California Continuation Education Association Newsletter:

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

By Dr Gerry Catanzarite

As I prepare to go to Sacramento to meet with the executive officers; our lobbyist, Peter Birdsall and his assistant Nancy Armentrout; Clara Chapala, our State Department Consultant; and several Legislators and State Department officials, I am thinking very hard about what is it that we really need to do to keep our programs and our organization strong. Several things come to mind that I feel are critical.

First I believe that we must make clear to all concerned that our role in the California educational structure is drop-out prevention. You undoubtedly have heard me tout this before, but I think that it is imperative that we make it clear. There are some who believe that continuation education is not doing a good job. They ask, "Why is it that continuation education fails with the student and then the student is placed in community school (where he may or may not be successful)?" Or "Aren't the community school and continuation high school designed for the same students?" It is clear to me that the roles of the two programs are different.

The role of continuation is to meet the educational needs of students who's educational needs are not being met by the regular school. These kids have a large variety of problems that keeps them from being successful in the regular school but they have one thing in common, they want to be successful in school. Appropriate community school students, on the other hand, have other types problems. These are student who are expelled from school for weapons and/or violent behavior, are criminals and are under the supervision of the courts Or probation, and/or are students whose presence on any school campus jeopardizes the safety of other students or staff. My experience tells me that when these two groups of students are mixed in the same programs, as is the case in many community schools today, the odds of success are small. We can not be all things to all people. We must make our role clear.

Funding is another major issue. As most of you know, there are three methods currently used to fund continuation schools. These include schools with over 300 ADA who receive the regular revenue limit, schools organized prior to 1979 whose eroded and equalized small school add-on funding is part of the district revenue limit, and post 1979 schools who receive 1979 small school dollars above their revenue limit. This is crazy and also inadequate especially in the first two cases. We need to make it clear that to do a good job we need adequate funding. I am not advocating anything outrageous, just provide enough funding so that we can pay for the program, nothing more. Take a look at the real expense to provide the kind of program outlined in the law and fund the schools accordingly.

Just a couple of words about class size. We must maintain our classes at about 15 ADA per teacher. Some districts have increased class size up to 40 to one. This is ridiculous and must stop. Our new state handbook recommends 15 to one and we need to let this be known.

We must gather support for our schools by bringing in our legislators, our community, and our own district people to show them what we are doing. Let them talk to the students. Put them to work in your classes. We are doing a great job and we need to show what we do.

Join CCEA today if you are not currently a member. A strong organization is what makes us number one when it comes to working with our students. Individually we are good, but together we are great. You know "synergy."

Attend the state conference. Our state conference is one of the best educational events in the country. This year, the conference will be fabulous. There will be a multitude of great workshops, as well as excellent speakers, visitations, sharing with others, and fun. There is also the Principal's Institute prior to the conference. If you are a new principal, this is especially for you. For more information about the conference, contact Dr. Richard Stevens. For more information about the Principal's Institute, contact Joe Stits.

Finally, as regular education strives for systemic change that leads the regular schools to be more like us, we must strive for that same kind of systemic change to better meet the challenges of today's at risk youth: We must make sure that we stay on the cutting edge by providing and participating in quality staff development activities, by reading the current educational literature, and by communicating among ourselves. We also must have good communication with our feeder schools so that we can work together to meet the needs of the students faltering in the regular program and really be an arm of the regular program. We are all in this together and it is going to take us all to give the students what they need to be successful in the next century. In this regard, CCEA and continuation education stands ready to help our new State Superintendent, Delaine Eastin, achieve her goals for systemic change for all schools.

NOMINATION FOR VICE PRESIDENT

Robert J. Werner
Principal
Redwood Alternative School
18400 Clifton Way
Castro Valley, CA 94546

I graduated from San Francisco State University in June 1968 with a Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry. I earned my Standard Teaching credential with authorization in Chemistry and Industrial Arts. I taught 6.5 years and was appointed as Dean of a comprehensive high school. I was promoted to Assistant Principal and then to Vice-principal as I served at a large comprehensive high school and a large middle school. For the past 9 years I have served as Principal of the Districts alternative school which houses the Continuation School, Independent Study Program and a 9th Grade Opportunity class. I earned my Master of Science Degree in 1984 through California State University, Hayward, in School Administration and Supervision.

I have served as President-elect, President and Past President of District III two times in each position. I have served this past year as State Treasurer for CCEA and am active with WASC.

1 would like to serve in a leadership role with CCEA. I have been active in the organization since my appointment as a Continuation Principal 9 years ago. I have served twice as President-elect and President of District 111. I have served three times as Past President and continue to serve as Athletic Coordinator. This past year as State Treasurer has enabled me to understand the diverse activities of CCEA and the benefits the organization provides for students and staff within continuation education.

I have served on the Model School Selection Committee and worked with the State Department of Education and other CCEA members to develop the current Model School criteria, assessment and recognition program. I am active with WASC and have had repeated positive experiences chairing visiting committees as they review continuation schools.

