California Schools Logo
Volume 80, Number 3
Spring 2022
The California School Boards Association is the essential voice for public education. We inspire our members to be knowledgeable leaders, extraordinary governance practitioners and ardent advocates for all students.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
features
A new era for alternative education

Interest in independent study and virtual academies brought on by pandemic

by Heather Kemp

What’s in a grade?

Districts examine how traditional grading practices affect equity

by Kimberly Sellery

Honoring Native culture

Small districts partner with local tribes to support Indigenous youth

by Alisha Kirby

departments
CEO’s note
by Vernon M. Billy
5
Legal insights
by Keith Bray
7
BoardWise
by Angelena Pride, Amy Christianson and Monika Moulin
9
CSBA at issue
by Amanda von Moos
13
From the field
by Erin Asheghian, Lori Cunningham and Meg Cutuli
17
Member profile
Interview with Maritza Flores-Travanti
19
49
A headshot photograph of Vernon M. Billy smiling
CEO’s note

by Vernon M. Billy

Rewriting the narrative of COVID relief funds with real data
New CSBA research shows that governing boards have allocated federal funds to support student needs, despite structural, labor market and regulatory challenges
T

his spring, CSBA and our partners at the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), had the honor of leading the inaugural edition of the Coast2Coast Federal Advocacy Trip in Washington, D.C. It was a richly rewarding experience and the first of what will become annual event.

From April 25 to April 27, school board members, superintendents and administrators made the case for additional resources and new legislation to address the needs of California’s nearly 6 million students.

It was inspiring to see CSBA’s members in our nation’s capital, demonstrating their deep knowledge of California schools and their tremendous passion for public education. Participants advocated for solutions to a wide range of issues including the educator shortage, special education school nutrition programs, student privacy and cybersecurity, broadband access and flexibility for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds (ESSER). This work is essential to ensure that California’s education system receives the respect and resources befitting a state that educates one of every eight public school students in the United States.

CSBA 2022 board of directors
Frank Magarino
Region 1, Del Norte County USD
Sherry Crawford
Region 2, Siskiyou COE
A.C. “Tony” Ubalde, Jr.
Region 3, Vallejo City USD
Renee Nash
Region 4, Eureka Union SD
Alisa MacAvoy
Region 5, Redwood City ESD
Darrel Woo
Region 6, Sacramento City USD
James Aguilar
Region 7, San Leandro HSD
Stephen J. Schluer
Region 8, Manteca USD
Tami Gunther
Region 9, Atascadero USD
Kathy Spate
Region 10, Caruthers USD
Sabrena Rodriguez
Region 11, Ventura USD
William Farris
Region 12, Sierra Sands USD
Susan Henry
Region 15, Huntington Beach Union HSD
Karen Gray
Region 16, Silver Valley USD
Debra Schade
Region 17, Solano Beach SD
Wendy Jonathan
Region 18, Desert Sands USD
Devon Conley
Region 20, Mountain View Whisman SD
Tanya Ortiz Franklin
Region 21, Los Angeles USD
Nancy Smith
Region 22, Palmdale SD
Helen Hall
Region 23, Walnut Valley USD
Leighton Anderson
Region 24, Whittier Union HSD
Bettye Lusk
Director-at-Large African American,
Monterey Peninsula USD
Crystal Martinez-Alire
Director-at-Large American Indian,
Elk Grove USD
Amy Koo
Director-at-Large Asian/Pacific Islander,
Belmont-Redwood Shores SD
Michael Teasdale
Director-at-Large County, Riverside COE
Joaquín Rivera
Director-at-Large Hispanic, Alameda COE
Joe Ross
CCBE President, San Mateo COE
Frank Magarino
Region 1, Del Norte County USD
Sherry Crawford
Region 2, Siskiyou COE
A.C. “Tony” Ubalde, Jr.
Region 3, Vallejo City USD
Renee Nash
Region 4, Eureka Union SD
Alisa MacAvoy
Region 5, Redwood City ESD
Darrel Woo
Region 6, Sacramento City USD
James Aguilar
Region 7, San Leandro HSD
Stephen J. Schluer
Region 8, Manteca USD
Tami Gunther
Region 9, Atascadero USD
Kathy Spate
Region 10, Caruthers USD
Sabrena Rodriguez
Region 11, Ventura USD
William Farris
Region 12, Sierra Sands USD
Susan Henry
Region 15, Huntington Beach Union HSD
Karen Gray
Region 16, Silver Valley USD
Debra Schade
Region 17, Solano Beach SD
Wendy Jonathan
Region 18, Desert Sands USD
Vacant
Region 20
Tanya Ortiz Franklin
Region 21, Los Angeles USD
Nancy Smith
Region 22, Palmdale SD
Helen Hall
Region 23, Walnut Valley USD
Leighton Anderson
Region 24, Whittier Union HSD
Bettye Lusk
Director-at-Large African American,
Monterey Peninsula USD
Crystal Martinez-Alire
Director-at-Large American Indian,
Elk Grove USD
Amy Koo
Director-at-Large Asian/Pacific Islander,
Belmont-Redwood Shores SD
Michael Teasdale
Director-at-Large County, Riverside COE
Joaquín Rivera
Director-at-Large Hispanic, Alameda COE
Joe Ross
CCBE President, San Mateo COE
Keith Bray Portrait

