CASBO School Business Fall 2022

California Association of School Business Officials

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4 California School Business Fall 2022

CONTENTS

Volume 87 Number three Fall 2022

9

CHECKING IN Getting comfortable with uncertainty Tatia Davenport

11

BOTTOM LINE The leadership skill that’s free, but oh so valuable Diane Deshler

12

GUEST FEATURE Setting career priorities when everything is uncertain Nihar Chhaya

19

IN FOCUS MEMBER Paramjeet Kaur

21

IN FOCUS ASSOCIATE MEMBER Darin Ditmar

24

INTERVIEW Melissa D. Wood Special ed director and school psychologist discusses how leaders can support their teams’, teachers’ mental health Julie Phillips Randles

32

COVER FEATURE What’s next for edtech?

8 tips for making the most of the tech you have, preparing for the next interruption Jennifer Fink

42

FEATURE New generation CTE Skill gaps and an ever-increasing need for technical skills make providing CTE pathways critical Jill Scofield

24 12

42

California School Business casbo.org 5

ABOUT CASBO The California Association of School Business Officials is the premier resource for professional development in all aspects of school business.

Founded in 1928, CASBO serves more than 24,000 members by providing certifications and training, promoting business best practices, and creating opportunities for professional collaboration.

CASBO members represent every facet of school business management and operations. The association offers public school leaders an entire career’s worth of growth opportunities.

CASBO MISSION As the recognized authority in California school business, CASBO is a member-driven association that promotes ethical values; develops exceptional leaders; advocates for, and supports the needs of, members; and sets the standard for excellence through top-quality professional development and mentorship, meaningful collaboration and communication, and unparalleled innovation.

CASBO BY DESIGN For the past 16 years, CASBO has been dedicated to the organizational planning discipline as a method for guiding the association into a successful future. Last year, the association completed its sixth such plan, CASBO by Design 2.0, a living, breathing document that guided the association in its long-term planning process, which is grassroots in nature, invigorating in procedure and motivating in outcome.

Work on our next strategic plan began in 2021.

Publisher Tatia Davenport Editor in chief Joyce Tribbey Features editor Julie Phillips Randles Contributors Jennifer Fink Nicole Krueger Jill Scofield Art Director Sharon Adlis Ad Production Tracy Brown

CASBO OFFICERS President Diane Deshler Lafayette School District President-elect Tina Douglas San Dieguito Union High School District Vice president Eric Dill Carlsbad Unified School District Immediate past president Richard De Nava San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools

Advertising sales manager Cici Trino Association Outsource Services, Inc. P.O. Box 39 Fair Oaks, CA 95628 (916) 961-9999

CASBO has long been committed to organizational planning because the approach has consistently helped the association envision its future and determine the clear steps to get there. The road map that strategic planning provides has allowed CASBO to remain focused on its unique mission, goals and objectives and to respond effectively to a continually changing environment.

For more information on CASBO by Design, visit casbo.org > CASBO + You > About > CASBO By Design.

California School Business (ISSN# 1935-0716) is published quarterly by the California Association of School Business Officials, 1001 K Street, 5th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 447-3783. Periodicals postage paid at Sacramento and at additional mailing office. Submit address changes online by logging into your account profile at casbo.org.

Stay connected casbo.org

Articles published in California School Business are edited for style, content and space prior to publication. Views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent CASBO policies or positions. Endorsement by CASBO of products and services advertised in California School Business is not implied or expressed.

Copyright 2022 CASBO. All rights reserved. The contents of the publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Published September 2022

6 California School Business Fall 2022

California School Business casbo.org 7

8 California School Business Fall 2022

CHECKING IN

Getting comfortable with uncertainty Have you ever had something on your mind and, suddenly, you start seeing it everywhere? Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea of uncertainty.

The health and well-being of friends and family, the future of public education, the economy. There’s no shortage of reasons to feel uncertain. So we study a steady stream of reports and charts and trends hoping that what we know will fill the gap between our future state(s) and that nagging feeling of certainty.

With uncertainty on my mind, I saw a sign that read, “The less we know, the more we learn.” I repeated that to myself a few times.

