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by Palo Alto Weekly staff / Palo Alto Weekly
Uploaded: Thu, Sep 22, 2022, 9:41 pm 11
Time to read: about 4 minutes
Transitional kindergarten students color and draw in class at Duveneck Elementary School in Palo Alto on Feb. 23, 2022. Photo by Magali Gauthier.
In preparation for the Palo Alto Weekly’s coverage of the campaigns for Palo Alto Unified Board of Education, we solicited questions from our readers that speak to their topmost concerns about the school district.
From their many excellent responses, we’ve crafted a short questionnaire, which we hope will help elucidate the differences among the four candidates. They discussed their primary concerns and experience in education. They also offer their opinions on student achievement, COVID-19 learning loss, diversity and inclusion, the superintendent and innovations.
The candidates’ answers on all these topics will be published as separate articles, one per day, through Sept. 26. Here’s what they had to say to the following question: How can the district support the diverse academic needs of all students, from those who are academically high achieving to those who are struggling in one or more areas?
Shounak Dharap
Shounak Dharap. Photo by Magali Gauthier.
There are seven areas the district should address to ensure it supports diverse academic needs (from the district’s equity plan). While this is a very high-level summary, each of the items mentioned here is discussed in specific detail in the plan, which is accessible online:
Curriculum: Focus on standards-aligned curriculum, early literacy, and assessment for equity through, e.g. instructional strategies that take into account how students learn (universal design learning), phonics instruction, and standards-based grading.
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Opportunity/Access: Increase diverse representation in materials, programs, and staffing; and increase accessibility by expanding adaptive tech for students with learning challenges and creating accessible learning environments.
Professional learning/Accountability: Implement workshops on culturally-responsive teaching, anti-racism, trauma-informed practices, co-teaching, and, as discussed above, UDL; and provide materials (literature, webinars, trainings) for staff to access.
Student-centered supports: Implement a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) that includes identification, referral, intervention, and progress monitoring for each student’s learning needs; increase tutoring, credit recovery opportunities, increase access to learning resources (internet, childcare, supplies, transportation, meals), and increase family engagement.
Culture and Climate: Increase integration of social-emotional learning curriculum; create better systems for student/family feedback regarding climate; and expand social-emotional learning.
Family partnerships: Support parent education and access through expanded translation services at board meetings, parent workshops, and family engagement specialists.
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District operations/Staffing: Improve communication with families through consistent, scheduled communications that consolidate messaging from multiple sources; broaden recruiting efforts beyond the region; ensure diverse interview panels; prioritize employee housing; and improve exit interviews to identify shortfalls.
Shana Segal
Shana Segal. Photo by Magali Gauthier.
Supporting the diverse academic needs of all students is, indeed, part of the PAUSD Promise: “Ensure that all education stakeholders are responsible for every learner having full access to quality education, challenging curriculum, full opportunity to learn, and appropriate, sufficient support for learning so they can achieve at excellent levels in academic and other student outcomes.” Where candidates and current school board trustees differ is in how to achieve that promise.
Two of my top goals are equity and differentiated instruction. Educators know that these principles are intertwined; differentiated instruction helps close the achievement gap by engaging all students. Engaged students learn. Differentiated instruction means tailored instruction — including within a single classroom — to meet the diverse needs of students.
Promoting equity requires wisely applying resources toward closing the achievement gap, including for early intervention programs. It’s critical to identify and assist struggling students early. It is the district’s duty to ensure that all students are reading at or above grade level by the end of third grade.
I will prioritize providing evidence-based reading, writing and math support programs at every school and at every grade. I will ensure that early literacy is achieved for all students, including and especially struggling learners.
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We must allocate our resources toward not only the selection of effective, research-based differentiated instruction and professional development but also to the appropriate personnel (e.g., paraeducators, subject matter specialists, and Teachers on Special Assignment) needed to facilitate implementation. We must provide teachers with time to collaborate on essential learning, grading standards, homework loads, assessments and curriculum pacing.
Ingrid Campos
Ingrid Campos. Photo by Magali Gauthier.
Free tutoring, peer based tutoring and teacher paid tutoring would all be a huge plus to help struggling students (and ultimately a parent’s dream) achieve their academic needs. Academically advanced courses are also an important path for those academically advanced students to keep challenged; and those same students could earn community service credits toward tutoring their peers or lower grade students. Fostering a learning community within the school community would be extremely beneficial.