legal insights

by Keith Bray

Hear that? Your local community needs you

S

ince the first school board met in Boston in 1712, individuals serving their community on school boards have been a beacon of public service. Being a public servant means committing time out of one’s personal life, work life, home life and spiritual life to serve others.

Those who serve in public education do it for many reasons: they have kids in the schools, they are current and former educators or administrators, they want to serve the best interests of children, and most importantly, they just want to give something back to the community they live in. With monthly stipends permitted in Education Code § 35120 that range from $60 to $2,000 depending upon the size of the district, they don’t do it for the money. Bottom line? Some 300 years after the first meeting was convened, school board members continue this distinguished record of public service in order to provide students with the foundation necessary to strengthen and participate in our hard-fought-for democracy.

But now, during this time in America when our political divisions and distrust of public servants are being expressed in so many ways, board members are being confronted with behavior at their meetings, on the sidewalk in front of their homes, and on social media that was unimaginable just a few years ago. Being called criminals, child abusers, Marxists and yes, even traitors by those who disagree. Whoever would have thought these nouns would be used to describe a school board member?

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Chief Information Officer
Troy Flint, tflint@csba.org

Editorial Director
Kimberly Sellery, ksellery@csba.org

Marketing Director
Andy Rolleri, arolleri@csba.org

Staff Writers
Heather Kemp, hkemp@csba.org
Alisha Kirby, akirby@csba.org

Director of Graphic Design and Branding
Kerry Macklin, kmacklin@csba.org

Senior Graphic Designer
Amanda Moen, amoen@csba.org

Circulation and Advertising
csba@csba.org

CSBA OFFICERS

President
Dr. Susan Heredia, Natomas USD

President-elect
Susan Markarian, Pacific Union ESD

Vice President
Albert Gonzalez, Santa Clara USD

Immediate Past President
Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez, Azusa USD

CEO & Executive Director
Vernon M. Billy

California Schools (ISSN 1081-8936) is published quarterly by the California School Boards Association, Inc., 3251 Beacon Boulevard, West Sacramento, CA 95691, (916) 371-4691. $2 of CSBA membership dues goes toward the subscription to California Schools magazine for each board member and superintendent. The subscription rate for each CSBA nonmember is $20. Periodicals postage paid at West Sacramento, CA and at additional mailing office. Postmaster: Send address changes to California Schools, 3251 Beacon Blvd., West Sacramento, CA 95691.

Articles submitted to California Schools are edited for style, content and space prior to publication. Views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent CSBA policies or positions. Articles may not be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. Endorsement by CSBA of products and services advertised in California Schools is not implied or expressed.

CSBA and NSPRA logos
Angelena Pride Headshot
Amy Christianson Headshot
Monika Moulin Headshot
BoardWise
by Angelena Pride, Amy Christianson and Monika Moulin
Boardwise is a forum for board members and superintendents across the state to share questions about governance and board–superintendent relations. Send your questions to boardwise@csba.org.
Supporting optimal student outcomes
Student and councilor have a conversation
Dear BoardWise:

How can boards ensure success for each and every student?