If elected, I will commit to continue serving to the best of my ability to promote continuation education and provide quality leadership to the CCEA organization and all of its components. I look forward to visiting more schools and learning about their programs so that I may share my findings with teachers and administrators throughout the education community.

NOMINATION FOR STATE OFFICE

ERIC SPEARS--SECRETARY

Education:

1982, B.A. Degree in English from U.C.L.A.; 1984, Clear Credential in English from Cal. State, Northridge; 1987,Masters in Education from Cal. State Northridge; 1991, Administrative Credential from Cal. Lutheran University.

Experiences:

For the past I I years I have served in the Continuation program of Los Angeles Unified School District, the first 9 as the English teacher at Aliso H.S., a three teacher site. The last two years I have acted as an advisor to the 52 school Options program (Options included Continuation Pregnant Minors, Community Centered Classrooms, and Opportunity Schools). In January, I became the new principal of Highland Park Continuation High School.

Statement of Consideration

I have been active in CCEA for all of my time in Options. On the local level, I have served as President and Past President twice. At the state level, I have served on the Audit and Membership committees, Currently, I am the State Secretary and serve on the legislative, and Model Schools committees. My involvement in CCEA has convinced me of the necessary role we play in the growth and stability of Continuation Education throughout the state of California. This is the only organization looking out for the welfare of the continuation program and the continuation student. Whether it be through watch dog in the legislature or workshops at conferences, CCEA is the only group that supports what we do best ... educate those that need an alternative approach to learning.

I would like to remain as Secretary of CCEA primarily to continue my work on the CCEA Newsletter. This year your officers decided to switch the responsibility of the Newsletter from the Vice President to the Secretary. The reasoning was to free the Vice President to work more closely on membership. I feel that my expertise has already improved greatly, and I would like to continue by brining a more thematic and instructional focus to our newsletters. Additionally, I would like to advance my support for finding ways that CCEA on the state level can support our local districts as they continue to build/rebuild membership. I feel I can help make this a stronger organization that better serves our members...and therefore our students.

NOMINATION OF JOE STITS FOR

PRESIDENT OF CCEA FOR THE

1995-96 YEAR

I began my teaching career in a junior high school in the Compton Unified School District in 1961. 1 moved to Bellflower High School in the Bellflower Unified School District in 1964 where I taught social science and art until 1978 when I became a counselor. I later was assistant principal and in 1984 transferred to Somerset, the district's continuation high school. It was my transfer to Somerset that showed me clearly what I had been preparing to do for all these years in education. The sense of community and focus on students was what I had always sought but found difficult to achieve in settings other than the continuation school

I started as a counselor at Somerset High School and later became principal. I became involved with CCEA at the district level and found the same sense of community focus, and dedication that I had found at my school. As District VII president and past president, I served the local areas and also had the pleasure of serving on CDR for several years. In 1993, 1 was asked to step in as vice president for CCEA and I have served in that capacity for two terms.

During this period of involvement with CDR, I have had the opportunity to assist in developing and writing the Attendance Accounting Manual for Continuation High Schools that was developed by CCEA and the California Department of Education. This manual has laid the foundation for attendance accounting in the state. I was also privileged to provide leadership for the development of Model Schools criteria and selection process. I have chaired the selection process for the last two years in cooperation with the California Department of Education. As part of the executive team for CCEA, I have assisted in representing our focus and interests to legislators and aides, as well as to leadership persons in the California Department of Education. I am currently offering a professional development seminar for administrators and those planning to move into administration of a continuation school.

I am convinced that quality continuation schools will provide the leadership for the secondary school restructuring efforts going on in our districts. I am committed to the development of quality programs for continuation students and to the improvement of programs we offer to our students. I have worked to improve the professional environment of continuation school administration, programs, and instructional outcomes for the benefit of students. I believe that we, in continuation education, have the opportunities to be major advocates the interest of students all over the state and to be the "pilots" for instructional and school organization improvement. We have a responsibility to protect the interest of our students who have educational purpose from those who see our school has a dumping ground for all who don't "fit" in the comprehensive school. I believe in the proposition that comprehensive secondary education is a concept, not a place and that this concept includes continuation and all the other educational options, special education, as well as "regular" educational programs. I look forward to continuing working for the common interest and goals of CCEA and the students, teachers, administrators and programs we serve.

FAREWELL TO THE BEST
EDUCATORS IN THE WORLD

By: Bob Ehlers, (Retires 5-1-95)

I am writing this article because I want to say "farewell" to all of my special friends in alternative education, but more specifically those of you in Continuation Education. While many of you may not know me, I hope you will bear with me as I share the most memorable years of my forty-one years in education. My recent twenty-six have been with the California Department of Education (CDE) in Continuation Education, other alternative education programs or activities directly related to alternative education.