Multiple math class levels are also an answer to sorting between academically advanced students and those who are less academically advanced. As a district, we need to stay in line with teaching advanced courses to high achieving students and thus also encourage those who aren’t as high achieving to reach to those stars! Providing students with challenges in their education will help them to reach and to achieve higher standards.
Nicole Chiu-Wang
Nicole Chiu-Wang. Photo by Magali Gauthier.
In order to support the diverse academic needs of all students, the district must provide teachers and staff with the resources, training and support that they need to be able to practice differentiated learning within the classroom. It is important for our high achieving students to feel challenged and for our struggling students to get the support they need to succeed. And although it is tempting to focus on these two groups of students, we must not forget our students that are performing at grade level — they need our support and attention, too.
For example, in our secondary schools, there are opportunities for students to push themselves in many of our AP and honors classes. But students have long requested an expansion of those classes in Humanities. We can and we should do this. At the same time, we should implement a program to encourage students who don’t often take Honors or AP classes to give it a try, and the district must provide the necessary support system for these students to find success in those classes.
Check back on Palo Alto Online tomorrow for candidates’ takes on another school district issue.
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by Palo Alto Weekly staff / Palo Alto Weekly
Uploaded: Thu, Sep 22, 2022, 9:41 pm
In preparation for the Palo Alto Weekly’s coverage of the campaigns for Palo Alto Unified Board of Education, we solicited questions from our readers that speak to their topmost concerns about the school district.
From their many excellent responses, we’ve crafted a short questionnaire, which we hope will help elucidate the differences among the four candidates. They discussed their primary concerns and experience in education. They also offer their opinions on student achievement, COVID-19 learning loss, diversity and inclusion, the superintendent and innovations.
The candidates’ answers on all these topics will be published as separate articles, one per day, through Sept. 26. Here’s what they had to say to the following question: How can the district support the diverse academic needs of all students, from those who are academically high achieving to those who are struggling in one or more areas?
Shounak Dharap
There are seven areas the district should address to ensure it supports diverse academic needs (from the district’s equity plan). While this is a very high-level summary, each of the items mentioned here is discussed in specific detail in the plan, which is accessible online:
Curriculum: Focus on standards-aligned curriculum, early literacy, and assessment for equity through, e.g. instructional strategies that take into account how students learn (universal design learning), phonics instruction, and standards-based grading.
Opportunity/Access: Increase diverse representation in materials, programs, and staffing; and increase accessibility by expanding adaptive tech for students with learning challenges and creating accessible learning environments.
Professional learning/Accountability: Implement workshops on culturally-responsive teaching, anti-racism, trauma-informed practices, co-teaching, and, as discussed above, UDL; and provide materials (literature, webinars, trainings) for staff to access.
Student-centered supports: Implement a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) that includes identification, referral, intervention, and progress monitoring for each student’s learning needs; increase tutoring, credit recovery opportunities, increase access to learning resources (internet, childcare, supplies, transportation, meals), and increase family engagement.
Culture and Climate: Increase integration of social-emotional learning curriculum; create better systems for student/family feedback regarding climate; and expand social-emotional learning.
Family partnerships: Support parent education and access through expanded translation services at board meetings, parent workshops, and family engagement specialists.
District operations/Staffing: Improve communication with families through consistent, scheduled communications that consolidate messaging from multiple sources; broaden recruiting efforts beyond the region; ensure diverse interview panels; prioritize employee housing; and improve exit interviews to identify shortfalls.
Shana Segal
Supporting the diverse academic needs of all students is, indeed, part of the PAUSD Promise: “Ensure that all education stakeholders are responsible for every learner having full access to quality education, challenging curriculum, full opportunity to learn, and appropriate, sufficient support for learning so they can achieve at excellent levels in academic and other student outcomes.” Where candidates and current school board trustees differ is in how to achieve that promise.
Two of my top goals are equity and differentiated instruction. Educators know that these principles are intertwined; differentiated instruction helps close the achievement gap by engaging all students. Engaged students learn. Differentiated instruction means tailored instruction — including within a single classroom — to meet the diverse needs of students.
