PRESS RELEASE
PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
25 Churchill Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Telephone: (650) 329-3737
FAX: (650) 321-3810
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 23, 2014
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Contact: Glenn “Max” McGee, Superintendent, (650) 329-3737
Judy Argumedo, Coordinator of Education Services, (650) 329-3736
Education Trust-West Report Identifies Palo Alto as a Top-Performing District Serving California’s English Learners, Uncovers Promising Practices for Student Success
PALO ALTO, CA – The Education Trust-West released a major report today, “The Language of Reform: English Learners in California’s Shifting Education Landscape” that identified Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) as one of eleven districts with exemplary practices. California serves 1.4 million English learners—more than any other state in the country and accounting for almost one-third of English learners in the entire U.S. Too often, these students face insufficient academic supports, ill-prepared teachers, and less rigorous coursework, causing them to struggle academically. However, The Education Trust-West analysis identified a handful of districts that are breaking this pattern. Of the three categories of districts, PAUSD was classified as “Other/Multilingual Districts” (where more than 50% of English learners speak languages other than Spanish and/or at least three languages are spoken by 10% of English learners). In this category, PAUSD was one of the top four in the state.
Superintendent Glenn “Max” McGee commented, “Our hard-working, dedicated staff members are to be commended for developing programs and practices to serve our array of English language learners. We are proud of this recognition and hope we can share our best practices with other schools and districts as well as continue to learn and to improve upon our own efforts. The work of The Education Trust-West is important not only for identifying successful examples of excellence, but also for focusing attention on the educational needs of this growing population.”
Valerie Cuevas, Interim Executive Director of The Education Trust–West, a statewide education policy, research, and advocacy organization that works to close the gaps in opportunity and achievement for students of color and students in poverty said, “The good news is there are districts across California that are serving English learners well. Given that 1 out of 4 students in California is an English learner, it is critical that we uncover and share the practices and strategies these districts are using to get results.”
Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) agrees. “We must do everything we can to ensure our English learners succeed academically and acquire English proficiency. This means addressing and removing all potential barriers and applying best practices statewide.”
The report includes an analysis of data from 276 unified school districts based on their performance on four indicators, including the California Standards Test (CST), English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency rates, California English Language Development Test (CELDT) advancement rates, long-term English learner rates, and reclassification rates. The Education Trust–West identified districts rising to the top on each metric, as well as eleven districts that performed well on 3 of the 4 indicators.
“While each district has a different set of policies and practices, top-performing districts have a few things in common. They believe their students’ native languages are cultural and linguistic assets. They provide teachers with the professional development they need to support English learners. They give English learners access to Common-Core aligned curriculum and college preparatory courses. They also engage parents and create strong home-school connections.”
By taking a comprehensive approach to the issue, the report also includes:
- detailed background information on who California’s English learners are and how state and national policies have shaped programs, services, and funding for English learner students
- case studies highlighting promising practices and strategies that have contributed to positive results for English learners in several of the top-performing districts
- a summary spreadsheet showing how all 276 unified school districts performed
- a review of Local Control and Accountability Plans to learn what programs and services top districts plan to provide to English learners.
With reforms including the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) dramatically shifting California’s education landscape, the report concludes with several policy recommendations to ensure action is taken to capitalize on these reforms to better serve English learners.
On October 22, 2014, The Education Trust-West will host a webinar featuring leaders from top-performing districts who will share their effective practices and recommendations for ensuring English learners have access to the quality educational opportunities they deserve.
