The San Ysidro School District in Southern California has reported as much as one-third of its students are homeless — the highest concentration in its region. In 2019, the district kicked a homeless student out of school over a paperwork issue. Voice of San Diego reporter Lisa Halverstadt got a tip and followed the story.This is our last episode of the season! Thanks for listening. You can keep up with other Voice of San Diego podcasts at vosd.org/pod Follow us on your favorite social media platform @voiceofsandiegoSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The San Ysidro School District in Southern California has reported as much as one-third of its students are homeless — the highest concentration in its region. In 2019, the district kicked a homeless student out of school over a paperwork issue. Voice of San Diego reporter Lisa Halverstadt got a tip and followed the story.This is our last episode of the season! Thanks for listening. You can keep up with other Voice of San Diego podcasts at <a href="http://vosd.org/pod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vosd.org/pod</a> Follow us on your favorite social media platform @voiceofsandiegoSee <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

S2 Ep 7 - Breaking Down Barriers for Homeless Youth

The mindset around school shootings is changing. They were once so horrific to comprehend that they seemed like freak occurrences – not events that would happen regularly. In this new normal, schools and students must ask difficult questions: Not if a next school shooting will occur, but when and where. This week, we hear from students, a parent and a VOSD reporter on how things are changing in the age of gun violence, what's working in local schools — and what's not.  vosd.org/learningcurve vosd.org/schoolspodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The mindset around school shootings is changing. They were once so horrific to comprehend that they seemed like freak occurrences – not events that would happen regularly. In this new normal, schools and students must ask difficult questions: Not if a next school shooting will occur, but when and where. This week, we hear from students, a parent and a VOSD reporter on how things are changing in the age of gun violence, what's working in local schools — and what's not.  <a href="http://vosd.org/learningcurve" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vosd.org/learningcurve</a> <a href="http://vosd.org/schoolspod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vosd.org/schoolspod</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

S2 Ep 6 - School Safety in the Age of Gun Violence

We're working on our next episode about school safety in the age of gun violence. It'll drop next week and you still have a chance to help us make it.If you have experienced a shooting incident, taken part in a school shooter drill, or have a related story to share, here's how you can do that: Email producer Nate John at nate@vosd.org Leave a voicemail at our podcast line, 619-354-1085See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're working on our next episode about school safety in the age of gun violence. It'll drop next week and you still have a chance to help us make it.If you have experienced a shooting incident, taken part in a school shooter drill, or have a related story to share, here's how you can do that: Email producer Nate John at nate@vosd.org Leave a voicemail at our podcast line, 619-354-1085See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Teaser - In the Age of Gun Violence

One parent found out that she could choose a different school for her child just two weeks before the deadline. This week, we hear how she scrambled to make the best decision for her family in time.You can follow all of our school stories at vosd.org/learningcurve. Talk to us onTwitter, Facebook and Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One parent found out that she could choose a different school for her child just two weeks before the deadline. This week, we hear how she scrambled to make the best decision for her family in time.You can follow all of our school stories at <a href="“https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/category/newsletters/the-learning-curve/“" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vosd.org/learningcurve</a>. Talk to us on<a href="“https://twitter.com/voiceofsandiego”" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="“https://www.facebook.com/groups/VOSDPodcast/“" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="“https://www.instagram.com/voiceofsandiego/“" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram.</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

S2 Ep 5 - How To Choose A School in 10 Days

We break down the story behind an alleged charter scam that cost California $80 million. In this episode of Good Schools for All, Will Huntsberry sits down with host Scott Lewis to unveil the culture and mechanics behind A3 Education.You can follow all of our school stories at vosd.org/learningcurve. Talk to us onTwitter, Facebook and Instagram.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We break down the story behind an alleged charter scam that cost California $80 million. In this episode of Good Schools for All, Will Huntsberry sits down with host Scott Lewis to unveil the culture and mechanics behind A3 Education.You can follow all of our school stories at <a href="a href= " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vosd.org/learningcurve</a>. Talk to us on<a href="a href= " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter, </a><a href="a href= " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook and </a><a href="a href= " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram.</a> See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

S2 Ep 4 - A Charter School Empire

Voice of San Diego has been investigating sexual misconduct in schools for two years now. It all started with one teacher at one school in La Jolla. Kayla Jimenez and Ashly McGlone, who've been reporting the series, sit down with Will Huntsberry to talk about the case that kicked things off.You can follow all of our school stories at vosd.org/learningcurve. Talk to us onTwitter, Facebook and Instagram.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Voice of San Diego has been investigating sexual misconduct in schools for two years now. It all started with one teacher at one school in La Jolla. Kayla Jimenez and Ashly McGlone, who've been reporting the series, sit down with Will Huntsberry to talk about the case that kicked things off.You can follow all of our school stories at <a href="a href= " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vosd.org/learningcurve</a>. Talk to us on<a href="a href= " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter, </a><a href="a href= " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook and </a><a href="a href= " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram.</a> See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

S2 Ep 3 - How Predatory Teachers Stay in the Classroom

Pre-K is more important than ever. But access to it remains elusive for many parents. In this episode, Will Huntsberry visits a preschool and its parent organization to try to get some answers about the future of universal pre-K.You can follow all of our school stories at vosd.org/learningcurve. Talk to us onTwitter, Facebook and Instagram.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pre-K is more important than ever. But access to it remains elusive for many parents. In this episode, Will Huntsberry visits a preschool and its parent organization to try to get some answers about the future of universal pre-K.You can follow all of our school stories at <a href="a href= " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vosd.org/learningcurve</a>. Talk to us on<a href="a href= " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter, </a><a href="a href= " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook and </a><a href="a href= " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram.</a> See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

S2 Ep 2 - Universal Pre-K Is Still Far From a Reality

This year, Will Huntsberry revealed some serious problems plaguing an elementary school in San Diego's South Bay. We take a close look at the school after it was put on a list of California's lowest-performing schools. You can follow all of our school stories at vosd.org/learningcurve. Talk to us onTwitter, Facebook and Instagram.     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year, Will Huntsberry revealed some serious problems plaguing an elementary school in San Diego's South Bay. We take a close look at the school after it was put on a list of California's lowest-performing schools. You can follow all of our school stories at <a href="a href= " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vosd.org/learningcurve</a>. Talk to us on<a href="a href= " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter, </a><a href="a href= " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook and </a><a href="a href= " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram.</a> See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