Maybe the problems we need to solve right now – like declining enrollment, ongoing funding and preparing for the next interruption in education – should be solved by learning versus seeking to know for certain. What if we embraced problem-solving (and in turn certainty creation) through dialogue, not just data.

Yes, using data can drive better decision-making, but numbers alone can’t paint the entire picture when it comes to shaping strategy, particularly strategies aimed at those things that make us feel uncertain. Data can’t describe the human narrative and the stories that surely impact those figures.

So we know to expect a certain percentage decline in enrollment, but what are the five questions we’re not clear about or that haven’t been asked? What dots do we need to connect? And how will we answer those together?

Maybe we can drive through uncertainty by improving these skills: 1. Increasing our comfort with ambiguity. We don’t have to pretend that uncertainty is desirable. But we can begin viewing it as a chance to use our natural skills, particularly our ability to handle complex topics, problem-solve and think deeply. We’re not reacting to the problems we face, we’re responding to them.

2. Being wildly inquisitive and curious. Curiosity drives us to ask what, why, who, when, where and how to get at the deeper level of understanding. Questions don’t scare curious people.

3. Tapping into collective intelligence. Our ability to solve daily and complex problems faster and with more creativity is key for our local education agencies. That’s the power of collective intelligence – it enables school business professionals to solve complex problems quickly, and thus drive innovation in everyday situations.

By combining our mutual intelligence – the data-driven and the human side of story and context – we can properly execute on what we believe is a good strategy. And feeling we have a good strategy reduces uncertainty.

The CASBO community is made up of experts who know what to do when uncertainty rears its head. They know how to navigate it, and they’re willing to share their intelligence and solutions. Sound like you? Reach out to me so we can unpack even more ways for members to get comfortable with their ability to navigate any uncertainty that arises. z z z

Tatia Davenport CEO California School Business casbo.org 9

10 California School Business Fall 2022

BOTTOM LINE

4 ways to appreciate, recognize your colleagues AS LEADERS, we instinctively know the

If there’s one thing the pandemic taught us, it’s the value of our personal relationships and the importance of staying connected.

value of appreciation and recognition when it comes to creating an environment of high-performing, loyal and energized teams. And we can’t forget that appreciation and recognition go a long way toward retaining employees – a critical issue these days.

But these two concepts aren’t interchangeable – there’s an important distinction between the two – although there’s no denying both are helpful ways to provide team members with a boost.

Appreciation acknowledges the intrinsic value a person brings to the table. It recognizes who they are, what makes them special and gives a nod to their value as an individual. It helps the employee feel “seen,” and makes them feel truly connected to you as a leader and the important work they’re doing.

Recognition is positive feedback on an action or specific performance – a verbal thanks, an email or note on a task or project done well – a tangible way of honoring a job well done. This, too, raises spirits, engenders loyalty and simply makes the person feel good and supported.

Don’t we all want to feel both seen and appreciated?

A few simple ways to show appreciation and recognition are to: 1. Be specific in telling someone what you value about them and the impact they have in your environment. “I appre-

ciate your calm manner in high-stress situations; it diffuses the negative energy and allows us to focus on resolving the issue at hand.”

2. Listen attentively. When someone is speaking or sharing something with you, and you listen attentively, it’s validating. You can use details they shared to find another opportunity to later show your appreciation (send them an article that relates to what they shared with you), which shows you were listening.

3. Check in. If there’s one thing the pandemic taught us, it’s the value of our personal relationships and the importance of staying connected. It’s a simple way to show them you value the relationship.

4. Set aside a few minutes each week to write that note or send that email or text recognizing your team members’ hard work. Or go even bigger and have an awards ceremony or host a special meal.

As we all work to recruit talent and keep the employees we have so that we can, in turn, support our students, let’s remember to honor our teams with both appreciation and recognition. It’s worth the effort – and you’ll find joy in honoring your colleagues! z z z

Diane Deshler President

California School Business casbo.org 11

Setting career priorities when everything is uncertain

By Nihar Chhaya

Since the pandemic, companies are still trying to figure out many factors that affect their employees’ careers, from deciding on the right remote work policies or their use of contingent workers over full-time employees to stemming the tide of the Great Resignation. A recent study showed that not only is employee turnover

still on the rise, but people are also more willing than before to quit their company without another job lined up. And whether you are the one leaving or remaining, your career stability is undoubtedly affected.