Angelena: Since the start of the pandemic school board members have faced multiple issues, including the transition to online learning, returning to campus and navigating constantly changing guidelines from the federal, state and local levels, just to name a few. Now that most districts have returned to campus they face another challenge, how to address the social and emotional well-being of students while still achieving academic success for all.

class act Best practices in action

class act
Best practices in action
CSBA's Golden Bell Awards Winner logo
class act
Best practices in action
CSBA's Golden Bell Awards Winner logo
Reading lab teaches more than literacy
A half hour a day can make a big difference when it comes to helping young readers advance
Golden Valley Unified School District’s Webster Reading Lab at Webster Elementary School has proven that over the past three decades. The 2021 Golden Bell Award-winning program is a Tier 2 intervention program based at this Central California campus. Serving kindergarten through fifth grade students struggling with reading, instructors at the lab assess students’ needs and create lessons to address them. Skills such as identifying sounds and comprehension are commonly worked on.

To identify students who need reading support, the entire student body is tested, according to Kristi Forshee, program director and the lab’s main teacher. Once students are in the lab, which is also staffed with four paraprofessionals, they are separated according to their needs into groups, ideally made up of four or fewer students each.

CSBA’s District and County Office of Education Legal Services Program is here

CSBA’s new Legal Services program gives school districts and county offices of education access to CSBA attorneys who can provide confidential legal services at an affordable price.ell Award-winning Summer STEM Academy may be needed now more than ever.
B

oard members and district and COE staff are accustomed to reaching out to CSBA’s team of experts in the legal office, governmental relations and policy for guidance on tough issues and complex questions. We pride ourselves on responding with helpful information and general guidance, but when the questions called for legal advice, our hands were tied. Without an attorney–client relationship between CSBA attorneys and our members, we were unable to provide confidential advice and services. That has all changed with the introduction of our newest program.

For the first time in CSBA history, our attorneys can provide confidential legal services to subscribing members through an attorney–client relationship. From advice and counsel to independent investigations, our CSBA attorneys are here to provide your local educational agency with the confidential legal services you need, at a price you can afford.

Headshot of Amanda von Moos smiling
csba at issue
By Amanda von Moos

Strengthening substitute teaching in California

T

his school year has not turned out as expected. Substitute teaching systems faltered throughout the pandemic and failed during the omicron wave. Keeping schools staffed has required district leaders to solve a moving puzzle, often by filling in themselves.

The system that we’ve relied on for more than 100 years to provide staff coverage when a permanent teacher isn’t there — substitute teaching — like so many other things, failed during the pandemic.

If we are honest with ourselves, the system never really worked all that well. It wasn’t designed for student learning or to create good jobs. In pre-pandemic times, just 80 percent of teaching jobs were covered and that varied dramatically by school, reflecting systemic inequality. Substitute teaching is the original gig economy job, characterized by high autonomy and flexibility, little to no training or support, a high degree of professional isolation with no guarantee of income or professional growth. Its chief strength has been keeping costs low.

from the field
By Erin Asheghian, Lori Cunningham and Meg Cutuli

CSBA members provide testimony in Legislature hearing on recall elections

They suggest practical reforms to ensure the process reflects community sentiment

In early December, the California Legislature held a joint informational hearing of the Assembly Elections Committee and Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee, “Evaluating California’s State and Local Recall Process,” to review the recall process.

The California Constitution requires the Legislature to “provide for recall of local officers.” For most local jurisdictions that means that local officers may be recalled by submitting a petition signed by at least 10 percent to 30 percent of the registered voters eligible to vote for the targeted official, with the exact percentage depending on the number of registered voters. The timeframe for collecting petition signatures varies from 40 to 160 days depending on the number of registered voters. If the relevant signature threshold for the recall is met, the governing body has 14 days after the meeting at which it receives a certificate of sufficiency to order the recall election, which must be held between 88 and 125 days later.

Member Profile: Maritza Flores-Travanti: Monrovia Unified School District trustee

What inspired you to become a school board member?
There were several reasons, but the most important was that, at the time I decided to run, the school board was made up of five males and no Hispanics. Being Latina and a parent of a school-age child, along with my experience in government civil service, I knew I could make a positive impact and provide much-needed representation.

What motivates you to continue serving during these tumultuous times?
The children of Monrovia, first and foremost. It’s during these times, especially, when leaders become true leaders. Stability and steadfast leadership help a community stay resilient. That is where I believe my strength and sound judgment has helped during these challenging times.

What advice do you have for new or aspiring school board members?
I believe it is critical for anyone having aspirations to be a school board member to do the research, talk to current board members, and understand the commitment and the pressures. Walk a day in their shoes and, more importantly, get involved. Start at the PTA or school site council level. It is so rewarding knowing you can make decisions that have a positive impact for all children of your community and for years to come.

