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PRESS RELEASE: July 10, 2008 New Exit Exam Data Shows Significant Drop in Percentage of Students Passing California Test SACRAMENTO, CA — The California State Board of Education
(SBE), for the first time, received data from the Department of Education that calculates an
exit exam pass rate which includes special education students. Since 2006, the California PRESS RELEASE: June 26, 2008 Public Advocates Comments on PE Credit Issue & SFUSD PRESS RELEASE: June 17, 2008 Federal Court Rules Against Families & Education Advocates: Teachers in
Training are PRESS INFORMATION : April 23, 2008 "Renee v. Spellings" Teacher Quality Lawsuit press release Plaintiffs' Brief in Support of Summary Judgment Defendants' Opposition Brief and Cross-Motion PRESS RELEASE: January 10, 2008 SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Parents and Students for Great Schools, a coalition representing
the voices of more than a half million low- and moderate-income California families,
today issued the following statement responding to the release of Governor
Schwarzenegger’s 2008-09 budget: PRESS RELEASE: January 8, 2008 PRESS RELEASE : October 15, 2007 Oakland School District Finally Provides School Report Cards- Legal action propels Oakland, other districts to comply with state law SAN FRANCISCO — A superior court judge is expected to approve a lawsuit settlement today in which the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) agrees to fulfill its legal obligation to issue school report cards for each of its schools. The “stipulated judgment” hands Oakland parents an important victory in ensuring their right to information about key school conditions. “This settlement makes sure that parents in Oakland, including those who aren't fluent in English, have access to very important information about our children's education,” said Jo Ann Sibley, a parent and lawsuit plaintiff. “It pleases me that parents will now be able to make better choices for our children based on this information.” District parents who brought the lawsuit are represented by the nonprofit civil rights law firm and advocacy group Public Advocates. In the settlement, OUSD acknowledges that it has failed for the last two years to issue School Accountability Report Cards (SARCs) for each of its schools and make them available in multiple languages when required by law. This deprived parents and guardians with children enrolled in OUSD schools, and the public, of information about the quality of learning opportunities and school site conditions to which they are entitled by law. OUSD has now posted complete SARCs on its website for all district schools, including translations into Spanish and Chinese where they are required. A parent or guardian can also request a copy of the SARC from his or her child’s school. As part of the settlement, the District will send a notice to all parents and guardians to inform them that the complete SARCs are now available. The settlement also commits OUSD to prove to the court next year that they have met all SARC requirements in a timely way for the current school year. “It is unfortunate that it took a lawsuit to get OUSD to provide parents with this vital information,” said Angelica Jongco, an attorney at Public Advocates. “But since the suit was filed, we're pleased that the district has at last worked diligently to make the information available.” On the same day the OUSD lawsuit was filed in August, Public Advocates released a report examining SARC compliance statewide and sent letters to ten other lagging districts demanding that they issue complete SARCs within 30 days or face legal action. Nine have done so. One, Alisal Union Elementary School District (Salinas Monterey County), has not but has promised to publish completed SARCs by the end of this week. Otherwise, it too will face imminent legal action. “This suit and the demand letters showed that parents are serious about asserting their rights,” said Guillermo Mayer, staff attorney with Public Advocates. “Other districts that aren't publishing their SARCs should be on notice that they will be next.” In addition to pursuing legal action, Public Advocates has worked with the Chairs of Senate and Assembly Education committees, the California Department of Education and the Governor's office to improve the usefulness and availability of the SARC. On Friday, Governor Schwarzenegger signed AB 1061 (Mullin), a bill on which Public Advocates worked closely with the author. The bill streamlines SARC information and establishes a clear—and earlier—date by which all SARCs must be published (February 1st vs. the end of the school year). Public Advocates is also working with the California Department of Education to aid districts in providing SARC information, for example, by making templates available in multiple languages, and actively working for improvements to the SARC so it is easier for parents to understand. The judge is expected to approve the OUSD settlement in a hearing at 1:30pm at Alameda County Superior Court in Oakland. For a copy of the settlement, the August Public Advocates SARC report, and AB 1061 visit www.publicadvocates.org.
