DJUSD Candidate’s Forum Hosted by the Vanguard (Video)

In addition to providing coverage, regularly, on the Davis Joint Unified School District (DJUSD) Board of Education, the Davis Vanguard has been committed to informing the community about the current school board race.

Up for grabs in the general election are two seats on the five-member board.

Davis voters will choose from four candidates on the ballot: Alan Fernandes, Jose Granda, Susan Lovenburg and Bob Poppenga.

On Sunday night, all four candidates participated in the Vanguard’s School Board Candidates Forum, at the Community Chambers.

You can watch the full video here…

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15 comments

  1. The last question about english learners and high achievers neglects the reality that the english learners might also be high achievers. The AIM testing regime implemented by Lovenburg failed to identify these students but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

      1. Yes until we are able to identify between these two and agree to the purpose of the AIM program, there will be confusion. I hope the candidate questions get to this difference.

      2. The question pitted high achievers against english learners and my point is that the question is flawed because these things are not mutually exclusive. Some of these EL’s might be well suited to be successful in the Aim program but were excluded by the selection process.

        Soda is exactly correct. The school board by majority rule determined that the Aim program is only for those who aren’t successful in the regular classroom but the community was never allowed to weigh in through a bottom up process.  Bob Poppenga rightly raised the question about high achievers and what is the correct placement for them. The selection process however is unable to determine between the high achiever and the gifted learner who is unsuccessful in the regular classroom.

    1. Granda is looking better and better the more I hear from him. He’s the only candidate that we know will be the most frugal and diligent with school funds.

      1. I don’t why you say that Granda.  His argue is that tax is doubled because of the length of time of the term, but the tax rate is only going up marginally and only because he challenged the rental rate which caused the district to lose money.

        The funny thing is he wants to pay for all sorts of programs, but doesn’t understand how their financed.

  2. At about 1hour 23 minutes into the video there is a discussion of the district’s dual immersion program. The question asserts that the program is illegal. Many on the stage, most strongly Lovenburg , assert that it is not illegal. There was a lot of eye rolling. But I have to say I was curious about this too. I have been trying to learn about the propositions that will be on the ballot this November and when I came across the proposed Proposition 58 it struck me that the current dual immersion at Montgomery Elementary is probably illegal.

    Quoting from Ballotpedia — https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_58,_Non-English_Languages_Allowed_in_Public_Education_(2016) – “Proposition 58 was designed to repeal the English-only immersion requirement and waiver provisions required by Proposition 227 of 1998. In English-only programs, students learn subjects from teachers who speak only in English. Proposition 227 required English learners to take one year of intensive English instruction before transitioning to English-only classes.”

    Lovenburg had mentioned that they used to get a waiver for the program and implied that they no longer get waivers. But I don’t see how the district could have gotten a waiver for the program because the program is k-6, which means most of the students in the program would be under the age of ten. Here are the details about getting a waiver:

    “Under Proposition 227, parents of English learners can opt their children into bilingual programs by signing a waiver. The waiver is approved if one of three conditions are met. First, the student must have ”attended an English-only classroom for at least 30 days and whose teachers, principal, and district superintendent all agree would learn better in a bilingual program.” Second, the student must be at least 10 years old. Third, the student is already a fluent English speaker.”

    Also, the bilingual program at Montgomery is intended for students who are not already fluent English speakers, so even those over ten would not qualify for a waiver.

    Popenga, in his response, said something like he assumed the district’s legal counsel had looked at the Montgomery bilingual program and made sure it was OK. I don’t think this is a safe assumption to make. I feel like the district has gotten bad legal advice in the past and this may be one more example of that.

