PTA in California - Education Edition

Three decades of research proves that students achieve highergrades, have better attendance and more consistently completehomework when parents and caregivers are engaged. Changes

in education such as the new Local Control Funding Formula(LCFF), Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs), newstate standards and assessments are ushering in a new era in whichfamily engagement is more important than ever.

You have an opportunity to make your voice heard! Learn moreabout how you can help your child succeed this school year.

®

everychild. onevoice.Volume 78, Issue 1 Official Newsletter of the California State PTA 2015

Inside Three Education TrendsYou Need to Know, page 3

Assessments/Understanding the Score Reports, page 6

California State Standards,page 10

INSIDE

Education Edition

FIND OUT MORENew assessments and score reports for student success!Pages 6-9

PTA connects families, schools andcommunities. PTAalso helps ensure thatparents have a seatat the table whenimportant decisionsthat affect schoolsare made. PTA worksto improve theeducation, healthand safety of allchildren. Just byjoining PTA you showyour children thatschool matters, andthat you are investedin their success.

Every family is part of the family!®

2 PTA in California • 2015

PTAbelieves family isthe basic unit of

society responsible for thesupport and nurturing of allchildren, and we recognizethat “the family” may bedefined in many ways. Sono matter who’s in yourfamily or how you define it,your family is part of thenational family millions ofmembers strong – PTA!

Just by joining PTA you show your children that schoolmatters, and that you are invested in their success. Here arejust a few benefits of belonging to PTA:

■ Get Connected. There’s no better way to know what’s happening inyour school, or to develop a relationship with your child’s teacherand principal.

■ Discover Great Resources. PTA offers a variety of unique programsand materials for students, parents, families, schools andcommunities.

■ Speak Up. PTA gives you a “seat at the table” when importantdecisions are made about your child’s school.

■ Be a Role Model. By becoming a PTA member, you demonstrate to your child the importance you place on education.

■ Enjoy Extra Benefits. PTA members enjoy exclusive money-savingmember perks including discounts on school supplies, rental cars,amusement parks and more.

■ Make a Difference! By working together, PTA members havehelped advance local, state and national laws and policies toimprove the education, health and safety of all children.

PTA membership is open to everyone: It doesn’t matter if you’re aparent, student, educator, business leader or community member.

Your PTA membership MAKES a difference

If you care about kids, join PTA!

1 FAMILY ENGAGEMENT IS KEY TO STUDENT SUCCESSDecades of research prove family engagement is key to yourchild’s success in school – and in life! Your engagement in yourchild’s life – reading together, monitoring homework, ensuringattendance, working with teachers, asking questions about yourchild’s day and joining PTA — impacts student success far morethan your income, education or ZIP code. Students with engagedfamilies attend school regularly, perform better in school, earnhigher grades, pass their classes, develop better social skills and goon to college and other educational opportunities.

2 HEALTHY KIDS ARE BETTER LEARNERSThere’s a critical link between health and student achievement.Families, teachers and researchers know that our kids can’t grow,learn and succeed when they’re not healthy. You can help ensurehealthy children – and successful learners – by providing nutritiousmeals and health care, staying on top of health developments, andstaying in touch with your local PTA for the latest information onhealth issues and programs at your children’s schools.

3 EDUCATION CHANGES HELP ALL STUDENTSFrom a newly revised funding formula to new learning standardsand assessments, California’s schools are undergoing historicchanges all designed to help students succeed. And understandinghow school systems work – such as through the California StatePTA’s School Smarts Parent Engagement Program – increases thelikelihood of parent and community involvement, which makeseducation even more effective and responsive for all children.

3PTA in California • June 2015

Three education trends you need to knowthis school year

3PTA in California • 2015

LEARN MOREFor information on these three education trends

and more, visit capta.org.

“Just like theABC’s, family

engagement,student health and thechanging landscape ofeducation all go togetherto spell success forCalifornia kids – it’s thatsimple!”

