Schools
CUSDWatch: December 6, 2017 CUSD BOT Meeting Consent Calendar
How Did CUSD Trustees Vote on Curriculum and Instruction Agenda Items #16-21
CONSENT CALENDARCUSD Board of Trustees Meeting December 6, 2017: Curriculum & Instruction Agenda Items #16-21 |
The Superintendent and the staff recommended approval of all Consent Calendar items.
Note: CUSD put the purchase of the Esencia School Site on the Consent Calendar without a price. The amount paid turned out to be $13 million more than previously disclosed because CUSD valued the land as if it had entitlements to 100 homes on it. This resulted in the gifting of $13 million in taxpayer dollars to the Ranch and is the subject of a DA Investigation.
It is very important for tax payers to watch all Consent Calendar Items. PUBLIC COMMENT is now limited to 5 minutes per speaker total no matter how many Items an individual speaker wishes to comment on. This is a NEW rule was put in place to limit Public scrutiny of the Consent Calendar.
TRUSTEES Voted 5-0-2 (Trustees Reardon and Jones were absent) to move Agenda Items #16-21
Agenda Item #16 ACADEMIC EVENT CONTRACTS – IRVINE RANCH OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTER
Find out what's happening in San Juan Capistranofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Board Agenda page 287
Board Audio: None
Find out what's happening in San Juan Capistranofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center (IROEC) program provides engaging outdoor education overnight field trip experiences for schools and districts in Southern California.
Canyon Vista ES
- 4 days/3 nights.
- 120 children @ $310 per night
- $37,200.00
Del Obispo ES
- 4 days/3 nights.
- 60 children @ $310 per night
- $18,600
Hidden Hills ES
- 3 days/2 nights.
- 60 children @ $240 per night
- $14,400
Clarence Lobo ES
- 4 days/3 nights.
- 60 children @ $310 per night
- $18,600
The Cost is $88,000 paid for by each school site/and or Gift Funds.
Board Agenda page 314
Board Audio: None
The Orange County Department of Education’s (OCDE) Inside the Outdoors program provides engaging outdoor education field trip experiences and assemblies on science topics for schools and districts in Southern California.
Tijeras Creek Elementary School
- Shipley Nature Center- Gabrielfino Walk 9:00 - 11:00
- Grade 3 - 65 students @$8.50 = $552.50
Castille Elementary School
- Santiago Oaks 9:00 - 11:00
- Grade 2 - 90 students @ $15.50 = $1,395.00
Total Cost is $1,947.50 paid for by each school site/and or Gift Funds.
Agenda Item #18 AGREEMENT FOR ADDITIONAL SCHOOL PARTICIPATING IN INSIDE THE OUTDOORS’ SCHOOL PROGRAMS AGREEMENT NUMBER #10004
Board Audio: None
The Orange County Department of Education’s (OCDE) Inside the Outdoors program provides engaging outdoor education field trip experiences and assemblies on science topics for schools and districts in Southern California.
Arroyo Vista ES
- Traveling Scientists II Rocking Geology
- Grade 4 - 90 Students @ $6.50 = $585.00 + Mileage $70 = $655.00
Oak Grove ES
- Traveling Scientists I Me and My World
- Kindergarten - 135 Students @ $6.50 = $810.00 + Mileage $70 = $880.00
WHY ARE THE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS FREE?
Dana Hills HS FREE - No Charge
- Traveling Scientist 3- 1st service learning visit
- Traveling Scientist 3- 2nd service learning visit
Tesoro HS FREE - No Charge
- Traveling Scientist 3- 1st service learning visit
- Traveling Scientist 3- 2nd service learning visit
- What About Water Showcase
Ambuehl Elementary School
Traveling Scientists: Total Cost $9,547.50
- Mileage: 18 X $70 = $1,260
- Instruction: $8,287.50
GRADE K: $1,170.00 (60 students X 3 classes X $6.50)
- Rethink Resources
- Me and my World
- Amazing Animals
GRADE 1: $1,267.50 (75 students X 3 classes X $6.50)
- Scales of Slime
- Catch the Rays"
- Amazing Animals
GRADE 2: $1,267.50 (65 students X 3 classes X $6.50)
- Amazing Animals
- Feather Fun
- Rethink Resources
GRADE 3: $1,657.50 (85 students X 3 classes X $6.50)
- Feather Fun
- Magnets R Magnificant
- Mad Plants
GRADE 4: $1,462.50 (85 students X 3 classes X $6.50)
- Rockin' Geology
- Rethink Resources
- Body of Knowledge
GRADE 5: $1,462.50
- Body of Knowledge
- Drip Drop
- What's the Matter
Don Juan Avilia ES
Traveling Scientists: Total Cost: $7,205.00
- Mileage: 11 X $70 = $770.00
- Instruction: $6,435.00
GRADE A: (90 students X $6.50 X 3 Classes)
- More Than One Program
- More Than One Program
- More Than One Program
GRADE K: (90 students X $6.50 X 2 Classes)
- More Than One Program
- More Than One Program
GRADE 1: (90 students X $6.50 X 1 Classe)
- More Than One Program
GRADE 2: (90 students X $6.50 X 2 Classes)
- More Than One Program
- More Than One Program
GRADE 3 (90 students X $6.50 X 1 Classe)
- More Than One Program
GRADE 4 (90 students X $6.50 X 2 Classes)
- More Than One Program
- More Than One Program
No Classes for Grade 5?
