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ticular policy issue does not preclude the Governmental Relations staff from representing the membership in policy areas that may arise over the course of the legislative session .
Guiding principles
Access : ACSA supports policies that ensure every student has access to a safe and healthy school , and to high quality educational programs designed to prepare each student for success in college and / or the 21st century workforce .
Equity : ACSA supports policies to provide and expand access to high quality education programs for historically disadvantaged students .
Local Control : ACSA supports policies that empower school leaders and local officials to make local decisions that best serve students and the local communities . ACSA discourages the inclusion of new state-mandated activities without the proper funding reimbursement or the simplification of existing programmatic requirements .
Priority Areas – Accountability
ACSA supports the successful implementation of a single , coherent accountability and continuous improvement system grounded in the inclusion of multiple measures that determine student progress and considers conditions of learning . ACSA supports the design and implementation of meaningful professional development opportunities and resources to build the capacity of educators supporting student academic growth and a positive school environment .
Policy recommendations may include ,
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but not be limited to the following :
1 ) Pursue continued improvement of the new state accountability system , including the development and refinement of the state and local performance indicators .
2 ) Development of an accountability system for alternative education that recognizes all growth .
3 ) Strengthen the English Learner reclassification processes .
4 ) Work to seek consolidation and alignment between state and federal reporting requirements .
5 ) Seek consolidation and alignment between state and federal reporting requirements .
6 ) Review statutes to streamline outdated requirements in the Education Code .
School finance
ACSA calls on the state and federal governments to provide the resources necessary to offer innovative and excellent public education opportunities , support quality teaching and leadership , and foster parent , business , and community involvement on behalf of California students .
ACSA urges the state Legislature and Gov . Jerry Brown to identify and work towards achieving a long-term funding solution to bring California into the top ten rankings in per-pupil funding , as called for in the State Constitution .
Policy recommendations may include , but not be limited to the following :
1 ) Support allocation of Proposition 98 funds to fully fund existing programs , including adjustments for inflation and enrollment growth , as well as the full reimbursement of mandated activities and the equitable distribution for allocating onetime funds .
2 ) Support increased education funding including the development of a long-term
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investment strategy for public education .
3 ) Mitigate the impact of increased employer retirement contributions while preserving the solvency of the public retirement systems .
4 ) Pursue improvements to the Local Control Funding Formula and consider next steps once the LCFF base funding targets are fully funded .
Educator effectiveness and pipeline
Educator effectiveness spans a number of important policy issues impacting teachers and administrators . Our students deserve the highest quality educators in every classroom . The teacher and administrator shortage , along with recent policy changes to restore bilingual education and increased leave benefits , will challenge districts to find qualified employees in order to provide a quality education for all students .
Policy recommendations may include , but not be limited to the following : 1 ) Protect Title 2 funding . 2 ) Extend the teacher probationary period from two to three years . 3 ) Expand teacher credential reciprocity with other states . 4 ) Support programs that help recruit and retain teachers . 5 ) Remove barriers to recruit mid-career professionals to teach in specific subjects .
6 ) Seek various pathways to secure qualified teachers in critical shortage areas including but not limited to , bilingual , special education and STEM classes .
Special education
ACSA supports special education reform that ensures accountability , preserves local control , and provides funding that recognizes the growing number and increased severity of students identified with special needs . ACSA will work to expand student access to early intervention and protect the
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rights of students with disabilities at the national and state level .
Policy recommendations may include , but are not be limited to the following :
1 ) Evaluate out-of-home care funding and other potential adjustments to AB 602 .
2 ) Engage in the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act .
3 ) Support increased resources for special education .
Student needs
ACSA is committed to ensuring the physical and emotional health and safety of all students . While schools are uniquely positioned to address a variety of student needs , some supports may be more appropriately addressed by professionals other than educators . Striving to support student success is imperative and includes providing referrals and information on specialized services to students and families . Students can only reach their full academic potential when they are healthy , safe , and able to focus on their studies . ACSA supports comprehensive approaches to providing a healthy and safe educational environment that is conducive to student learning .
Policy recommendations may include , but not be limited to the following :
1 ) Strive to ensure all students , family members , and employees have access to a safe , equitable , and supportive educational environment .
2 ) Continue to protect the legal rights of all students to attend school regardless of immigration status of the child or their family members .
3 ) Expand access to needed behavioral and mental health support services .
4 ) Advance and support efforts for all students to have access to high quality instructional programs that seek to close achievement gaps .
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