Schools
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC: Citizens Request to Place an Item On the June 7, 2017 Board Meeting
"The Elimination of CCP and Stand Alone Health as a CUSD Graduation Requirement"
Citizens Request to Place an Item On the June 7, 2017 Board Meeting:
"The Elimination of CCP and Stand Alone Health as a CUSD Graduation Requirement".
At the April 19, 2017 Board Meeting Trustee asked Staff to bring this to the Board for Discussion and Action by Trustees. Trustees have requested this discussion for three years and Staff has ignored Trustees request. This topic has been presented every year in CUSD’s annual discussion of High School Graduation Requirements. It is time that Trustees had the opportunity to discuss what is in the best interest of students wishing to attend a 4- year selective university after graduation, and NOT be limited to a Community College or a job. This unnecessary graduation requirement places a punitive, odorous and burdensome requirement on CUSD’s highest achieving students, and is intentionally designed to limit the academic potential of CUSD’s best and brightest.
The following should be included in the Agenda Item and be the basis for an open discussion of why CCP/Stand Alone Health should be eliminated (effective immediately) as a graduation requirement.
The elimination of CCP and Stand Alone Health as a requirement to graduate will in no way, prevent those students who need CCP from taking it.
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The three required unites of Health can be embedded into PE or Social studies which is what most Districts do.
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*/ /*-->*/ /*-->*/ Talking Points: The Elimination of CCP and Stand Alone Health as a Requirement to Graduate. | ||
PRO CCP Benefits of Keeping CCP as a Graduation Requirement? Staff and Employees want it - There has been no articulate reason presented by CUSD for keeping a class that forces CUSD students who plan to attend a 4-year college into taking two years of summer school, and/or years of Zero period if they want to complete their A-G requirements. | CON CCP Benefits of Eliminating CCP as a Graduation Requirement Eliminate CCP as a graduation requirement... it is in the BEST INTEREST OF STUDENTS.  | |
Saving Teaching Jobs & Maximizing Compensation During the great recession (Starting 2007-08), CUSD was forced to cut $152 million dollars from it's budget (about 32%). In an effort to balance it's budget, CUSD laid off almost all of it's School Counselors. By 2011, CUSD had decreased the number of School Counselors to 16 for the entire District- 1,056 students per School Counselor. The American School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of 1 Counselor to 250 students. CUSD replaced the School Councilors with "Academic Advisors" and initiated CCP classes (College and Career Planning Classes) as a means of compensating for the laid off School Counselors. A school "Counselor" is required to have equivalent to the completion of an earned Master of Arts or higher degree in psychology, counseling, or guidance, and hold a valid California Pupil Personnel Services Credential authorizing service as a "School Counselor". Slide 13 - 17     "Academic Advisors" are classified staff that are required to have a minimum 2 years of college level course work in education and a valid Driver License. In 2011, the average compensation for a Certificated School Counselor was $108,392. The average compensation for a classified employee designated as an "Academic Advisor" was $53,567. CUSD was able to cut it's salary expenses by hiring less qualified staff, and implementing CCP as a required class for graduation. CUSD's reporting of Support Staff was intentionally meant to mis-lead the Public. SARC reports reported the number of "Academic Advisors" as "School Counselors", while on reports to CDE showed that most support staff had been laid off due to budget cuts. THE PUBLIC HAD NO IDEA STUDENTS WERE NO LONGER RECEIVING ADEQUATE PUPIL SUPPORT. CUSD implemented CCP and made it a requirement for graduation to ensure that EVERY student would be trained in basic computer skills and have some access to an academic counseling without needing a live Counselor. The downside of this solution was that CCP/Health made it very difficult for high achieving students (students on track to enter a four year selective University) to complete their A-G requirements. In an effort to compensate for declines in A-G Completion rates, CUSD worked very hard to get CCP classified as a CTE class (College Technical Education class). This would allow students to use the CCP class as an elective A-G course. CTE classes require a special Teaching Credential. Unfortunately, all of the Certificated teachers teaching CCP were not adequately credentialed to teach a CTE class- hence the "challenge to staff" (see slide below). 17 CCP Teachers 18 Health Teachers The combined current compensation of these 35 teachers is over $4.5 million dollars with average compensation per teacher of $130,000.00 per year.  As you read these total compensation numbers (Salaries, pensions and benefits) keep in mind this is for 180 days of instruction. and these are 2015-16 numbers which do not include their 8% compensation increase they received in 2016-17 ... nor does it include the 8% they are asking for for 2016-17 that is currently being negotiated. This is while our children attend schools that have not been fixed or maintained for 20 years. They have no DISTRICT FUNDED ART, MUSIC or SCIENCE, no Honors Classes (compared to every other district or programming for high achieving students. CUSD Staff eliminated funding for GATE without Board approval. CUSD staff has received across-the-board compensation increases the last four years totaling over $120 million dollars and have done NOTHING to improve the quality of education for students. Aliso Niguel High School
Capo Valley High School CCP: 7 sections - 3 Teachers Dana Hills High School CCP: 9 Sections - 3 Teachers (Web Site shows 4) San Clemente High CCP: 10 Sections - 2 Teachers San Juan Hills High CCP: 6 Sections - 3 Teachers CCP: 7 Sections - 2 Teachers Student Data Mining Naviance has traditionally been a tool used by High School Juniors and Seniors to track their College Applications and help match students to colleges. Naviance is NOT A CLASS. CUSD made a unique decision to embed Naviance Family into CCP- a class required for graduation which means, students cannot OPT OUT. This violates Naviance terms of service agreement with CUSD which requires school districts to OPT students IN. "Naviance, Inc. relies on Clients to provide consent for collection of that data on behalf of the parents or legal guardians, as agreed to in advance by Clients." CUSD has made a unilateral decision to collect personally identifiable data on every single student in CUSD with no ability to OPT OUT.
