California Department of Education

The State Board of Education on Thursday unanimously approved the use of shorter standardized tests in English language arts and math this spring, creating a path for collecting critical student data amidst COVID-19 uncertainties. The Board’s action also recognizes the need for innovative solutions to support students, schools, and districts as they confront myriad challenges associated with the pandemic. Read more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr20/yr20rel90.asp

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announced that CDE will release today its latest recommendations to the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum, which will contain expanded resources that reflect California’s diversity, promote critical thinking, and empower educators to lead courageous conversations that are relevant to students of all backgrounds. Read more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr20/yr20rel91.asp

Superintendent Thurmond Media Check-In

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond will hold a virtual news media briefing tomorrow at 10 a.m. to provide an update on CDE's latest recommendations to the draft Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum. Watch it here on Facebook Live. California is required by law to develop a model curriculum in ethnic studies to be utilized as a guide and outline for schools as they consider implementing ethnic studies courses. The CDE will release its next set of recommendations to the draft model ...curriculum in advance of the Nov. 18 meeting of the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC). State law requires the State Board of Education to take final action on the model curriculum by March 31, 2021. More information on the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum can be found on the CDE Model Curriculum Projects webpage: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/modelcurriculumprojects.asp

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announced that the CDE has selected recipients of mini grants totaling nearly $200,000 that will fund educator trainings across the state to combat hate, bigotry, racism, and other forms of bias or prejudice in schools as part of the Education to End Hate initiative. CDE will also host a series of virtual classroom and educator professional development sessions broadcast live throughout the state that will be designed to engage students, edu...cators, and families in a wide-ranging dialogue about the many forms of bias young people face across Californiaand ways schools can lead efforts to end discrimination. The first three dates and topics in the webinar series will be: Week of November 16: Pedagogical Approaches to Teaching about Native Americans December 8: Countering anti-Semitism January 12, 2021: Countering Islamophobia Read more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr20/yr20rel89.asp

Webinar tomorrow at 1 p.m.: State of California Healthy Kids Survey Please join us for a free webinar on the Results of the 201719 State of California Healthy Kids Survey: The 17th Biennial Student Survey. This webinar will be presented by Greg Austin, PhD and Leslie Poynor, PhD of WestEd. They will share the latest statewide findings on school climate and student well-being; social, emotional and mental health; alcohol, marijuana, and other drug use; and tobacco use and vap...ing. In addition to the survey findings, state and district leaders and prevention practitioners will learn about how to use the survey and the data dashboard to inform programing. Please register in advance: https://wested.zoom.us//tJ0rduChrjorG9HvVp6BUFVsg9CeFnWQK8

Webinar today at 3:15 p.m.: Supporting English Learners in the Rural Setting. This free session will focus on connecting with learners, learning and language by providing resources for districts and schools located in rural areas of California. It will focus on the resource developed by statewide partners, "Considerations for Inclusivity and Support within Designated English Language Development in Remote Learning," and use this as a tool to highlight best practices. Register: https://us02web.zoom.us//register/WN_pjydW-2qQyW4YQv07RB90Q

Happy Retired Teachers Week! The week of November 1 to November 7 is California’s 22nd annual Retired Teachers Week. Since 1998, California Retired Teachers Association has sponsored the week as a way to not only spotlight members’ extensive volunteerism but to encourage others to do the same. Members of CalRTA also donated more than $600,000 in grants, scholarships and donations to schools and current and future teachers last year.... Learn more about CalRTA online at calrta.org or at Facebook.com/CalRTA.

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond's weekly COVID-19 Update message is pictured below. Teachers of the Year: https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr20/yr20rel86.asp Social Emotional Learning: https://edsource.org//expanding-social-emotional-le/642286... Youth Mental Health First Aid: https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/el/le/yr20ltr1019.asp Subscribe to our weekly COVID-19 Update email by sending a blank email to: [email protected].

Congrats to all of the California National Agricultural Proficiency winners announced at the 93rd National FFA Organization Convention & Expo last week. And special shout out to David Lopez, a member of the Holtville FFA Chapter and currently a Freshman at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, who was elected to serve as a National Officer! David will take a year out of college and represent the more than 650,000 FFA members across this country. His travels will allow him to meet CEOs, c...ommunity leaders, industry leaders and government representatives in addition to the thousands of schools he will visit. Later in the year, he, along with the other five officers, will travel to Japan to meet with government officials, stay with host families and learn about their agriculture industry. Since 1928, the Agricultural Education Unit of the CDE has been the official sponsor of the California Association of Future Farmers of America. The mission of FFA is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for leadership, personal growth, and career success through Agricultural Education. Read more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ct/ae/

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond recently spoke with Carl Cohn for EdSource's podcast. Against the backdrop of growing movement focused on eradicating racial inequities in California and beyond, the conversation covered using education to counter hate, the coronavirus pandemic, and creating opportunity for all, including ensuring internet and technology access for all students. Listen to the conversation here: https://edsource.org//carl-cohn-podcast-superintendent-of-

Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation is hosting a California STEAM Symposium Pre-Conference focused on Celebrating Teachers and the Art of Teaching. Scheduled to take place on November 17, registration for the afternoon event is included with a completed registration for the California STEAM Symposium. There's also a spooky season flash sale now until Sunday midnight. Use code "Boo!" for big savings and to get exclusive access to the upcoming pre-conference. One registration, two events! Read more: https://web.cvent.com//websitePage:a95301d7-c7c3-48de-9fe4

CBS News' story on the pandemic's impact on kids in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community features an interview with Dr. Nancy Hlibok Amann, Superintendent of California School for the Deaf, Riverside (CSDR). "The ability to converse with their peers is limited at best during this time," said Hlibok Amann, who is Deaf. Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing with hearing families who do not communicate using ASL can feel especially isolated. Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com//kids-in-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing/