California districts were forced to shift to distance learning models in the spring of 2020 and the transition to distance learning for students in the early grades--transitional kindergarten through third grade (TK-3)--has proved difficult for students, parents, and teachers alike. As distance learning persists, administrators and teachers can…

Across the country, districts are choosing to #GoOpen and transitioning to the use of openly licensed educational resources to improve student learning in their schools. Openly licensed educational resources enable districts to reallocate significant funds currently spent on inflexible, static learning materials to resources and activities that…

Prior studies portray support for the Common Core in California (Finkelstein et al. 2018; Jochim and Lavery 2015) as well as support for other significant reforms, like the change in California's school finance system (Koppich and Humphrey 2018). Along with enthusiasm for California's policy changes over the past decade have come calls to…

In August 2010, the California State Board of Education adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Three years later, the president of the State Board, Dr. Michael Kirst, noted that CCSS "changes almost everything," including what teachers teach, how they teach, and what students are expected to learn (Kirst, 2013). Echoing his…

In California, as in many other states across the nation, implementing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) has been a complex endeavor impacting every public school educator. Not surprisingly, California districts have encountered bumps along the way in their efforts to provide much-needed support to all K-12 teachers as they continue to learn…

In this report, the authors present some initial findings on the early implementation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in California. They report on their interviews with educators in all regions of the state, and on their views of how implementation is proceeding in their schools and districts. The authors then review some of the key…

With the adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the new English Language Development (ELD) standards, California has embarked on its third wave of major curriculum reform, continuing a process that began with the initial round of curriculum frameworks in the 1980s and that continued with the adoption of the California State…

Math in Common® (MiC) is a five-year initiative that supports a formal network of 10 California school districts as they implement the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSS-M) across grades K-8. In spring 2015, WestEd administered surveys to understand the perspectives on Common Core State Standards-Mathematics (CCSS-M) implementation…

California has actively engaged in the Hartford Geriatric Social Work Initiative. Subsequently, the California Social Work Education Center Aging Initiative conducted a university survey of gerontology education in California graduate social work schools ("N"?=?17). In 2005, students taking aging courses were 12% in comparison to a…

This article is a retrospective description of the decisions, strategies, and context of program changes made at the USC Rossier School of Education, related specifically to the education doctorate. The primary purpose is to highlight the change process from the perspective of the academic dean. Drawing on work in systems change and strategic…

The Rostrum is a quarterly publication of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) A Modest Proposal: Simplifying Articulation, Respecting Local Autonomy, and Responding to "Common Course Numbering" Mandates by Michelle Pilati; (2) Resolving the TBA Dilemma: A Tale of…

Summarizes an experiential training trip for teachers and river guides in the Auburn State Recreation Area (California). Explores the connection of man with water and relates this connection to the California History/Social Studies Framework. Outlines themes for student research and recommends resources for teacher training and for curriculum…

Education Resource Strategies (ERS) works with school and district leaders to help them more strategically use resources--people, time, and money--to improve student performance. They have found that many school districts begin creating small high schools without a clear sense of how much they will spend or how to ensure that small schools…

A PROCEDURE WAS DEVELOPED WHEREBY EDUCATIONAL SPECIALISTS COULD PREPARE THE SPECIFICATIONS FOR MEDIA IN WHICH VARIOUS SEQUENCES OF INSTRUCTION WOULD BE PROGRAMED AND DEVELOPED. PROCEDURES WERE DEVELOPED AND TRIED FOR A SET OF BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES FOR AN EXPERIMENTAL CURRICULUM IN SCIENCE INSTRUCTION. IT WAS POSSIBLE TO ILLUSTRATE AND IMPLEMENT…

This guide provides an opportunity for students and teachers of all racial and ethnic backgrounds to gain a more in-depth perspective of United States history by revealing the hardships, struggles, and contributions of Asians. The materials and lessons contained within this guide supplement the U.S. history textbooks currently in use at the eighth…