Naviance has been expanded. It is now being used from TK- 12th grade. Does College and Career Ready really start in TK? CUSD is the only District that is using Naviance, not as a College Tool, but as a required class for graduation by embedding it into CCP and other Core Educational classes. Naviance does personality testing which under FERPA usually requires parents to "OPT IN". By embedding Naviance into classes that are required for graduation, there is no OPT IN and in fact students have no real way to OPT OUT. This curriculum choice is odd and is unique to CUSD and actually puts students behind in their A-G completion rates by requiring CCP/Health to Graduate. Most Districts inbed the three required units of Health into PE and do not make CCP a graduation requirement which frees up one full year of course work to complete and A-G class. CUSD's relationship with Naviance is concerning and should be looked at closer. | Eliminating CCP Would Instantly Improve CUSD's A-G Completion Rates CCP/Health combined take up 1 full block for an entire year making it difficult for students on a 4-year college track to complete A-G requirements. CUSD's current A-G completion rate is 54.1%. That means 45.9% of all CUSD students have NO option after graduating CUSD except to go to Community College or get a job. Eliminating CCP as a graduation requirement, and incorporating the three required units of Health into PE would free up an entire year long course for students to complete an A-G course which would dramatically increase CUSD's A-G completion rates. This would dramatically improve the number of students that would be qualified to apply to a selective 4-year college or University. It is time to Eliminate CCP for this reason alone. 54.4% of CUSD students complete their A-G requirements by 11th grade. Irvine: 66.8% Laguna Beach 67.2% Newport Mesa 59.8% CUSD's numbers would improve instantly if CUSD would eliminate CCP and embed Health into PE. * Note: CUSD always post Conditional + College Ready to make their numbers look better but A-G completion by 12th grade is too late for students wanting to attend a 4- year selective university. The State of California does not require students to take CCP to graduate. This is unique to CUSD no other schools requires students to take CCP. The State of California does not require Health as a stand alone class to graduate. The three required units of Health can be embedded into PE. CCP & Stand Alone HEALTH Place an Unreasonable Curriculum Burden on Students and Financial Burden on Taxpayers. Making CCP a Graduation Requirement places an substantial burden on CUSD's highest achieving students by impacting their schedules with a meaningless class. CUSD can keep CCP for those students who will benefit from this class, but CCP SHOULD NOT BE A REQUIREMENT TO GRADUATE. CCP does NOT transfer to any college and adds nothing to a students transcript. In fact CCP puts downward pressure to a weighted transcript. NO SCHOOL DISTRICT FORCES STUDENTS TO TAKE SUMMER SCHOOL FOR TWO SUMMERS! What is the real motivation for making this class a graduation requirement? Every student who wants to attend a 4-year selective College or University is being forced to take Summer School for two summers in order to get their required A-G classes completed. Eliminating CCP as a graduation requirement, and incorporating the three required units of Health into PE would free up an entire year long course block to complete an A-G required course. It appears CUSD is preparing students for COMMUNITY COLLEGE or a JOB not Higher Education. How sad for south Orange County - some of the most educated people in the world live here and CUSD will make their children less educated and employable simply because they happen to live in the Capistrano Unified School District. Did you know that only 8% of last years graduating class is currently attending a UC school? Did you know that 25% of CUSD students applied to a UC and either got offered Merced or were not accepted? CUSD is not meeting the needs of high achieving students AND CCP is one of the reasons- lack of Honors classes and accelerated programming is why. The State of California is following the Michael Fullan model of education (Canadian Model) which believes that "class size is irrelevant" and "Professional Development for Employees" makes great students. Even when those employees are out of the classroom 20 days a year in a 180 day school year. THEY ARE WRONG- Class Size Matters and Professional Development for teachers that will retire in the next 2-3 years is a waste of money for a bankrupt school district. CUSD has the largest class size in the Nation and in the State of California. *Note these are "averages"  CUSD is putting 50:1 in PE and other courses which are not "Core" educational classes. CUSD Freshman that have to take CCP/Health as a Summer School Option 2014-15 4,027 Incoming Freshmen: 1,164 incoming freshmen 29% | |
Health 767 19.04%
CCP 397 9.8%
2015-16 4,220 Incoming Freshmen:
1,734 Took Summer School (41%)
Health 1,057 25%
CCP 677 16.8%
CUSD BOARD POLICY 6146.1(b) Revised 1-2017
"Students will be provided multiple flexible options to complete to Graduation Requirements for the College and Career Planning (CCP) course and the Health course. This flexibility includes the ability to take both courses over the summer through District Summer School, ACCESS, Pacific Coast High School or any other accredited institution. This option is open to all students not just those with “impacted schedules.” However, due to space limitations, students with impacted schedules may be given first priority.
