- Lake County News reports
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As schools fully open for the new school year, new data shows expanded educational opportunities for students
Ninety-eight percent of school districts report expanding educational opportunities, including mental health, after-school and academic supports.
Specifically:
— 95 percent of school districts report expanding mental health and wellness services.
— 73 percent of school districts report expanding after-school programs.
— 83 percent of school districts report expanding learning acceleration programs (e.g., high-dose tutoring).
The state’s new Statewide Expanded Educational Opportunities Dashboard provides the latest statewide snapshot.
Additionally, the new School Districts Expanded Opportunities Map provides region-specific data for parents, families and others in the community to find out whether their schools are offering additional mental health and academic services.
That map shows much of Lake County is offering expanded opportunities for students.
Through the winter, Gov. Gavin Newsom championed urgent action to provide school funding to both accelerate school reopenings in the 2020-21 school year and expand student supports for the summer and 2021-22 school year.
AB 86 was enacted on March 5, 2021, with $4.6 billion (of $6.6 billion in total funding) dedicated to expanding student supports.
Schools used those early funds to expand educational opportunities for the summer and the upcoming school year.
According to the summer data, 89% of school districts reporting offered new learning opportunities over the summer, including learning acceleration (e.g., high-dose tutoring), enrichment and mental health services.
Building on this funding, the governor championed a historic $123.9 billion K-12 education package that represents a transformation of our public schools over the next several years.
Here are some of the highlights of how investments in AB 86 meet the immediate needs of students.
Priority: Supporting the Whole Child
2021-22 School Year
AB 86 funds for the “provision of health, counseling, or mental health services, access to school meal programs, ..., or programs to address pupil trauma and social-emotional learning, or referrals for support for family or pupil needs.”
Approximately 95 percent of responding school districts report “expanding mental health and wellness services” this school year.
Longer-term transformation
$4.3 billion to transform the youth behavioral health system, focusing on early identification of trauma, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, etc.
$3 billion to create thousands of full-service community schools.
$650 million in ongoing funds for universal free school nutrition.
$650 million in ongoing funds for universal free school nutrition.
Priority: Increasing learning time
2021-22 School Year
AB 86 funds to “extend instructional learning time,” “provid[e] summer school or intersessional instructional programs, and provide access to before and after school programs.”
Approximately 88% of responding school districts reported offering summer school, enrichment programs, etc.
Approximately 83% of responding school districts report “expanding after-school programs” this school year.
Longer-term transformation
$1.8 billion, growing to $5 billion ongoing by 2025, to achieve universal access to summer and after-school programs.
Universal TK for all four-year-olds by 2025, adding an extra year of public education.
— $300 million for the pre-K teacher pipeline.
— $490 million to build and renovate state preschool, transitional kindergarten and kindergarten facilities.
Priority: Improving quality of learning time
2021-22 School Year
AB 86 funds for “[t]utoring or other one-on-one or small group learning supports,” “[l]earning recovery programs and materials designed to accelerate pupil academic proficiency,” “[s]upports for credit deficient pupils to complete graduation or grade promotion,” etc.
Approximately 74% of responding school districts report “expanding learning acceleration” programs, including “high-dose tutoring.”
Longer-term transformation
$1.1 billion in ongoing funds for high-poverty schools to hire up to five additional teachers, paraeducators, counselors, etc.
$2.9 billion to expand the teacher pipeline and match well-prepared teachers to vulnerable students, such as $250 million to attract board-certified expert teachers to high-need schools.
$1.5 billion to improve special education.