OUSD Progress Since Suit Filed on August 13, 2007
===================================== Public Advocates challenges the systemic causes of poverty and discrimination by defending and expanding civil rights through advocacy, litigation, and partnership with low-income communities, people of color, and immigrants. For more information, contact Wynn Hausser, Director of Communication, whausser@publicadvocates.org, 415-431-7430. press release Stipulation and Proposed Order 2007 SARC Investigation Report Assembly Bill 1061 PRESS RELEASE : September 25, 2007 Californians Willing to Pay More Taxes to Improve Public Education, New Statewide Survey Says: Parents, Students Demand More Accountability, Local Involvement in Spending
SACRAMENTO, CA— Californians are willing to pay more taxes to improve public education, according to a survey released today by Parents and Students for Great Schools, a coalition of leading grassroots and advocacy organizations. In the statewide survey, titled Now That We Have the Facts, 86 percent of survey respondents said they would be willing to pay more taxes to improve California schools if certain conditions are met, including increased accountability, transparency and local involvement in deciding how education dollars are spent. Elizabeth Alvarez, who has four children in public school and is active in San Jose PACT (People Acting in Community Together), an affiliate of PICO California, shares that point of view. “Nothing is more important than my children’s education. I would even be willing to pay more in taxes to improve my children’s schools — but first I’d want to know that the money was going to be well spent,” Alvarez said. Martha Sanchez, a mother of three students in the Los Angeles public schools and a member of California ACORN, agrees. “Our children shouldn’t be the victims of good and bad budget years,” she said. Parents and Students for Great Schools conducted the survey in the wake of Getting Down to Facts, a collection of 22 studies on school finance and governance conducted by Stanford University researchers, to give students and adults from California’s low- and middle-income communities a voice on education reform. The release of the survey comes as the agenda is being set for the state’s next legislative session, which Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared the “Year of Education Reform.” “California is gearing up for a major debate on education reform in 2008, and parents and students have vital input to offer,” said Liz Guillen, director of legislative and community affairs at Public Advocates. “To make sure our education system is meeting the unique needs of each community, we need to give those most directly affected — the parents and students themselves — an active role in shaping how dollars are spent and priorities are organized.” Other key findings from the Parents and Students for Great Schools report include:
For students, adequate preparation for college is of paramount concern. Sylvester McKinley, a senior at Long Beach Polytechnic Academy of Achievers and Leaders and a youth leader with Californians for Justice, described his frustration, shared by many of his peers, with the lack of information he’s received about the requirements for college. “Here in Long Beach, when the school district asked students what their goal after high school is, over 77 percent said they wanted to go to a four-year college,” McKinley recalled. “But only 3 out of 10 students actually graduate with the classes needed to apply a UC or CSU college.” “A lot of students don’t know about the required classes,” he continued. “I didn’t find out about them until last year — the eleventh grade! Even though I’m taking them now, I won’t be able to finish them all before I graduate, and I will have to make some up in community college.” Parents and Teachers for Great Schools surveyed 5,600 individuals in 25 counties from San Diego to rural Colusa County (40 miles north of Sacramento), and convened town hall meetings in Los Angeles and Oakland that drew approximately 500 parents, students and community members. Martha Sanchez, who helped facilitate the town hall meeting in Los Angeles, emphasizes that for many years, the opinions of people from her community have been ignored when it comes to education reform. “But it’s our kids whose futures are on the line,” she says. “It’s time for the state to take action — and this time, we want a seat at the table when big decisions about education are being made.” The survey was funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and research assistance was provided by UCLA’s Institute for Democracy, Education and Access (IDEA). # # # About Parents and Students for Great Schools Parents and Students for Great Schools is a coalition of leading grassroots and advocacy organizations — California ACORN, Californians for Justice, PICO California and Public Advocates — working to ensure that students and parents have a voice on education reform. The coalition works from two basic premises: (1) every child in California deserves the opportunity to succeed in school, and (2) California schools must respond to the needs and expectations of those most directly affected: parents and students. For more information, please contact the individuals below:
California ACORN (www.california.acorn.org) is an affiliate of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, a national grassroots, community-based organization of low- and moderate-income families working together for social justice and stronger communities. California ACORN is composed of 37,000 member families in 22 cities throughout California. For more information, contact Corina Vasaure at 510-866-5117 or caaisj@aisj.org.
