Cooperation and Coordination among the School Districts in Nevada County,

During the 2014-15 school year, the entire faculty of the Nevada Joint Union High School District had a two day on site staff training in the tenets of Professional Learning Communities during districtwide staff development days. The workshop was facilitated by national consultant, Tim Brown, of Solution Tree, lnc.

During the 2015 - 16 school year, the entire faculty of the Nevada Joint Union High School District revisited the tenets of Professional Learning Communities during a districtwide staff development day.

ThePLCmodel hasbeenapartofthefabricof BearRiverHighSchoolformanyyears. Asthe school has declined in enrollment, new actions and initiatives have taken place to adjust the model for a smaller school. Tenets of Professional Learning Communities include a focus on the questions, "What do we want students to learn?" (essential learning outcomes), "How will we know they have learned it?" (formative assessment) and "How will we respond when they don't learn?" (intervention). During the 2015-15 and 2016-17 school year, staff at Bear River High School has met in collaboration teams to redefine their processes. Bear River High School has structured time in the school day for student intervention ca lled Bruin Time. On May 31,, 2017 California State Superintendent of lnstruction, Tom Torlakson, conferred California Gold Ribbon School status on Bear River High School for their Bruin Time intervention program.

There is a lack of communication and collaboration between the two comprehensive high schools and their feeder elementary districts concerning expectations for entering ninth graders. DISAGREE 1, ln compliance with SB 359, the California Mathematics Placement Act of 2015, all feeder schools and districts administer the NJUHSD math placement test and forward the results to the respective high schools. A series of multiple measures including the math placement test, 8th grade teacher recommendations, 8th grade math grades and 8th grade CAASPP (California Assessment of Student Progress and Proficiency) contribute to 9th grade placement in high school, 2, ln English Language Arts, the Teacher on Special Assignment, lntervention Specialist collects data from 8'h grade teachers regarding reading levels, writing conventions and writing abilities on a feedback form. This data combined with teacher recommendations, Sth grade ELA grades and 8th grade CAASPP scores assist high school staff in identifying students who will need one of our support classes or programs in 9th grade to scaffold their success in 9th grade English. 3. Bear River math teachers and administrators have met with Magnolia math teachers and administrators multiple times over the past two years to discuss articulation in mathematics. 4. Each year both Nevada Union and Bear River High Schools host an 8th grade visitation day where our rising 9th graders come to campus, enjoy lunch and a campus tour and have the opportunity to visit classes and decide which of our many elective and extracurricular choices they may wish to join. Similarly, each school hosts an Sth grade parent night to engage families in those choices for 8th grade students prior to registration and course selection. 5. Each year, the Director of Educational and Pupil Services is available to meet with students, parents and faculty at middle schools to discuss high school requirements including the math placement test. Seven Hills has taken advantage of this in the past and we are looking forward to expanding to other middle schools. 5. Each year, school counselors vlsit the middle schools to meet with students and engage them in their course selection for their 9th grade year. Formal registration is completed by parents online using our eSchools student information system or on paper which is turned in to the middle school office and forwarded to the appropriate high school. 7. The Nevada County Superintendents meet monthly and the high school district Superintendent shares expectations and upcoming events. Each year, she provides the feeder district with data on grades earned by their 8th grade graduates in their 9th grade coursework in district schools. Priorto the repealof the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) by the California State Legislature and Governor, she provided each feeder district with data relative to the performance on the CAHSEE of their 8th grade graduates. While we acknowledge that there may be more opportunities for communication and collaboration in a less geographically vast unified school district, the above summarizes the evidence of communication between Nevada Joint Union High School District schools and our feeder elementary school districts and supports our disagreement with Finding 4. Finding Having two comprehensive high schools using different mathematics pathways may negatively impact the ability for students to transfer between the schools. DISAGREE 1. As the grand jury report acknowledges, the State of California has two approved pathways. The lntegrated Mathematics Pathway is a three course sequence consisting of lntegrated Mathematics L, lntegrated Mathematics 2 and lntegrated Mathematics 3. The Traditional Pathway consists of Common Core Algebra 1., Common Core Geometry and Common Core Algebra 2. While the scope and sequence of the two California approved mathematics pathways for grades 9 - 72 are different, the standards are the same and at the end of either sequence, all standards are covered. 2. Math readiness for students beginning grade 9 in either Common Core Algebra 1 or lntegrated Mathematics 1 is the same. Preparation with the math standards through the Sth grade adequately prepare studerits to enter either paihway. 3. Transfers of students between the two comprehensive high schools, Nevada Union High School and Bear River High School are minimal. 4. Faculty at Bear River High School recommended adoption of the lntegrated Mathematics sequence for Bear River students a variety of reasons including their proximity to Placer County schools for professional development and collaboration with nearby high schools. 5. Faculty at Nevada Union High School recommended adoption of the Traditional Pathway for a variety of reasons including familiarity of the Nevada Union school community with the traditional sequence of mathematics coursework, availability of companion software for the chosen textbook series and complex real world problems that introduce and conclude each unit of study designed similar to the types of problems students will encounter on the CAASPP mathematics test in grade 11. 5. ln California, the State Board of Education adopts instructional materials for grades K- 8 and provides a list approved materials to local schools districts for local districts to select from. All instructional materials for grades 9 - 12 are locally Board Adopted in California. (Education Code 60440). The Nevada Joint Union High School District Board Policy and Administrative Regulation 6161.1 articulates the expectation of the Board in the selection of instructional materials. The review process shall involve teachers in a substantial manner and shall encourage the participation of parents, community members and administrators who have subject matter competence. Recommendations for instructional materials are made first to the school Site Curriculum Committee and if approved advance to the District Curriculum Committee. The District Curriculum Committee reviews the selection and makes a