Students may fulfill both the College and Career Planning and Health courses during the regular school year by taking the courses through CUSD APEX either before school, during Tutorial, lunch or after school (options vary by site)."
SUMMER SCHOOL OPTIONS
2017 Summer School
Incoming 9th grade students that have an impacted schedule may take Health, CCP or both on-line over the summer. An impacted schedule is one where an incoming student would be taking a foreign language, World History Honors and band, orchestra or choir. A sport or a year-long VPA elective does not count as an impacted schedule
There are three options for summer school health classes and one option for CCP.
1. CUSD Credit Recovery Summer Program (Health and/or CCP)
2. Pacific Coast High School (PCHS) (Health)
3. ACCESS (Health)
CUSD is forcing 9th and 10th graders that want to get into a 4-year college to take two years of summer school requiring 10 - 15 hours of time per week for 6 weeks.
"Students may take two summer classes however we strongly encourage your student to only take one the summer going into 9th grade and one the summer going into 10th grade."
"The estimated time working from home is 10-15 hours per week in your online course. Remember this is for one class, if you are taking two classes you will need to double the amount of time you need to set aside."
"Although you can work on your class at any time that is convenient for you at home, remember that you are taking a class in 6 weeks that is the equivalent of a 16 week course during the regular school year. Plan to commit ample time to you studies in order to be successful."
These are On-line options ONLY
What about students who do not have access to a computer at home?
NEW! CUSD CREDIT RECOVERY SUMMER PROGRAM
Classes June 20 - July 26, 2017
Registration opens on April 10, 2017 and closes on May 12, 2017 or when maximum capacity is reached.
The course work is completed at home.
All tests must be taken in person. A one-hour testing time per week/per class is assigned.
Students will be required to attend a mandatory orientation June 20 or June 21 (your date will be assigned by the district). Failure to attend the orientation will result in being dropped from the course.
Parents will be notified of the testing time by May 28 via email. Please refer to the CUSD website after March 20 for additional information.
Questions about CUSD Summer School? Visit our Support site at support.cusdonline.com
ACCESS & PCHS are Public High Schools
Using Credit Referrals to provide opportunities for students to complete Health in summer is inappropriate and costly to tax payers.
Since students cannot be enrolled in two public schools at the same time, students taking summer school through ACCESS & PCH have to "transfer"... be "referred out" of of CUSD into the summer school, and then be "transferred"... "referred back" into CUSD at the end of summer.
Pacific Coast High School (PCHS)
Classes June 26 - August 11, 2017
The Health course offered through PCHS is fully online and the final for this health class must be taken at PCHS (in Tustin) face-to-face with a teacher.
PCHS classes are CSU/UC approved A-G credits.
Registration opens on April 3 and is on a first come first serve basis. Applications are due no later than May 22 but the course can close prior to that date.
PCHS Summer School Flyer. Complete the enrollment packet which can be downloaded from the flyer or at http://pchs.k12.ca.us/july-aug...
Print out entire packet and bring completed application to your Academic Advisors.
more information:
Pacific Coast High School is an online program by Canvas.
Pacific Coast High School - College Prep "Credit Recovery" in English Math and Social Science and "Original Credit in Health, Economics and PE
PCHS is a public school that the Orange County Department of Education contracts with to offer "Credit Recovery" summer school classes. There are no tuition fees for its services for "Transfer Students". California Taxpayer pays for these classes when it should be coming out of CUSD's Budget
PCHS only teaches HEALTH. No outside program or school teaches CCP - it is unique to CUSD.