S2 Ep 1 - The Problems Plaguing Porter

We're back! In this new season of Good Schools For All, Voice of San Diego's Scott Lewis and Will Huntsberry dig in to the biggest stories our team has uncovered in the last year. Plus, we're accepting your ideas for new episodes. Tell us your story — or what you want to hear — at vosd.org/goodschools New episodes start Sept. 25. Subscribe now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're back! In this new season of Good Schools For All, Voice of San Diego's Scott Lewis and Will Huntsberry dig in to the biggest stories our team has uncovered in the last year. Plus, we're accepting your ideas for new episodes. Tell us your story — or what you want to hear — at <a href="https://vosd.org/goodschools" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vosd.org/goodschools</a> New episodes start Sept. 25. Subscribe now.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Season 2 Trailer

Schools are back in session.  Good Schools for All hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn introduce Voice of San Diego’s new education reporter Will Huntsberry, and the trio unpacks the latest education news you might have missed over summer break. Huntsberry discusses the  misuse of Associated Student Body funds in San Diego Unified schools, new developments in the district’s  2016 graduation rate controversy and offers his take on what makes education reporting in San Diego unique. The crew also discuss teacher misconduct and the slow-moving state system that allowed  two Poway Unified teachers to continue working in education even after being forced out of schools for having romantic relationships with students. What's Working Immediate Access: It's a new program at San Diego State University that allows students to access course material, such as e-textbooks, for free by the first day of school. If students decide to stay in the class for the rest of the semester, they can buy the material at a reduced price. SDSU officials estimate  the new program could save students close to $2 million. Number of the Week 10 percent: That's the percentage of educators who rent out their homes on Airbnb. In San Diego alone, educators reportedly  made $2.7 million using Airbnb. Got thoughts, opinions or experiences with this? Call 619-354-1085 and leave your name, neighborhood and story so we can play the voicemail on future episodes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Schools are back in session.  Good Schools for All hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn introduce Voice of San Diego’s new education reporter Will Huntsberry, and the trio unpacks the latest education news you might have missed over summer break. Huntsberry discusses the <a href="https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/education/a-small-pot-of-school-funds-is-regularly-mismanaged-and-sometimes-abused/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> misuse of Associated Student Body funds</a> in San Diego Unified schools, new developments in the district’s <a href="https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/education/report-urges-san-diego-unified-to-track-students-who-leave-before-graduating/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> 2016 graduation rate controversy</a> and offers his take on what makes education reporting in San Diego unique. The crew also discuss teacher misconduct and the slow-moving state system that allowed <a href="https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/education/poway-teachers-ousted-for-relationships-with-students-kept-working-in-education/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> two Poway Unified teachers</a> to continue working in education even after being forced out of schools for having romantic relationships with students. What's Working Immediate Access: It's a new program at San Diego State University that allows students to access course material, such as e-textbooks, for free by the first day of school. If students decide to stay in the class for the rest of the semester, they can buy the material at a reduced price. SDSU officials estimate <a href="https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/education/good-schools-for-all-the-raging-demand-for-more-computer-science-education/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> the new program could save students close to $2 million</a>. Number of the Week 10 percent: That's the percentage of educators who rent out their homes on Airbnb. In San Diego alone, educators reportedly <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/data-watch/sd-me-airbnb-teachers-20180815-story.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> made $2.7 million using Airbnb</a>. Got thoughts, opinions or experiences with this? Call 619-354-1085 and leave your name, neighborhood and story so we can play the voicemail on future episodes.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

A Back-to-School Crash Course

A podcast about education. Every episode, Voice of San Diego's Scott Lewis and Will Huntsberry bring you a new story about schools and the system that makes them work (or not). This season, we’ll have stories about a scam that cost California millions of dollars, what happens when a school stops feeling safe and the future of early education. Subscribe now to get every episode. We’re back from summer vacation Sept. 25th.

Good Schools For All dives deep into topics that every parent of school-age children should care about. Excellent, in-depth analysis and conversation about what’s working in education, with an emphasis on the San Diego region. I can’t recommend this podcast highly enough to anyone who cares about the quality of their children’s schools.

Excellent Education Podcast

Great way to keep up with what is going on schools. Very to the point.

Very informative

Good Schools For All

Betsy DeVos

Hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn discuss Betsy DeVos and what her nomination as Secretary of Education could mean for in California. In the second half, Lewis and Kohn speak with Miles Durfee, Managing Regional Director of the California Charter Schools Association.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn discuss Betsy DeVos and what her nomination as Secretary of Education could mean for in California. In the second half, Lewis and Kohn speak with Miles Durfee, Managing Regional Director of the California Charter Schools Association.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Breaking Down Betsy DeVos

You might not have any idea what the California State Board of Education does. I didn't. That is, until we talked to Trish Boyd Williams, a member of the board. Williams lives in San Diego and has a major role on the board and she explained it to me for the latest episode of Good Schools for All. It was that board, of course, that is the reason Common Core was adopted in California so we took the opportunity to break down how it's going and how the board determines its standards. My co-host Laura Kohn was screaming at the TV during a recent Republican presidential debate as they went on about Common Core. Take a listen to hear what she says they got wrong. Williams said it's having a major impact in the state. "What’s different about the Common Core state standards in English, Language Arts and Math over the previous standards in English and Math is that it shifts the focus. There’s less memorization of isolated facts, and there is more focus on bigger ideas, and on discussion, analysis, arguing from evidence, and critical thinking skills," Williams said. Williams is also spearheading the adoption of new science standards for schools.What’s Working:Devin Vodicka, the Superintendent of the Vista Unified School District, and was named Superintendent of the year by the California Association of School Administrators in 2015. Devon and his team are making thoughtful but ambitious changes in the schooling system. They are working from a “blueprint for educational excellence,” and are creating a very positive impact.Numbers of the Week:The achievement gap refers to the difference in educational achievement between different races or demographics. 72% of Asian students read at grade level last Spring, and only 30% of black students did. In 8th grade math, 73% of Asians students met grade level standards, and only 22% of black students did.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You might not have any idea what the <a href="http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/ms/mm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">California State Board of Educatio</a>n does. I didn't. That is, until we talked to Trish Boyd Williams, a member of the board. Williams lives in San Diego and has a major role on the board and she explained it to me for the latest episode of Good Schools for All. It was that board, of course, that is the reason Common Core was adopted in California so we took the opportunity to break down how it's going and how the board determines its standards. My co-host Laura Kohn was screaming at the TV during a recent Republican presidential debate as they went on about Common Core. Take a listen to hear what she says they got wrong. Williams said it's having a major impact in the state. "What’s different about the Common Core state standards in English, Language Arts and Math over the previous standards in English and Math is that it shifts the focus. There’s less memorization of isolated facts, and there is more focus on bigger ideas, and on discussion, analysis, arguing from evidence, and critical thinking skills," Williams said. Williams is also spearheading the adoption of new science standards for schools.What’s Working: Devin Vodicka, the Superintendent of the Vista Unified School District, and was named Superintendent of the year by the California Association of School Administrators in 2015. Devon and his team are making thoughtful but ambitious changes in the schooling system. They are working from a “blueprint for educational excellence,” and are creating a very positive impact.Numbers of the Week: The achievement gap refers to the difference in educational achievement between different races or demographics. 72% of Asian students read at grade level last Spring, and only 30% of black students did. In 8th grade math, 73% of Asians students met grade level standards, and only 22% of black students did.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Common Core Myths

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Neighborhood Schools, Do You Stay or Do You Go?