– California State PTA PresidentJustine Fischer


1 Model positive parenting and supportlearning at home.Develop effective parenting skills and seek tobetter understand child and adolescentdevelopment. Create a home environment thatsupports learning by establishing a quiet placefor homework, setting a regular time forstudying. Know your teacher’s homework policyand how to monitor and discuss schoolwork athome. Engage in conversations with your childabout college and careers.

2 Learn more about your child’s school and communicate with educators.Attend parent-teacher conferences and events at your child’s school. Find out how to takeadvantage of your school’s translation andinterpretation services. Make time to readnewsletters, notices and memos from the school. Ask your school if it offers CaliforniaState PTA’s School Smarts Parent EngagementProgram and, if not, ask about bringing it to yourschool community.

Six key ways you can make a difference foryour child and schoolChanges in education such as the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) as well as new statestandards and assessments are ushering in a new era in which parent and family engagement ismore important than ever. You have a seat at the table when key decisions are being made atyour child’s school and in the school district. Here are six ways* you can get involved to makea difference for your child and school:


3 Help out at school or join PTA.Look at ways to volunteer in the classroom orother ways you can help prepare or organizeclassroom materials at home. Find out aboutschool organizations, initiatives and schoolcommittees such as PTA, School Site Council orEnglish Learner Advisory Committees (ELAC).Help with a school-wide event or accompanyyour child on a class field trip. And remember:Just joining PTA shows you support your childand school.

4 Engage in the decision-making, leadershipand advocacy efforts at your school.Learn about the various school, district orcommunity decision-making bodies. Your inputis critical. Learn more about your schooldistrict’s Local Control and Accountability Plan(LCAP) and the eight priority areas that help allchildren succeed. Consider taking on aleadership role in speaking up for all children –at your PTA, at the school and beyond.

5 Be familiar with what your child will beexpected to learn and how he or she willbe assessed as part of the new statestandards.Attend meetings and/or read moreabout California’s new state standards and howthey will help prepare students for the future.Find out more about the new statewideassessment program, how your child’s score willlook and what it means for your child’s progress.Talk to your child’s teacher to understand howlearning will look different in the classroom andhow you can best support your child.

6 Take advantage of community resources.Ask your school about free or low-costcommunity health, cultural and social supportprograms. Find out about after-schoolenrichment programs, tutoring and free libraryprograms that are available to you and yourfamily.

*Adapted from Joyce Epstein’s model for family and communitypartnerships as part of the California State PTA School SmartsParent Engagement Program.

Increase engagement,achievement at your school with theSchool Smarts Parent Engagement Program!School Smarts is an award-winning, research-based program that helps parents helptheir children and their school. Featuring a seven-session parent academy withsessions on education, communication and leadership, the program emphasizes artactivities and discussions to build inclusiveness among parents and school leaders.

“Learning begins at home, thenat school, then back home – it’sjust a cycle. School Smartstaught me how to get involved, tounderstand the school system, toknow my children’s progress andwhat they’re learning.”

– Marivic Quiba, Parent

To bring School Smarts to your school, contact your PTA or principal or write [email protected].

California’s educationlandscape is changing,

and so is the way wemeasure student learning.

Gone are the days of multiple-choice, fill-in-the-bubbletests. Today’s assessments are high-tech opportunitiesfor our kids to show what they really know throughcommunication, critical thinking and problem-solving— real skills needed for real-world success.

California’s new assessment program — called theCalifornia Assessment of Student Performance andProgress (CAASPP) — represents the next step in ourstate’s ambitious education remodeling project. In2014-15, California schools replaced their old tests withnew assessments built to let parents and teachers knowhow well students are learning the skills and knowledgethey need to succeed in today’s world.

The first round of the assessments took place last springfor students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 11. This fallmarks the arrival of the first scores, providing planningand goal-setting opportunities for parents and teachersthis new school year to help all students succeed.


New assessmentsstrengthenstudent successRevamped testsreflect each child’sneeds and goals


■ The new scores will look different – that’s OK!Scores from the new tests can’t be compared toanything our kids have done before. Previous scoreswere connected to different standards, which wereassessed in a different way.