ACCESS - Independent Study Non-College Prep "Credit Recovery" program
Classes June 26 - August 11, 2017
Students who enroll with ACCESS meet with the ACCESS teacher once a week at one of four site locations (San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, or Mission Viejo).
Students can enroll from April 25 through June 8 or until maximum capacity is reached.
Print and complete ACCESS Application Packet.
more information:
ACCESS is an online program by Gradpoint a Pearson Product.
The ACCESS student population encompasses a wide range of youth, including students in group homes or incarcerated in institutions, students on probation or homeless, students who are parents or working full-time, students participating in a home schooling program, and students who are referred by local school districts.
ACCESS is a public school program operated by the Orange County Department of Education, Alternative Education Division. There are no tuition fees for its services. California Taxpayer pays for these classes when it should be coming out of CUSD's Budget
ACCESS only teaches HEALTH. No outside program or school teaches CCP - it is unique to CUSD.
Health is NOT required to be a "Stand Alone Class". The Three Required Sections of Health Can be Embedded into PE.
New Law that took effect January 1, 2016 governs minimum requirements for Health Education.
Making CCP Mandatory to Save Teaching Jobs and to Maximize Compensation is NOT in the Educational Interest of Students
CUSD has grossly overcrowded classrooms at every grade level. The District is 8,555 students over it's legal capacity (excluding all of the new development going on). CUSD funding spent on CCP/Health could be better used to reduce class sizes, restore programs like Art, Music and Science, and expand facilities. CCP is a waste of students time and taxpayer money. NO DISTRICT SHOULD FORCE STUDENTS TO TAKE SUMMER SCHOOL TO GRADUATE READY TO ENTER COLLEGE.
CUSD has yet to articulate why CUSD makes CCP a required class for graduation.
This is a graduation requirement that is unique to CUSD.
The State Does Not Require CCP or stand-alone- health to graduate.
CCP/ Health as a stand alone class should be ELIMINATED to help fix impacted student schedules.
CCP/Health as a Stand Alone Class is a Waste of Money
$4.5 million CCP/Health teachers compensation could be used to reduce class sizes and restore programs like Art, Music and Science for every student. 35 teachers @ $130,000 = $4.5 million in compensation + the cost to tax payers for on-line summer school options.
By Staffs own Admission:
"Health and CCP teachers met to discuss student data and use that data to inform future practices. Ex. CIA 1 proved that the assessment, though comprehensive in content, did not adequately assess student learning."
"Collectively the team used this data to examine scoring practices and share best practices. As a result, appropriate modifications were made for the second semester"
CCP is NOT a CTE Class
CUSD tried to have CCP classified as a CTE class or Pathway even though most of the CCP teachers were not "Qualified" to teach a CTE course - no CTE Credential).
If CCP could have been classified as a CTE class students would have been able to use this for an A-G course requirement.
Embedding Naviance Family into CCP and forcing every student in CUSD to participate in Naviance Family violates every students right to Privacy
This effectively allows third party for-profit companies to have access to EVERY CUSD's students personally identifiable data with no ability for parents to OPT OUT. This violates CUSD's service agreement with Naviance Family.
Due to budget cuts, CUSD is starting to lay off Certificated School Counselors.
Is CUSD keeping CCP as College and Career Ready component solely for the purpose of retaining teachers and saving money on counselors?
Zero Period is the only other option available to students with impacted schedules.
CCP forces students to skip a foreign language or to take summer school or zero period if they want to take an elective.
CCP hurts CUSD College Going Rates!
CCP hurts CUSD Graduation Rates!
CCP does NOT transfer to any college and adds nothing to a students transcript; and in fact adds downward pressure to a weighted transcript.
It seems that the ONLY reason to keep this class is for purposes of student data mining...
CUSD embeds Naviance Family into CCP with no ability for parents to OPT OUT. Naviance Family's Terms of Service Agreement require Districts to have families OPT IN. CUSD is in violation of the Terms of Service Agreement with Naviance Family.
If CUSD would eliminate CCP as a graduation requirement and embed Health into PE every student would have one full year of additional coursework - CUSD would not have chronic problems with impacted schedules forcing students to take zero period or summer school.
Forcing EVERY student to take a full year of CCP/Health impacts every freshman schedule and is especially harmful to CUSD's best and brightest students who plan to apply to a four year selective University because it forces students who need to complete their A-G's or a Foreign Language to have to take zero period or summer school to complete the academic course requirements needed to graduate.
CUSD Staff has never been able to articulate why this graduation requirement was implemented and why CUSD is so insistent on keeping CCP as a Graduation requirement when it is so harmful to students.