Since the 201.4-75 schoolyear, our Curriculum Teacher on SpecialAssignment has been systematically working with faculty at Nevada Union and Bear River on the alignment of course content to the new California Standards and developraent of interim benchmark assessments using our district adopted testing system, OARS, the On-line Assessment and Reporting System. English served as the pioneers with quarterly assessments which teachers would meet to analyze the data and provide timely interventions before the state test in the spring of each year. We attribute our test score gains between the 2015 testing and the 2016 testing to this ability of teachers to diagnose and fill in holes in student learning; two key tenets of Professional Learning Communities cited in #3 above. This summarizes the evidence of Professional Learning Communities in the Nevada Joint Union High School District and supports our disagreement with Finding 2. Finding 4 There is a lack of communication and collaboration between the two comprehensive high schools and their feeder elementary districts concerning expectations for entering ninth graders. DISAGREE 1, ln compliance with SB 359, the California Mathematics Placement Act of 2015, all feeder schools and districts administer the NJUHSD math placement test and forward the results to the respective high schools. A series of multiple measures including the math placement test, 8th grade teacher recommendations, 8th grade math grades and 8th grade CAASPP (California Assessment of Student Progress and Proficiency) contribute to 9th grade placement in high school, 2, ln English Language Arts, the Teacher on Special Assignment, lntervention Specialist collects data from 8'h grade teachers regarding reading levels, writing conventions and writing abilities on a feedback form. This data combined with teacher recommendations, Sth grade ELA grades and 8th grade CAASPP scores assist high school staff in identifying students who will need one of our support classes or programs in 9th grade to scaffold their success in 9th grade English.

The Nevada County Superintendents meet monthly and the high school district Superintendent shares expectations and upcoming events. Each year, she provides the feeder district with data on grades earned by their 8th grade graduates in their 9th grade coursework in district schools. Priorto the repealof the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) by the California State Legislature and Governor, she provided each feeder district with data relative to the performance on the CAHSEE of their 8th grade graduates. While we acknowledge that there may be more opportunities for communication and collaboration in a less geographically vast unified school district, the above summarizes the evidence of communication between Nevada Joint Union High School District schools and our feeder elementary school districts and supports our disagreement with Finding 4. Finding Having two comprehensive high schools using different mathematics pathways may negatively impact the ability for students to transfer between the schools. DISAGREE