Teacher evaluations are crucial, but also controversial. The Poway Unified School District, though, has a new approach to its teacher evaluations. On this week's podcast, Candy Smiley, president of Poway Federation of Teachers, and Michele Manos, a teacher and leader of the district's teacher evaluation system, joined co-hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn to explain Poway's evaluation programs. One part of the program, for example, pairs teachers with their peers. "We wanted our focus on professional learning for teachers. How do we make teachers get the best opportunities for their students by improving their practice? That's really what our whole program is based on. It's a growth model, it's a strength-based approach, taking a look at multiple measures," Manos said. Lewis and Kohn talked about the latest in teacher evaluations and what could change on the state level as well. Got thoughts, opinions or experiences with this? Call 619-354-1085 and leave your name, neighborhood and story so we can play the voicemail on future episodes. Number of the Week 1 out of 5 and 1 out of 17: A  national survey out of Brown University and Vanderbilt University demonstrates how principals rate teachers. Principals said about one fifth of teachers were not proficient and needed assistance and support. But the same principals only gave one out of 17 teachers less than satisfactory proficiency ratings. What’s Working UC San Diego's CREATE center houses researchers, youth mentors and professional development experts who work with local teachers to help them get better at their craft.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Teacher evaluations are crucial, but also controversial. The Poway Unified School District, though, has a new approach to its teacher evaluations. On this week's podcast, Candy Smiley, president of Poway Federation of Teachers, and Michele Manos, a teacher and leader of the district's teacher evaluation system, joined co-hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn to explain Poway's evaluation programs. One part of the program, for example, pairs teachers with their peers. "We wanted our focus on professional learning for teachers. How do we make teachers get the best opportunities for their students by improving their practice? That's really what our whole program is based on. It's a growth model, it's a strength-based approach, taking a look at multiple measures," Manos said. Lewis and Kohn talked about the latest in teacher evaluations and what could change on the state level as well. Got thoughts, opinions or experiences with this? Call 619-354-1085 and leave your name, neighborhood and story so we can play the voicemail on future episodes. Number of the Week 1 out of 5 and 1 out of 17: A <a href="http://scholar.harvard.edu/files/mkraft/files/kraft_gilmour_2016_revisiting_the_widget_effect_wp.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> national survey</a> out of Brown University and Vanderbilt University demonstrates how principals rate teachers. Principals said about one fifth of teachers were not proficient and needed assistance and support. But the same principals only gave one out of 17 teachers less than satisfactory proficiency ratings. What’s Working UC San Diego's <a href="http://create.ucsd.edu/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CREATE</a> center houses researchers, youth mentors and professional development experts who work with local teachers to help them get better at their craft.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Assessing Teachers

When it comes to giving students with disabilities the best education possible, early intervention and early detection are crucial – but not all families are equipped to access the resources they need. On this week’s podcast, Shana Cohen, assistant professor of education studies at UC San Diego, joined co-hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn to talk about how children from different cultures sometimes receive varied levels of services for developmental disabilities. "A lot of times, it's an issue of advocacy," Cohen said. "So a lot of white middle-class families, they know where to go to get the services that their child needs. A lot of Latino families or African-Americans families might not know where to go." There's also an information gap when it comes to looking out for symptoms of developmental disability, Cohen said. Seth Schwartz, an attorney who works with families of children with disabilities, also joined the podcast, and Lewis and Kohn discuss a study by the National Center on Education Outcomes that found special education students can perform at grade level with adequate accommodations. Got thoughts, opinions or experiences with this? Call 619-354-1085 and leave your name, neighborhood and story so we can play the voicemail on future episodes. Number of the Week 12 percent: The percentage of K-12 students in San Diego County receiving special education services, an increase from 10 percent over the past five years. What’s Working  Healthy Development Services, through the American Academy of Pediatrics, sends providers to engage with San Diego County families and identify and treat children with mild to moderate disabilities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to giving students with disabilities the best education possible, early intervention and early detection are crucial – but not all families are equipped to access the resources they need. On this week’s podcast, Shana Cohen, assistant professor of education studies at UC San Diego, joined co-hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn to talk about how children from different cultures sometimes receive varied levels of services for developmental disabilities. "A lot of times, it's an issue of advocacy," Cohen said. "So a lot of white middle-class families, they know where to go to get the services that their child needs. A lot of Latino families or African-Americans families might not know where to go." There's also an information gap when it comes to looking out for symptoms of developmental disability, Cohen said. Seth Schwartz, an attorney who works with families of children with disabilities, also joined the podcast, and Lewis and Kohn discuss a study by the <a href="https://nceo.info/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">National Center on Education Outcomes</a> that found special education students can perform at grade level with adequate accommodations. Got thoughts, opinions or experiences with this? Call 619-354-1085 and leave your name, neighborhood and story so we can play the voicemail on future episodes. Number of the Week 12 percent: The percentage of K-12 students in San Diego County <a href="http://www.kidsdata.org/topic/95/special-needs-education-enrollment/table#fmt=1146&amp;loc=368&amp;tf=84&amp;sortColumnId=0&amp;sortType=asc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">receiving special education services</a>, an increase from 10 percent over the past five years. What’s Working <a href="http://www.aapca3.org/chapter-programs/healthy-development-services/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Healthy Development Services</a>, through the American Academy of Pediatrics, sends providers to engage with San Diego County families and identify and treat children with mild to moderate disabilities.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

