General (6)
Jennifer L. Hall
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Subject:\[EXTERNAL\] Fwd: TAG: AB309 PTA's long-standing commitment to the mental health
of children. The California State PTA takes positions on bills to improve the lives of
children and families
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From: <durfeycraig778@gmail.
Date: Thu, Dec 29, 2022 at 12:52 PM
Subject: TAG: AB309 PTA's long-standing commitment to the mental health of children. The California State PTA takes
positions on bills to improve the lives of children and families
To: Nick Dibs <nickdibs1@gmail.com>, GGEA President <president@ggea.org>
Cc: <durfeycraig778@gmail. , <cadurfey@gmail.
(P.R.D.D.C.)
PARENTS FOR THE RIGHTS OF DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED CHILDREN
CRAIG A. DURFEY FOUNDER OF P.R.D.D.C.
GARDEN GROVE, CA 92842
CELL
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SOCIALEMOTIONALPAWS.COM
FACEBOOK: CRAIG DURFEY
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... Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2003-03-27/pdf/CREC-2003-03-27.pdf
new website socialemotionalpaws.org
To whom it may concern
TAG: AB309
ADVOCATES PLAN TO CONTINUE WORK ON SEVERAL EDUCATION
BILLS
Posted on
By Anita Avrick, Melanie Lucas and Beth Meyerhoff, California State PTA
Education Advocates
The California State PTA takes positions on bills to improve the lives of children
and families.
The Legislation Team reads hundreds of bills a year. The Legislation Action
Committee then meets monthly between January and June to discuss and take
positions on bills that fulfill our Mission Statement to “positively impact the lives
of all children and families.”
During 2021, the Education advocates researched many bills affecting K-12 public
school education, based on our authorities, which consist of our legislative
planks, resolutions, and position statements. Although the bills listed below did
not proceed through the full legislative process to reach Governor Gavin
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Newsom’s desk and were not signed into law, California State PTA continues to
support the issues these bills address.
We hope that the legislature will again discuss these bills when they reconvene
in January 2022.
Senate Bill 70 (Rubio). Elementary education: kindergarten
This bill would require that a student complete one year of kindergarten before
being admitted to first grade. Students would begin first grade if they had their
6th birthday on or before September 1 and had completed one year of
kindergarten.
Currently, Education Code Section 48200 requires every person between the ages
of 6 and 18 years to attend school full-time. Students must be admitted to first
grade if they have their 6th birthday on or before September 1.
According to the author, kindergarteners who miss 10% or more of school days
have lower academic performance when they reach first grade. The impact is
even greater for students who do not attend kindergarten at all.
AB 1444 (Buchanan, 2014) would have required a student to have completed
kindergarten before being admitted to first grade. Governor Brown vetoed AB
1444, saying that he preferred to let parents determine what is best for their
children rather than mandate an entirely new grade level.
The majority of eligible children in California do attend kindergarten, including
approximately 95% of eligible students (public and private kindergarten) with
80% at a public school, as estimated by the Department of Education (CDE).
According to the California Kindergarten Association, an estimated five- to seven
percent of students do not enroll in kindergarten. (EdSource, March 3, 2021)
California PTA supports this bill because we believe that early learning is crucial,
especially for our most vulnerable population. Making kindergarten mandatory
will help those children who are most likely to fall behind due to the lack of early
learning programs. Since kindergarten is optional, it can lead some families to
believe that it is not important or that attendance is not essential.
Senate Bill 723 (Rubio). Pupil instruction: tutoring program: learning loss
mitigation
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Among the many challenges during distance learning is a rising opportunity gap.
Senate Bill 723 would address learning loss and provide students with tutoring as
a documented strategy to close opportunity gaps. The tutoring would be provided
by college students and other pupils through the California Leadership,
Excellence, Academic, Diversity, and Service-Learning Tutoring Program.
California State PTA supports legislation that can improve academic achievement
for all students and eliminate the achievement gap. PTA believes it is important
to provide all students with equal opportunity to learn and, when necessary, to
provide access to appropriate intervention strategies and remediation programs
for academic success.
Additional funding and support for this program was included in Assembly Bill 86
which appropriated $4.6 billion to provide support and tutoring by certificated or
classified employees.
Assembly Bill 520 (Gipson). Teacher retention: California Diversifying the Teacher
Workforce Grant Program
This bill would establish the California Diversifying the Teacher Workforce Grant
Program to provide one-time competitive grants to develop and implement new or
expand existing programs to develop and retain a diverse teacher workforce.
According to the author, California’s teaching force is significantly less racially
and ethnically diverse than the student population. For example, according to the
California Department of Education (CDE), 23% percent of K-12 students are
white and 54% are Latino, while 63% of teachers are white and 20% are Latino.
Assemblymember Gipson states, “Student success is amplified when they are
taught by teachers who reflect the diversity of those students. In addition to
academic benefits, students of color experience social-emotional gains to having
teachers who look like them, also lessening the likelihood of chronic
absenteeism and suspension.”
California State PTA has a resolution, TEACHER QUALITY: RECRUITMENT,
RETENTION AND RESOURCES (2012), that supports “policies, programs, and
practices that promote the recruitment, hiring and retention of well prepared,
fully credentialed teachers.”
Assembly Bill 285 (Holden). State Department of Education: state school nurse
consultant
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AB 285 would require the State Department of Education to appoint an
experienced state school nurse consultant with a minimum of 5 years of
experience. The state school nurse would promote quality school programs to
support the health needs of students.
California is one of 10 states without a school nurse official at the state level
during the COVID-19 pandemic.
California State PTA supports legislation that encourages a greater number of
school nurses in schools. Appropriate health services by credentialed nurses are
vital to students, especially during this pandemic. A school nurse consultant at
the state level will improve the health assistance and guidance our school
districts can provide students.
