Health Framework for California Public Schools, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve


Book Description

This framework emphasizes health literacy for students, i.e., development of the knowledge, skills, and behaviors needed for healthy living. The framework defines four unifying ideas of health literacy that serve as central themes for all content areas and grade levels: (1) acceptance of personal responsibility for lifelong health; (2) respect for and promotion of the health of others; (3) an understanding of the process of growth and development; (4) informed use of health-related information, products, and services; and (5) promotion of health education supported by a comprehensive school health system and sustained by the collaborative efforts of school, family, and community. Seven chapters are organized as follows: (1) "The Vision: Health Literacy, Healthy Schools, Healthy People"; (2) Developing Health Literacy in the Classroom and in the School"; (3) "Health Education"; (4) "Beyond Health Education"; (5) "Assessment of Health Literacy"; (6) "Criteria for Evaluating Instructional Resources"; and (7) "Integration with Other Disciplines." Selected Education Code sections, a paper titled "Integrated Services Center Links School, Family and Community" (Andrea Zetlin and Robert Bilovsky), Project Teach recommendations on preservice teacher training in health education, and a list of publications available from the California Department of Education are appended. (LL)




Mental Health in Schools


Book Description

For many children, schools are the main or only providers of mental health services. In this visionary and comprehensive book, two nationally known experts describe a new approach to school-based mental health—one that better serves students, maximizes resources, and promotes academic performance. The authors describe how educators can effectively coordinate internal and external resources to support a healthy school environment and help at-risk students overcome barriers to learning. School leaders, psychologists, counselors, and policy makers will find essential guidance, including: • An overview of the history and current state of school mental health programs, discussing major issues confronting the field • Strategies for effective school-based initiatives, including addressing behavior issues, introducing classroom-based activities, and coordinating with community resources • A call to action for higher-quality mental health programming across public schools—including how collaboration, research, and advocacy can make a difference Gain the knowledge you need to develop or improve your school's mental health program to better serve both the academic and mental health needs of your students!




School District Organization Handbook


Book Description

This handbook describes procedures for school-district reorganization in California. Following the introductory chapter, chapter 2 offers a historical overview of school-district reorganization in California. Chapters 3 and 4 outline the organization and responsibilities of the county committee and the role and responsibilities of the State Board of Education. The fifth chapter provides a step-by-step process of forming or abolishing school districts, consolidating school districts, transferring territory, and unifying school districts. A series of flowcharts explain the 25 percent petition, the 10 percent petition, the state criteria for approvals, and the guidelines for administering the California Environmental Quality Act regulations. Chapter 6 details the requirements of the Education Code Section 35753 governing reorganization proposals. Chapter 7 lists the various effects of a district organizational change on a school district and its employees, property, funds, obligations, bond indebtedness, and revenue limit. The requirements for elections and public hearings are listed in the eighth chapter. Chapters 9 and 10 describe the new governing board and its operations and other functions of the county committee. The final two chapter summarize the appeals process related to transfers of territory and procedures for reorganizing community colleges. Appendices contain state regulations; a list of chartered counties, cities, and school districts; and sample forms. (LMI)




School, Family, and Community Partnerships


Book Description

Strengthen programs of family and community engagement to promote equity and increase student success! When schools, families, and communities collaborate and share responsibility for students′ education, more students succeed in school. Based on 30 years of research and fieldwork, the fourth edition of the bestseller School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action, presents tools and guidelines to help develop more effective and more equitable programs of family and community engagement. Written by a team of well-known experts, it provides a theory and framework of six types of involvement for action; up-to-date research on school, family, and community collaboration; and new materials for professional development and on-going technical assistance. Readers also will find: Examples of best practices on the six types of involvement from preschools, and elementary, middle, and high schools Checklists, templates, and evaluations to plan goal-linked partnership programs and assess progress CD-ROM with slides and notes for two presentations: A new awareness session to orient colleagues on the major components of a research-based partnership program, and a full One-Day Team Training Workshop to prepare school teams to develop their partnership programs. As a foundational text, this handbook demonstrates a proven approach to implement and sustain inclusive, goal-linked programs of partnership. It shows how a good partnership program is an essential component of good school organization and school improvement for student success. This book will help every district and all schools strengthen and continually improve their programs of family and community engagement.













Hearings


Book Description




Reinventing Public Education


Book Description

A heated debate is raging over our nation’s public schools and how they should be reformed, with proposals ranging from imposing national standards to replacing public education altogether with a voucher system for private schools. Combining decades of experience in education, the authors propose an innovative approach to solving the problems of our school system and find a middle ground between these extremes. Reinventing Public Education shows how contracting would radically change the way we operate our schools, while keeping them public and accessible to all, and making them better able to meet standards of achievement and equity. Using public funds, local school boards would select private providers to operate individual schools under formal contracts specifying the type and quality of instruction. In a hands-on, concrete fashion, the authors provide a thorough explanation of the pros and cons of school contracting and how it would work in practice. They show how contracting would free local school boards from operating schools so they can focus on improving educational policy; how it would allow parents to choose the best school for their children; and, finally, how it would ensure that schools are held accountable and academic standards are met. While retaining a strong public role in education, contracting enables schools to be more imaginative, adaptable, and suited to the needs of children and families. In presenting an alternative vision for America’s schools, Reinventing Public Education is too important to be ignored.