Promoting equity requires wisely applying resources toward closing the achievement gap, including for early intervention programs. It’s critical to identify and assist struggling students early. It is the district’s duty to ensure that all students are reading at or above grade level by the end of third grade.
I will prioritize providing evidence-based reading, writing and math support programs at every school and at every grade. I will ensure that early literacy is achieved for all students, including and especially struggling learners.
We must allocate our resources toward not only the selection of effective, research-based differentiated instruction and professional development but also to the appropriate personnel (e.g., paraeducators, subject matter specialists, and Teachers on Special Assignment) needed to facilitate implementation. We must provide teachers with time to collaborate on essential learning, grading standards, homework loads, assessments and curriculum pacing.
Ingrid Campos
Free tutoring, peer based tutoring and teacher paid tutoring would all be a huge plus to help struggling students (and ultimately a parent’s dream) achieve their academic needs. Academically advanced courses are also an important path for those academically advanced students to keep challenged; and those same students could earn community service credits toward tutoring their peers or lower grade students. Fostering a learning community within the school community would be extremely beneficial.
Multiple math class levels are also an answer to sorting between academically advanced students and those who are less academically advanced. As a district, we need to stay in line with teaching advanced courses to high achieving students and thus also encourage those who aren’t as high achieving to reach to those stars! Providing students with challenges in their education will help them to reach and to achieve higher standards.
Nicole Chiu-Wang
In order to support the diverse academic needs of all students, the district must provide teachers and staff with the resources, training and support that they need to be able to practice differentiated learning within the classroom. It is important for our high achieving students to feel challenged and for our struggling students to get the support they need to succeed. And although it is tempting to focus on these two groups of students, we must not forget our students that are performing at grade level — they need our support and attention, too.
For example, in our secondary schools, there are opportunities for students to push themselves in many of our AP and honors classes. But students have long requested an expansion of those classes in Humanities. We can and we should do this. At the same time, we should implement a program to encourage students who don’t often take Honors or AP classes to give it a try, and the district must provide the necessary support system for these students to find success in those classes.
Check back on Palo Alto Online tomorrow for candidates’ takes on another school district issue.
In preparation for the Palo Alto Weekly’s coverage of the campaigns for Palo Alto Unified Board of Education, we solicited questions from our readers that speak to their topmost concerns about the school district.
From their many excellent responses, we’ve crafted a short questionnaire, which we hope will help elucidate the differences among the four candidates. They discussed their primary concerns and experience in education. They also offer their opinions on student achievement, COVID-19 learning loss, diversity and inclusion, the superintendent and innovations.
The candidates’ answers on all these topics will be published as separate articles, one per day, through Sept. 26. Here’s what they had to say to the following question: How can the district support the diverse academic needs of all students, from those who are academically high achieving to those who are struggling in one or more areas?
Shounak Dharap
There are seven areas the district should address to ensure it supports diverse academic needs (from the district’s equity plan). While this is a very high-level summary, each of the items mentioned here is discussed in specific detail in the plan, which is accessible online:
Curriculum: Focus on standards-aligned curriculum, early literacy, and assessment for equity through, e.g. instructional strategies that take into account how students learn (universal design learning), phonics instruction, and standards-based grading.
Opportunity/Access: Increase diverse representation in materials, programs, and staffing; and increase accessibility by expanding adaptive tech for students with learning challenges and creating accessible learning environments.
Professional learning/Accountability: Implement workshops on culturally-responsive teaching, anti-racism, trauma-informed practices, co-teaching, and, as discussed above, UDL; and provide materials (literature, webinars, trainings) for staff to access.
Student-centered supports: Implement a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) that includes identification, referral, intervention, and progress monitoring for each student’s learning needs; increase tutoring, credit recovery opportunities, increase access to learning resources (internet, childcare, supplies, transportation, meals), and increase family engagement.
Culture and Climate: Increase integration of social-emotional learning curriculum; create better systems for student/family feedback regarding climate; and expand social-emotional learning.
Family partnerships: Support parent education and access through expanded translation services at board meetings, parent workshops, and family engagement specialists.
District operations/Staffing: Improve communication with families through consistent, scheduled communications that consolidate messaging from multiple sources; broaden recruiting efforts beyond the region; ensure diverse interview panels; prioritize employee housing; and improve exit interviews to identify shortfalls.