For the record, I had the pleasure of being the first full-time Continuation Education consultant in the CDE as of march 1, 1969. This was during the time when there were only a handful of continuation education programs in the state. My appointment was the result of having the good fortune of being project director of the Federal Title III grant to "Establish An Exemplary Continuation Education Program." Would you believe this was in 1967? The Riverside Unified School District was funded with the Title III grant that resulted in a summer paid institute (1967) for fifty teachers, counselors, and administrators on the subject of implementing a program in continuation Education. A few participants are still active in Continuation Education.

The end result of that three week special summer institute was the first published "How to Do It" document for Continuation Education called Orientation To Continuation Education. It included open entry/exit instructional methodology for teachers, counseling techniques, and administrative information.

Subsequent to the CDE appointing a full-time continuation Education consultant, additional statewide staff development was provided and a new publication Individualized Instruction In Continuation Education was prepared and dozens of staff development activities were held throughout the state from 1969-7 1. One of the 1967 summer institute participants, a key staff developer during 1969-71 and a co-author of Individualized Instruction in Continuation Education later became a full-time continuation education consultant to the CDE. That person, Dr. Mary Lou Hill, retired from the CDE several years ago. It should be noted that both Orientation To Continuation Education and Individualized Instruction for Continuation Education were precursors to our current "Competency Based Education" or "Outcome Based Education" which should be mandatory for the open entry/exit educational program of all alternative education.

Continuation education became mandatory in 1965 because the state threatened to withhold ten percent of all apportionment. The law requiring continuation education was enacted in 1929 but was never enforced. At that time we did not have other alternatives such as opportunity, court and community, independent study, pregnant and parenting teens programs, etc. Since our early days(1965)when we had twenty some continuation education programs we have grown to a family of more than five hundred and ten (5 1 0) separate continuation high schools enrolling nearly 200,000 student annually. There are approximately eight hundred fifteen (815) comprehensive high schools in the state. You now represent over one-third of our secondary schools.

So much for a brief background of continuation education. My most immediate concern as I leave the CDE is that, in my personal opinion, we are losing the battle in meeting the needs of the growing number of at-risk youth in California. Continuation education now represents only one of a multitude of alternative programs that did not exist in the past. I have repeatedly stated over the years that no matter what our alternative education capacity was for at-risk youth our comprehensive high schools would be sure we had full classes and a waiting list for students each fall.

My most serious concerns are not about the past but about the future-something in which I will no longer have input. You who know how to serve at-risk youth hold the key to the future of not only alternative education students but of all secondary students if the comprehensive high schools do not restructure into programs that meet the needs of all students.

I must share some of my concerns for the future as I feel the Sacramento BEE expressed it quite succinctly when they said"...this might be the last Superintendent of Public Instruction who will have the opportunity to put the California education program together before the next voucher initiative passes." (This is paraphrased, but in my opinion expresses the Bee's concern for the future of California's education system).

It will take your continued efforts to meet the needs of the students in alternative education. But the greater challenge for you is to assume the responsibility of becoming the leaders in educational reform and restructuring the total secondary system. We know what you are doing for your students can be replicated in the secondary schools, if only they were interested. Thirty years later we are still trying to overcome our negative image, which is created in order to keep students in line or they will be "sent" to that school they have identified as being for losers.

My Challenge to Continuation Educators:

1. You must be educational reform activists beyond continuation education and must impact the comprehensive educational program. You must become members of local committees dealing with Second to None reform efforts by demanding recognition for those techniques that make our students successful.

2. You must become activists in supporting students who have been illegally or inappropriately assigned to your programs. The most immediate resource you have is the District Uniform Complaint Procedures, which must be sent to parents annually.

Remember, the two best kept secrets we have in education are the students and parents individuals rights.

3. You must never be intimidated or capitulate to someone who accuses you of being an educational program of lesser standards. How many comprehensive teachers maintain an individual student file of their academic progress toward course completion? Remember, a student who comes to class every day, smiles at the teacher, does not do homework and fails most tests will be given a barely passing grade and credit in the comprehensive high school. With you, it's no work--no credit. Lots of work--lots of credit. The bottom line is that when you award credit it is for work that has been completed within the local district's course of study which reflects the Model Curriculum Standards adopted by the California State Board of Education.

4. You're encouraged to make use of the competency based curriculum materials that were developed by Mary Jo Williams when she was with the CDE. They were carefully matrixed with the Model Curriculum Standards and should be a part of every alternative school curriculum. Copies are still available from Clara Chapala.

For alternative education we are on the threshold of one of the most exciting periods of secondary education. Be active, be informed, and take advantage of the opportunities of the future. You are the leaders of educational reform and innovation. The future is yours, but use it carefully as you bear in mind who your customers are--the at-risk students of California.

My participation with the CCEA has been the highlight Of my professional career. I am especially proud of the honorary Life Membership that was presented to me during your 1980 state conference in Sacramento.

Keep up the good work and may you all have as rewarding a career in alternative education as I have!! God bless you all!!

(This article was based upon the thoughts and feelings of Bob Ehlers, CCEA member. Its contents are not intended to reflect official policy of the California Department of Education.)