Californians for Justice (www.caljustice.org) is a statewide, grassroots organization dedicated to building power in communities that have been pushed to the margins of the political process. For more information, contact Solomon Rivera at 323-899-6794 or solomon@caljustice.org.
PICO California (www.picocalifornia.org) is part of the PICO National Network of faith-based community organizations and represents 450,000 families in 73 cities throughout the state. PICO works to create innovative solutions to pressing community issues and build a legacy of leadership in communities. For more information, contact Roberta Furger at 510-703-6357 or roberta@picocalifornia.org.
Public Advocates (www.publicadvocates.org) is a nonprofit civil rights law firm that challenges the systemic causes of poverty and discrimination by promoting civil rights through advocacy, litigation and partnership with low-income communities, people of color and immigrants. It served as a lead counsel for the landmark Williams v. California education equity case. For more information, contact John Affeldt at 415-595-9563 or jaffeldt@publicadvocates.org. parent student survey statement form Public Advocates PRESS INFORMATION : August 21, 2007 "Renee v. Spellings" Teacher Quality Lawsuit press release complaint description of organizations Parents Supporting statement |
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IN THE NEWS : August 14-24, 2007 Teacher Quality Press Education Week Los Angeles Times Merced Sun-Star New York Lawyer Sacramento Bee San Francisco Sentinel San Jose Mercury News USA Today |
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SARC Investigation Report Press |
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IN THE NEWS : August 12-15, 2007 Williams Third Year Report Press |
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PRESS RELEASE: August 13, 2007 Oakland Unified School District Sued for
Failing to Disclose Expenditures for Students: PRESS RELEASE: August 12, 2007 Williams “Report Card” Reveals Success of Accountability and Increased Funding
San Francisco, CA—Three years after the historic class action lawsuit Williams v. California was settled on behalf of millions of California students, a new report reveals significant progress in addressing some of the most severe problems facing the state’s schools. In the most comprehensive analysis to date, researchers found that the strong accountability systems Williams established, along with new funds, have helped create a better learning environment for students in California’s lowest-performing schools.
The findings, announced on the eve of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “Year of Education Reform,” are based on data from the lowest-performing 30 percent of California schools (deciles 1-3 on the Base Academic Performance Index) gathered during school years 2004-05 and 2005-06. The report analyzes progress in all three areas targeted by the case — access to textbooks; clean, safe school facilities; and adequate teacher training — and reveals that the reforms Williams put in place are improving conditions in schools throughout California.
“The Williams case has provided millions of California students with the basic essentials they need to succeed,” said Brooks Allen, the ACLU Foundation of Southern California’s Statewide Williams Implementation Attorney and co-counsel for the plaintiffs. “But Williams is a beginning, not an end. The minimum standards it sets are the foundation on which California must build in order to ensure that every child has access to a high-quality education.”
In 2000, the American Civil Liberties Union, Public Advocates, and other civil rights organizations, along with the law firm Morrison & Foerster LLP, filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of public school students in California. The case argued that the state and its agencies were denying thousands of students their fundamental right to an education by failing to provide them with the basic tools necessary for a student to learn: clean, safe and functional school facilities; enough textbooks for all students; and teachers who are trained and qualified for the classes and students they teach.