What is something you wish the general public knew/understood about district governance?
I sometimes think the public doesn’t understand all of the behind the scenes work that goes into being a school board member. It isn’t just a biweekly meeting the public sees. It is constant reading; researching legislation and legal opinions; engaging with the public, students and staff; and discussions that are difficult and complex. Also, the public sometimes does not realize when our hands are tied due to decisions made by a higher governing agency, which has been a constant throughout the pandemic. I’ve always believed local-level decisions are representative and unique to our own communities, but being part of a large county such as Los Angeles presents some frustration when decisions seem to be out of touch with the needs of our community.

What do you see as the role of public education?
I strongly believe in public education — it provides opportunities for all children, regardless of their background and economic status. But I also see the need for public education to evolve as the rest of the world has. The pandemic has taught us many lessons, one of which is the need for technology. California must provide funding to invest, modernize and require tech training for credentials to ensure teachers are ready to teach in a variety of ways, which includes online platforms. The future depends on students being “tech ready,” not just “college and career ready.” This means equipping K-12 students and teachers with the right technology.

Who was one adult you looked up to as a child and why?
My mom. She immigrated from Mexico as a child and endured food insecurity, home instability and was forced to marry young in order to leave a difficult home situation. Through hard work, my mom went back to school and obtained her GED and an associate degree while working two jobs and raising three children. She began her career as a border inspector and worked her way up the ranks to a director in Sacramento for US Citizenship and Immigration Services. She is now enjoying the fruit of her work in a very comfortable retirement life.

Who or what inspires you as an adult?
There are many people I admire in my life, from my husband to colleagues and friends, but I have to say my two daughters are who I admire most. Both are successful in their own ways and are good and kind human beings. They face things I never faced as a teen or young person, yet they find ways to succeed despite the challenges. I am so blessed.

Would you like to participate in an upcoming Member Profile? Contact us at editor@csba.org.
Member Profile: Maritza Flores-Travanti: Monrovia Unified School District trustee
Maritza Flores-Travanti

What inspired you to become a school board member?
There were several reasons, but the most important was that, at the time I decided to run, the school board was made up of five males and no Hispanics. Being Latina and a parent of a school-age child, along with my experience in government civil service, I knew I could make a positive impact and provide much-needed representation.

What motivates you to continue serving during these tumultuous times?
The children of Monrovia, first and foremost. It’s during these times, especially, when leaders become true leaders. Stability and steadfast leadership help a community stay resilient. That is where I believe my strength and sound judgment has helped during these challenging times.

What advice do you have for new or aspiring school board members?
I believe it is critical for anyone having aspirations to be a school board member to do the research, talk to current board members, and understand the commitment and the pressures. Walk a day in their shoes and, more importantly, get involved. Start at the PTA or school site council level. It is so rewarding knowing you can make decisions that have a positive impact for all children of your community and for years to come.

What is something you wish the general public knew/understood about district governance?
I sometimes think the public doesn’t understand all of the behind the scenes work that goes into being a school board member. It isn’t just a biweekly meeting the public sees. It is constant reading; researching legislation and legal opinions; engaging with the public, students and staff; and discussions that are difficult and complex. Also, the public sometimes does not realize when our hands are tied due to decisions made by a higher governing agency, which has been a constant throughout the pandemic. I’ve always believed local-level decisions are representative and unique to our own communities, but being part of a large county such as Los Angeles presents some frustration when decisions seem to be out of touch with the needs of our community.

What do you see as the role of public education?
I strongly believe in public education — it provides opportunities for all children, regardless of their background and economic status. But I also see the need for public education to evolve as the rest of the world has. The pandemic has taught us many lessons, one of which is the need for technology. California must provide funding to invest, modernize and require tech training for credentials to ensure teachers are ready to teach in a variety of ways, which includes online platforms. The future depends on students being “tech ready,” not just “college and career ready.” This means equipping K-12 students and teachers with the right technology.

Who was one adult you looked up to as a child and why?
My mom. She immigrated from Mexico as a child and endured food insecurity, home instability and was forced to marry young in order to leave a difficult home situation. Through hard work, my mom went back to school and obtained her GED and an associate degree while working two jobs and raising three children. She began her career as a border inspector and worked her way up the ranks to a director in Sacramento for US Citizenship and Immigration Services. She is now enjoying the fruit of her work in a very comfortable retirement life.