    1. Dual Immersion programs in K-6 are widespread in CA. Here are the Spanish ones from http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/ip/ap/directory.aspx

      California Two-Way Immersion Programs Directory

      Details School County District Grade Level Languages
      Blacow (John) Elementary Alameda Fremont Unified K-6 Spanish
      Burbank Elementary Alameda Hayward Unified K-6 Spanish
      Cragmont Elementary Alameda Berkeley Unified K-5 Spanish
      Esperanza Elementary Alameda Oakland Unified K-5 Spanish
      Global Family School (@ Jefferson Campus) Alameda Oakland Unified K-5 Spanish
      Grimmer (E. M.) Elementary Alameda Fremont Unified K-6 Spanish
      Jackson Avenue Elementary Alameda Livermore Valley Joint Unified K-2 Spanish
      Le Conte Elementary Alameda Berkeley Unified K-5 Spanish
      Marylin Avenue Elementary Alameda Livermore Valley Joint Unified K-3 Spanish
      Parks (Rosa) Environmental Science Magnet Alameda Berkeley Unified K-5 Spanish
      Portola (Don Gaspar De) Elementary Alameda Livermore Valley Joint Unified K-3 Spanish
      Valley View Elementary Alameda Pleasanton Unified K-5 Spanish
      Chico Junior High Butte Chico Unified 7-8 Spanish
      Parkview Elementary Butte Chico Unified K-6 Spanish
      Rosedale Elementary Butte Chico Unified K-6 Spanish
      Foothill Elementary Contra Costa Pittsburg Unified K-2 Spanish
      Meadow Homes Elementary Contra Costa Mt. Diablo Unified K-3 Spanish
      Washington Elementary Contra Costa West Contra Costa Unified K-3 Spanish
      Ben Benavidez Elementary Fresno Parlier Unified K-6 Spanish
      Brletic (Mathew J.) Elementary Fresno Parlier Unified K-6 Spanish
      Ewing Elementary Fresno Fresno Unified K-6 Spanish
      Laton Elementary Fresno Laton Joint Unified K-5 Spanish
      Leavenworth (Ann B.) Elementary Fresno Fresno Unified K-6 Spanish
      Martinez (John C.) Elem Fresno Parlier Unified K-6 Spanish
      Sunset Elementary Fresno Fresno Unified K-8 Spanish
      Elm Street School Inyo Bishop Union Elementary K-2 Spanish
      Pine Street Elementary Inyo Bishop Union Elementary 3-5 Spanish
      Voorhies (Marsa) Elementary Kern Bakersfield City Elementary K-6 Spanish
      Academia Semillas del Pueblo Xinaxcalmecac Charter School Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified K-8 Spanish
      Accelerated Charter Elementary School (ACES) Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified K-3 Spanish
      Adams (John) Middle Los Angeles Santa Monica-Malibu Unified 6-8 Spanish
      Aeolian Elementary Los Angeles Los Nietos Elementary K-5 Spanish
      Cecil B. Demille Middle Los Angeles Long Beach Unified 6-8 Spanish
      Central Elementary Los Angeles Baldwin Park Unified K-5 Spanish
      Edison (Thomas) Elementary Los Angeles Glendale Unified K-3 Spanish
      Edison Language Academy Los Angeles Santa Monica-Malibu Unified K-5 Spanish
      Edmondson (Earl E.) Elementary Los Angeles Norwalk-La Mirada Unified K-5 Spanish
      El Marino Elementary Los Angeles Culver City Unified K-5 Spanish
      Ellen Ochoa Learning Center Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified K-2 Spanish
      Emerson Elementary Los Angeles Compton Unified K-5 Spanish
      Ford Boulevard Elementary Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified K-1 Spanish
      Foster Elementary Los Angeles Baldwin Park Unified K-5 Spanish
      Geddes (Ernest R.) Elementary Los Angeles Baldwin Park Unified K-4 Spanish
      Grand View Boulevard Elementary Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Pre-K-5 Spanish
