Introduction to the Challenge Initiative..

Superintendent Rojas, staff, members of the Board of Education, community members, parents and representatives of bargaining units have been reviewing and discussing State Superintendent Delaine Eastin's Challenge School District Reform Initiative. The Challenge Initiative is a strategy for education reform by setting high standards for all students, measuring gains in student achievement based on standards, and increased high school graduation requirements. In return, the California State Department of Education will encourage and support Districts requesting waivers of those requirements that may hinder the District's ability to implement their plans for improvement of student achievement.

The Challenge Initiative has ten elements organized into three major categories.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

1. Content and performance standards
   During the next three years, Challenge districts will develop and adopt content and performance standards at every grade level in language arts, mathematics, science, history-social science, foreign language, visual and performing arts, health education, physical education, career preparation, service learning, and applied learning for kindergarten through twelve grades.

   The State Department has completed an interim content and grade level performance standards, "Challenging Standards for Student Success." Currently, the San Francisco Unified School District's Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Development is developing content and performance standards for language arts, mathematics, science, history-social science, foreign language and visual performing science. These SFUSD content and performance standards are expected to be completed in Fall 1996. The process for review and feedback on SFUSD's standards includes parents, community members and SFUSD staff.

   If you are interested in learning more about the SFUSD's process of developing of content and performance standards, contact Dianne Meltesen (dmeltes@sfusd.k12.ca.us).

2. Assessment and accountability systems
   Challenge districts will adopt a comprehensive accountability system to measure student performance annually by individual school and district results, to determine whether students are achieving below, at, or above grade level expectations.

   Data collected in Spring 1997 will serve as a baseline data. Beginning in 1998, Challenge districts will agree to meet specific growth targets, stated in terms of a decrease in the percentage of students who are not meeting grade-level expectations and an increase in the percentage of students who are exceeding grade-level expectations. The minimum targets for all Challenge districts are

   • a two-point average annual reduction in the percentage of students who are not meeting grade-level expectations,
   • a two-point increase in the percentage of students who are exceeding grade-level expectations, and
   • a continuing decline in dropout rates in middle schools and high schools.

Learning Support

3. Safe schools
   Students and staff in Challenge districts need safe, secure schools in which to learn and to teach.

4. Facilities and technology
   Schools in Challenge districts will be clean and well-lit, with technology for learning.

5. Family-school partnerships
   Challenge districts, together with parents and community members, will develop a multi-dimensional plan, including family-school compacts, to foster strong and meaningful partnerships among parents, other family members, and school staff.

6. Student learning plans
   Each student has a learning plan that is tailored to his or her needs and that provides parents with a clear understanding of expectations.

7. Site-based decision making
   Challenge districts will foster school-site decision making that gives staff, parents, and students responsibility for key decisions.

8. Staff and Community training
   Challenge districts need to provide comprehensive staff and community training in the elements of the Challenge, with the assistance of California Department of Education materials.

High School Completion

9. Graduation Requirements
   Challenge districts will adopt rigorous high school graduation requirements, and students will demonstrate mastery of the following 18 full-year courses:
   

   Required Courses	Subject
   4	English, including Literature and Writing
   3	History-Social Science, including World History and Geography, American History, Government, Civics, and Economics
   2	Mathematics, including Algebra and Geometry
   2	Laboratory Science, including Physical Science, Life Science, and Environmental Science
   1	Foreign Language
   1	Visual or Performing Arts
   2	Physical Education
   1	Health
   1	Career Preparation, including workplace learning
   1	Service Learning, which may be integrated into any of the above

10. Golden State Achievement Certificate
    A Golden State Achievement Certificate, beginning with the Class of 2004, will replace the current diploma. Students will earn the certificate when they pass examinations to demonstrate mastery of the curriculum. The Golden State Examinations(GSE) are the end-of-course examinations approved by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction for this purpose in English, history-social science, mathematics, and laboratory science. (All these are currently available.) Until GSEs are developed for all courses required for graduation, districts will administer locally developed assessments that meet the grade-level standards in foreign language, visual and performing arts, physical education, health, career preparation and service learning.

Waivers

1. General Waiver Requests to the State Board of Education
   Department staff will assist Challenge districts in preparing and presenting general waiver requests that do not adversely affect the safety of students and staff or collective bargaining.

2. Alternative School Provisions
   Under the alternative school provisions of Education Code sections 58500-58512, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction may waive any provision of the Education Code except those relating to earthquake safety. To take advantage of this waiver authority, all teachers and students in a school must agree to participate in the program offered by the alternative school.

3. Charter Districts
   The charter school legislation allows for the creation of charter school districts. A charter district has the same focus as a charter school. That is, a charter school constitutes a performance-based system exempt from most state laws affecting schools; a charter district would enjoy the same flexibility on a broader, district-wide basis. To create a charter district, the school district governing board, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the State Board must approve a charter petition. If the legally mandated cap of 100 charter schools has been reached, the State Board may also have to approve a general waiver request. Challenge charter districts will adhere to the ten elements of the Challenge.

4. Federal Waivers
   DC is also prepared to assist districts in requesting waivers of federal laws and regulations that contain their efforts to meet one or more of the Challenge elements. Under the federal waiver authority, DC is required to comment on any waiver of federal law. Challenge districts making such request would receive CDE's active support.

The SFUSD Board of Education intends to submit a Letter of Intent to participate in the Challenge Initiative. Parents, educators, SFUSD staff and members of the school community are encouraged to comment and discuss the Challenge Initiative. Information about the Challenge is available.

Send your comments and request for information to Winnie Tang.

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All rights reserved.

Revised 2/21/96
URL:http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/challenge/index.html