When to Consider Special Ed

The move from play-based preschools to increasinglyrigorous kindergarten classrooms is rough, for both kids andparents. A Good Schools for All listener, Sally Cox, called in to shareher story about a particularly jarring transition from preschool tokindergarten. She said she thought her son was well-prepared, butkids in his kindergarten class were expected to be reading byOctober, and her son quickly fell behind. “I think the alignment issues between expectations inkindergarten and how children are prepared in preschool really needto be dealt with,” Cox said. Hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn dig into the bigtransition problem, which is worsening thanks to a ratchetingup of academic expectations for kindergarteners. Transitional kindergarten, or TK, a public-schoolprogram offered to kids born between Sept. 2 and Dec. 2 as thefirst step of a two-year kindergarten class, has been one attemptat closing the early education achievement gap.  TK is great for the small number of kids who happen to be bornat the right time, Kohn said, but as a public policy it’s prettyterrible. “It’s this privilege, this entitlement that’s only available ifyou happen to get pregnant and give birth in a certain littlewindow,” she said. “What we’re giving away is a free, extra year ofpublic schooling to the oldest incoming kindergarteners.” Kohn’s not the only one with a TK pet peeve. Gov. JerryBrown has proposed combining three state-funded programs:preschool, transitional kindergarten and a rating system.He wants to strip away existing requirements and give local schooldistricts more control over how they use the money as long as theyprioritize providing early education services to low-income andat-risk kids. One big problem with the proposal is the lack of any additionalfunding, said Matt Doyle. Doyle’s the executive director of innovation at Vista UnifiedSchool District. He came on the podcast this week to talk aboutBrown’s proposal and share some of the things his district has beendoing to help ease the transition between preschool andkindergarten. “We have actually identified the transition from preschool intokindergarten as probably the singlegreatest transition the child can make as they developtheir cognitive academic abilities for college and career,” hesaid. “So for us this is the No. 1 issue.” Got thoughts, opinions or experiences with this? Call619-354-1085 and leave your name, neighborhood and story so wecan play the voicemail on future episodes.Number of the Week6,846: That’s the number oftransitional kindergarteners we have in the San Diego region. Theprogram just launched three years ago and it’s seen a big increasesince its inception. There was a 67 percent increase in TKenrollment from the 2013-2014 to last year, and this year’snumbers are expected to see an even bigger jump.What’s WorkingThe Quality Preschool Initiative: Theprogram rates the quality of state-funded preschools and headstart programs in San Diego County. It’s working because theSan Diego County Office of Education is implementing the programeffectively. The results of the program aren’t publiclyavailable yet, but they will be soon. Subscribe to Good Schools for All oniTunes or get theRSS feed here.  Stream ithere.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The move from play-based preschools to increasingly rigorous kindergarten classrooms is rough, for both kids and parents. A Good Schools for All listener, Sally Cox, called in to share her story about a particularly jarring transition from preschool to kindergarten. She said she thought her son was well-prepared, but kids in his kindergarten class were expected to be reading by October, and her son quickly fell behind. “I think the alignment issues between expectations in kindergarten and how children are prepared in preschool really need to be dealt with,” Cox said. Hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn dig into the big transition problem, which is worsening thanks to a ratcheting up of academic expectations for kindergarteners. <a href="http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/em/kinderfaq.asp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Transitional kindergarten</a>, or TK, a public-school program offered to kids born between Sept. 2 and Dec. 2 as the first step of a two-year kindergarten class, has been one attempt at closing the early education achievement gap.  TK is great for the small number of kids who happen to be born at the right time, Kohn said, but as a public policy it’s pretty terrible. “It’s this privilege, this entitlement that’s only available if you happen to get pregnant and give birth in a certain little window,” she said. “What we’re giving away is a free, extra year of public schooling to the oldest incoming kindergarteners.” Kohn’s not the only one with a TK pet peeve. Gov. Jerry Brown has <a href="http://www.capradio.org/articles/2016/01/18/browns-california-preschool-overhaul-raises-concerns/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">proposed combining three state-funded programs: preschool, transitional kindergarten</a> and a rating system. He wants to strip away existing requirements and give local school districts more control over how they use the money as long as they prioritize providing early education services to low-income and at-risk kids. One big problem with the proposal is the lack of any additional funding, said <a href="http://www.vistausd.org/cms/page_view?d=x&amp;piid=&amp;vpid=1388222881886" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Matt Doyle</a>. Doyle’s the executive director of innovation at Vista Unified School District. He came on the podcast this week to talk about Brown’s proposal and share some of the things his district has been doing to help ease the transition between preschool and kindergarten. “We have actually identified the transition from preschool into kindergarten as probably the single greatest transition the child can make as they develop their cognitive academic abilities for college and career,” he said. “So for us this is the No. 1 issue.” Got thoughts, opinions or experiences with this? Call 619-354-1085 and leave your name, neighborhood and story so we can play the voicemail on future episodes.Number of the Week 6,846: That’s the number of transitional kindergarteners we have in the San Diego region. The program just launched three years ago and it’s seen a big increase since its inception. There was a 67 percent increase in TK enrollment from the 2013-2014 to last year, and this year’s numbers are expected to see an even bigger jump.What’s Working <a href="http://qualitypreschool.sdcoe.net/Account/LogOn" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Quality Preschool Initiative</a>: The program rates the quality of state-funded preschools and head start programs in San Diego County. It’s working because the San Diego County Office of Education is implementing the program effectively. The results of the program aren’t publicly available yet, but they will be soon. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/good-schools-for-all-by-voice/id1093484963?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Subscribe to Good Schools for All on iTunes</a> or <a href="http://goodschools.libsyn.com/rss" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">get the RSS feed here</a>.  <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/goodschools/Colin_Good_Schools_For_All_20160428_episode-FINAL_mixdown_2.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stream it here</a>.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