      Heath (Margaret) Elementary Los Angeles Baldwin Park Unified K-6 Spanish
      Hillcrest Drive Elementary Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified K-3 Spanish
      Hodge (Victor F.) Elementary Los Angeles Azusa Unified Pre-K-2 Spanish
      Holland (Jerry D.) Middle Los Angeles Baldwin Park Unified 7-8 Spanish
      Huntington Drive Elementary Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified K-3 Spanish
      Kenmore Elementary Los Angeles Baldwin Park Unified K-5 Spanish
      Kim (Charles H.) Elementary Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified K Spanish
      La Merced Elementary Los Angeles Montebello Unified K-4 Spanish
      La Merced Intermediate Los Angeles Montebello Unified 5-7 Spanish
      Lafayette Elementary Los Angeles Long Beach Unified K-5 Spanish
      Laguna Nueva School Los Angeles Montebello Unified K-6 Spanish
      Loreto Street Elementary Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified K-5 Spanish
      Los Amigos Los Angeles Palmdale Elementary K-8 Spanish
      Magnolia Avenue Elementary Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified K-5 Spanish
      Markham (Edwin) Middle Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified 6-8 Spanish
      Meyler Street Elementary Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified K-5 Spanish
      Montara Avenue Elementary Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified K-3 Spanish
      Montebello Intermediate Los Angeles Montebello Unified 5 Spanish
      Multicultural Learning Center Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified K-8 Spanish
      Niemes (John H.) Elementary Los Angeles ABC Unified K-6 Spanish
      Normandie Avenue Elementary Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified K-4 Spanish
      Patrick Henry Elementary Los Angeles Long Beach Unified K-5 Spanish
      Pleasant View Elementary Los Angeles Baldwin Park Unified K-6 Spanish
      Ramona Elementary Los Angeles Hawthorne Elementary K-6 Spanish
      Ritter Elementary Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified K-1 Spanish
      Santa Monica High Los Angeles Santa Monica-Malibu Unified 9-12 Spanish
      Tracy Elementary Los Angeles Baldwin Park Unified K-6 Spanish
      Walnut Elementary Los Angeles Baldwin Park Unified K-5 Spanish
      Webster Elementary Los Angeles Long Beach Unified K-5 Spanish
      Weigand Avenue Elementary Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified K-5 Spanish
      Willard Elementary Los Angeles Long Beach Unified K-5 Spanish
      Wilshire Park Elementary Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified K-2 Spanish
      Wilton Place Elementary Los Angeles Los Angeles Unified Pre-K-5 Spanish
      Winter Gardens Elementary Los Angeles Montebello Unified K-4 Spanish
      Grace Hudson Elementary Mendocino Ukiah Unified K-6 Spanish
      Campus Park Elementary Merced Livingston Union Elementary K Spanish
      Elim Elementary Merced Hilmar Unified K-5 Spanish
      Harmony Elementary School Merced Delhi Unified K-2 Spanish
      Selma Herndon Elementary Merced Livingston Union Elementary K-3 Spanish
      Yamato Colony Elementary Merced Livingston Union Elementary K-2 Spanish
      Boronda Meadows Monterey Salinas City Elementary K Spanish
      Castroville Elementary Monterey North Monterey County Unified K-6 Spanish
      Los Padres Elementary Monterey Salinas City Elementary K-6 Spanish
      Harvest Middle Napa Napa Valley Unified 7-8 Spanish
      Napa Valley Language Academy Napa Napa Valley Unified K-5 Spanish
