Board Meeting for October 14, 2003

1. Student Board Installation

Background: The three student Board members installed were:

• Jia-Jia Zhu - Alameda High School
• Leah Abraham - Encinal High School
• Christopher Martinez - Island High School

2. Update on Houghton Mifflin Adoption, Grades K-2

Background: Last spring, the Board adopted Houghton Mifflin Reading program for grades K-5. Due to State budget shortfalls, AUSD purchased books for K-2. Next fall, books will be purchased for grades 3-5.

30 kindergarten teachers (75% of all kindergarten teachers), 33 first grade teachers (86% of all first grade teachers), and 28 second grade teachers (67% of all second grade teachers) attended an optional paid 5 day summer AB 466 institute.

All principals and educational services leadership attended 3 days of training. All schools have a reading coach or teacher leader who will be supporting primary grade colleagues during this year of transition.

This professional dvelopment was fully funded with federal Title II and Title I dollars.

Fiscal Implications: Title I and Title II funds expended

3. Acceptance of Early College High School Grant

Background:

The Foundation of California Community Colleges has selected Alameda Unified School District and the College of Alameda to implement a five year $400,000 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant.

The goals of the ECHS initiative are to make higher education more acessible, affordable and attractive by bridging teh divide between high school and college; eliminate time wasted during junior and senior years of high school and facilitating the transition of motivated students to higher education; and demonstrate new ways of integrating levels of schooling to better serve the intellectual and developmental needs of young people.

Regardless of where or when they are established, all ECHS schools will share the following:

• Students earn an Associate's degree or two years of college credit toward the baccalaurate while in high school
• Mastery and competence are rewarded with enrollemtn in college-level courses, and the years to a postsecondaryd degree are compressed
• The middle grades are included or there is outreach to middle-grade students to promote academic preparation and awareness of the ECHS option
• A common focus focus on key, research-based goals and intellectual mission
• A small, personalized learning environment with up to 400 students per school
• Respect and responsibility among students, among faculty, and between students and faculty
• Time for faculty.staff to collaborate and for the inclusion of parents and the comunity in an educational partnership
• Technology used as a tool for designing and delivering engaging and imaginative curricula

Scheduled to start in the summer of 2004, the Alameda Science and Technology Institute will open its door to approximately 100 9th graders and the school will be adding 100 students each year until it reaches its full complement of 400 students. As required by the grant, underrepresented and underachieving but highly capable 8th graders will be targeted for the Institute. In recruiting, priority will be given to Alameda residents who meet requirements of the grant with any remaining spaces to be filled by those who live oustide of the district attendance boundaries. Staff will be recruited from inside and outside of the district according to the dictates of the various employee-employer contracts.

As one of AUSD's high schools which will be uniquely located on the College of Alameda campus, the Alameda Science and Technology Institute will have its own CDS Code as an alternative school. As an alternative high school it will stress highly rigorous math and science academic pathways leading to careers in engineering, transportation (aviation/diesel engines), information technology and education. It will be a "school of choice: where students who fail to meet the academic and performance expectations will be counseled to consider other options.

Board Member McMahon questioned if the impact to Encinal High School could be mitigated. The Superintendent indicated no.

The Board on a 4-1 vote approved the terms and conditions of the grant, approved the establishment of an alternative AUSD school called Alameda Science and Technology Institute to be located on the College of Alameda campus and approved the receipt of $400,000 ($70,000 in 2003/04).

4. Pepsi Contract

Item Type: Information/Action (10 minutes)

Background: The current contract with Pepsi is expiring this fall and was valued at $50,000 for the past five years. Pepsi is offering a new contract of $100,000 over the next five years in exchange for exclusive rights to sell beverages at Alameda and Encinal high.

The principals from Alameda and Encinal have itemized potential areas where the $10,000 annual amount would be spent:

• After School Tutoring $25,000
• Overtime for SRO's at events per year $20,000
• Professional Curriculum Development $20,000
• Student organizers/planners $10,000
• Athletic transportation $20,000
• Automated Phone Dialer $5,000

The Board approved the contract on a 3-2 vote.

5. Standardized Testing and Reporting Results

Background: The California STAR testing program is in the sixth year of administration. Alameda Unified School District students in grades 2-11 took the State mandated California Achievement Test 6th edition (CAT/6) and California Standards Test (CST).

• Students in grades 2-8 took tests in reading, mathematics, language, spelling, and history social studies (8th only)
• Students in 9-11 took tests in reading, mathematics, language, science and social science
• Students in grades in 4 and 7 took a writing test as part of the California Standards testing

The District overall increased the percentage of students scoring proficient and above in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. There was significant increase in Mathematics for grades 2,3,5,6 and 9 as well as grades 4,5,6 and 9 in English Language Arts.

For Mathematics the students scoring proficient and above ranged from a low of 30% in 8th grade to a high of 68% proficient in second grade. For Emglish Language Arts the students scoring proficient and above ranged from a low 34% in 8th grade to a high of 58% in 4th grade.

7. Approval of Revised 2003/04 Adopted Budget

Item Type: Information (20 minutes)

Background: Education Code requires school districts to revise their budgets based on the State signed budget bill. As a result of increased flexibility (accounting changes not real increases in revenues), AUSD was able to shift appoximately $1 million from restricted programs to unrestricted programs. While these accounting changes improve general fund ending balance, it was at the expense of categorical programs, many of them at the school sites. 2003/04 AUSD Budget Report.

In addition, under AB1200, District is required to re-certify its mulit-year projection for the current year and two subsequent years. With the current uncertainity with the State's finances, the multi-year projection is more guess work than an actual budget for the upcoming years.

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Last modified: October 15, 2003

Disclaimer: This website is the sole responsibility of Mike McMahon. It does not represent any official opinions, statement of facts or positions of the Alameda Unified School District. Its sole purpose is to disseminate information to interested individuals in the Alameda community.