DISTRICT XI
OPTIONS SCHOOLS OFFICE
MANAGERS GET "ORGANIZED"

By: Judy Reinsma

Since the earliest years of the continuation Education program in the Los Angeles Unified School District the office managers have been recognized as an integral part of the options family by teachers, principals and district administrations. Under the auspices of the Senior High Schools Options office the office managers of all options schools met regularly both in the various "clusters" throughout the district and as a whole. These meetings facilitated the dissemination of information, gave an opportunity to address concerns specific to the job, and last but not least, led to the establishment of a very supportive personal and professional network.

When the district reconfigured and eliminated the Senior High Schools Options office, the office managers found themselves without a sponsoring administrative entity. Realizing that this was not a good situation for our schools or for us professionally, a group of office managers took this concern to Dr. Richard Browning seeking his assistance in establishing an Options office manager "association" to assure the continuance of our ability to meet and confer with one another. Dr. Browning graciously agreed to support us and thereby enable us to proceed with on-going and new projects that will be beneficial to our schools and the Continuation Education program.

We are looking forward to our first district-wide meeting on February 16. School police officer Rachel White will speak about personal safety and security on the job site. This was one of the subjects requested in a survey of office managers which was done last November. Upcoming meetings will address other concerns. Some of those planned are:

1. Establishment of a formal network to provide in-servicing for new office managers. (The district has no training for clerical/secretarial positions.)

2. Obtaining speakers in various specialized fields such as payroll, cumulative records, budget, etc.

3. Organizing a committee to update the continuation High School Office Managers' Handbook.

The assistance of Beth Newman, Cindy Gladstone and Jenny McDonald has been extremely helpful in getting this new venture off the ground. We look forward to working with all the continuation Education staff members in the coming year.

The members of the organizing committee are: Leatrice Brown, Avalon High School; Hilda Garcia-Parra, Earhart High School; Judy Reinsma, Evergreen High School and Shirley Whitmore, Truth High School.

PRINCIPAL'S INSTITUTE
SET FOR APRIL 27, 1995

At last! A workshop for continuation high school leadership provided by our own!

The Continuation High School Principal's Institute is set up to build the knowledge and skills of our principals and any who would like to become administrative leaders in our schools. The unique nature, of continuation education will be explained and discussed regarding attendance accounting laws and procedures, education code provisions for our students and programs, and compliance issues.

This workshop is a pre-conference meeting that will occur on Thursday, April 27 at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach. On Friday, the participants will be included in site visitations to local continuation high school programs in the morning. Also on Friday, the participants will be taken to a nearby continuation high school where they will be able to experience the use of laser disk technology and computer assisted instruction in continuation education. Registration for the workshop and the CCEA State conference are separate and you will need to handle each as a separate item. The cost of the Principal's Institute is $250.00 and includes the presentations, printed manuals and materials, school visitation and Friday technology workshop, as well as breakfast and lunch on Thursday.

The topics for the workshop include attendance accounting and the use of our CCEA Attendance Accounting Manual, methods and means of earning course credit, legal mandates and compliance issues for continuation and related programs, and a framework for curriculum development and instruction strategies. An outcome for the workshop will be the development of a three year plan for the improvement of your school.

Each participant will receive the CCEA Attendance Accounting Manual, CDE Handbook for Continuation Handbook along with other support materials. The facilitator is Joe Stits, Vice-President of CCEA and former principal of Somerset High School. He will be assisted by Bob Ehlers, consultant from the CDE and long-time CCEA supporter.

If you are interested, the limit is 40 participants, so sign up now. Contact Joe Stits and 310-866-4886 or 310-866-901 1 ext. 3308 or write to 9832 Flower Street, Ste, 463, Bellflower, CA 90706.

1200 STUDENTS RUN
L.A. MARATHON X

Students Run L.A., a group bringing together 60 schools and programs from around the L.A. area participated in the wet and wild city of Los Angeles Marathon X on March 5, 1995. This was the largest group yet in the six year history of the organization.

By all accounts the students did extremely well. Showing their courage and determination, the SRLA runners braved the continuous rain and wind to complete the 26.2 mile course. Well over 95% of the group crossed the finish line as compared to the Marathon's average of 75 %, It is a testament to the goals of the program and our belief that our young people if given a great challenge with support and encouragement will succeed!

Students Run L.A. is a non-profit organization funded by community and corporate donations. It was created and continues to be coordinated by three continuation teachers: Harry Shabazian (Boyle Heights H.S.), Paul Trapani (Aliso H.S.), and Eric Spears (Highland Park H.S.). They along with Don Bethe from (Cal State Univ., Northridge), handle all day to day operations for this growing organization. Congratulations to all Students Run L.A. participants. They're proving that if it's innovative, effective and making a difference for kids, it's probably coming from the continuation program.