The analysis, conducted by UCLA researchers, focuses on schools in four regions of the state — the Bay Area, Los Angeles County, the Central Valley and Sacramento County — as well as the statewide trends. The findings show that the settlement, reached on August 13, 2004, has resulted in improved conditions in schools that help prevent teacher burnout, make it easier for the neediest schools to attract and retain qualified teachers, and create a better environment for faculty, administrators and students alike. Specifically, the report’s key findings indicate that, since the Williams case was settled:
• More schools have teachers who are qualified for the classes and students they teach. Although the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing did not gather statistics on all teacher misassignments for the first year of Williams implementation (2004-05), the data gathered locally by the Los Angeles County Office of Education illustrates the positive trend reported by superintendents and principals across the state. Even in Los Angeles County, which has the highest percentage of low-performing schools with inappropriate teacher assignments, the number of low-performing schools with at least some teachers working in classes for which they were not qualified or credentialed dropped from 83 percent in 2004-05 to 70 percent in 2005-06.
• School facilities are getting the repairs they need. Since the settlement became law, nearly 3,000 emergency repairs to K-12 schools have been funded through the state’s $800 million Emergency Repair Program. As a result, fewer schools today are in need of repair. While 62 percent of the lowest-performing schools needed some type of repair in the 2004-05 school year, that number was reduced to 47 percent the following year.
• More schools meet standards for sufficient instructional materials and textbooks. In 2004-05, 20 percent of the lowest-performing schools did not have enough textbooks to go around; in the following year, only 13 percent of schools in this category lacked sufficient textbooks. Overall, more than 88,000 new textbooks have been distributed to students in the lowest-performing schools across the state, after problems with missing or inadequate teaching materials were identified through Williams site visits.
As debate continues about how to improve California’s educational system — consistently ranked among the lowest in the nation — the report is a welcome piece of news. Although problems remain in some schools, the accountability and funding Williams established are already making an impact. More importantly, the settlement created systems that can detect, correct and prevent fundamental deficiencies that might otherwise go unnoticed or unaddressed.
“We have not yet solved every problem in every school,” said John Affeldt, Managing Attorney with Public Advocates and co-counsel for the Williams plaintiffs. “But the positive trends that have emerged demonstrate that this system of accountability, combined with targeted funding, works.” “The job is not done yet,” Affeldt added. “From state policy-makers to district superintendents, teachers and administrators, we need to keep the momentum going until the basic standards promised by Williams become the reality in every classroom.”
The report was funded by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
For a full copy of the report, please contact Fenton Communications at (415) 901-0111. |
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PRESS RELEASE: May 7, 2007 Devastating Decline in Graduation Rates Linked to Exit Exam
Using data on the Class of 2006 provided by the CDE, UCLA Professor John Rogers estimates that as many as 50,000 students did not graduate in the Class of 2006 compared to what would have been expected had previous years’ graduation rates held steady. This means more students did not graduate after the CAHSEE was implemented than the total number of students who graduated in each of 30 states, leaving California with one of the lowest graduation rates in the nation. It would also mean, according to Rogers, that the U.S. graduation rate declined more than 1% last year after implementation of California’s exit exam. These findings fly in the face of statements by state officials that fewer students have dropped out of school and only 2-5% of the Class of 2006 did not graduate because they did not pass the CAHSEE. Rogers’ study also calls into doubt the state's claim that over 90% of the Class of 2006 passed the Exit Exam. According to Rogers, the CDE overstates the pass rate by shrinking over time the pool of students who are counted as members of the class. “These results are extremely alarming,” said John Affeldt, Managing Attorney for Public Advocates, a nonprofit civil rights law firm. “Contrary to rosy pictures of the exit exam moving us forward, these numbers represent for California a lost generation. To accurately assess the problems in our schools, the Department needs to be square with the public and fully report the exam’s impact.” The study also ties test passing rates to unequal opportunities to learn. Students attending schools with low pass rates were almost 10 times more likely to experience severe shortages of qualified teachers than students who attended schools with high pass rates. Similarly, 42% of students enrolled in Low Pass Rate schools experienced critically overcrowded schools compared with only 9% of students enrolled in High Pass Rate Schools. “Current efforts to target students failing CAHSEE focus almost exclusively on providing remediation after the fact,” said Solomon Rivera, Executive Director of Californians for Justice, a group that has fought for equal opportunities to pass the CAHSEE. “Remediation is too little, too late. What’s needed is serious attention to giving students an equal opportunity to learn in the first place.” To date, the California Department of Education has not published 2006 graduation rates, though they were scheduled to do so in mid-April. (See http://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sd/cb/postplans.asp). Rogers’ study makes use of previously unreleased