■ Now is a great time to ask questions! Parentscan start discussions on the assessment score reportswith their child’s teachers during back-to-schoolnight and continue the conversation during parent-teacher conferences and other meetings.

■ The scores help improve learning for yourchild. Scores will give teachers the opportunity toadjust instruction and will give students and parentsan idea of which areas should get extra attention thisyear. Scores also will allow parents to see whichstandards their child has mastered.

■ The new scores are just one measure of howyour child is doing. The new summative tests arepart of an overall system of assessment that includesclassroom assignments, quizzes, report cards andother ways of monitoring your child’s progress.

■ The first score reports are a starting point.California’s new standards call for increased depth ofknowledge and critical thinking, and the assessmentsreflect these higher expectations. The first scores area starting point for continued growth in college- andcareer-readiness skills for your child.

SCORE REPORTS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW EXTRA INFO FOR

HIGH SCHOOLSTUDENTS!Knowing your child’sachievement level at theend of 11th grade givesyou the opportunity touse their senior high-school year to improveskills for entry intocollege or career technicaleducation after highschool. But no matter whatyour child’s future plansare, taking steps to preparebefore graduation isimportant to future success.A significant benefit forstudents who perform at“standard exceeded” on theassessments is that yourchild will be exempt fromtaking the California StateUniversity (CSU) and someparticipating CaliforniaCommunity College (CCC)placement tests. This willallow your child to movedirectly into many college-level courses uponenrollment. Students whoperform at “standard met”will be encouraged to takeappropriate courses in theirsenior year in order tomove directly to college-level courses or careertraining.

Find out more atwww.csusuccess.org.


QUESTIONS TO ASKThe new student assessment score reports offer a great opportunity to ask questions:

Emily’s Results on California's Assessments

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS/LITERACY Emily’s overall score is: 2508

..............................................................................................................................................................

YOUR OVERALL SCORE

2201-2441 2442-2501 2502-2581 2582-2701

Standard Standard Standard Standard Not Met Nearly Met Met Exceeded

Emily met the achievement standard and demonstrated the knowledge and skills in English language arts/literacy needed for success in future coursework.

Emily’s performance on the four areas that comprise this overall score can be seen on the back of this report.

MATHEMATICS Emily’s overall score is: 2279

YOUR OVERALL SCORE

2219-2454 2455-2527 2528-2578 2579-2700

Standard Standard Standard Standard Not Met Nearly Met Met Exceeded

Emily did not meet the achievement standard and needs substantial improvement to demonstrate the knowledge and skills in mathematics needed for success in future coursework.

Emily’s performance on the three areas that comprise this overall score can be seen on the back of this report.

T

Emily’s Results on California's Assessments

The following chart provides a further breakdown of Emily’s overall scores, represented on the front of this report. Each of the following areas may be represented as Above Standard, At or Near Standard, or Below Standard. To learn more about these tests, visit CAASPP Summative Assessments Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/sbacsummative.asp.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS/LITERACY Emily’s overall score is: 2508

AREA PERFORMANCE

Reading Above Standard

Demonstrating understanding of

....................................................................... literary and non-fiction texts

Writing Above Standard Producing clear and purposeful

....................................................................... writing

Listening At or Near Standard Demonstrating effective

....................................................................... communication skills

Research/Inquiry Above Standard Investigating, analyzing and presenting information

MATHEMATICS Emily’s overall score is: 2279

AREA PERFORMANCE

Problem Solving & Below Standard Modeling/Data Analysis

Using appropriate tools and strategies to solve real world and

....................................................................... mathematical problems

Concepts & Procedures Below Standard Applying mathematical concepts and procedures

....................................................................... Communicating Reasoning Below Standard Demonstrating ability to support mathematical conclusions

Your child’s studentscore report consists of two pages, both ofwhich are personalizedand unique for yourchild.

These detailed scoresand materials betterreflect your child’sprogress and provideopportunities to worktogether with educatorsto ensure studentsuccess.

–––––––––––––––––

For more informationon the score report, be sure to view theCalifornia Departmentof Education’s helpfulvideo – available inEnglish and Spanish –as well as new parentguides atwww.cde.ca.gov.