a August 9,2017 The Honorable Thomas M. Anderson Presiding Judge of the Grand Jury 201 Church Street Nevada City, CA 95959 Re: Nevada Joint Union High School District Response to Nevada County 201,6-L7 Grand Jury Report, "Cooperation and Coordination among the School Districts in Nevada County, "Can We Talk?" Honorable Judge Anderson: Pursuant to California Penal Code sections 933 and 933,05, the Board of Education of the Nevada Joint Union High School District hereby submits its formal response to the 201,6-1,7 Nevada County Grand Jury Report entitled, "Cooperation and Coordination among the School Districts in Nevada County, "Can We Talk." The Board ofTrustees appreciates the Grand Jury's interest in our schools and appreciates the concept that students should come to our schools in 9th grade as prepared as possible to achieve success in their high school academic studies. The Grand Jury Report states, "Some elementary students in the county are better prepared than others for high school due only to the quality of elementary instruction that they have received." While the Board of Trustees appreciates the Grand Jury's position and indeed is challenged by the variation in preparation of our incoming freshman students, we believe that other factors also affect a student's preparation for high school. Some of those factors include the student's health, mental health, attendance, behavior, family life, peer pressure, poverry and homelessness. The Board of Trustees is also curious that the report considers only the traditionalpublic school districts in Nevada County and neglects to address the same findings to the vast arra)/ of independent public charter schools that operate in Nevada County and feed into our high schools. These charter schools include Forest Charter School, Nevada City School of the Arts, Sierra Montessori Academy, Twin Ridges Home School and the Yuba River Charter School. Additionally some students arrive to us from of the private schools in Nevada County including Ananda Living Wisdom, Echo Ridge Christian School, Forest Lake Christian School and Mount Saint Mary's. The variety of educational options in Nevada County is a blessing to our community but does present additional challenges to the Nevada Joint Union High School District in the preparation of our 9s grade students. FINDINGS 1 Finding The failure of the school districts within the County to identify teacher leaders and coordinate teacher collaboration and articulation negatively impacts student opportunity. 530.2 .l 1 7 6 3 4 .1 5 3 R 5 i 1 dg .e Road 5 . 1 0 C . ra 2 ss 7 Y 1 a . ll 3 ey 3 , C 7 A 2 9 . 5 9 n 4 ju 5 hsd.com DISAGREE The Nevada Joint Union High School District have well developed opportunities through Teachers on Special Assignment, Department Chairs, and the District Curriculum Committee. The roles and responsibilities of Teachers on Special Assignment are as follows: a. Curriculum and lnstruction 1.0 FTE - Assists teachers in appropriate instructional strategies, development of formative and summative assessment and collaboration around student results; vets and recommends appropriate instructional resources b. Technology lntegration 1.4 FTE - Assists teachers with the integration of technology into their classroom instruction, provides appropriate staff development for teachers in a variety of levels of proficiency; vets and recommends appropriate instructional technology c. Career Technology Pathways 1.0 FTE - Assists teachers with development of career technical education courses and pathways, serves as a mentor and master teacher to new CTE staff; vets and recommends appropriate curriculum rnaterials and instructicnal strategies. d, lntervention Specialist - 3.7 FTE - Reviews student achievement data for appropriate placement in high school coursework, connects students with resources needed to achieve success in their work, develops and implements intervention programs for students falling behind in their work; vets and recommends instructional materials and strategies and staff development activities e. District Librarians - 1.6 FTE - Assists teachers in the selection of appropriate supplementary instructional materials, provides staff development activities supporting media literacy, socialjustice, supports the "Nevada County Reads and Writes Project" and other literacy activities through author visits, panel discussions and student and staff supporU vets and recommends appropriate curriculum materials, instructional strategies and staff development activities. The roles and responsibilities of Department Chairs are as follows: a. Serves to organize and guide department activities, including i. Facilitating investigation and discussion of best practices in curriculum, instruction and assessment; ii. Facilitating department decision making iii. Coordinating collaboration to support department, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Single Plan for School Achievement and Local Control Accountability Plan goais; iv. Participating and sharing in opportunities for mutually agreed upon professional development that informs and supports best instructional practices within the department; v. And, supporting and encouraging department members in their own development as professiona ls. b. Attends Department Chair Meetings and acts as liaison for the department c. Must sign purchase orders / requisitions for the department. The roles and responsibilities of the members of the District