When Kindergarten Slaps You in the Face

The Cajon Valley Union School District has nailed personalized learning. The approach gives more control to students and lets them build on their own strengths with the help of technology tools and a flexible curriculum. This week, hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn talked to David Miyashiro, superintendent of Cajon Valley, about how the district is working to meet individual students' needs. Miyashiro also discussed his district's refugee demographic. He said roughly 900 refugee children entered the Cajon Valley District last year. "The newcomers to our district and the diversity of our community really add to the experience of every student and every person in our city," he said. "I think the strength in diversity has made us stronger, has allowed us to open our eyes to bigger things that just standardized test scores and I think we're better because of it." Lewis and Kohn also dug in to the layoffs happening at the San Diego Unified School District. About 1,500 district employees will be cut, but not much is known of what comes after and who will take on all the responsibilities of the educators and other staffers who are being pushed out. Number of the Week 13: That's the number of meetings students who sign up for TED-Ed Clubs go through. The meetings help students identify and research ideas, then put them into a quick TED-style talk. What’s Working Community: Miyashiro said getting city and community leaders together to talk about important issues is what works best when building strong schools and neighborhoods.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Cajon Valley Union School District has nailed personalized learning. The approach gives more control to students and lets them build on their own strengths with the help of technology tools and a flexible curriculum. This week, hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn talked to David Miyashiro, superintendent of Cajon Valley, about how the district is working to meet individual students' needs. Miyashiro also discussed his district's refugee demographic. He said roughly 900 refugee children entered the Cajon Valley District last year. "The newcomers to our district and the diversity of our community really add to the experience of every student and every person in our city," he said. "I think the strength in diversity has made us stronger, has allowed us to open our eyes to bigger things that just standardized test scores and I think we're better because of it." Lewis and Kohn also dug in to the layoffs happening at the San Diego Unified School District. About 1,500 district employees will be cut, but not much is known of what comes after and who will take on all the responsibilities of the educators and other staffers who are being pushed out. Number of the Week 13: That's the number of meetings students who sign up for <a href="http://ed.ted.com/clubs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TED-Ed Clubs</a> go through. The meetings help students identify and research ideas, then put them into a quick TED-style talk. What’s Working Community: Miyashiro said getting city and community leaders together to talk about important issues is what works best when building strong schools and neighborhoods.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

How Cajon Valley Is Killing it

Thanks to a funding surge, more California schools are launching career academies, or programs that combine academic and technical skills. On this week’s podcast, Rob Atterby of ConnectEd joined co-hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn to talk about “linked learning,” a strategy to prepare students for both college and career.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thanks to a funding surge, more California schools are launching career academies, or programs that combine academic and technical skills. On this week’s podcast, Rob Atterby of ConnectEd joined co-hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn to talk about “<a href="http://www.connectedcalifornia.org/linked_learning" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">linked learning</a>,” a strategy to prepare students for both college and career.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Marrying College Prep and Career Prep

The controversies surrounding Betsy DeVos' strong support for school choice hit home just as she took office as secretary of education. When Diane Ravitch, an education researcher, suggested that DeVos  visit successful school districts like San Diego Unified, local teachers unions were furious to find out that the invitation was actually extended on behalf of the district's board of trustees. Outcry from local teachers eventually caused that invitation to be rescinded. In this week's podcast, co-hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn talk more about DeVos and concerns about funneling education funds from traditional public schools into private schools and charter schools. Voice of San Diego's education reporter Mario Koran also joins the podcast to explain how San Diego Unified's impressive 92 percent student graduation rate brings up concerns about the district's connections to credit-recovery charter schools. "If a kid is coming up to graduation time and they're not on track to graduate, we see a number of those same kids leaving the San Diego Unified schools and going to these credit-recovery high schools," he said. "It gets those students off the San Diego Unified graduation rolls. So they don't count anymore. They're virtually excluded when they go to the charter school." Koran said this leads to a bigger question – how prepared are students when they graduate and what is the district doing to help those who are struggling? Number of the Week Five: That's the number of states that provide school choice vouchers just for low-income students.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The controversies surrounding Betsy DeVos' strong support for school choice hit home just as she took office as secretary of education. When Diane Ravitch, an education researcher, suggested that DeVos <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/02/10/prominent-devos-critics-urge-protesters-dont-block-her-way-into-public-schools-she-needs-to-see-them/?utm_term=.e47a4cce8f77" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> visit successful school districts like San Diego Unified</a>, local teachers unions were furious to find out that the invitation was actually extended on behalf of the district's board of trustees. Outcry from local teachers eventually caused that invitation to be rescinded. In this week's podcast, co-hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn talk more about DeVos and concerns about funneling education funds from traditional public schools into private schools and charter schools. Voice of San Diego's education reporter Mario Koran also joins the podcast to explain how San Diego Unified's impressive 92 percent student graduation rate brings up concerns about the <a href="http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/education/san-diego-unifieds-grad-rate-miracle-relied-online-courses/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">district's connections to credit-recovery charter schools</a>. "If a kid is coming up to graduation time and they're not on track to graduate, we see a number of those same kids leaving the San Diego Unified schools and going to these credit-recovery high schools," he said. "It gets those students off the San Diego Unified graduation rolls. So they don't count anymore. They're virtually excluded when they go to the charter school." Koran said this leads to a bigger question – how prepared are students when they graduate and what is the district doing to help those who are struggling? Number of the Week Five: That's the number of states that provide school choice vouchers just for low-income students.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Credit-Recovery Charters In, DeVos Out

Fewer young Americans are working summer jobs than in decades past, and fewer of those jobs are going to the teens who need them most. San Diego Workforce Partnership is a nonprofit organization that funds and operates youth employment programs. On this week’s podcast, Andy Hall, vice president and chief program officer at San Diego Workforce Partnership, joined co-hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn to talk about the nonprofit's approach to assisting youth seeking employment skills and experience. Hall said San Diego has "53,000 16- to 24-year-olds who are not connected to either education or employment." Lewis and Kohn also talk about schools' role to prepare youth for careers. Got thoughts, opinions or experiences with this? Call 619-354-1085 and leave your name, neighborhood and story so we can play the voicemail on future episodes. Number of the Week 21.6 percent: That was San Diego’s youth employment rate in 2014. What’s Working  McKinley Elementary School is a model for parent-led fundraising efforts. The money they helped raise saved the school's prestigious International Baccalaureate Program.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fewer young Americans are working summer jobs than in decades past, and fewer of those jobs are going to the teens who need them most. <a href="http://workforce.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">San Diego Workforce Partnership</a> is a nonprofit organization that funds and operates youth employment programs. On this week’s podcast, Andy Hall, vice president and chief program officer at San Diego Workforce Partnership, joined co-hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn to talk about the nonprofit's approach to assisting youth seeking employment skills and experience. Hall said San Diego has "53,000 16- to 24-year-olds who are not connected to either education or employment." Lewis and Kohn also talk about schools' role to prepare youth for careers. Got thoughts, opinions or experiences with this? Call 619-354-1085 and leave your name, neighborhood and story so we can play the voicemail on future episodes. Number of the Week 21.6 percent: That was San Diego’s youth employment rate in 2014. What’s Working <a href="http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/education/mckinley-elementarys-transformation-mirrors-changing-neighborhood/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> McKinley Elementary School</a> is a model for parent-led fundraising efforts. The money they helped raise saved the school's prestigious International Baccalaureate Program.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Putting Teens to Work

