CalNEW Community of practice
California Newcomer Education and Well-Being Program Community of Practice
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description
description
This section of the site hosts resources, priorities, and documents from the CalNEW Community of Practice.
Launched in 2023, the CalNEW Community of Practice (CoP) draws a core group of members from 21 local education agencies, the California Department of Social Services, the California Department of Education, and Californians Together. With a focus on best practices for serving newcomer students, they meet four times each year to share their work, build state-level connections, and collectively inform field development.
Priorities for Guidance & Resource Development
Priorities for Guidance & Resource Development
In the 2023-2024 school year, the CalNEW Community of Practice met in role-specific working groups to identify areas in newcomer education which school district practitioners have found to require additional resources, guidance, and development work. These priority areas for guidance and resource development will inform continued CalNEW Community of Practice activities, and may act as a reference for other newcomer field development work.
- Curriculum
Problem: Classroom teachers describe a lack of instructional materials for newcomers at the early stages of language and literacy development.
What is Needed: Public and private investment in materials development and instructional standards inclusive of newcomers.
- Master Scheduling
Problem: School leaders describe difficulty scheduling high school courses that appropriately meet academic, graduation, and integration needs.
What is Needed: Clear guidance and tools for newcomer courses within the high school master schedule.
- Academic Pathways
Problem: District administrators describe a lack of defined course sequences & supports appropriate to prepare newcomers for postsecondary success.
What is Needed: Well-developed academic pathways with courses, criteria, and outcomes recognized by the state.
- Family Engagement
Problem: Community engagement staff describe challenges supporting connections between families and their districts and school sites in service of student engagement and learning.
What is Needed: Tools, protocols, and explicit expectations for districts and schools to engage with newcomer families.
- Staff Training
Problem: Staff describe a lack of general content training and knowledge of newcomer students as a group, and their pedagogical and socio-emotional needs.
What is Needed: Trainings and knowledge building available for instructional, administrative, community school and other staff to understand the needs and assets of newcomers.
- Statutory Guidance
Problem: District administrators describe ambiguity in education code regarding newcomer students in multiple areas.
What is Needed: Explicit guidance from state agencies on enrollment, course requirements, graduation, and other areas concerning newcomers.
RESOURCE BANK
RESOURCE BANK
The below resources have been shared by CalNEW Community of Practice members and are freely accessible. Anyone may submit a new item to the resource bank by filling this online form.
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PARTNERS
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