Curriculum Committee are as follows: a. The District Curriculum Committee (DCC) serves as a forum for curricular concerns throughout the district, including but not limited to the State Department of Education Model Curriculum Standards, The California Common Core Standards, District Courses of Study, online learning, curriculum alignment, staff development, curriculum practices and methodology, integrated curriculum and small learning community development, testing, evaluation and accountability. lt will serve as a vehicle for district-wide articulation of resources such as special projects, site councils, site priorities and district wide priorities. b. The voting membership of the DCC is composed of the following: two teachers from Bear River's Site Curriculum Committee and two teachers from Nevada Union's Site Curriculum Committee. One teacher from each of the following sites will represent the certificated teachers from that site: Silver Springs High School, North Point Academy and Ghidotti Early College High School. c. Teacher representatives will be elected by the members of the schools' site curriculum committees. ln the absence of a curriculum committee, representatives will be elected by the site certificated staff. ln addition to teacher membership, there will be one comprehensive school counselor from each of the cornprehensive sites and one alternative school counselor who shall be elected by members of the District Guidance Council. d. The voting administrative members will include the five site principals. ln addition, the Director of Special Education will serve as a voting member. e. The non-voting membership of the DCC shall include the district curriculum and instruction administrator who serves as the chair and facilitator of the committee, the district technology director or his/her designee, the district testing coordinator, a representative of the district Board of Trustees and a representative of career Technical Ed ucatio n. f. All curriculum recommendations made by this group shall be forwarded to the Superintendent who shall recommend or not recommend action by the Board. This summarizes the multitude of teacher leadership opportunities in the Nevada Joint Union High School District and supports our disagreement with Finding L. Finding There is an apparent lack of Professional Learning Communities in the areas of English Language Arts and Mathematics in the nine school districts in the County. DISAGREE The i.ievada Joint Union High School District faculiy, administraiion and staff continue to develop in skill and expertise relative to Professional Learning Communities. 1. During the 2014-15 school year, the entire faculty of the Nevada Joint Union High School District had a two day on site staff training in the tenets of Professional Learning Communities during districtwide staff development days. The workshop was facilitated by national consultant, Tim Brown, of Solution Tree, lnc. 2. During the 2015 - 16 school year, the entire faculty of the Nevada Joint Union High School District revisited the tenets of Professional Learning Communities during a districtwide staff development day. 3. ThePLCmodel hasbeenapartofthefabricof BearRiverHighSchoolformanyyears. Asthe school has declined in enrollment, new actions and initiatives have taken place to adjust the model for a smaller school. Tenets of Professional Learning Communities include a focus on the questions, "What do we want students to learn?" (essential learning outcomes), "How will we know they have learned it?" (formative assessment) and "How will we respond when they don't learn?" (intervention). During the 2015-15 and 2016-17 school year, staff at Bear River High School has met in collaboration teams to redefine their processes. Bear River High School has structured time in the school day for student intervention ca lled Bruin Time. On May 31,, 2017 California State Superintendent of lnstruction, Tom Torlakson, conferred California Gold Ribbon School status on Bear River High School for their Bruin Time intervention program. 4. Since the 2012-13 schoolyear, Nevada Union High School has been systematically updating and improving their staff collaboration model based upon the tenets of Professional Learning Communities. ln addition to the on-site PLC trainings mentioned in #1 and #2 above, teams of Nevada Union faculty have attended PLC workshops over the course of the last three years. So far,32 faculty members have attended and 22 more are scheduled to attend during the 2017-18 school year. 5. Since the 201.4-75 schoolyear, our Curriculum Teacher on SpecialAssignment has been systematically working with faculty at Nevada Union and Bear River on the alignment of course content to the new California Standards and developraent of interim benchmark assessments using our district adopted testing system, OARS, the On-line Assessment and Reporting System. English served as the pioneers with quarterly assessments which teachers would meet to analyze the data and provide timely interventions before the state test in the spring of each year. We attribute our test score gains between the 2015 testing and the 2016 testing to this ability of teachers to diagnose and fill in holes in student learning; two key tenets of Professional Learning Communities cited in #3 above. This summarizes the evidence of Professional Learning Communities in the Nevada Joint Union High School District and supports our disagreement with Finding 2.