      St. Helena Elementary Napa St. Helena Unified 3-5 Spanish
      St. Helena Primary Napa St. Helena Unified K-2 Spanish
      Carr (Gerald P.) Intermediate Orange Santa Ana Unified 6-8 Spanish
      El Sol Science and Arts Charter Academy of Santa Ana Orange Santa Ana Unified K-6 Spanish
      Gates (Ralph A.) Elementary Orange Saddleback Valley Unified K-6 Spanish
      Jefferson Elementary Orange Santa Ana Unified K-5 Spanish
      King (Martin Luther Jr) Elem Orange Santa Ana Unified K-5 Spanish
      Laguna Hills High Orange Saddleback Valley Unified 9-12 Spanish
      Las Palmas Elementary Orange Capistrano Unified K-5 Spanish
      Los Alisos Intermediate Orange Saddleback Valley Unified 7-8 Spanish
      McFadden Intermediate Orange Santa Ana Unified 6-8 Spanish
      Price Elementary Orange Anaheim Elementary 1 Spanish
      San Juan Elementary Orange Capistrano Unified K-5 Spanish
      Kings Beach Elementary Placer Tahoe-Truckee Joint Unified K-5 Spanish
      Central Elementary Riverside Banning Unified K-4 Spanish
      Coombs (Susan B.) Middle Riverside Banning Unified 5-6 Spanish
      Garretson Elementary Riverside Corona-Norco Unified K-3 Spanish
      Nicolet Middle Riverside Banning Unified 7-8 Spanish
      Palm Elementary Riverside Beaumont Unified K-2 Spanish
      Sunny Sands Elementary Riverside Palm Springs Unified K-5 Spanish
      Washington (George) Elementary Riverside Corona-Norco Unified K-6 Spanish
      Kemble (Edward) Elementary Sacramento Sacramento City Unified K-3 Spanish
      Language Academy of Sacramento Sacramento Sacramento City Unified K-8 Spanish
      Belvedere Elementary San Bernardino San Bernardino City Unified K-2 Spanish
      Berlyn Elementary San Bernardino Ontario-Montclair Elementary 1-5 Spanish
      Hillside Elementary San Bernardino San Bernardino City Unified K-5 Spanish
      Lincoln Elementary San Bernardino San Bernardino City Unified K-4 Spanish
      Oehl (Bonnie) Elementary San Bernardino San Bernardino City Unified K-1 Spanish
      Sultana Elementary San Bernardino Ontario-Montclair Elementary 1-5 Spanish
      Urbita Elementary San Bernardino San Bernardino City Unified K-4 Spanish
      Arroyo Vista Charter San Diego Chula Vista Elementary K-2 Spanish
      Capri Elementary San Diego Encinitas Union Elementary K-3 Spanish
      Chula Vista Learning Community Charter School San Diego Chula Vista Elementary K-6 Spanish
      EJE Elementary Academy San Diego Cajon Valley Union K-4 Spanish
      Language Academy (Elem) San Diego San Diego City Unified K-8 Spanish
      Lilac School San Diego Valley Center-Pauma Unified K-5 Spanish
      Nestor Language Academy San Diego South Bay Union Elementary K-6 Spanish
      Rancho del Rey Middle San Diego Sweetwater Union High 7-8 Spanish
      Salt Creek Elementary San Diego Chula Vista Elementary K-2 Spanish
      Southwest Middle School San Diego Sweetwater Union High 7-8 Spanish
      Valle Lindo Elementary San Diego Chula Vista Elementary K-6 Spanish
      Valley Center Elementary – Lower School San Diego Valley Center-Pauma Unified 2-4 Spanish
      Valley Center Elementary – Upper School San Diego Valley Center-Pauma Unified 5-6 Spanish
      Valley Center Middle San Diego Valley Center-Pauma Unified 7-8 Spanish
      Valley Center Primary San Diego Valley Center-Pauma Unified K-2 Spanish
      Valley Elementary San Diego Poway Unified K-5 Spanish
      Alvarado Elementary San Francisco San Francisco Unified K-5 Spanish
      Buena Vista Alternative Elementary San Francisco San Francisco Unified Pre-K-5 Spanish
