Staff Present:
Ms. Carmen N. Schroeder, Associate Superintendent, Division of Instruction
Dr. Robert Barner, Assistant Superintendent, Student Intervention Programs
Ms. Judy Burton, Assistant Superintendent, School Reform
Ms. Sara Coughlin, Assistant Superintendent, Student Health and Human Services
Ms. Rita Payan Caldera, Administrator, Language Acquisition Branch
Ms. Sue Shannon, Administrator, Professional Development Branch
Ms. Gloria Lopez, Administrator, Special Education Division
Ms. Peggy Barber, Coordinator, Office of Legislation/Implementation
Ms. Marleen Wong, Director, Mental Health
Mr. Rene Gonzalez, Director, Psychological Services
Mr. Hector Madrigal, Director, Pupil Services
Ms. Jan Pickett, Director, Elementary Education, Curriculum/Instruction/Assessment Branch
Ms. Carol Ogawa, Director, Secondary Education, Curriculum/Instruction/Assessment Branch
Dr. Roger Rasmussen, Director, Independent Analysis Unit
Ms. Vivian Castro, Assistant Legislative Analyst, Office of Legislation/Implementation

Outside Expert
Dr. James S. Lanich, Director, Core Services, Los Angeles County Office of Education

Others Present: See attached list.-
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The meeting convened at 10:10 a.m.-
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DECISION ITEMS

COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT PROGRAM IN RESPONSE TO BEHAVIOR TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS

Ms. Coughlin advised that, throughout the past year, the Board expressed the need to provide students with systemic intervention services prior to an expulsion referral. The Behavior Intervention Task Force was established in November 1998. On November 2, 1999, the Task Force made nine recommendations to the Board that would effectively address the needs of students. At that time, the Board directed staff to develop a proposal for a non-punitive, school-site, and Districtwide system of early detection, prevention and intervention.

Ms. Coughlin presented a proposal which integrates the expertise of health and human services personnel with the District's instructional emphasis on reading and mathematics. The student support and intervention programs recommended in the proposal attempt to address in a comprehensive fashion the behavioral issues that will arise as the District meets the challenges of students who are at risk of retention, attend targeted low performing schools, or present behaviors that will lead to increased suspensions and/or expulsions.
Ms. Wong noted that in California, the Early Mental Health Initiative, operated by the State Department of Mental Health, estimates that at least 30 percent of all elementary school children experience moderate to severe school adjustment difficulties in rural areas. The percentages jump to nearly 70 percent when they examine their findings for urban areas in California. This would suggest that 10 to 20 percent of the student population has chronic and intense behavior problems and that 30 to 70 percent of the student population has serious problem behaviors.

Ms. Wong stated that the first national report on mental health was released in December 1999. The report indicates that 1 in 5 children and adolescents experience the signs and symptoms of a mental health disorder that is serious enough to require intervention. In addition, five percent of all children experience extreme functional impairment.

Mr. Gonzalez recommended the development of a comprehensive program that will support elementary and middle school students who present behavior, health, and/or mental health problems that constitute a significant barrier to academic achievement. This program focuses on prevention, early intervention, intensive intervention, and professional development.

Mr. Madrigal reported that one of the goals of the Behavior Intervention Task Force was the creation of a District level center dedicated to addressing cases of behavior problems that cannot be resolved solely by the efforts or resources of school site personnel. It is proposed that three Student and Family Assistance Centers be geographically located to serve one or more districts with the lowest ranking Academic Performance Index schools.

Mr. Madrigal advised that, in cooperation with the Professional Development Branch, the Office of Intergroup Relations and the Special Education Division, the current teacher and administrator training curriculum will be augmented to improve the teacher and administrator skill levels in the areas of classroom organization and management strategies to support positive learning behaviors in students, learning modalities and styles, and social skills building in the classroom.

Ms. Coughlin requested that the District allocate, over a three-year period, a half-time nurse and a half-time person with a pupil services credential at every elementary school; the addition of a secondary counselor at 27 middle schools that ranked 1 in the Academic Performance Index; provide training for one counselor in every middle school; and a social services aide to assist in case management at those elementary and middle schools who have large numbers of youngsters. It is believed that targeted schools will have fewer office referrals; fewer suspensions, opportunity transfers and expulsions; and fewer referrals to special education. The total cost to initiate the program is $12,929,302.

Mr. Jitghadi Imana, Bureau Chief, Los Angeles County Probation Department, expressed his views on the proposal.

Ms. Coughlin, Mr. Madrigal, Ms. Lopez, Ms. Schroeder, and Ms. Shannon responded to questions raised by the Committee.

ASSEMBLY BILL 25 (MAZZONI)

Ms. Barber and Ms. Vivian Castro provided an in-depth analysis of Assembly Bill 25. This bill would require that a child be admitted to kindergarten at the beginning of a school year, or at any time later in the same year, if the child will have his or her fifth birthday on or before November 1 of the school year for the 2002-03 school year, on or before October 1 for the 2003-04 school year, and on or before September 1 for the 2004-05 school year, and each school year thereafter. The bill will be heard in the Senate Education Committee on April 5, 2000.

Mr. Steven Rhodes, representing Strategic Education Services, provided an analysis of the fiscal impact of Assembly Bill 25.

Ms. Barber and Ms. Vivian Castro responded to questions raised by the Committee.

ACTION PLANS FOR SB1X II/USP SCHOOLS

Ms. Burton reported that the schools submitting action plans that were selected by the State to receive planning grants had to be Title I program improvement schools (schools that were performing below the 50th percentile). The schools also had to be performing in the bottom half of the state on the Stanford 9 in 1998 and 1999. Each of the schools received a $50,000 planning grant, and they were required to use part of the funds to contract with a State approved external evaluator, to identify a school action team, and to submit an action plan.

Ms. Burton spoke about the role of the external evaluators, the action plan requirements, the barriers to improving student achievement, the actions that will be taken to improve student achievement, and accountability for improving student achievement.

Ms. Burton advised that on April 11, 2000, Board approval will be needed to delegate authority for staff to approve the action plans. The State will review and approve the action plans during the week of April 23. By May 15, the State Board of Education will approve the action plans based upon a recommendation from the State Superintendent of Instruction and the request for funding at $168 per pupil for a two-year period of time. The total amount of funds that would be provided for 11 schools is $3,800,000.

Ms. Burton responded to questions raised by the Committee.

Due to time constraints, this item was not discussed.

Due to time constraints, this item was not discussed.

Notes by: Dinah Edwards, Board Secretariat