Page one includes:

■ A personalized letter from the state superintendent about your child’s assessment and thenew score report.

■ Overall scores outlining your child’s baseline performance on English language arts andmathematics. Indicated by a numerical score as well as a bar showing likely scores if theassessment was taken multiple times, the report shows your child’s performance as“standard not met, “standard nearly met,” “standard met” or “standard exceeded” in thesetwo major subjects.

Page two includes:

■ A breakdown of four areas of English language arts, outlining your child’s performance on reading, writing, listening and research/inquiry portions of the assessment.

■ A breakdown of three areas of mathematics, detailing your child’s performance on problemsolving/modeling/data analysis, concepts and procedures, and communicating reasoningportions of the assessment.

■ Descriptions of your child’s performance on these seven subject areas as “belowstandard,” “at or near standard” or “above standard.”

UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHILD’S SCORE REPORT

■ Ask Your Child: What areas do you thinkyou should particularly focus on this year,based on your test results? What do you seeas your strengths to build on?

■ Ask Your Teacher: How will these testsresults be used to guide instruction thisyear? What can we do at home that willhelp our child learn and be successful? How are other important subjects assessed?

■ Ask Your Principal:Are the individual testresults being used at the school for placementin classes or any other specific decisions?What did you learn at the school level fromthe overall results of the assessments?

■ Ask Your Superintendent:Are the districtassessment results helping to guide anyprofessional development this year? What are the next steps the district is taking in continuing the full, successfulimplementation of the new standards?


■ Measure real-world skills. To be ready for collegeand the workplace, your child needs to applyknowledge and skills through critical thinking,analytical writing and problem solving. The newassessments in math and English-language artsmeasure the skills students need to know when they graduate.

■ End teaching to the test. The new assessmentsinclude activities that more closely mirror what your child is learning in class. They provide a moreaccurate understanding of student knowledge thanprevious tests because they ask students to show and apply what they know, instead of just picking the right answer from a multiple-choice question.

■ Identify whether students are on the path tosuccess. You should be able to know whether yourchild has the knowledge and skills needed toadvance to the next stage for that subject. The newassessments provide an academic check-up and helpteachers and parents know whether students are ontrack to be college- and career-ready at each gradelevel.

■ Use technology to provide better informationfor teachers and parents. Online tests include agreater variety of questions and are more secure than paper tests. The tests adapt to each student’sresponses, moving to easier or more difficultquestions so they better gauge the student’s level of understanding.

■ Provide opportunities for early intervention.Teachers have access to interim assessments that canbe administered during the year to check on studentprogress. When teachers have information aboutyour child’s strengths and needs, they can bettersupport your child’s learning.

■ Replace state tests in English and math.Created by experts and educators, the newassessments replace previous STAR tests in English and math.

■ Support students with special needs. Newassessments include resources to help Englishlearners and students with disabilities demonstratewhat they know and can do.

If you have questions about the new assessments, feelfree to contact your child’s teacher, school or PTA. We’re all here to help your child succeed!

NEW ASSESSMENTS HELP YOUR CHILD SUCCEED

VISITCAPTA.ORG/RESOURCESFor free assessment-score

guides from the California Department of Education and

California State PTA!


California’s new state standards in English language artsand math are part of an overall update to the way ourschools ensure all students achieve. They provide deeper,richer and more relevant instruction with clearly-definedlearning goals for each grade level to help prepare yourchild – and every child – to successfully navigate ourchanging world.

