1:15 - 2:30 pm
Town Hall: Understanding the Next 21st Century Funding Opportunities in California 

• Don Taylor, Education Administrator, After School Division, CDE

In the California after school strategic plan, A Vision for Expanded Learning in California, one initiative identified was to review the equitable distribution of after school funds. This session will review the statute governing 21st Century funding, outline the work and recommendations of the Defining Equity Committee and provide information about how the Committee’s recommendations may be implemented in the next 21st Century Requests for Application.

3:45 - 5:15 pm
Town Hall: Expanded Learning in the LCAP: Benefits for Districts and Students

• Michael Funk, Director, After School Division, CDE
  
• Katie Brackenridge, Sr. Director, Partnerships for Children & Youth
  
• Angelica Ramsey, Associate Superintendent, Santa Clara County Office of Education
  
• Randy Mehrten, Senior Director, Safe & Healthy Kids, Fresno County Office of Education,
  
• Allison Haynes, Administrator, Pupil & Administrative Services, Division of Educational Services, Riverside County Office of Education
  
• William McCoy, Superintendent, Red Bluff Union Elementary School District

​Expanded Learning aligns directly with the priorities of the Local Control Funding Formula, and allows school leaders to target specific populations and strategies that we know require the extra time, attention and resources. Hear from your colleagues representing diverse parts of the state and perspectives within the LCFF process as they share promising practices for integrating Expanded Learning and detail the benefits these local communities are yielding. ​

We hope to see you there! If you have any questions about these sessions you can contact Heather Williams at hwilliams@cde.ca.gov. 

The report containing recommendations resulting from the work of the Defining Equity Committee is now available for review. Keep in mind that implementation of these recommendations would require changes to existing Education Code, the potential development of regulations, and/or changes in ASES and/or 21st CCLC program RFAs. If the After School Division pursues implementation of any of these recommendations there will be additional opportunities for public input.

For questions related to this document and its recommendations please contact Susie Morikawa at smorikawa@cde.ca.gov, Lisa McClung at lmcclung@cde.ca.gov, or Don Taylor at dtaylor@cde.ca.gov.

To view the report click the picture or use this link: Defining Equity Committee Recommendations

The Expanded Learning Policy Committee is continuing to develop, implement and maintain clear policies that support quality programs. Expanded Learning program policies will include the regulatory source and corresponding levels of program accountability.  The Expanded Learning Policy  Committee will also develop and implement a timely and collaborative process for reviewing, revising, and notifying the field of new and existing policies. The committee is currently seeking applications for a renewable one year term beginning in late 2015.  Applications are due: Tuesday, September 29, 2015 by 5:00 pm (PST).

Regional Profiles provide an at-a-glance look at the availability of TA services in each of California’s 11 regions. Download all the regional profiles or individual profiles.

All Regional Profiles (1-11)
Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 3 | Region 4 | Region 5 | Region 6
Region 7 | Region 8 | Region 9 | Region 10  | Region 11

We have released an update of the strategic plan. This update includes:

• An overall update, including timeline
  
• Individual initiative updates, including specific  teams/group updates
  
• Reference Documents

For more information on the strategic planning process and the update  visit the  Strategic Planning Process page.

The After School Division (ASD) is mapping the Landscape of Technical Assistance for Expanded Learning Opportunity programs in California. This Landscape will describe current technical assistance services by region, strategy, and area of focus (e.g. content area and target audience). The Landscape will estimate the current reach of technical assistance services and the potential for expansion among identified providers across California. 

  Today, Tom Torlakson, Superintendent of Public instruction announced that the Governor has signed SB 1221 into law, and the official release of Quality Standards for Expanded Learning in California. The announcement was made in a press release this morning. 
  The purpose of the Quality Standards is to describe high levels of quality of a program at the programmatic, staff, and participant levels. 
  The quality standards are not intended to serve as a compliance tool, but as the following:

• A framework of clear expectations for all stakeholders. 
  
• A guide to inform the After School Division’s decision-making, e.g., technical assistance decisions, language in requests for application, and policy development. 
  
• A guide for program providers to assess their own programs in order to help determine what they are doing well and what needs improvement. 
  
• A guide for parents and youth to identify quality programming.
  
• A guide for school principals and district superintendents to reinforce and advance key priorities.
  
• A complement to other standards in the State of California focused on quality improvement, e.g., Learning in After School and Summer, Quality Self-Assessment Tool, Quality Self-Assessment Rubric, Center for Youth Program Quality, etc. 
  

  In addition, A Crosswalk Between the Quality Standards for Expanded Learning and Program Quality Assessment Tools (Crosswalk) was created. This Crosswalk outlines a number of available tools that can be used for quality assessment and improvement.

  SB 1221 gives priority points to programs that support year-round learning opportunities, updates program-reporting requirements by removing defunct standardized tests, focusing on program and school-day attendance by student identifier number, and requiring evidence of program quality improvement processes. This bill also requires CDE to develop a biennial report to the legislature. This bill was sponsored by CDE and the Partnership for Children and Youth.

For more information on the quality standards visit the Quality Standards page of our website.

For more information on SB 1221, visit the California Legislative Information Web page.

The After School Division is committed to the continued improvement of the grant award process and is seeking interested individuals for Grant Award Process focus groups.  The voice of our stakeholders is a vital part of the process in order to ensure that the young people of California are provided with quality expanded learning opportunities.