Assembly Bill 299 (Villapudua). Career technical education: California
Apprenticeship Grant Program
AB 299 would establish the California Apprenticeship Grant Program to provide
grants to high school pupils, community college students, and employed and
unemployed workers to enter career technical education and vocational
professions through state-approved apprenticeships.
California State PTA supports continued and sufficient funding of School-to-
Career education. We believe that apprenticeships give community college
students not only additional funds for continuing their education but a step up on
their career path.
Senate Bill 237 (Portantino). Special education: dyslexia risk screening
SB 237 would require the State Board of Education to establish an approved list
of culturally, linguistically, and developmentally appropriate screening
instruments to be used by schools to screen pupils for risk of dyslexia.
Local educational agencies (LEAs) would be required to annually screen all pupils
in grades kindergarten through second grade for risk of dyslexia using the
screening instruments approved by the State Board of Education. This bill would
also require third-grade pupils to be screened during the initial year of
implementation. LEAs would also be required to provide results to parents within
45 days of the screening. LEAs would be required to provide all pupils identified
as being at risk of dyslexia with appropriate instruction, progress monitoring, and
early intervention in the regular general education program.
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According to the bill’s author, “Students with dyslexia are less likely to graduate
from high school and attend college, and also experience higher rates of
incarceration. In some prisons today, where nearly 80% of the inmates are
illiterate, almost one-half of the inmates are on the dyslexia spectrum.
“Research evidence from multiple scientific studies is unequivocal: early
identification and intervention with scientifically based early reading instruction
strategies and materials improve literacy outcomes for students with dyslexia
and other struggling readers.
“By screening all students for risk of dyslexia early, California can help families
and teachers achieve the best learning and life outcomes for all students, close
academic achievement gaps, and help end the school-to-prison pipeline.”
California State PTA strongly supports early screening for signs and symptoms of
dyslexia and the use of appropriate accommodations to provide students with
dyslexia equitable access to the general education curriculum as identified in the
California State PTA Resolution, “Dyslexia: Addressing the Educational
Implications in Public Schools.”
Posted in LegislationTagged AB309, advocacy, education, kindergarten, learning
loss, legislation, SB14, SB224, school nurse
MULTIPLE BILLS ADDRESSING
STUDENTS’ MENTAL HEALTH ARE NOW
LAW
Posted on
By Beth Meyerhoff, California State PTA Advocate
Fear and isolation heightened during the pandemic have reinforced California
State PTA’s long-standing commitment to the mental health of children and the
need for adult education to address youth mental health challenges. Our
advocacy team applauds Governor Gavin Newsom’s signing of a trio of bills to
support the mental health needs of students.
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Senate Bill 14 (Portantino) mandates that student absences for mental and
behavioral health are treated the same as excused absences for physical health.
Thirty percent of high school students report experiencing symptoms of
depression and COVID-19 has further increased the mental health issues children
face according to reports cited by Senator Portantino, the author of this bill.
Thanks to SB 14, behavioral health will now be included within the “illness
categories” that are legally considered excused absences (Education Code
Section 48205). In addition, the California Department of Education (CDE) must
identify a training program to address youth behavioral health.
California State PTA believes behavioral health evaluation and services are
critical for student development. We support providing information and education
to understand and sustain children, youth, and family behavioral health and
social-emotional development.
Senate Bill 224 (Portantino) requires middle and high schools to include
instruction in mental health if the schools offer courses in health education.
For schools that offer health education courses, this bill requires that those
courses include mental health instruction. The course shall cover symptoms of
common mental health challenges, promoting mental health wellness, and how to
find assistance from professionals, among other requirements. Additionally, it
shall include developing an awareness of mental health challenges across all
populations and “the impact of race, ethnicity and culture on the experience and
treatment of mental health challenges.” The State Department of Education must
develop a plan to expand mental health instruction in California public schools on
or before January 1, 2024.
According to Senator Portantino’s office, “Education about mental health is one
of the best ways to increase awareness, empower students to seek help, and
reduce the stigma associated with mental health challenges.”
California State PTA supports age-appropriate social and emotional learning and
mental health education for all students. As an advocacy organization, California
State PTA supports legislation that creates a safe and accepting environment in
schools.
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Assembly Bill 309 (Gabriel) requires the California Department of Education (CDE)
to develop model referral protocols for addressing pupil mental health.
The development of model mental health protocols required by this bill would
guide schools and local educational agencies (LEAs) in “appropriate and timely
intervention for pupil mental health concerns.” The protocols will be posted on
the CDE website and used on a voluntary basis.
The Assembly Bill analysis quoted the Student Mental Health Policy Workgroup
which noted the connection between mental wellness and academic
achievement, attendance, and behavior. The Workgroup also said California’s
educators acknowledge their lack of preparedness in addressing pupil mental
health challenges as a major barrier to instruction.
California State PTA passed its resolution, Mental Health: Treatment and
Support in 1999 (reviewed 2017), calling on “ the California State PTA and its
units, councils and districts \[to\] urge that members of the education community
and local law enforcement agencies receive training to ensure that peace
officers and educators can recognize symptoms of mental illness and
appropriately respond when dealing with persons, especially children, and youth,
who show signs of mental illness.”
In addition, at the 2020 California State PTA Convention, members passed a
resolution Mental Health Service for Our Children and Youth to support mental
health wellness and social-emotional learning policies, including staff training.
Posted in LegislationTagged AB309, advocacy, behavioral health, health
education, legislation, mental health, SB14, SB224
AB309 Archives - California State PTA (capta.org)
https://capta.org/tag/ab309/
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