It's a particularly important time for unions. Locally the San Diego Education Association, the teachers union at the San Diego Unified School District, does not have a contract. It is working on contract negotiations with the district right now. They may support a measure to raise taxes and bring more money into the district while also pushing for wage increases. They're also working with the county on a new evaluation system for teachers that they may consider putting into those negotiations in the future. And nationally, there's a huge Supreme Court decision coming that could end forced union fees for government workers. It would have a major impact on teachers unions and politics at all levels. On the podcast, Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn lead a roundtable discussion about the future of teachers' unions. What are the role of unions? What is the best way to evaluate teachers? Are administrators and unions necessarily adversarial? What goes on during contract negotiations and bargaining? Both union representatives and a superintendent who negotiates with unions joined the show. Guests:  Christopher Prokop, president of the Cajon Valley Education Association David Miyashiro, superintendent of the Cajon Valley Union School District Lindsay Burningham, president of the San Diego Education Association Matthew Schneck, a teacher and member of the San Diego Education Association   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a particularly important time for unions. Locally the <a href="http://www.sdea.net/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">San Diego Education Association, </a>the teachers union at the San Diego Unified School District, does not have a contract. It is working on contract negotiations with the district right now. They may support a measure to raise taxes and bring more money into the district while also pushing for wage increases. They're also working with the county on a new evaluation system for teachers that they may consider putting into those negotiations in the future. And nationally, there's a huge Supreme Court decision coming that <a href="https://www.illinoispolicy.org/story/meet-the-man-who-could-end-forced-union-fees-for-government-workers/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">could end forced union fees for government workers</a>. It would have a major impact on teachers unions and politics at all levels. On the podcast, Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn lead a roundtable discussion about the future of teachers' unions. What are the role of unions? What is the best way to evaluate teachers? Are administrators and unions necessarily adversarial? What goes on during contract negotiations and bargaining? Both union representatives and a superintendent who negotiates with unions joined the show. Guests: <ul> <li>Christopher Prokop, president of the Cajon Valley Education Association</li> <li>David Miyashiro, superintendent of the Cajon Valley Union School District</li> <li>Lindsay Burningham, president of the San Diego Education Association</li> <li>Matthew Schneck, a teacher and member of the San Diego Education Association</li> </ul> See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

The Future of Teachers Unions

Parents who want to choose the best schools for their kids often get overwhelmed wading through test scores and other metrics. That struggle becomes especially real when San Diego Unified’s school choice window opens every year. From Oct. 3 through Nov. 13,  families can choose to send their kids to a school outside their neighborhood. To ease the process, Voice of San Diego, along with the San Diego Workforce Partnership and UC San Diego Extension Center, put together an interactive map that helps parents compare and research local schools. It includes crucial data on each school's performance, and filters through the ones that offer special programs like dual-language immersion. On the podcast, hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn go through the ins and outs of our schools map and explain the school choice process. “We’ve put together a lot of different data sets that are out there available to parents and the general public, but don’t show up in the same place,” Khon said. “It should be a great tool for parents.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parents who want to choose the best schools for their kids often get overwhelmed wading through test scores and other metrics. That struggle becomes especially real when San Diego Unified’s school choice window opens every year. From Oct. 3 through Nov. 13,  families can <a href="http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/education/a-quick-and-easy-guide-to-school-choice-in-san-diego/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">choose to send their kids to a school outside their neighborhood</a>. To ease the process, Voice of San Diego, along with the San Diego Workforce Partnership and UC San Diego Extension Center, put together <a href="http://voiceofsandiego.org/data/san-diego-public-schools/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">an interactive map</a> that helps parents compare and research local schools. It includes crucial data on each school's performance, and filters through the ones that offer special programs like dual-language immersion. On the podcast, hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn go through the ins and outs of our schools map and <a href="http://voiceofsandiego.org/data/san-diego-public-schools/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">explain the school choice process</a>. “We’ve put together a lot of different data sets that are out there available to parents and the general public, but don’t show up in the same place,” Khon said. “It should be a great tool for parents.”See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

A Guide to San Diego Schools

Finding the right school for your kids just got a little easier. Voice of San Diego has launched an inaugural issue of A Parent’s Guide to Public Schools. On the podcast, hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn talk about the guide and arm parents with the information they need to find a good school. Last year, we released a map of San Diego County schools with crucial data about each. Our print guide features an easy-to-read version of that map and builds on the data by including explainers about topics like charter schools and transitional kindergarten, a roundup of the region's most innovative schools, a list of the key questions to ask when looking at schools and more. Look for A Parent’s Guide to Public Schools at your local library or download a copy in English or Spanish.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finding the right school for your kids just got a little easier. Voice of San Diego has launched an inaugural issue of <a href="https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/schools-guide/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">A Parent’s Guide to Public Schools</a>. On the podcast, hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn talk about the guide and arm parents with the information they need to find a good school. Last year, we released <a href="http://voiceofsandiego.org/data/san-diego-public-schools/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">a map of San Diego County schools</a> with crucial data about each. Our print guide features an easy-to-read version of that map and builds on the data by including explainers about topics like charter schools and transitional kindergarten, a roundup of the region's most innovative schools, a list of the key questions to ask when looking at schools and more. Look for A Parent’s Guide to Public Schools at your local library or <a href="https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/schools-guide/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">download a copy in English or Spanish</a>.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