data collected by the CDE in November and December 2006 pursuant to settlement talks in Valenzuela v. California, a court case that challenged the exit exam and briefly put the test on hold in May of last year. The data from the Valenzuela survey came from 48% of the state’s high school districts and represented 57% of enrollment. The demographics of the responding districts reflect overall state demographics which, together with the large number of responders, strongly suggests that overall state figures can be accurately projected from the survey. ”First we need policymakers to give us an accurate picture of the effect of their policies; then, we need them to enact policies that stop punishing innocent students and start providing the resources and supports that will enable everyone to achieve,” said Kimberly Aceves, Executive Director of Youth Together, an Oakland-based nonprofit that trains youth advocates. Public Advocates will be presenting the study findings at the Assembly Budget Sub-Committee meeting considering CAHSEE policy issues on Tuesday, May 8th at 10:00 a.m. in Room 444 at the Capitol in Sacramento
Chart from Constructing Success by Professor John Rogers, based on data collected by the California Department of Education in November and December 2006. PRESS RELEASE: Thursday April 5, 2007 Hayward, CA— At Glassbrook Elementary School, the drinking fountain outside the kindergarten classroom is stopped up, leaving kindergartners to drink from a stagnant pool of dirty water. At Schafer Park Elementary School, the bathrooms are so dirty and unusable that children choose instead to “hold it” all day long. Throughout the Hayward Unified School District, many English Learners are struggling academically because they are taught by a teacher who lacks training to help students like them. MEDIA STATEMENT: March 15, 2007- Responding to Day 2 of “Getting Down to Facts” Study Release A coalition of community-based and advocacy organizations -- California ACORN, Californians for Justice, PICO California, and Public Advocates -- responded today to the second day release of the cost study findings in the “Getting Down to Facts” studies on school governance and finance for California’s K-12 education system. “Students are demanding a better education. Our schools are overcrowded. I’ve been in
a class with 58 people in it where they mixed up different English classes. And schools
are still falling apart in our neighborhoods,” said Naydalli Haro, a student at Cabrillo “We need experienced, qualified teachers, but we’re not getting them. There is not enough money for counselors to prepare us to go to college. Teachers use their own money to pay for basic materials in our classrooms. This needs to change,” she added. “While exact figures are not definite, these studies make it clear that California needs to make a substantial new investment in public education -- in addition to system reform -- to ensure all students meet expectations,” said John Affeldt, who serves as Managing Attorney for Public Advocates, another organizational member of the coalition. Another student, Estephanie Romero, a sophomore at Hayward High School and involved with coalition member PICO California’s affiliate in South Alameda County, described the consequences of not having enough resources. “Because my school doesn’t offer enough college prep classes, I’ll need to go to summer school just to make sure I have the credits and courses I need to graduate on time and be eligible for a four-year college,” she said. In addition to new resources, coalition members agree with the studies that the system
needs to be more rational and efficient. Funding needs to reach those with the greatest
academic challenges. High-poverty students, English-language learners and students “I’ve seen what a difference it makes when schools have the flexibility to determine how
best to allocate their resources to improve student achievement ,” said Elizabeth
Alvarez, the parent of four school-age children and a member of coalition member PICO “When school staff and parents come together to decide how best to spend their money
based on local needs, everyone takes ownership of the problems facing our schools,”
added Alvarez. “It’s a win-win. Students get the resources and services they need and Coalition members were encouraged by Governor Schwarzenegger’s desire to make next year “The Year of Education Reform,” but they echoed the word of caution from the requestors, funders and authors of the studies. “If people start picking apart individual findings or lobby for a piecemeal approach, we
will miss this unique chance for fundamental change, and doom another generation of
students to an inferior education,” said Soledad Padilla, elected chair of California “The only way true change will happen is by taking a holistic approach. Parents and students will be demanding that the policymakers move forward with comprehensive reform and include their voices in the process.” The coalition is conducting a survey that will amplify the opinions of parents and students in the policy discussions that will flow from these studies. It will also be holding town hall meetings in early May to amplify the voices of parents and students in this important debate. Who We Are California ACORN (http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=4321) is an affiliate of ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, a national grassroots communitybased organization of low- and moderate-income families, working together for social justice and stronger communities. California ACORN is composed of 35,000 member families in 22 cities throughout California. To be connected with parents, students, or community leaders in the following regions, contact Corina Vasaure at AISJ/California ACORN at 510-866-5117
Californians for Justice (http://www.caljustice.org) is a statewide, grassroots organization dedicated to build power in communities that have been pushed to the margins of the political process. To be connected with parents, students, or community leaders in the following regions, contact CFJ staff member Solomon Rivera, 323-899-6794.