      Fairmount Elementary San Francisco San Francisco Unified K-5 Spanish
      Flynn (Leonard R.) Elementary San Francisco San Francisco Unified K-1 Spanish
      Herbert Hoover Middle San Francisco San Francisco Unified 6-8 Spanish
      James Lick Middle San Francisco San Francisco Unified 6-8 Spanish
      Marshall Elementary San Francisco San Francisco Unified
      Spanish
      Mission High San Francisco San Francisco Unified 9-10 Spanish
      Monroe Elementary San Francisco San Francisco Unified K-5 Spanish
      Revere (Paul) Elementary San Francisco San Francisco Unified K-1 Spanish
      Joe Serna, Jr. Charter School San Joaquin Lodi Unified K-6 Spanish
      Brown (Georgia) Elementary San Luis Obispo Paso Robles Joint Unified K-5 Spanish
      Pacheco Elementary San Luis Obispo San Luis Coastal Unified K-6 Spanish
      Adelante Spanish Immersion (Elem) San Mateo Redwood City Elementary K-6 Spanish
      Cunha (Manuel F.) Intermediate San Mateo Cabrillo Unified 6-8 Spanish
      Fiesta Gardens International Elementary San Mateo San Mateo-Foster City Elementary K-5 Spanish
      Half Moon Bay High San Mateo Cabrillo Unified 9-12 Spanish
      Hatch (Alvin S.) Elementary San Mateo Cabrillo Unified K-5 Spanish
      Chavez (Cesar) Charter School Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Elementary K-6 Spanish
      Castro (Mariano) Elementary Santa Clara Mountain View Whisman School District K-5 Spanish
      Escondido Elementary Santa Clara Palo Alto Unified K-5 Spanish
      Gardner Academy Elementary Santa Clara San Jose Unified K-4 Spanish
      Ida Jew Intermediate Santa Clara Mt. Pleasant Elementary 4-6 Spanish
      Las Animas Elementary Santa Clara Gilroy Unified K-5 Spanish
      River Glen School Santa Clara San Jose Unified K-8 Spanish
      Sanders (Robert) Elementary Santa Clara Mt. Pleasant Elementary K-3 Spanish
      Sherman Oaks Community Charter Santa Clara Campbell Union Elementary K-6 Spanish
      Alianza Charter School Santa Cruz Pajaro Valley Joint Unified K-8 Spanish
      De Laveaga Elementary Santa Cruz Santa Cruz City Elementary K-4 Spanish
      Markham (Edwin) Elementary Solano Vacaville Unified K-6 Spanish
      Wilson (Gale B.) Elementary Solano Fairfield-Suisun Unified K-5 Spanish
      Adele Harrison Middle School Sonoma Sonoma Valley Unified 6-8 Spanish
      Cali Calmecac (Charter #162) Sonoma Windsor Unified K-8 Spanish
      Fitch Mountain Elementary Sonoma Healdsburg Unified K-1 Spanish
      Flowery Elementary Sonoma Sonoma Valley Unified K-5 Spanish
      Healdsburg Elementary Sonoma Healdsburg Unified K-1 Spanish
      Grayson Charter Stanislaus Patterson Joint Unified K-4 Spanish
      Osborn Elementary Stanislaus Turlock Joint Elementary K-12 Spanish
      Riverbank Language Academy Stanislaus Riverbank Unified K-8 Spanish
      Washington Elementary Tulare Lindsay Unified K-6 Spanish
      Bard (Richard) Elementary Ventura Hueneme Elementary K-1 Spanish
      Montalvo Elementary Ventura Ventura Unified K-5 Spanish
      Rio del Norte Ventura Rio School District K-1 Spanish
      University Charter Middle School at CSU Channel Islands Ventura Pleasant Valley Elementary 6-8 Spanish
      University Preparation at CSU Channel Islands Charter Ventura Pleasant Valley Elementary Pre-K-5 Spanish
      Beamer Park Elementary Yolo Woodland Joint Unified K-6 Spanish
      Chavez (Cesar) Elementary Yolo Davis Joint Unified K-6 Spanish
      Shirley Rominger Intermediate School Yolo Winters Joint Unified 4-5 Spanish
      Waggoner Elementary Yolo Winters Joint Unified K-3 Spanish