1995 CCEA State Conference
THE GRAN PRIX OF EDUCATION

April 28-30, 1995
Long Beach Renaissance Hotel

Don't miss this conference!! The 1995 state conference of the California Continuation Education Association has something for everyone. A huge variety of break-out sessions, outstanding speakers, informal networking, visitations, and plenty of fun are among the highlights of our organization's annual state conference - the Grand Prix of Education.

Following registration at the Starting Line of Friday morning, you will have the opportunity to board a fabled and historic yellow tour bus to visit local continuation high schools returning in time to participate in the Friday afternoon workshops. Following the workshops, join State President Jerry Catanzarite for the President's reception in the Roselli Suite and on the Pool Terrace and interact with continuation educators from throughout the state. Then its time for the banquet where you will have the pleasure of hearing from one of our own, Dr. Lois Tinson, President of the California Teachers Association (and a teacher at north Park Continuation High School in Baldwin Park). The banquet is followed by Monte Carlo night where you can "gambol" and dance into the wee hours.

Saturday is devoted to workshops. Join other participants for coffee in the vendor display area where you can view the most recent publications and materials available while you decide which of the 38 workshops you want to attend. Break-out sessions on technology, teaching strategies, and subject matter concerns are offered. In the area of technology, sessions entitled "How to Use Interactive Multi-Media in the Continuation Setting". Hypertext and the Directed Reading/Thinking Activities", and "Technology in the 21st Century Classroom" are among the nineteen workshops offered. There are seventeen sessions in the area of teaching strategies such as "Games Teachers Play (Cooperative Learning Activities and Games)", First Aid for Packet-itis", and "Introducing the Multiple Intelligences". Amongst the vast variety of subject matter sessions are "A Literature-Based Cinema Class", "Art on the Shoestring", and "Manipulatives in the Secondary math Curriculum."

Relax for a while during the luncheon where you will meet the CCEA district's nominees for Teacher of the Year. Dr. Catanzarite will have the honor of introducing each of these outstanding educators and announcing CCEA's Teacher of the Year. Then it is back to the workshops and networking with fellow continuation educators. Don't forget to take a few minutes to view the art work displays.

All this work and no relaxation? Never! Following the workshops, many of the districts will be hosting receptions. Visit each to share ideas, experiences, and rewards. The evening is free to experience Long Beach. The Renaissance, our conference hotel, is central to a wide range of entertainment options. A short walk takes you to the trendy shops and eateries of Pine Avenue and the Promenade. Shoreline Village and Marina is three blocks from the hotel. The world-famous Queen Mary, in her opulent splendor, is minutes away. All of this is accessible via the Runabout, a Long Beach courtesy shuttle.

Sunday's brunch and closing session will focus on the introduction of the newly elected State president and the selection of the 1994-95 Model Schools. But that isn't all. You have a chance to win a fantastic door price - a trip for two to........ (it begins with "H", features sun and surf).

See you at the: Renaissance - Long Beach Hotel
III East Ocean Boulevard Long Beach, California 90802 1-310-437-5900

Motivational Speaker

Lois Tinson

Keynote Speaker - Friday, April 28th

Lois Tinson, secretary-treasurer of the California Teachers Association, is one of three statewide officers of the nation's largest state teachers organization. She is a high school reading and English teacher on leave from North Park continuation High School in the Baldwin park Unified School District. She holds a master's degree and a doctorate in education from Pepperdine University and began her teaching career 27 years ago in the Arkansas City, Arkansas public school system.

Lois has served on the CTA Board of Directors and the NEA Board of Directors. She has also served on the California State Commission on Teacher Credentialing and as NEA representative to the Educational Testing Service.

As secretary-treasurer, Lois is responsible for all CTA funds and property, for preparing its annual budget, and for submitting regular reports on the Association's financial status. She also schedules, prepares agendas for, and maintains the minutes of CTA's governing bodies. She may also chair meetings of those groups in the absence of the president and vice president.

Lois' previous large-scale financial experience includes serving as CTA liaison to First Financial Federal Credit Union (formerly a CTA subsidiary in Southern California) and as treasurer of the Baldwin park Education Association.

Lois has also been an instructor of grade school education at Pepperdine University since 1977. In 1985, she was a visiting teacher in Whitehaven, England. She is listed in WHO'S WHO IN BLACK AMERICA and WHO'S WHO AMONG INTERNATIONAL WOMEN. She holds an honorary life membership in the PTA and received the "Who" Award from CTA's Service Center One. She is an active member of CTA's and NEA's Women's Caucus and Black Caucus and organized the Minority Caucus within CTA.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

California Continuation Education Association

By: Peter Birdsall

A GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS STATE BUDGET

For the past four years, public schools in California have had nothing but bad news budgets. In that respect, it has to be encouraging that the Governor's budget proposal for the coming year, 1995-96, contains both good and bad news.

The Governor Proposes a 2.2% Cost-Of-Living, Adjustment (COLA) for K- 12 Education

The good news is that, after four years of no inflation increases, the Governor is proposing that school districts receive a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of 2.2%. The bad news is that the COLA should be 3.35%.