You may worry that your career will become directionless with all this volatility. But here are four tips that can help you not only weather the uncertainty around you, but even find a way to leverage it for your future benefit.

Take advantage of uncertain times to sharpen your long-term career plans.

When things feel steady and predictable, there is no urgency to do any genuine

12 California School Business Fall 2022

introspection about your future. And career certainty may feel good at the moment, but can also keep you from operating at your highest potential.

Instability can be an impetus to strengthen your career dexterity for the long run. Consider how most people wait to rethink their future until after a crisis, like being laid off or wanting to quit your company due to a toxic workplace.

At that point, it’s challenging to gain the necessary self-insight before making

decisions out of desperation. Instead, invest in your career development while you still have a sense of control and choice so you can stay clear-headed and act in your best interest.

A client of mine, a VP at a Fortune 100 company, found her plans to advance were disrupted when several of her staunchest advocates left to take on new roles elsewhere. She also was being courted by other companies, but the idea of having to be back on the market

GUEST FEATURE

intensely frustrated her. Initially, she decided to show up, do her job and not worry about her future. But soon, keeping the instability “out of sight and out of mind” became impossible.

So we decided to use the precarious events as a time for introspection and self-assessment, something she hadn’t done in years. In addition to using some formal career discovery tools, we looked at her situation from a different lens: her future self as a senior vice president.

What would she tell her current self today about feeling helpless and avoidant?

My client started to notice that she could make an effort to develop more relationships with key stakeholders. She also decided she didn’t need to look at external opportunities as a burden, but rather a validation that she has a lot to offer at any company. Perhaps there was no harm in pursuing leads and no obligation to do anything with them.

By taking a step back during a time of unwelcome instability, this executive came up with a strategy that moved her forward intentionally, rather than letting circumstances out of her control disempower her.

Uncover who you need to be, not just what you need to do.

Recent research shows that two-thirds of employees felt the pandemic caused them to reflect on their purpose in life, and that 70% of employees see their purpose defined by their work. The result is a sea change in how today’s job seekers are leading their careers with more intention, and how companies need to respond in their selection and advancement decisions.

Think about how career advancement has always been about building your resume, with more activities and quantifiable results in each experience.

This focus is still important, but it’s relentlessly centered on what you’ve done, not who you are.

To be successful in today’s changing work environment, particularly as a leader who inspires performance, you need to know who you need to “be,” not just a list of what you can do.

I worked with a former director at a Fortune 500 company who left his company at the height of the pandemic.

After doing extensive self-discovery work uncovering his values and where his aptitude could be of higher service in the world, he felt an undeniable urge to become an entrepreneur, and not just on the side.

Rather than simply making more to-do lists, he thought about who he needed to be to succeed as an entrepreneur and how he wanted others to feel in his presence. My client knew that his values were a steady anchor amid the uncertainty that he could rely on, simply because when he honored them, his mood was up, and when he didn’t, he felt drained.

Just by tapping into who my client needed to “be” rather than what he needed to do each day, he was able to sustain motivation and resilience in the face of daily changes.

Focus on process, not outcomes and your passion will find you.

In addition to the stability your deepest values bring, you can create certainty by focusing on processes rather than the shakiness of outcomes. Not only will this give you a sense of control, but it also increases the likelihood of successful results in something that can then generate more passion in you to keep contributing.

For instance, establish a few career behaviors that generally have a positive

influence on your leadership impact and advancement potential. Examples may include: contributing or asking something insightful in every team meeting; taking on a stretch opportunity beyond your role every quarter; meeting a key stakeholder for coffee every week; introducing yourself to two new contacts every week; offering a strategic and revenue-impacting idea to leadership every month; and acknowledging a coworker for something helpful they did, every day.

Then, make it your goal to demonstrate these behaviors on schedule, whether you feel like it that day or not. The idea is to focus on the “leading indicators” of career success, which are those actions over which you have full command to experiment with, rather than the “lagging indicators,” which are unpredictable and apparent only after you’ve achieved the goal, such as a promotion or a new job.