    2. 16 or so years ago, I had an interaction with then superintendent David Murphy.  I asked him if the non-Spanish immersion neighborhood elementary schools could foster language learning and cultural understanding by teaching ALL students simple things in Spanish, like counting to 10.  I also asked if the PTA could put up signs around campus with the Spanish and English words (e.g. water, restroom).  I thought this was a good idea because the “majority minority” at Valley Oak Elementary primarily spoke Spanish. Murphy said no.  It was illegal.  If you want your kid to be exposed to Spanish at DJUSD, they need to attend Cesar Chavez.  Has this changed?  It would be good news, if it has.

    3. Tom8oh:  The question asserts that the program is illegal. Many on the stage, most strongly Lovenburg , assert that it is not illegal. There was a lot of eye rolling. But I have to say I was curious about this too. I have been trying to learn about the propositions that will be on the ballot this November and when I came across the proposed Proposition 58 it struck me that the current dual immersion at Montgomery Elementary is probably illegal.

      If it is illegal, then I think that policy is pedagogically and developmentally questionable.  Until the dual immersion program at Montgomery, native Spanish speakers with limited to no English background at home were mostly not given instruction in Spanish language development.  In JH, native Spanish speaking ELL students were usually obligated to take an extra period of ELL instruction, in addition to their basic 5 core classes.  Ultimately they were likely to miss out on taking Spanish until high school.  By that point, their Spanish vocabulary and grammar learned originally from speaking with family members at a younger age had atrophied to the point where the student no longer communicated with his/her parents in their native language.  For parents who didn’t speak English very well, this has led to problems on the home front.  It is already challenging for adolescents to learn effective communication.  If there is a language barrier with parents, then it’s worse.  In a 21st century global economy, bilingualism is an asset, and it should be developed, especially for students whose parents don’t have the benefit of college education to assist their children.

      1. This is an area where we agree. With all the people advocating for pre-school it’s interesting that they rarely have any idea of what it is that happens in pre-school the lessens the “achievement gap”.  It is worth repeating that there no evidence that universal preschool reduces the “achievement gap”.

        That being said there are two areas of proven worth, physical activity and language instruction. Almost all kids will benefit from increased activity though lower SES kids will benefit more. They tend to be fatter. Language exposure and learning also pays dividends. I believe that languages that are more different provide the most benefit so Mandarin or Thai or Japanese would be best.

  3. In response to Granda’s question, “One of the measures from K-12 student success is the preparation and ability to obtain college.  We hear a lot about Davis schools are very good.  The proponents of Measure H imply that that such parcel taxes maintain the quality of the schools. My question is what is the evidence is the impact of the parcel taxes on the admission to college of the students in the Davis district?   Do you know what percentage of the students graduating from Davis have been accepted to our local university, UCD, or other universities?”

    ed-data.org shows that the percentage of students meeting UC/CSU from DJUSD rose from 2010-11 to 2014-15 to almost 77%, close to an 8% jump over that period of time.  That is the highest overall percentage for a district in the Sacramento area.  Having stable 7-period options in the secondary grades, 7-12, which Measure H secures, helps students prepare for college matriculation.

    Granda, in his comments, criticizes DJUSD because more students don’t get into UC Davis.  UC Davis doesn’t have any special obligation to favor DJUSD students.  Their recent admissions records suggest an effort to admit students in a way that tends to represent the broad demographic of the state.  DJUSD does not necessarily represent that demographic with respect to income level and parent education level.  From the Davis Enterprise, 3 July 2015:

    “Students who would be the first in their families to graduate from college made up 42.1 percent of admitted applicants, and those from low-income households were 36.4 percent. For UCD, first-generation college student admission offers equaled 35.3 percent, and low-family-income admission offers made up 31.5 percent.”

    Even still, 129 students from the DHS class of 2016, or 25%, went on to a UC campus.  source

    1. …and 70% of the DHS class of 2016 went on to a 4-year college, and 24% went on to a 2-year college.

      Also, “…shows that the percentage of students meeting UC/CSU from DJUSD…”

      Should read, “students meeting UC/CSU course requirements for admission from DJUSD”

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