According to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst:

"Intent language adopted as part of trailer legislation to the 1994 Budget Act ... commits the Legislature to providing a full COLA if two conditions are met: (1) sufficient funding is available under Proposition 98 for the 1995-96 fiscal year and (2) providing a full COLA cannot result in a reduction of funding to other K-12 programs, such as special education and categorical programs."

However, the Analyst concludes that "providing a full COLA for K12 in 1995-96 would stretch available resources beyond the breaking point. As a consequence, our alternative would provide as much additional funding to the K-12 COLA as resources and other competing demands permit."

The Analyst then recommends that the budget priorities be modified to increase the cost-of-living adjustment to 2.55%.

Budget Proposal Includes COLA for Continuation Education

Great news for CCEA is that the Governor's budget proposal included a COLA for what's called the "continuation education revenue limit add-on." For many continuation schools in the state, this is an important part of their funding.

In recent years, CCEA has sponsored legislation to require such a cost-of-living adjustment for this part of the continuation education funding formula. Unfortunately, the legislation failed due to the state's fiscal problems. The bill failed, but the message got through. Although the Governor is not proposing a cost-of-living adjustment for many K-12 education programs, he did include continuation education among those that would receive the 2.2% increase.

Good New/Bad News on School Safety

In his proposed budget, Governor Wilson has again proposed a "zero tolerance" policy on student discipline and increased funding for county community schools to serve expelled students.

In a report released in late February, the Legislative Analyst criticized the budget proposal for not addressing "problems with existing school safety programs or the concerns raised last year by the Legislature." Instead, the Analyst recommends that funds be allocated for a "Dropout Prevention/Alternative Program" operated by school districts. In legislative discussions over the past few years about school safety, CCEA has been an advocate for expanding the resources available to school districts to offer meaningful alternatives and to help prevent more serious problems.

Although the emphasis on school district prevention programs is good news, the Analyst's specific comments on continuation education are cause for concern. In particular, the Analyst reports: "We heard from community school staff, and in one case from a representative of a large urban school district, that continuation schools are often not effective for pupils who are unsuccessful in a regular school district program."

As the school safety discussion continues this year, a high priority for CCEA will be to support the importance of alternative and prevention programs, but at the same time to educate legislators and legislative staff about the key role continuation school can and should play in a comprehensive school safety/dropout prevention system.

As one part of this effort, CCEA's legislative liaisons are scheduling visits by legislators to continuation schools in their communities. For all CCEA members, an important task this year should be to better inform state and local policy leaders of the valuable services provided through continuation education.

From Our Schools

LMSC VOLUNTEERS HELP
MAKE ANTI-GANG WORKSHOP A REALITY

A workshop to teach young people an alternative to gang life was recently held at Broadway High School in San Jose, thanks to the efforts of LMSC employee Jeff Heard, 52-B7.

Heard organized the workshop, and, along with LMSC volunteers Vanessa Williams, 27-40, and Elizabeth Cuevas, 27-57, spent a morning last September at the school, which is the continuation high school for San Jose Unified School District.

In addition to the Lockheed volunteers, Bill Smith, supervising agent of the FBI office in San Jose, talked on the agency's role in gang abatement.

Broadway High School is the campus for the most likely "at risk" students in San Jose Unified, and according to Principal Kerm Hartley, it is the last chance for the young people.

"These students represent a wide range of needs academically, socially and emotionally, "Hartley said. "They're bright kids, and we are trying to reach them before they turn to gang life. Once they get into the gangs, we lose them."

Head, who has performed numerous volunteer services to help young people, including assisting with the California Youth Connection, feels strongly about preventing high schoolers from turning to gangs. He hopes that the workshop will be a precedent in continuing collaboration between business and the community.

"This was one of the first times a large corporation, the City of San Jose, and the community put their resources together to deal with the issue of gang prevention," Heard said.

Other speakers at the workshop included Mario Canas of Victory Outreach; Rob Davies, of the San Jose Police Department, and Harold Kumagi of the San Jose District Attorney's office.

Heard commended the efforts of the African-American monitoring and Information Network, and the Lockheed Hispanic Network both of which are part of the Management Association Diversity Roundtable, for their part in helping make the workshop happen.

TRACY HIGH SCHOOL

George Hershey, Principal

Overcoming barriers ... Tracy Style

Tracy High School, a continuation high school, is developing creative strategies to meet the unique needs of its students. Using student services and career preparation as two cornerstones of its program, the school graduated 130 at-risk students in 1994.

Tracy High School provides opportunities for students to overcome social and emotional barriers to success. We want to help students prepare for meaningful employment, encourage their further education and training, and help them become responsible workers, caring parents, and concerned citizens.

Two major focus areas at our school are Student Services and Career Preparation. Student services provides support for students and their families to develop and coping and social skills necessary to increase student achievement. Career preparation provides the instruction and experiences necessary for students to explore and select career fields.

