FINDINGS
F1.
English Language Learners (ELL) in Monterey County perform far
below the minimal academic standards established by the state and continue to
be unprepared for college or the workplace, largely due to inadequate progress
in learning English.
F2.
Monterey County school districts have developed local control
accountability plans (LCAP)
that are producing uneven results in ELL academic achievement.
F3.
The training and support MCOE (Monterey County Office of
Education) offers to school districts in development of their LCAP centers
primarily on achieving compliance with state requirements and does not include
working together to create quality standards or ELL strategies that can produce positive results.
F4.
There is an important role for MCOE to play in regularly
disseminating ELL best practices and sharing successful ELL strategies countywide.
F5.
There was no evidence to suggest that MCOE promotes two-way
communication and a partnership
approach with school districts that encourages sharing of information and
resources or
that solicits frank input about the needs of local English Language Learning programs
from frontline educators and administrators.
F6.
Although the MCOE website contains a variety of information, it
is completely lacking in English Language Learner resources and best practices.
F7.
There was no evidence to suggest that MCOE or any other professional
organization provides opportunities for stakeholders (school boards, parents,
students, staff, community members, etc.) to learn about their role and
responsibilities in supporting the English Language Learner.
F8.
The workshops, trainings and special programs offered by MCOE
are often not well subscribed by school districts.
F9.
The relatively few ELL professional development trainings that
are offered by MCOE do not appear to be scheduled well enough in advance to allow for planning by school
district personnel.
F10.
It is very difficult for schools in southern parts of the county
to take advantage of MCOE trainings,
since most are offered at the Salinas location.
F11.
MCOE does not offer online professional development
programs/training or significant other alternative delivery systems to increase accessibility and participation.
F12.
Quality professional development provided by experienced ELL
experts (generally not MCOE staff) and focused on proven evidenced-based methods was identified as a need
by County school districts.
F13.
MCOE has one specified position for an ELL Specialist that is
currently vacant.
F14.
There is no operational budget beyond salary for the activities
listed in the MCOE ELL Specialist job description.
F15.
No professional grant writer(s) is on staff at MCOE to offer
expertise, guidance and support to school districts.
RECOMMENDATIONS
All
the following recommendations are for action by Monterey County Office of
Education, under the direction of the Monterey County Board of Education:
R1.
Work with school districts to create a set of ELL standards for
use or reference in the development of districts’ LCAP, to make it easier for
them to set and achieve ELL goals.
R2.
Act as a resource for small school districts located in rural, distant
areas of South Monterey County
in meeting and exploring how they can work together to make most efficient use
of shared ELL and other resources.
R3.
Establish a satellite office in South Monterey County to
increase accessibility and communication of County programs and services by
September 2016.
R4.
Take on the role of compiling and disseminating successful ELL
practices and performance measurements
around the County.
R5.
Publish best practices and resources for all ELL stakeholder
groups on the MCOE or other dedicated
website by September 2016.
R6.
Establish the regular practice of offering forums that bring
together school district ELL personnel
with their counterparts at other districts, so they can share information,
explore solutions
to similar problems, and share strategies and practices by January 2016.
R7.
Sponsor and facilitate an annual stakeholder (i.e.
representative parents, boards, students, administrators,
support staff, etc.) “Summit” to help each group define its roles and responsibilities that influence the English Language Learning process starting
in September
2016.
R8.
Adopt or develop an online program of professional development
workshops to increase access
for teachers unable to attend on-site classroom training by June 2017.
R9.
Begin a regular practice of soliciting input from all County
school districts to determine
professional
development needs as a basis for creating an annual calendar of ELL educational
services,
workshops, and activities by September 2015.
R10.
Make a commitment to bring the best evidence-based state and
national programs and expert speakers on English Language Learning for County
professional development activities.
R11.
Immediately fill the English Language Learning specialist
position that has been recently
vacated.
R12.
Establish an operational budget for the MCOE English Language
Learning specialist to carry
out the full scope of duties that support professional development, open
communication and
cooperation among all County school districts by September 2015.
R13.
Hire a full-time grant writer to consistently identify grant
opportunities and develop grant applications
to raise additional funds in support of district ELL programs.
R14.
Benchmark and evaluate County ELL practices and services against
practices used by other
COEs that are successfully serving ELL stakeholders beyond state compliance
requirements.
R15.
Perform an organizational audit to determine optimal staffing
levels at the Monterey County
Office of Education that reflects the diminished scope of required COE services provided
under the new Local Control Funding model.
RESPONSES
REQUIRED
Pursuant
to Penal Code section 933.05, the Monterey County Civil Grand Jury requests
responses to all Findings and Recommendations from the following governing
bodies:
•
Monterey County Office of Education
•
Monterey County Board of Education
EDUCATIONA “NO EXCUSES” APPROACH TO ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING IN MONTEREY COUNTY
June 11, 2015
(20 pages)
RESPONSE:
Civil Grand Jury education report falls short
Nancy Kotowski 8:02 p.m. PDT June 12, 2015
The Californian
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