Now Seeking Science Teachers for Common Core Focus Groups
The California Department of Education (CDE) is pleased to announce that it is recruiting members for four focus groups to provide input on the upcoming English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework for California Public Schools, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve (ELA/ELD Framework). The ELA/ELD Framework will incorporate and support the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects, adopted by the California State Board of Education (SBE) in August 2010, and reflect current research on English language arts instruction. It will also incorporate new English Language Development Standards, which are due to be adopted by the SBE in late summer of 2012. Curriculum frameworks provide guidance to teachers, administrators, and parents on how a standards-based curriculum is implemented in the classroom. The deadline to apply is April 5.
Pursuant to the California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 9511(c), the CDE will convene four focus groups across California. Each focus group will include between 10 and 15 invitees, who will be selected to ensure balanced representation of regions, types of schools, and grade-level experience. Members of the focus group must be educators at the time of appointment. California Education Code, Section 44013(a) defines an educator:
“Educator” means a certificated person holding a valid California teaching credential or a valid California services credential issued by the commission who is employed by a local education agency or by a special education local planning area and who is not employed as an independent contractor or consultant.
Interested individuals are encouraged to apply and to distribute the application to other potential applicants. Please note that there is no stipend for service on a focus group, and no reimbursements for travel costs or substitute replacements can be provided by the CDE.
The focus group meetings will be open to the public and comments made by both focus group members and members of the public at each meeting will be forwarded to the Instructional Quality Commission and the SBE for consideration.
Focus group meetings are currently planned for the following dates and locations:
- May 22, 2012 Orange County Office of Education
- May 31, 2012 California Department of Education, Sacramento
- June 4, 2012 Monterey County Office of Education
- June 5, 2012 Contra Costa County Office of Education
Each focus group meeting will be held in the late afternoon. A more detailed agenda will be sent to participants and posted on the CDE Curriculum Frameworks Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/rl/cf prior to each event.
To apply to be a member of a focus group, please use the online application form. The form can be downloaded from the CDE’s Curriculum Frameworks Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/rl/cf. For your convenience, the application form is attached. Applications must be e-mailed to elaframework@cde.ca.gov and received no later than 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 5, 2012.
If you have any questions regarding focus groups, please contact Cynthia Gunderson, Education Programs Consultant, Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division, by phone at 916-319-0451 or by e-mail atcgunderson@cde.ca.gov.
Sincerely,
Tom Torlakson
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