Here are a few great resources to learn more aboutthe new standards and how to help your child thisschool year:

■ California Department of EducationRead the standards and search a collection of resources tosupport implementation. www.cde.ca.gov/re/cc/

• There’s also a section with resources and guidelines for the special education community.www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/cc/

■ California State PTA’s Parents’ Guide to Student SuccessA four-page guide for each grade level, includes highlights of the standards, ideas to support learning at home andquestions to ask your child’s teacher. Available in sixlanguages. www.capta.org/commoncore

■ Council of Great City Schools Parent RoadmapSee three-year snapshots showing how selected standardsprogress from year to year so your children will be college-and career-ready upon their graduation from high school.www.cgcs.org/Domain/36

■ Ed100.orgExplore California’s education system in easy-to-understandlanguage. www.ed100.org

■ The Homework Help DeskHave a question about your child’s homework? Search bygrade or by topic, browse through instructional videos or aska question of your own. www.thehomeworkhelpdesk.org

■ Be a Learning HeroThis National PTA-sponsored site provides tips, fast facts and guides to help your child including skill buildersdesigned to help improve your child’s skills in areas wherethey need support. www.bealearninghero.org/skill-builder

Digging Deeper: California’sNew Standards in EnglishLanguage Arts and Math


Start Thinking about College (And How to Pay for It)

Start Small and EarlyThe task of saving for collegecan be overwhelming, but thesooner you get started, thegreater the likelihood thatyour child will go to collegeand have the funds to pay forit. Various studies show that achild with a college savingsaccount is 6 to 7 times morelikely to attend college. Thekey is to get started.

Review Your FinancesSaving for college can bedaunting. That’s why it’simportant to take a careful look at your finances andidentify any available fundsthat you can regularlycontribute to your collegesavings. No contribution istoo small. Every little bithelps.

Define Your GoalPaying for 100 percent of achild’s future collegeexpenses may not be arealistic goal for someparents. Fortunately, theshare you save is only a partof a larger strategy to helppay for college. Define a goalthat makes sense for yourfamily and plan accordingly.

Understand Your 529 Plan A 529 plan is a state-sponsored, tax-advantagedsavings plan designed to helpfamilies save for college. TheState of California offers theScholarShare CollegeSavings Plan. In addition tothe many benefits, you canopen a ScholarShare accountwith just $25. Visitscholarshare.com to learnmore.

Additional ResourcesMany free resources areavailable to help with careerresearch and collegeplanning. School counselorsare your go-to source ofcurrent information onemployment and colleges.Taking a little time to meetwith a school counselor canmean a lot of help with jobideas, assessments to gaugeyour child’s career interests,vocational/technical schoolsand much more. Your schoolor local library are otherhelpful free resources foryour future plans.

It’s never too early – or too late – to plan for your child’s college future and to develop yourcollege-savings road map!

California State PTA and ScholarShare, California’s 529 College Savings Plan, are teaming upto raise awareness about the importance of saving for college. Here are a few steps you can taketo develop a college savings road map for your child:

Articles appearing in this newsletter may be reprinted in PTA unit,council and district newsletters only. Please credit California State PTA.

PTA IN CALIFORNIA2327 L Street, Sacramento, California 95816-5014

PH (916) 440-1985 • FAX (916) 440-1986capta.org

FALL 2015, Official newsletter of the California State PTA, Volume 78,No. 1. Four issues published annually. Circulation 80,000. ©2015California Congress of Parents, Teachers, and Students, Inc. All rightsreserved. PTA® is a registered service mark of the National Congressof Parents and Teachers.

President: Justine FischerVice President for Communications: Carol Green

Vice President for Education: Celia JaffeExecutive Director: Sherry Skelly Griffith

Editorial and Design Team: Michelle Eklund, Brady Oppenheim, Ralph Ruiz, Pat Ruiz

The mission of the California State PTA isto positively impact the lives of all children and families.

Adopted August 2013

Come for the convention

Stay for the vacation

Featuring nationally renownedmotivational speakers, energizingworkshops and engaging activities, the 2016 California State PTA Annual Convention is the place toconnect for student success!

May 4-7, 2016 in San Diego capta.org/convention

California State

2327 L StreetSacramento, California 95816-5014

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SACRAMENTO, CAPERMIT NO. CPS

There’s only one PTA!Part of school, family and neighborhood lifefor more than 115 years, PTA is the definingorganization for family engagement. If yourschool isn’t yet part of PTA, you can start aPTA and continue our century-long legacyof advocacy for children, families andcommunities.

capta.org

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PTA in California - Education Edition