PICO California (http://www.picocalifornia.org) is part of the PICO National Network of faith-based community organizations. We represent 450,000 families in 73 cities throughout the state. PICO works to create innovative solutions to pressing community issues and to build a legacy of leadership in our communities. To be connected with parents, students, or community leaders in the following regions, contact PICO California staff member Roberta Furger, 510-703-6357.
Public Advocates is a nonprofit civil rights law firm that challenges the systemic causes of poverty and discrimination by promoting civil rights through advocacy, litigation, and partnership with low-income communities, people of color, and immigrants. It served as a lead counsel for the landmark Williams v. California education equity case. Contact Public Advocates Managing Attorney John Affeldt for background on legal and legislative education equity issues at 415-595-9563. MEDIA STATEMENT: March 14, 2007 A coalition of community-based and advocacy organizations -- California ACORN, Californians for Justice, PICO California, and Public Advocates -- responded today to comprehensive new studies on school governance and finance for California’s K-12 education system. The studies were requested by Governor Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders and conducted independently by researchers at Stanford University. “We applaud the time, effort and funding that went into these studies. In many ways, they confirm what we already know – that California’s educational system needs fixing, and that making a difference will require more money, more flexibility, and greater efficiency,” said Solomon Rivera, Executive Director for the Californians for Justice Education Fund. “We already know what needs to be done, and now have the research and data to back it up,” added Soledad Padilla, California ACORN State Chair. “But we are concerned that, given the scale of the problem, there may not be the political will to do what is necessary.” The coalition offered several suggestions for how to address the issues raised in the study. It recommended spending taxpayer investments more wisely to fund schools based on their students’ needs. Different students need different resources and tools to succeed. “Just as New York City needs more homeland security funding than Omaha, NE, some school districts need more resources to succeed to California’s high standards,” explained Roberta Furger, Research and Communications Manager for PICO California. Additional resources are required to help high-poverty students, English-language learners and students with special needs successfully achieve the goals set for them. That means some schools and school districts may need to receive more resources than others to meet our common goals. “California needs a Marshall Plan for our teachers, the largest part of our education expenditures: a plan that reforms the rules to better cultivate and train future teachers, attract and retain effective teachers in the neediest schools and offer competitive salaries to attract the best minds in each region and district,” stated John Affeldt, who serves as Managing Attorney for Public Advocates. The coalition is conducting a survey that will amplify the opinions of parents and students in the policy discussions that will flow from these studies. It will also be holding town hall meetings in early May to amplify the voices of parents and students in this important debate. BACKGROUND ON THE COALITION: What We Believe 2. We are particularly concerned about the fate of high-poverty students, English-language learners and students with special needs. While we like to think of California as the land of opportunity, in reality it is far too easy to predict which children will successfully graduate from high school based solely on where they live. In most cases, these students are given short-shrift by the current system. Our Commitment Who We Are California ACORN (http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=4321) is an affiliate of ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, a national grassroots communitybased organization of low- and moderate-income families, working together for social justice and stronger communities. California ACORN is composed of 35,000 member families in 22 cities throughout California. To be connected with parents, students, or community leaders in the following regions, contact Corina Vasaure at AISJ/California ACORN at 510-866-5117
Californians for Justice (http://www.caljustice.org) is a statewide, grassroots organization dedicated to build power in communities that have been pushed to the margins of the political process. To be connected with parents, students, or community leaders in the following regions, contact CFJ staff member Solomon Rivera, 323-899-6794.
PICO California (http://www.picocalifornia.org) is part of the PICO National Network of faith-based community organizations. We represent 450,000 families in 73 cities throughout the state. PICO works to create innovative solutions to pressing community issues and to build a legacy of leadership in our communities. To be connected with parents, students, or community leaders in the following regions, contact PICO California staff member Roberta Furger, 510-703-6357.
Public Advocates is a nonprofit civil rights law firm that challenges the systemic causes of poverty and discrimination by promoting civil rights through advocacy, litigation, and partnership with low-income communities, people of color, and immigrants. It served as a lead counsel for the landmark Williams v. California education equity case. Contact Public Advocates Managing Attorney John Affeldt for background on legal and legislative education equity issues at 415-595-9563. PRESS RELEASE: March 13, 2007 Huron, CA— Harmful contaminants and dirty particles in the drinking fountain water. Ceiling panels falling on students during math class. An English Learner struggling because she is taught by a teacher that lacks training to help students like her. PRESS ADVISORY : September 8, 2006 What: Court of Appeal to Hear Oral Argument in Californians for Justice Education Fund v. State Board of Education When: Tuesday September 12, 2006, 9:30AM San Francisco, CA— On Tuesday, the California Court of Appeal will hear oral argument in Californians for Justice Education Fund v. State Board of Education, a companion case to Valenzuela which challenges the unlawful denial of high school diplomas for failure to pass the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE). If Californians for Justice (CFJ) prevails in the Court of Appeal, the Court may grant relief in the form of retroactive awarding of diplomas to members of the class of 2006 and a delay in the CAHSEE diploma penalty at least for the class of 2007 and potentially for future classes. According to the California Department of Education, there are approximately 20,000 students in the class of 2006 who fulfilled all other requirements for graduation and were denied diplomas solely for failure to pass the CAHSEE. CFJ, a grassroots advocacy group represented by attorneys from Public Advocates, alleges that the California State Board of Education and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell violated a state education law which required them to study alternatives to the CAHSEE after initial administrations of the exam back in 2001and 2002 and to forward their recommendations to the Legislature for enactment. State education officials did not complete the study of alternatives until March 2006, just a few months before graduation day and far too late for the Legislature to have time to enact any alternatives in time to benefit the class of 2006. PRESS RELEASE: August 17, 2006 San Francisco, CA— Public Advocates (“PA”) releases its second report on California school district compliance with their obligation to provide parents and the public with information on key school conditions and resources through the School Accountability Report Card (“SARC”). In a follow-up to its 2005 investigation, PA reviewed SARC compliance in 1,404 schools, nearly 15% of all public schools in the state. PA assessed whether districts had: (a) issued their SARCs on time, (b) made translated copies of the SARC available in districts with significant minority populations, and (c) disclosed important information on needed school facility repairs and classrooms without qualified teachers as required by the historic settlement of Williams v. California. Despite some improvement in school districts issuing SARCs on time (53% in 2006 compared to 50% in 2005), serious violations of SARC obligations persist. An alarming 80% of school districts surveyed this summer failed to translate the SARC into languages other than English at one or more district school when required by law. Many schools did not provide adequate information, or any information at all, on needed school facility repairs and teacher misassignments and vacancies. Finally, almost all the schools investigated failed to report required data on per pupil expenditures and average teacher salaries at the school site as well as the percentage of pupils lacking sufficient instructional materials. “Because of widespread failure to comply with SARC requirements, hundreds of thousands of parents are deprived of an extremely valuable tool to hold public schools accountable,” said Jenny Pearlman, Staff Attorney at Public Advocates. “The SARC is designed to provide parents, the public, and policymakers with information on essential educational resources so they can understand learning conditions and results,” explained Pearlman. Public Advocates’ investigation identified 14 school districts with significant SARC violations. PA is today sending these districts letters warning them of possible suit unless an agreement to comply is reached promptly. These districts are: Alum Rock Elementary School District and Eastside Union High School District in Santa Clara County, Oakland