Goal 2: Provide High Quality & Engaging Instruction
LCAP Goals

Post

Provide every SCUSD student an educational program with standards-aligned instruction, fidelity to district programs and practices, and robust, rigorous learning experiences inside and outside the classroom so that all students can meet or exceed state standards.

Actions Description
2.1 Support staffing of curriculum coordinators and training specialists in providing teachers and other instructional staff with professional development in the implementation of state standards.
2.2 Employ central coordination, support, and professional development to implement Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) instruction and Advanced Placement (AP) course options. Includes the coordination and management of GATE assessment and identification. Staffing includes 1 Coordinator and 1 Resource Teacher. Title 1 funding has been leveraged to focus additional effort on serving GATE students at Title 1 schools.
2.3 Youth Development Support Services (YDSS) provides expanded learning programs at 70 school sites. Programs include before school, after school, summer, and intersession learning. Implemented in collaboration with community partners and external providers, staff develop programs at each school site that provide support including home visits, outreach, referral to resources, online enrichment, small group instruction, tutoring, homework help, and credit recovery/elective courses at high schools.
2.4 Continue expanding the accessibility to Sonday reading curriculum and training to all special education instructional staff (including Special Day Class (SDC) teachers and Resource Specialist Program; ongoing implementation support to be provided. It is expected that this action, while especially benefiting students with disabilities, will contribute to improved reading instruction districtwide.
2.5 Build-out the English Learner Development training specialist structure to support implementation of (1) Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program expansion (per the DLI proposal), (2) implement and align DLI teacher network vertically, (3) implement cycles of improvement to support professional learning and implementation of best practices for newcomer pathways (K-12), and (4) continue work to increase reclassification of students and graduation rates.
2.6 Continue focus on professional learning to support the: (1) Implementation of English Language Development (Designated and Integrated English Language Development), (2) Foundational skills training, (3) Alignment of work with cycles of improvement to support coaching, (4) Implementation of academic conferences, and (5) Evaluation of English Learner services.
2.7 The Avant and ALTA World Language Placement Exam will be offered to eligible incoming 9th grade students (who speak a language other than English at home) in order to ensure appropriate placement.
2.8 Maintain reduction of class size to 24:1 for all classrooms Kindergarten through third grade, including the hiring of 20.5 teachers for the 2021-22 school year and beyond.
2.9 Provide additional staffing to high-needs sites across the district to reduce class size and expand access to programs; including 146.5 teachers for the 2021-22 school year and beyond.
2.10 Provide one hour of time per week for teachers to collaborate with peers on approaches to improving student achievement. Activities during collaborative time include review of student data, assessment of student work, and planning of instruction to meet student needs, in particular the needs of unduplicated students and other target student groups.
2.11 Maintain a competitive salary and benefits package for certificated staff to increase the district’s ability to recruit highly qualified candidates, retain experienced teachers, and reduce overall turnover.
2.12 Provide access to early childhood education for eligible students and families to build a strong foundation for success in elementary school and beyond; includes 158 certificated and classified staff for the 2023-24 school year.
2.13 Provide early access to Kindergarten for students who meet the state defined age eligibility.
2.14 Provide students with instruction and learning opportunities in research, information literacy, and project-based learning.
2.15 Maintain recent expansion of integrated Theater Arts/Social Emotional Learning program.
2.16 Provide instrumental music instructors for 7th-8th grade students in our comprehensive middle schools and larger K-8 schools and ensure that students are provided access to instruments, needed supplies, and sheet music through a music library.
2.17-2.20 Supplemental and Concentration Grant funding is allocated to school sites based on their number of low-income students and English Learners. These funds are for actions/strategies that benefit the targeted student groups. Allocations are determined by each school site in their School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA).
2.21 Provide increased access for students to College Visits, Field Trips, and other experience-based learning opportunities including elementary athletics. These increased opportunities are intended to primarily benefit unduplicated students, in particular low-income students, who may not have the same access to such opportunities outside of school.
2.22 Continue implementation of a six-year literacy improvement plan. Provide LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) training for all elementary principals and staff. Training was initiated in 2020-21 and continued in 2021-22 for English Language Arts /English Learner Development Teacher Specialists, Inclusion Coaches, and ELA/ELD Coordinators.
2.23 Design and develop models of enhanced instruction for teachers that engage them in the use of instructional technology.
2.24 Implement SCUSD District Arts Master Plan.