Hidden Hills ES
Traveling Scientists: Total Cost: $6,105.00
- Mileage: 12 X $70 = $840.00
- Instruction: $5,265.00
GRADE K-5: (60 students X $6.50 X 11 Classes = $4,290.00)
- More Than One Program
GRADE K-5: (150 students X $6.50 X 1 Classes = $975.00)
- More Than One Program
WHY ARE THE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS FREE?
San Clemente HS FREE - No Charge
- Traveling Scientist 3- 1st service learning visit
- Traveling Scientist 3- 2nd service learning visit
Tijeras Creek ES
Traveling Scientists: Total Cost: $525.00- Mileage: 1 X $70 = $70
- Instruction: $455
GRADE 5: (70 students X $6.50 X 1 Class = $455)
Board Agenda page 353
Board Audio: None
Emerald Cove Outdoor Science Institute program provides engaging outdoor education field trip experiences on science topics for schools and districts in Southern California.
This Items amends a previous contract to include San Juan Elementary School 4 day program: San Juan Elementary 120 kids $41,610.00
On July 26, 2017 Agenda Item #12 at page 373 the Board Approved the following:
$200,516.45 serving 689 5th grade students from the following schools:
3 day program:
- Las Palmas 5th Grade 136 kids $27,132
- Viejo 5th Grade 60 kids $11,970
- Wood Canyon 5th Grade 91 kids $18,154.50
4 day program:
- Reilly 5th Grade 92 kids $24,637.50
- Oak Grove 5th Grade 115 kids $39,876.25
5 day program:
- Bathgate 5th grade 120 kids $43,524
- Castille 5th Grade 92 kids $35,222.20
Funds for outdoor science camps are raised by parents and the public through fundraising and donations. As such, the length of the camp depends on the parents ability to raise sufficient funds.
Agenda Item #20 AGREEMENT WITH CENTER FOR APPLIED LINGUISTICS FOR 2017- 2018
Board Agenda page 357Board Audio: None
The Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) is a private, Non Profit organization involved in the study of language and the application of linguistics to educational, cultural and social concerns. CALs mission is to improve education through better understanding of language and culture and to promote language learning and cultural understanding by serving as a trusted source for research, resources, and policy analysis. Through its work, CAL seeks solutions to issues involving language and culture as they relate to access and equity in education and society around the globe.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 100 participants- educators from Las Palmas- Viejo and San Juan Elementary Schools Cost: $3,594 paid for by School Sites using Title I funds.
No Blue Card Was Pulled- I would have pulled this Item if I was able to attend
There have been Board discussions that the academic performance of Native Spanish speakers in the 2-way program is in decline. CUSD has paid Hanover Research to see why.
The past success of the 2-way program was based on 20:1 class sizes in K-3. Each class had 10 native english speakers and 10 English Language Learners. The basis of the program was to teach:
K: 90% Spanish/10% English
1: 80% Spanish/20% English
2: 70% Spanish/30% English
3: 60% Spanish/40% English then 50%/50% thereafter
The goal was to make English Language Learners fluent and literate in Spanish (their native language) then go on to teach English.
Due to inadequate funding, class sizes have grown well past the 20:1 and that (in my opinion) is the greatest contributing factor in the decline in academic performance of ELL in this program).
This Professional Development will not address that flaw.
Las Palmas Elementary School
- Grade K: 6 Teachers/154 students 26:1
- Grade 1: 6 Teachers/154 students 26:1
- Grade 2: 5 Teachers/148 students 30:1
- Grade 3: 5 Teachers/138 students 27:1
Note: The Leonard Family Foundation donates $225,000 per year to Las Palmas to reduce Class Sizes? See: March 22, 2017 Agenda Item #2 Why does Las Palmas have the largest class sizes of the 2-Way schools?
EQUITY?
San Juan Elementary School
- Grade K: 6 Teachers/138 students 23:1
- Grade 1: 5 Teachers/143 students 29:1
- Grade 2: 5 Teachers/127 students 25:1
- Grade 3: 5 Teachers/131 students 26:1
Viejo Elementary School
- Grade K: 4 Teachers/89 Students 22:1
- Grade 1: 3 Teachers/89 students 30:1
- Grade 2: 3 Teachers/76 students 25:1
- Grade 3: 3 Teachers/75 students 24:1
Hire more Teachers per grade or limit the program to 20 students per teacher.
Agenda Item #21 INCOME AGREEMENT #45290 WITH ORANGE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR PARENT ENGAGEMENT SURVEY
Board Agenda at page 365
Board Audio: None
No Blue Card Was Pulled- I would have pulled this Item if I was able to attend
Why is Staff asking the Board to approve a contract for work that has already been completed?
This is an after the fact Contract for work that has already been done October 10, 2017 through November 12, 2017.
The contract is for OCDE to Help CUSD with Parent Surveys to gather data on parents' ability to access overall school counseling and advisement services.
Cost $2,600 paid for with LCFF Supplemental Funding