districts are held accountable for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). APY requires that schools meet levels of proficiency as well as 95% participation rate on the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE). In 2004-05 the District was classified a Program Improvement District because we did NOT make AYP for two years in a row (2002-03 and 2003-04) for the required test participation rate in all subgroups of students taking the English Language-Arts portion of the CAHSEE. These include racial/ethnic subgroups as well as for socioeconomically disadvantaged students, English learners, and students with disabilities. At its July 27th meeting, the Board of Trustees reviewed and approved an Addendum to the District’s Local Educational Agency Plan (LEAP), a requirement for being in Program Improvement. Written by Kate Jamentz, Associate Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, with guidance by George Manthey, Professional Learning Executive with Association of California School Administrators, the Addendum describes how the District plans to meet test participation rate benchmarks as well as address issues of teaching and learning for critical subgroups. In 2004-05 testing, the District did meet the 95% participation rate and the District will be out of Program Improvement status if minimum requirements are met again for 2005-06.

How might the District assure a 95% participation rate on required testing?
The District is striving to communicate with parents of all students about the importance of participation in state-mandated testing. Students whose parents have “opted them out” of the testing are STILL COUNTED AS NON PARTICIPANTS.

How might the LEAP Addendum address underachievement?
“Good teaching and targeted interventions can move all students to higher levels” is one of the assumptions underlying the work led by Jamentz. In August, the District officially launched two initiatives to address closing student achievement gaps in Algebra and with English Learners districtwide. Over 20 Algebra teachers in the District met for two days to begin to identify key barrier concepts that give students trouble in learning Algebra, implement common assessments, collaborate on lesson designs, and explore ways to infuse technology support for Algebra instruction. English Language Development (ELD) teachers also met and the focus of this initiative is to align standards for ELD levels and courses, identify and purchase instructional material aligned to District standards, and provide professional development in best practices for English Learners in both ELD and sheltered content course work.

How is the District helping the seniors who have not yet passed the Exit Exam?
There are 190 seniors in the District who still need to pass part or all of the California High School Exit Exam in order to graduate this year. Parents of these students are being notified and our high schools are offering varied prep sessions to help these students as they prepare to take the test again in November.

BOARD REPORT for Board of Trustees Meeting August 30, 2005
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A moment of silence was observed in memory of Patrick Klokow, a 1994 graduate of Homestead High School and the 1993-94 Student Representative to the Board of Trustees, who was killed in a hit and run cycling accident in San Diego, CA. Board of Trustees President Homer Tong noted that Patrick graduated from Annapolis and was a Marine Captain who had served in Kuwait and Iraq. Patrick’s father Dick has been a substitute math teacher throughout the District and just recently taught summer school at Cupertino High School. His mother Myrna is involved in Sunnyvale Rotary. A scholarship fund in Patrick Klokow’s name has been established at Homestead High School. Donations to the fund should be sent to Nancy Daffern, HHS ASB Office (checks payable to Homestead High School, with a note on the check designating it for the Klokow Fund).

STUDY SESSION — LEAP Addendum — see District Bulletin

COMMUNICATION / PRESENTATION
Steve Huckaby and Al Thomas expressed their concerns regarding specific construction practices currently in progress at Monta Vista High School. Each provided a handout to the Board of Trustees, Superintendent, and staff.

Santa Clara County School Board Member Dr. Bill Evers, who represents our District along with SCC School Board Member T.N. Ho, presented an overview of the functions of the Santa Clara County Office of Education.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT Superintendent Dr. Steve Rowley shared his plan to develop a new communications vehicle called the District Advisory Committee (DAC). Dr. Rowley met with Trustees Nancy Newton and Kathryn Ho to discuss the objectives and structure of this committee. Its purpose is to bring leaders of various parent groups and individual leaders who reflect the diversity of our community together three times this year to share important information about the District and to listen to the issues and concerns of those in attendance. Membership in DAC is by invitation only in order to keep the number of participations to 15-20 to foster greater intimacy and dialogue amongst each other. Student Board Member Helen Yang expressed her interest in being a participant in DAC. • Dr. Rowley announced there are two Sunnyvale Tax Initiatives on the ballot this November: a business tax license increase and a new hotel and motel tax. • Dr. Rowley quickly recapped the Administrative Retreat held August 3 and 4 stating it was an “extraordinary good, active, working retreat focused on instructional leadership.” • Dr. Rowley announced that the beginning of this school year went very well; staff is working on getting accurate attendance counts and predict that residency disenrollments will be close to the new enrollment count. Deputy Superintendent Polly Bove added that the centralized registration process has been beneficial to keeping a tight process in place for residency verification. She also noted that staff will wait until after the Labor Day Holiday to provide attendance figures that she feels will be more accurate as no-shows are dropped at the high schools. • Dr. Rowley announced that on Thursday, September 15, Monta Vista High School will host a Grand Opening of its newly renovated Auditorium and remodeled Library. This event begins at 4:30pm before the school’s Back-to-School Night program. He also proposed canceling the September 6th Board of Trustees meeting; there was unanimous agreement.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES . . .

• Adopted a New Developer Fee Revenue Allocation Agreement between Sunnyvale School District and Fremont Union High School District. Since 1991 both districts have split the residential fees but FUHSD has collected 100% of the commercial fees. SSD conducted a study allowing them to now collect 50% of the commercial fees as well.
• Awarded Bid #B-06-05-06 Printing and Mailing of Adult Ed Brochures to Casey Printing in the amount of $70,669
• Approved revisions to job description Pool/Grounds Maintenance Worker
• Reviewed revisions to Administrative Regulation 6145 – Extracurricular and Cocurricular Activities. Revisions to this AR have been made to address new CIF Bylaws, which prohibit student athletes from abusing and using steroids and require parents and athletes sign an agreement that the athlete will not use steroids.

COMMUNICATIONS
Superintendent Rowley gave the Board three handouts for the Cupertino Growth Initiatives which are on the November ballot. He acknowledged that high density growth in both Cities of Cupertino and Sunnyvale is beneficial to the District and that the Cupertino Union School District has officially opposed these initiatives. He and the Board of Trustees agreed that the Fremont Union High School District is remaining neutral in this area.

FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS
TUESDAY, September 6, 2005 — CANCELED
TUESDAY, September 20, 2005 — Closed Session at 6pm, Open Session at 7pm
TUESDAY, October 4, 2005 — Closed Session at 6pm, Open Session at 7pm

EDUCATING CAPABLE, CARING, CONTRIBUTING CITIZENS FOR LIFE