Shana Segal
Supporting the diverse academic needs of all students is, indeed, part of the PAUSD Promise: “Ensure that all education stakeholders are responsible for every learner having full access to quality education, challenging curriculum, full opportunity to learn, and appropriate, sufficient support for learning so they can achieve at excellent levels in academic and other student outcomes.” Where candidates and current school board trustees differ is in how to achieve that promise.
Two of my top goals are equity and differentiated instruction. Educators know that these principles are intertwined; differentiated instruction helps close the achievement gap by engaging all students. Engaged students learn. Differentiated instruction means tailored instruction — including within a single classroom — to meet the diverse needs of students.
Promoting equity requires wisely applying resources toward closing the achievement gap, including for early intervention programs. It’s critical to identify and assist struggling students early. It is the district’s duty to ensure that all students are reading at or above grade level by the end of third grade.
I will prioritize providing evidence-based reading, writing and math support programs at every school and at every grade. I will ensure that early literacy is achieved for all students, including and especially struggling learners.
We must allocate our resources toward not only the selection of effective, research-based differentiated instruction and professional development but also to the appropriate personnel (e.g., paraeducators, subject matter specialists, and Teachers on Special Assignment) needed to facilitate implementation. We must provide teachers with time to collaborate on essential learning, grading standards, homework loads, assessments and curriculum pacing.
Ingrid Campos
Free tutoring, peer based tutoring and teacher paid tutoring would all be a huge plus to help struggling students (and ultimately a parent’s dream) achieve their academic needs. Academically advanced courses are also an important path for those academically advanced students to keep challenged; and those same students could earn community service credits toward tutoring their peers or lower grade students. Fostering a learning community within the school community would be extremely beneficial.
Multiple math class levels are also an answer to sorting between academically advanced students and those who are less academically advanced. As a district, we need to stay in line with teaching advanced courses to high achieving students and thus also encourage those who aren’t as high achieving to reach to those stars! Providing students with challenges in their education will help them to reach and to achieve higher standards.
Nicole Chiu-Wang
In order to support the diverse academic needs of all students, the district must provide teachers and staff with the resources, training and support that they need to be able to practice differentiated learning within the classroom. It is important for our high achieving students to feel challenged and for our struggling students to get the support they need to succeed. And although it is tempting to focus on these two groups of students, we must not forget our students that are performing at grade level — they need our support and attention, too.
For example, in our secondary schools, there are opportunities for students to push themselves in many of our AP and honors classes. But students have long requested an expansion of those classes in Humanities. We can and we should do this. At the same time, we should implement a program to encourage students who don’t often take Honors or AP classes to give it a try, and the district must provide the necessary support system for these students to find success in those classes.
Check back on Palo Alto Online tomorrow for candidates’ takes on another school district issue.
Watching this campaign over the past month it has been interesting to watch the evolution of other candidates to follow the lead of Shana Segal, the only educator running. From the very start, differentiated instruction has been a key part of her platform. Now it has worked its way into the messaging of other candidates.
Some people tried to challenge and question her on it. She held her ground because she has experience to back it up. Now it’s in vogue. I think every candidate mentioned it in their debates this week. Just remember where it started.
We are lucky to have someone with Shana Segal’s leadership, experience and training running for school board. In my ten plus years living here, I can tell you it’s a rare combination.
Totally agree with the previous comment. Shana is a natural for the board. So nice to see someone who just wants to do that job, and is not angling for other things within the democratic party. It’s an important job. We are so lucky to have someone like her.
Shounak and Nicole are running on the best platforms. These are the two people with the experience — who know how to run an *actual* organization, manage an *actual* budget (which means making the tough tradeoffs vs. promising teachers things they can’t realistically deliver), set culture (with an earnest, good-faith interest in equity and access), hold the administration accountable, and manage large-scale communications through the district. Attend a forum or one of the coffees in your neighborhood, and you will see that Shounak and Nicole are far and away the two strongest candidates.
I’m thankful that I wasn’t the only one the heard one of important issues of Shana’s platform, “differentiation,” used by Nicole for the first time during the online debate.
Completely agree with the previous commenters. The difference is that Shana understands differentiated learning in an actual classroom setting and can give specifics regarding HOW to do it. It is not a buzzword or talking point for her. It is something she has the skills and knowledge to put into action. PAUSD has had some good ideas but has often fallen down on the implementation of their plans. Having someone with Shana’s practical experience on the board will be a huge benefit to PAUSD – and the community.