Student Services

• The Tracy van now provides transportation for teen parents to get to Women, Infant and Children (WIC) counseling, for field trips, and for transporting students to other community agencies.
• The Tracy staff honors two "students-of-the-month."
• Peer resource classes train students in leadership, peer counseling, conflict management, and problem solving.
• Peer resource students provide peer counseling and presentations to elementary and junior high schools and leadership in school activities.
• Horizons, a class for at-risk students, provides peer support in a safe environment for students to learn strategies to build self-esteem, develop positive personal relationships, and manage conflict.
• The Personal Development class helps students acquire skills in self-appreciation, communication, accepting responsibility, goal setting, and problem solving.
• The Tracy Teen Parenting Program provides support for young parents thorough prenatal and parenting classes, individual and group guidance, and referrals to outside agencies.

Career Preparation

• Noon-time career speakers expose students to a wide range of career possibilities.
• The Career Research Center in our library includes a Career Computer Analysis Program and current career research materials
• Career preparation is infused into the economics classes with weekly career speakers, field trips, and a Career Shadowing program.
• Networking with community businesses is available through our Career Mentor Program and our Career Shadowing Program.
• An educational network with community educational resources, such as ABC Adult School, ROP, Cerritos College, and our comprehensive high school provides opportunities for career education and training.

In June 1994, Tracy High graduated more than 130 Students who were at risk of dropping out when they came to us. The Tracy staff is very proud of the success of our students.

NEW PROGRAMS BEGINS
IN LOS ANGELES

Central High School is the site/sponsor of a fabulous new program, City-As School. This school-to-work program is based on the New York City Model, started in 1972. The NYC program began with three staff and four students having the luxury to plan their Manhattan school for an entire year. When they opened, they had a staff of five and an enrollment of 61; today, the three branches (including the Bronx and Brooklyn branches) serve 1200 "at-risk" students.

City-As-School places students in 8-week internships in community businesses and organizations. Unlike many "apprenticeships" or "internships," City-As-School has a strong academic component: the Learning Experience Activity package, or LEAP. 'Me LEAP is designed by the teacher (Resource Coordinator) with input about the student's work activities from the professional (Resource Person) at the community location. The LEAP has specific goals and activities designed to broaden the students' learning experience beyond their immediate internship. For example, they may learn about the workings and history of the company, the company's personnel, other departments and their function, how their site is similar to or different from the similar company or organization, and, of course, the specifics of their job or department.

Five staff from Central High School and London and Boyle Heights Continuation Schools spent three days being trained by a City-As-School staff member of the Bronx site. With that excellent training behind us, Susan Serrano from Boyle Heights, Cristy Dawson from London, and Lynn Rabin (Project Coordinator) from Central high School have already gotten started with our first 8-week pilot program.

Community resource sites already include two video companies (one who helps produce infomercials and corporate videos; the other rents and sells broadcast equipment to television and movie studios), Oakdale school (a preschool), Gold/Marshak Talent Associates, Sportsmen's Lodge Hotel, Los Angeles Teachers Credit Union, the Permanent Charities of the Entertainment Industry, and a veterinary clinic. Sites soon to be added to our catalog include a major record label, a property management company, a hotel restaurant, and a flower shop.

If you are interested in learning more about this program for your students, please call Lynn Rabin at (213) 742-7533.

Grossmont Union High School District
ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION

Chaparral High School
San Diego, California

Alternative Education in Grossmont District has expanded its options, reaching out in the best interests of the student.

ALCOHOL AWARENESS PROGRAM

"The Governing Board of the Crossmont Union High School District will not tolerate the use, sale furnishing, or possession of alcohol by its students. . . "

A program, new in 1994/95, for first-time offenders of alcohol use and/or possession in Grossmont District's D.A.T.E. Coordinator monitors the scope and sequence of the concepts related to alcohol abuse. Students

curriculum packets include written materials as well as multi-media self-directed lessons. Once lessons are completed, the student receives from the Awareness teacher, a certification to confirm program completion and authorization for readmission to the home school site.

DRUG AWARENESS/STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY

Certain student offenses, including those of drug and alcohol abuse, are barriers to the positive development of students, and if such offenses are committed by students are grounds for suspension/expulsion. Drug Awareness/Student Responsibility is an eight-week program for students who are in the suspended-expulsion program for use or possession of a controlled substance. The class stresses correct decision making and emphasizes two academic areas. After successful completion of the eight-week program, students may complete the rest of the suspended-expulsion period attending Chaparral High School day classes with enrollment in six periods.

CHALLENGE

Begun November 1994. Challenge is a suspended-expulsion program for more serious offenders. These students previously would have been expelled and would have had to seek enrollment outside the District. This class is held off all eleven high school campuses, and it includes parenting classes for the students parents/guardians.

If you are interested in further information about these alternative approaches to meet the unique needs of students and families, you may call Dr. Barbara Stanley at (619) 448-1401 or (619) 448-0687.

