July Education Recap

In the 2 months since my last post, much has happened in the realm of education--especially in California. For those who have been tuned out for the summer (admiringly, like I have from regular blog-posting) here is a quick re-cap on 2 pressing stories in California education:


California Department of Education Approves LGBT History Curriculum Framework

Earlier this month, the California Department of Education approved a new social studies curriculum framework that includes content standards focusing on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender contributions to California History. The proposed framework was in response to California Senate Bill 48--the FAIR Education Act (passed in 2011)--a provision of which called for the inclusion of LGBT history in California content standards (full text here).

San Diego's NPR affiliate, KPBS, highlighted the framework adoption in a recent story:

LGBT History Lessons Approved For California Classrooms

For more information on Senate Bill, head over to the California Department of Education website.


Teach For America San Diego and San Francisco -- A Tale of Two Cities

Earlier in July, SDUSD voted to renew it's partnership with Teach For America as a method of teacher recruitment. Although the board meeting and vote went on with little resistance or issue, this is not the current atmosphere all across the state.

This past May, the San Francisco Board of Education voted not to renew the Teach for America partnership contract for the 2017-2018 school year and beyond. The news has been met with heavy criticisms from both sides of the issue--especially at a time where California's teacher shortfall remains extremely high entering the new school year.

For more information about this story and the Teach For America response, please see the links below:

New trouble for Teach for America: San Francisco wants out 

Teach For America-Bay Area District Partnerships in the 2016-17 School Year | Teach For America