A Parent’s Guide to Public Schools

Tech jobs abound. Our education system isn't churning out enough students with computer science training to meet the voracious demand for high-skilled tech workers. But schools in San Diego are trying to catch up. Locally, only 10 percent of San Diego County high schools offered computer science courses as recently as 2011. This year, closer to 40 percent of high schools here have computer science curriculum. Behind that jump in numbers are educators like Art Lopez, a computer science teacher at Sweetwater High School and a curriculum specialist for the Sweetwater Union High School District. In the podcast, hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn talk to Lopez about local and state efforts to get computer science education to more — and more diverse — students. Seven years ago, a student asked Lopez why La Jolla High had computer science courses and Sweetwater High didn't. Meanwhile, the number of jobs requiring tech skills was exploding. “We wanted to change that landscape," he said. He wasn't alone in his effort. In 2015, the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UC San Diego was awarded a three-year, $1 million National Science Foundation grant to help Sweetwater and two other local school districts develop and sustain up-to-date computer science courses. Now, more than 1,000 Sweetwater students are enrolled in computer science courses. Lopez's work, though, is far from done. He said he's continuously working to get more girls interested in tech, and he'd eventually like to see computer science education offered to kids starting in kindergarten. Currently, he's a member of  the Computer Science Standards Advisory Committee, a group appointed by the State Board of Education that's working to get all California schools on the same page when it comes to computer science mandates. "I think that computing and computer science is just as important for kids to learn as it is for them to learn how to read, write and do math," he said. "They're going to use these devices all the time." What’s Working TechHire: In collaboration with the city, the San Diego Workforce Partnership is leading TechHire San Diego, a program that pairs people who are underrepresented in the tech field with local tech jobs. Employers in the region can get a paid intern at no cost to them. Number of the Week 10 percent: That's the percent of students in the world who have gone through Code.org's "Hour of Code" program giving kids a taste of computer science education.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tech jobs abound. Our education system isn't churning out enough students with computer science training to meet the <a href="https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/tech-talent-gap-survey-0816" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">voracious demand for high-skilled tech workers</a>. But schools in San Diego are trying to catch up. Locally, only 10 percent of San Diego County high schools <a href="https://ucsdcreate.wordpress.com/2018/02/22/csta-reboots-to-support-computer-science-educators/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">offered computer science courses</a> as recently as 2011. This year, closer to 40 percent of high schools here have computer science curriculum. Behind that jump in numbers are educators like <a href="https://twitter.com/artlopez_cs?lang=en" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Art Lopez</a>, a computer science teacher at Sweetwater High School and a curriculum specialist for the Sweetwater Union High School District. In the podcast, hosts Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn talk to Lopez about local and state efforts to get computer science education to more — and more diverse — students. Seven years ago, a student asked Lopez why La Jolla High had computer science courses and Sweetwater High didn't. Meanwhile, the number of jobs requiring tech skills was exploding. “We wanted to change that landscape," he said. He wasn't alone in his effort. In 2015, the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UC San Diego was <a href="http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressrelease/sdsc_ucsd_focus_on_sustainable_computer_science_courses" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">awarded a three-year, $1 million National Science Foundation grant</a> to help Sweetwater and two other local school districts develop and sustain up-to-date computer science courses. Now, more than 1,000 Sweetwater students are enrolled in computer science courses. Lopez's work, though, is far from done. He said he's continuously working to get more girls interested in tech, and he'd eventually like to see computer science education offered to kids starting in kindergarten. Currently, he's a member of  the <a href="https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/compscicfccmembers.asp" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Computer Science Standards Advisory Committee</a>, a group appointed by the State Board of Education that's working to get all California schools on the same page when it comes to computer science mandates. "I think that computing and computer science is just as important for kids to learn as it is for them to learn how to read, write and do math," he said. "They're going to use these devices all the time." What’s Working TechHire: In collaboration with the city, the San Diego Workforce Partnership is leading <a href="https://workforce.org/techhire" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">TechHire San Diego</a>, a program that pairs people who are underrepresented in the tech field with local tech jobs. Employers in the region can get a paid intern at no cost to them. Number of the Week 10 percent: That's the percent of students in the world who have gone through <a href="https://hourofcode.com/us" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Code.org's "Hour of Code" program</a> giving kids a taste of computer science education.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

The Raging Demand for More Computer Science Education

Adulting can be hard. Many kids have difficulties navigating the transition from high school to the "real world." Lots get stuck in limbo. There's a snappy new term for these 16-to-24-year-olds who don’t attend school or have a job — "opportunity youth." On April 12, the San Diego Workforce Partnership is hosting a summit to talk about why there's an estimated 41,000 young people in San Diego county who aren't in school or working. The hope is to come up with solutions about how to make a dent in that number. On this week’s Good Schools for All podcast, Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn, who works for the Workforce Partnership, talk with Jahir Castelo and Ana Lomeli, two members of the Workforce Partnership's Opportunity Youth Leadership Council. Castelo and Lomeli discuss their personal struggles transitioning into independent adults. Both are DACA recipients, or Dreamers, who were brought to the United States illegally by their parents, a status they said adds an extra layer of distrust and instability to their transitions. "Walking around and going to school was a bit of a challenge because you're so used to hearing that people got picked up from Border Patrol and taken back," Castelo said. Castelo wants to go to college and get a job, but he said he is still trying to find a stable place to live and he's building his interview and resume skills. He said even when he's offered an opportunity, sometimes he has a hard time believing it's real, or that he deserves it. Lomeli is working and going to school, but she said it took a lot of support from her high school teachers and others to get to where she is now. She said she, too, often had a hard time taking advantage of opportunities because she felt they either weren't real, or weren't meant for her. "When you come from a place where you haven't been given a lot, sometimes things sound way too good to be true," Lomeli said. Castelo and Lomeli are still working on building their own lives, but both said they want to get to a place where they can help kids like themselves find better lives. "As I start getting enough money, I want to be able to open up my doors to ... opportunity youth and open a bookstore, a tattoo parlor and a barber shop and offer that opportunity to teach them skills, Castelo said. "Give them a little bit more hope." What’s Working Cuyamaca Community College: The school's rate of student success in college-level math shot up to 68 percent after it decided to slash its placement exams. Cuyamaca now uses a student's high school records to decide whether they're ready for college-level math classes. Number of the Week 41,000: That's the number of opportunity youth in San Diego who don’t attend school or have a job. That's 9.4 percent of all 16-to-24-year-olds in the region.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adulting can be hard. Many kids have difficulties navigating the transition from high school to the "real world." Lots <a href="https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/education/good-schools-for-all-how-san-diego-continuing-education-is-helping-some-of-the-most-vulnerable-students-in-the-county/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">get stuck in limbo</a>. There's a snappy new term for these 16-to-24-year-olds who don’t attend school or have a job — "opportunity youth." On April 12, the San Diego Workforce Partnership is <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/opportunity-summit-2018-initiate-tickets-42295620339" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">hosting a summit</a> to talk about why there's an estimated 41,000 young people in San Diego county who aren't in school or working. The hope is to come up with solutions about how to make a dent in that number. On this week’s Good Schools for All podcast, Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn, who works for the Workforce Partnership, talk with Jahir Castelo and Ana Lomeli, two members of the Workforce Partnership's Opportunity Youth Leadership Council. Castelo and Lomeli discuss their personal struggles transitioning into independent adults. Both are DACA recipients, or Dreamers, who were brought to the United States illegally by their parents, a status they said adds an extra layer of distrust and instability to their transitions. "Walking around and going to school was a bit of a challenge because you're so used to hearing that people got picked up from Border Patrol and taken back," Castelo said. Castelo wants to go to college and get a job, but he said he is still trying to find a stable place to live and he's building his interview and resume skills. He said even when he's offered an opportunity, sometimes he has a hard time believing it's real, or that he deserves it. Lomeli is working and going to school, but she said it took a lot of support from her high school teachers and others to get to where she is now. She said she, too, often had a hard time taking advantage of opportunities because she felt they either weren't real, or weren't meant for her. "When you come from a place where you haven't been given a lot, sometimes things sound way too good to be true," Lomeli said. Castelo and Lomeli are still working on building their own lives, but both said they want to get to a place where they can help kids like themselves find better lives. "As I start getting enough money, I want to be able to open up my doors to ... opportunity youth and open a bookstore, a tattoo parlor and a barber shop and offer that opportunity to teach them skills, Castelo said. "Give them a little bit more hope." What’s Working Cuyamaca Community College: The school's rate of student success in college-level math shot up to 68 percent after it decided to slash its placement exams. Cuyamaca now uses a student's high school records to decide whether they're ready for college-level math classes. Number of the Week 41,000: That's the number of opportunity youth in San Diego who don’t attend school or have a job. That's 9.4 percent of all 16-to-24-year-olds in the region.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Good Schools for All: Reaching Out to Disconnected Kids

