Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell delivered his fifth annual State of Education Address in January, unveiling an ambitious plan to close the achievement gap.

“It was very good to hear Superintendent O’Connell begin his address by acknowledging how underfunded schools are,” said ACSA Executive Director Bob Wells. “He rightly wanted to spend more time focusing on his plans for the upcoming year, but he showed that he hasn’t forgotten what a bind the governor’s proposed budget would put schools in.

“It was also very nice to see our own ACSA Board member, Ramona Bishop, be asked to say a few words in introducing the superintendent to the audience. It really spoke volumes about the great work she has done in the area of closing the achievement gap.”

In his address, O’Connell pledged to continue his emphasis on closing the achievement gap that exists between students who are white and students of color, as well as with English learners, students in poverty and students with disabilities.

“Closing the achievement gap is the key to ensuring California will have a well-qualified workforce that will secure a healthy economy in the future,” O’Connell said.

O’Connell also released a new report by his P-16 Council that outlines what the state can do to create the conditions necessary to close the gap. O’Connell’s new initiatives are based on the P-16’s recommendations.

The SPI announced the development of a set of Achievement Gap Intervention Benchmarks, which will contain key indicators that research shows are highly correlated with closing gaps in student achievement. He also announced a superintendent’s advisory committee to develop these benchmarks.

“I’ve also directed my staff to ensure that, starting in 2009, to earn the California Distinguished School award, schools will have to not only meet the current criteria but they will also have to narrow their achievement gap,” O’Connell said.

“We were definitely encouraged to hear Superintendent O’Connell say he will continue his intense focus on closing the achievement gap,” said ACSA Vice President for Legislative Action Alice Petrossian. “This is such a crucial issue for schools as the accountability measures in NCLB ratchet up and place more districts into Program Improvement. The more he continues to focus on the achievement gap, the closer we will come to finding the answers we want and need.”

Other plans
Other new initiatives O’Connell announced include a plan to increase quality preschool in California; offer increased flexibility to districts as part of a pilot partnership between the K-12 community, higher education and the business community to better ensure high school graduates are ready for college or the world of work; enhance the state’s data system to improve student achievement; and develop culturally responsive professional development.

“I am sponsoring legislation that will consolidate all of the current Title 5 programs serving preschool-aged children to create the largest state-funded pre-kindergarten program in the nation,” O’Connell said. “This will make our pre-K delivery programs more streamlined and efficient.”

To measure the quality and effectiveness of preschool providers, O’Connell introduced “Preschool Foundations.” These foundations are grounded in the best research on socially and developmentally appropriate benchmarks for learning, as well as research on how to reach English learners.

District Pilot Partnership
In talking about the need for greater flexibility so schools and districts are able to raise student achievement and close the achievement gap, O’Connell said, “The time for action is now; we needn’t wait for further study or legislation. I intend to bring before the State Board of Education a pilot program allowing Long Beach and Fresno unified school districts – the third and fourth largest districts in the state – significant new flexibility in how they allocate their resources.”

O’Connell said the flexibility would allow the districts to use more innovation in addressing the achievement gap. The two districts will form a partnership and work together.

Aligning systems
O’Connell also revealed his request, with Gov. Schwarzenegger’s agreement, that all four systems of public education in California – K-12, community colleges, California State University and the University of California; joined by private colleges, the business community and career technical education community – join 30 other states in the American Diploma Project.

“This endeavor will help to ensure that when a student graduates from a California high school, they will be fully prepared with the necessary skills to enter the world of work or higher education,” O’Connell said.

Using Data
CDE is in the process of building an information system to track student achievement over time. But there is additional data the state should be collecting that would help educators make more informed decisions about effective programs and interventions, O’Connell said. Collecting and using such data effectively is key to creating a continuous learning system that leads to improved student performance. The SPI announced a grant of $2 million from the Gates and Hewlett foundations to help create a vision and roadmap for data needed to improve teaching and learning as well as decision making at both the state and local level.

“Together we will create a document by this summer that clearly lays out what additional information the state of California needs to collect and how much it will cost us to do it,” O’Connell said. “This roadmap will then serve as the basis for the data commission I’m serving on with Gov. Schwarzenegger, a commission that has the charge of turning our work into a reality.”

ACSA Executive Director Bob Wells has been invited to participate on the commission.

Culturally responsive schools
O’Connell announced he has directed the CDE to include evaluations of racial and cultural issues within the existing California School Climate Survey or the California Healthy Kids Survey. This will cost schools no additional money or time, but it will provide valuable information to guide them in the important dialogue that must occur.

“Over the next year, I’m going to bring together experts from around the country to help develop world-class professional development on what it means to be culturally responsive in the classroom, principal’s office and administration building,” O’Connell said. “This curriculum will help our educators provide a school climate in which students from all cultures and races feel equally supported in learning to high expectations.

“I also will be collaborating with the deans of California’s schools of education to work to imbed culturally responsive instruction in California’s teacher pre-service and professional development programs.”