FROM DISTRICT XI

THE FEDS VISIT EARHART

On February 15, 1995 Washington D.C. came to Earhart High School in North Hollywood. No, President Clinton didn't sneak away from his golf game with two former Presidents, but one of his appointees, Dr. Felicia Stewart, the deputy assistant secretary for world population affairs, toured the Southland, looking for answers to the problem of teen pregnancy. As part of that fact-finding trip, Stewart scrutinized the workings of Valley Community clinic and its Peer Educator program, including a visit to Earhart to observe some health educators teach lessons on values clarification and decision making as it relates to issues of sexuality.

Valley community Clinic has been a part of the health education program at Earhart for five years. In the last two years clinic educators have been an integral part of Peggy Johnson's Teen Health class, conducting lessons on a myriad of topics such as reproductive health, sexually-transmitted diseases, with an emphasis on AIDS education, and tobacco education. This year, with funding from a grant, the Clinic visits Earhart bimonthly to do outreach to young men, who traditionally are more reticent to visit the Clinic for health services.

Dr. Stewart's visit was an exciting event at Earhart. Besides being in the local newspaper and on local news, students were able to visit with the assistant secretary after class, take a group photo with her, and offer suggestions to take back to the President about the many problems facing them. In fact, students, at the request of Dr. Stewart, have written letters to President Clinton to offer solutions to the teen pregnancy issue. This was a good opportunity for the students to see that the federal government has a face and will reach out to them for answers.

Dr. Stewart remarked that she wished she could transport the class to Washington as a model to legislators of a program that is successful. That's not a bad idea, Dr. Stewart

FICTION AND FACT FROM CCEA'S ALMANAC

Report on Independent Study of Continuation
Education, 1976-77, as Required by Education Code, Section 48438

The Department of Education again has used the Continuation Education Year-End Report as the Vehicle to assist districts in meeting their responsibilities under Education Code 48438. Conclusions drawn from this study follow:

1. All districts which maintain high schools are complying with the law requiring that continuation be provided or that the district be exempted, as provided for in Education Code Section, 48432.

2. The number of school districts maintaining continuation education in separate schools has increased so that now a total of 271 districts maintain schools only or both schools and classes. This is up from 260 districts in 1975-76.

3. The enrollment grew up 4,853 over the 1975-76 figure.

4. In 1976-77, girls enrolled in continuation education constituted 42 percent of the total enrollment. This was a rise from a figure of 41 percent in 1975-76.

5. The number of students under 16 enrolled in the program now make up 18 percent of the total, up from 17 percent in 1975-76.

6. The number of students who were regularly employed and attended continuation for only four hours per week constituted 8 percent of the total enrollment, the same as in 1975-76.

7. It was reported that 73 percent of those enrolled in continuation education were there because they had asked to be allowed to attend continuation school. The percent reported in 1971-72 was 25 percent, in 1972-73 was 30 percent, in 1973-74 was 34 percent, in 1974-75 was 38 percent, and in 1975-76 was 39 percent.

8. The number of students leaving the program for one reason or another before the end of the year and without graduating rose to 43 percent of the enrollment as compared with 41 percent in 1975-76.

9. Non-minority (white) students made up of 60 percent of the total enrollment while students of Spanish surname (Hispanic) made up 22 percent and 14 percent of the enrollment were black. (These figures compare with 64 percent, 19 percent, and 12 percent respectively in 1975-76).

10. County schools offices in five counties (Amador, Invo, Mariposa, Plumas, and San Benito) provided continuation education for nine districts, and provided for in Education Code Section 48641. This was the same as in 1975-76.

CONFERENCE LOCATIONS

MEMBERSHIP GROWTH

Our students depend upon us for a great deal, only some of which they are aware. We are the stability they seek when they come to school and find acceptance and support. We are the wall before them that helps them grow, create and produce on a daily basis. We are the assessors they depend upon to accurately measure the achievement they grow to esteem. We are also their advocates, sometimes their sole advocates, who speak for them where and when they cannot represent themselves or their issues. We are the tale tellers, story builders, and translators of their experiences, accomplishments, and needs.

We pride ourselves for the positive and constructive work we perform every day for our students. We count our successes hourly, daily, and student by student. Without us, many of our charges would still find a way through this time in their life. I question the quality of that experience, however, without our guidance. Our advocacy, support and dedication will always be done in isolation on common problems and issues until we recognize our need for one another. We need to combine the quality of our experiences to affect a wider range of students over a longer period of time. We need the collective effort of the California Continuation Education Association as it is the only organization that speaks for our students.

I ask you to find any other area of your life where an average of $3 per month can have such a profound effect on the future. Not only do our present students need our advocacy in Sacramento, county offices and among local administrators, we speak for all the students we will have in the future. Alternative education is in the vanguard of reform and changes. It is interesting that the more comprehensive high schools "restructure ", the more they look like our schools. Join with your fellow professionals who build futures. Complete the membership application form in this newsletter and enlist now.

Copyright © 1997 by the California Continuation Education Association.
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