At first glance, California schools seem to be doing well. The state plans to steadily increase education funding through 2022, giving school districts with higher numbers of low-income students, English-learners, foster youth and homeless children more money and control over how to spend it. But despite the cushion of financial support, school districts across the state,  including San Diego Unified, are preparing to make big budget cuts to stay afloat. Jason Willis and Kelsey Krausen, education researchers at WestEd, say the rising cost of pensions, declining enrollment and increased special education costs are some of the reasons why school districts are being forced to cut back. They joined the Good Schools for All podcast to discuss  their recent study. “While the state of California has made significant strides over the last four or five years to make investments in K-12 education … it's making it more and more difficult for school districts to continue to stay focused on investments that will enhance the education of kids,” Willis said. In the first part of the podcast, hosts Laura Kohn and Scott Lewis go over San Diego Unified's pitch for a  new $3.5 billion bond. If approved, the measure will be the school district's third multi-billion bond in 10 years. Got thoughts, opinions or experiences with this? Call 619-354-1085 and leave your name, neighborhood and story so we can play the voicemail on future episodes.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At first glance, California schools seem to be doing well. The state plans to <a href="https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3716" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">steadily increase education funding</a> through 2022, giving school districts with higher numbers of low-income students, English-learners, foster youth and homeless children more money and control over how to spend it. But despite the cushion of financial support, school districts across the state, <a href="https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/education/san-diego-unified-will-face-millions-more-in-budget-cuts-next-year/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> including San Diego Unified</a>, are preparing to make big budget cuts to stay afloat. Jason Willis and Kelsey Krausen, education researchers at <a href="https://www.wested.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WestEd</a>, say the rising cost of pensions, declining enrollment and increased special education costs are some of the reasons why school districts are being forced to cut back. They joined the Good Schools for All podcast to discuss <a href="https://wested.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/resource-silent-recession-2.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> their recent study</a>. “While the state of California has made significant strides over the last four or five years to make investments in K-12 education … it's making it more and more difficult for school districts to continue to stay focused on investments that will enhance the education of kids,” Willis said. In the first part of the podcast, hosts Laura Kohn and Scott Lewis go over San Diego Unified's pitch for a <a href="https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/education/san-diego-unified-says-it-needs-a-multibillion-dollar-bond-to-offset-state-cuts-from-a-decade-ago/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> new $3.5 billion bond</a>. If approved, the measure will be the school district's third multi-billion bond in 10 years. Got thoughts, opinions or experiences with this? Call 619-354-1085 and leave your name, neighborhood and story so we can play the voicemail on future episodes. See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Districts Struggle to Stay Afloat Despite Increased State Funding

After-school programs are crucial for many families. From the time school gets out around 2 or 3 p.m. to the time most parents get off work at 5 or 6 p.m., after-school program providers offer kids expanded academics and enrichment activities like arts or physical education. But while the need is clear, many state and federally funded after-school programs are struggling to survive. Almost all of the quality after-hours programs in the county are have long waitlists, and not every family can access them. On the latest Good Schools for All podcast, Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn talk with Brad Lupien, CEO of after-school program provider arc, and the San Diego County Office of Education's Daymon Beach about the importance of such programs and the issues impacting them. Also on the podcast: an update on local school board election results and a quick look back at Cindy Marten’s five years as San Diego Unified’s superintendent. What’s Working Proposition 49: Prop. 49 is a California law passed in 2002 that set aside funding for after-school programs. While many of the programs need more funding,  the state was still rated No. 1 in the country for its after-school offerings by the Afterschool Alliance. Number of the Week 8.8 percent: That's the  state’s increase, from $7.50 to $8.16, in the daily reimbursement rate for each student in after-school programs. If the number kept up with inflation, it should be $9.32.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After-school programs are crucial for many families. From the time school gets out around 2 or 3 p.m. to the time most parents get off work at 5 or 6 p.m., after-school program providers offer kids expanded academics and enrichment activities like arts or physical education. But while the need is clear, many state and federally funded after-school programs are <a href="https://edsource.org/2017/californias-subsidized-after-school-programs-struggling-to-survive/580932" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">struggling to survive</a>. Almost all of the quality after-hours programs in the county are have long waitlists, and not every family can access them. On the latest Good Schools for All podcast, Scott Lewis and Laura Kohn talk with Brad Lupien, CEO of after-school program provider arc, and the San Diego County Office of Education's Daymon Beach about the importance of such programs and the issues impacting them. Also on the podcast: an update on local school board election results and a quick look back at <a href="https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/education/five-years-in-cindy-marten-has-notched-some-successes-at-san-diego-unified-but-black-and-brown-students-still-struggle/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Cindy Marten’s five years as San Diego Unified’s superintendent</a>. What’s Working Proposition 49: Prop. 49 is a California law passed in 2002 that set aside funding for after-school programs. While many of the programs need more funding, <a href="http://afterschoolalliance.org/documents/AA3PM-2014/AA3PM_TOP_10.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> the state was still rated No. 1</a> in the country for its after-school offerings by the Afterschool Alliance. Number of the Week 8.8 percent: That's the <a href="https://edsource.org/2017/california-must-save-its-successful-after-school-programs/581890" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> state’s increase, from $7.50 to $8.16,</a> in the daily reimbursement rate for each student in after-school programs. If the number kept up with inflation, it should be $9.32.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

The After-School Care Gap

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