I agree with Jamie Barnett that Shounak and Nicole are the best candidates to lead PAUSD in the years to come. They both have a positive outlook for the future of our students. They are energetic and visionary. Please vote for them!
Is nice to see how Nicole and Shounak are following Shana’s lead on differentiation!
Let us look at Dharap’s *actual* track record on differentiation. Dharap promoted “one-size-fits-all,” worked against differentiated instruction, supported elimination of honors classes, and spoke against academic excellence.
— Recall Dharap’s vote on the 9th grade Gunn Algebra delaning. The data showed dismal results. Then Dharap voted to stop getting additional reports to board (!!) (once a report is produced, public can see it, bad on his resume). This action shows he does not actually care how students are served. Just cover up inconvenient data.
Web Link
— Dharap supported the de-laning of middle school math. This past year all PAUSD 8th graders took Algebra. Indeed great on paper (e.g. Dharap’s resume). BUT are students served? Are the underserved kids served? Data shows that 20% of students placed in PAUSD 8th grade Algebra are woefully underprepared and also ARE NOT EXPERIENCING GROWTH. This data was sent to Dharap. He did not respond.
Web Link
PAUSD middle school math courses have 1/3 of kids 1+ years ahead and 1/5 of kids 1-2 years behind. The “middle” is also not served: Teachers struggle to even teach to the standards with such a wide spread of levels. Students that don’t take math outside the district during middle school are not prepared for PAUSD high school’s honors and advanced lanes. Many need private tutoring and experience stress.
We need someone with experience in education (Shana), builds transparency and trust, and is there to serve our students and families.
I am also very interested in hearing about the relevant background and experience of each candidate.
Is s/he a:
– parent of kids in the district schools?
– parent of kids outside the district schools?
– a current or former educator or administrator in education?
Being a successful attorney, business owner, executive in a corporate environment are, in my opinion, irrelevant qualifications , especially if you have no kids i.e. skin in this game
(looking at you, Dharap).
Are some candidates using this as an entry into a political career?
@jamiebarnett I went to listen to Shana and was impressed, less so with the other candidates. Managing a budget includes more than numbers -Carolyn Chow will run the numbers. The role of a board member is to understand the trade-offs in the schools and classrooms – how will it impact students, then make the hard decisions. Shana has the most experience in understanding the numbers in an educational setting. As far as holding the superintendent accountable, you actually have to understand his proposals to do that – understand classrooms, teacher capabilities and how schools operate. Not looking to hire for a start-up but for a school district, which requires different skills.
“Implement workshops on culturally-responsive teaching, anti-racism, trauma-informed practices, …”
Sure would be nice if any of that had actual evidence that it improved student learning…
Dharap comes across as anti-academic. This could be the reason Special Education students do so poorly in PAUSD.
Board Policies eliminated A-G graduation standards and allow lower State standards, or any standard. Board Policies state any plan the parents agreed to equals automatic agreement to graduate students at a lower standard. A PAUSD diploma means nothing. Some of this was done for COVID. That is over, and he needs to stop blaming it for everything. Move forward.
Dharap said he did not do well at Gunn High School, and later became an attorney. Great for him, but most students need a good high school education to succeed. Programs created in the past 2-3 years remove students from neighborhood campuses and put them into “Intensive” and “Therapeutic” programs. These teach “Core” standards, which are far below grade level standards. Some classes remained at the high schools, but Palo Alto High School’s disability courses were cut by half and moved to Cubberley with low standards and without inclusion. These kids are now invisible. PAUSD labels students as mentally ill, using its own evaluations. There are no protections for these students, not even their family’s health data. These kids are hidden away in Therapeutic “Functional” and Vocational programs. Legally, Special Education can get rid of these kids whenever they want under lower graduation standards.
Dharap gave Special Education 3 years of budget increases with no spending reports, and allowed them to implement programs without Board approval as Intensive, Therapeutic, Core programs with low standards. Dharap does not understand oversight. He thinks being a Board Trustee equals being a lawyer, “if the 3 steps of this process were followed, it is legal and I vote yes” and “if Superintendent said he implemented a Policy, it succeed.” No wonder Special Education legal costs increased. That is not Equity.
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