State Council Report from January

Overview/Things for you to do

Please:

Vegara trial – attacking due process and seniority rights started Monday in Los Angeles. Updates for the trial can be followed at http://www.cta.org/Issues-and-Action/Ongoing-Issues/Vergara-Trial1.aspx.
Members should check the Smarter Balanced Assessment web site http://www.smarterbalanced.org/
Read across America – will be starting soon. For more information on how CTA will be involved, please visit http://www.cta.org/en/Parents-and-Community/Read-Across-America/California-Reads.aspx
Website updates – cta.org now uses google search analytics (which is a good thing) and the mobile site is up and running – please check it out on your cell phone.
The CARS+ Convention will be held in Irvine this year. The dates are

Members are encouraged to apply to serve on the Curriculum Framework and Evaluation Criteria Committee at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/sc/cf/
Organizing Academy – is scheduled for April 4th through the 6th.

February 28 through March 2, www.carsplus.org

Members are encouraged to attend the 53rd Annual Conference of the California Council of Social Studies at the Sheraton Gateway on March 7 – 9, 2014. Registration information is available at http://www.ccss.org/ and by clicking on annual conference.
California School Psychologists Association (CASP), Josie Meza Malik;

www.casponline.org shared that the CASP’s Spring Institute 2014 is scheduled for March 13 & 14, 2014 at the Hyatt Regency, Santa Clara. Deadline for early registration is February 24, 2014. Ahead of the Curve: Autism, Mental Health and PBIS are the theme of this year’s spring event. Autism specialist Dr. Ivor Weiner has been added to the list of presenters. His six hour workshop will focus on “Addressing the Social Communication Challenges of Students with Autism”.

10. The NEA/RA delegate candidacy form is available online at www.cta.org and in the December edition of the California Educator. Candidacy forms are due January 31st by 5:00 p.m

11. The draft ELA/ELD Curriculum Frameworks by grade level can be found at

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/rl/cf/elaeldfrmwrkchptrs2014.asp . After reviewing the framework members should go to the Department of Education survey to provide comments. The survey can be accessed at http://surveys.cde.ca.gov/surveylogin.asp?k=138677921630

12. CTA/NEA Retired continues to advocate for changes in the Social Security Offsets (GPO and WEP.) Use the www.nea.org/socialsecurity for legislative updates.