Who or what inspires you as an adult?
There are many people I admire in my life, from my husband to colleagues and friends, but I have to say my two daughters are who I admire most. Both are successful in their own ways and are good and kind human beings. They face things I never faced as a teen or young person, yet they find ways to succeed despite the challenges. I am so blessed.

Would you like to participate in an upcoming Member Profile? Contact us at editor@csba.org.
A new era for alternative education
Interest in independent study and virtual academies brought on by pandemic
By Heather Kemp
D

istance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic uprooted the decades’ long status quo of in-person instruction and opened families’ eyes to alternative education formats. Once thought of as continuation schools for students who didn’t fare well in traditional settings, alternative education has expanded to acknowledge the fact that “one size doesn’t fit all.”

Whether it is due to newfound interest in remote instruction, because they are not quite ready to return full time to physical classrooms as new variants continue to emerge, or because of vaccine hesitancy, more K–12 learners are enrolling in independent study and virtual academies.

“We have a whole generation of students and parents who saw the pros and cons of virtual learning. I have two teenagers and there were parts of it that were great and there were parts that were very challenging,” said Davis Joint Unified School District Interim Superintendent Matt Best. “I think that as we think about our path forward with this generation of students and future generations, finding the best of those practices in a system that doesn’t change all that much over time is going to be really critical because the students evolved during this pandemic.”

Principal Rob Kinder
“…when I log on, [teachers] are really engaging the kids. There‘s emotion and care. They have been able to pull off what you see in a physical classroom but at a distance—and that‘s not easy to do.”
What's in a Grade?
Districts examine how traditional grading practices affect equity
by Kimberly Sellery
K
elsey was a freshman at the University of California, Davis, after graduating in the top 10 of her high school class. Throughout her high school career, Kelsey was praised for being a great writer and a shining student. Her grade point average was high, she always completed extra credit and she was well liked by teachers. But Kelsey was shocked when she received feedback on her first college essay — the professor told her she was grossly underprepared for university-level coursework and should consider beginning in community college. She stuck it out for one year, struggling most of the time, and dropped out early in her second year.

David, a high school senior, struggles to complete his homework assignments weekly due to his part-time job and other responsibilities like watching his younger siblings while their parents work. He performs well on in-class quizzes and tests, but does not often participate in class discussions due to feelings of shyness and exhaustion. When his teacher offers extra credit, it often involves attending events outside of school time — an impossibility with all of David’s other commitments. Due to all these factors, David has a low GPA and worries he might not get into college.

Honoring Native Culture

Small districts partner with local tribes to support Indigenous youth

History, when explored fully, is often uncomfortable. But acknowledging it is the first step toward rebuilding relationships with Native American families and addressing students’ academic and social-emotional needs.

Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District trustee Laura Lee George, a Karuk tribal member born and raised on the Hoopa Valley Reservation in Humboldt County, said it’s crucial that relationships be built upon understanding of both history and culture. “Unless you understand Indian families, their relationships with schools, the traumas they’ve endured and where the strengths of the family are, it’s hard to get people to take [Native students] seriously,” she said.

by Alisha Kirby

G

eorge, now in her final term on the board, is a lifelong advocate for Native youth and education. A graduate of California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt’s Indian Tribal and Educational Personnel Program, she taught courses including History of Indian Education at Humboldt State and served as director of the ITEPP before entering Klamath-Trinity as the district’s assistant superintendent of business/personnel.

In some ways, a lot has changed since the original Indian Teacher Education Project was established in 1969 through grassroots efforts by local tribal members and college faculty to provide a teacher preparation program for 18 American Indian students at Cal Poly Humboldt.

a conversation with…
Bruce Fuller
Sociologist Dr. Bruce Fuller focuses his research on how families, civic activists and policymakers lift the learning and well-being of children, especially the growth of young children, including the tension between large institutions and the varying ideals of child rearing pressed by diverse parents. Fuller is a a professor of education and public policy at the University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Education. A California native, he previously served as education advisor to the state’s Legislature.
Bruce Fuller
How many more 4-year-olds will potentially be served in California with full implementation?
The census bureau says California has just over 500,000 4-year-olds and there are about 90,000 in transitional kindergarten currently. The Department of Finance is assuming an 80 percent enrollment rate, which means about 400,000 kids. So, to your question, we’ve got about 310,000 children that should be served with full implementation of the program. One thing to think about is that a third of our districts have 12 or fewer TK kids enrolled — which is a huge chunk of small- and medium-sized districts. TK is actually quite new to them.
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Thanks for reading our Spring 2022 issue!