USD, Sacramento USD, San Francisco USD, Lodi USD in San Joaquin County, Napa Valley USD, Fresno USD and Selma USD in Fresno County, Los Banos USD in Merced County, Inglewood USD and Long Beach USD in Los Angeles County, and Vista USD and Mt. Empire USD in San Diego County. “Low-income parents and immigrant parents work hard to stay actively involved in their children’s education. By failing to provide them with accurate and understandable information about their children’s schools, district officials are only exacerbating the many barriers these parents already face,” said Guillermo Mayer, attorney at Public Advocates. “Greater school district compliance and state involvement is necessary to make the SARC the information tool it was intended to be,” Mayer added. This past year, several education stakeholders, including Public Advocates, the California Department of Education, the State Superintendent of Public Education, PICO California, UCLA IDEA, EdVoice, EdTrust West, and others, have actively worked to improve the SARC’s readability and usefulness for parents and the public. To enhance further the SARC’s usefulness as an accountability and information tool and improve school district compliance with SARC obligations, Public Advocates is recommending: (a) legislative action to establish a clear statutory deadline for SARC publication, To obtain a copy of today’s report or of the demand letters issued to the 14 districts, visit www.publicadvocates.org PRESS RELEASE: July 24, 2006 San Francisco, CA— Attorneys for students attending the worst schools in the state will ask the Court of Appeal in San Francisco to reinstate an injunction against the exit exam Tuesday and retroactively award diplomas to as many as 42,000 seniors. An Alameda County Superior Court judge granted the injunction in May halting the diploma penalty for the Class of 2006 because he found many students had not had an equal opportunity to learn the material being tested. That injunction was suspended by the California Supreme Court on May 24th, and the issue was transferred to the Court of Appeal. The student plaintiffs, represented pro bono by the law firm Morrison & Foerster,will be joined by tens of thousands of students, parents, teachers and community members from across California who have been allowed to appear as amici curiae or friends of the court. The amici, represented by attorneys from Public Advocates, are community organizations from a statewide education reform coalition known as the Campaign for Quality Education and the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA). These groups submitted a brief in support of the plaintiffs arguing that widespread shortages of credentialed teachers, standards-aligned textbooks, and standards-aligned course offerings have denied CAHSEE failers the opportunity to learn the material tested on the exam, violating equal protection and due process guarantees under the state constitution. The amici’s brief also articulates a 7-point plan that, if followed, could satisfy constitutional requirements for implementation of the exit exam. “We are not against the state’s education standards,” said Mike Chavez of Californians for Justice. “But the State must first ensure there is opportunity. No one benefits when students are punished for the State’s shortcomings.” Among the critical steps amici assert the State will need to undertake to meet its constitutional burden are the following: (1) monitor and support districts to ensure that all students have access to the curriculum and instruction needed to pass the exam and have been taught the necessary pre-requisite skills for success; PRESS RELEASE: April 18, 2006 San Francisco, CA— Californians for Justice, a grassroots advocacy group, represented by attorneys from Public Advocates, filed suit late yesterday in Alameda County Superior Court in Oakland, seeking to delay June’s diploma denial for those not passing the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) until the state Legislature has time to consider the most promising alternatives to the controversial test, as required by law. The class of 2006 is the first class required to pass the California High School Exit Exam, pursuant to the legislation passed in 1999. According to data released in late March by the California Department of Education, 48,000 seniors in the class of 2006 have been unable to pass the CAHSEE and will likely be denied high school diplomas in June. The vast majority of these affected students are low-income students, African-American and Latino students, and English language learners. Most other states with exit exams use multiple measures of performance as the basis for graduation. Of the 25 states with high school exit exams, at least 22 offer alternative assessments as part of their examination systems. On January 6, 2006, the Superintendent concluded that “there is no practicalalternative available” to the exit exam, and the State Board adopted his recommendation on March 8th. In fact, the hearings did identify a promising alternative – a State Performance A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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