The advantage of concentrating on the process of your work and career is that it helps shape your identity as a valued contributor no matter what happens.

And as your self-perception improves, your intrinsic motivation increases, leading you to offer more of your talents to those that need them.

As mentioned at the outset, some years you’ll be the one celebrating the promotion, and other times you’ll be the one frustrated about having to report to a new boss. Many high achievers get disillusioned with their career during these ups and downs. They impulsively make decisions hoping for better outcomes, at times checking out completely, believing there must be something else out there more aligned with their passions.

But as studies have shown, following your passion is not only overrated, it can limit your career capital, which is

California School Business casbo.org 13

Setting career priorities when everything is uncertain knowledge, network and mastery of skills that will make you attractive to employers. So in these uncertain times, it’s better to commit to a steady set of career behaviors and focus on consistency and refinement as you get closer to your desired outcomes. You will either achieve the initial career goals you had, or at least develop the self-efficacy and resilience to guide your career toward a new offering of value.

Develop learning agility to keep ahead of future change.

Assessing your values, working from intention and investing in the process of doing great work are all vital for a successful career amidst change. But these factors primarily rely on who you already are.

One more factor is critical for your long-term success because it relates to how you evolve, namely how you learn.

It’s called learning agility, and develop-

14 California School Business Fall 2022

ing it will help you not only stay relevant in your career but outperform in an everchanging world.

People who measure high in learning agility manage their career with a readiness to adapt, stay curious, are reflective, minimize defensiveness and unlearn deeply held mental models to make room for more purposeful ones.

And research shows that high learning agility is significantly correlated with highly positive career objectives, from compensation to promotion frequency, proximity to the CEO and perceptions of leadership competence.

Start to develop your learning agility with a simple reflection practice.

End each day with a 10-minute journaling exercise where you ask yourself three questions: Did I experience and show genuine curiosity today? Was I defensive today, holding tightly to my perspectives? Did I learn anything new

today or challenge my past beliefs?

In time, looking at the patterns of your reflection journal will naturally open your eyes to opportunities to shift your mental models and behavior for future growth.

The high level of uncertainty around us right now may increase even more in the future. And with such instability, you may find it challenging to excel in your career now and plan for next steps. But by following these strategies, you can better empower yourself to lead a longstanding career that is both successful and personally fulfilling. z z z A version of this article appeared in the Jan. 7, 2022, issue of Harvard Business Review. Reprinted with permission. ©2022 Harvard Business School Publishing Corp.

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IN FOCUS

Paramjeet Kaur She’s living a life of passion and purpose – with a little help from above

By Nicole Krueger

Photography by Hope Harris

Paramjeet Kaur firmly believes she wouldn’t be where she is today without divine intervention.

In her case, the divine help arrived in the form of chickenpox a few days before her school exams.

As a student in India, her score on exams would determine which field of study she qualified for. An A grade would open the door to a science-based career, such as medicine or engineering. A B grade would gain her admission into the world of commerce as an accountant or economist.

Back then, Kaur’s parents expected her to pursue her career in science. But she had a passion for numbers and wanted to work in accounting.

“Numbers have been my passion since the beginning, as long as I can remember,” she says. “But I was worried I was an A student.”

Then the chicken pox hit her a day before her exam. Isolated from the rest of the students, Kaur had to take her exams in a separate room. As her symptoms arose, she had trouble focusing during the test and ended up with a B. That grade set her on the path toward the career she coveted – and

her current job as coordinator of internal business services for the Sutter County Superintendent of Schools.

“I wanted to work in education,” says Kaur, whose father spent every penny he had to put his four daughters through higher education. “Education is the most powerful weapon. I think education is the foundation for a better world.”

Despite having a master’s degree in accounting, Kaur didn’t land a district/county job right away. She worked as an accountant in the private sector for a decade before joining the staff at Sutter County.

“God helped me with that,” the CASBO member says of her career path. But that wasn’t the last time Kaur, a Sikh, would perceive God’s hand on the steering wheel.

Her next blessing had to do with her second passion: Punjabi folk dance. Her parents, who wanted her to focus on her studies, didn’t allow her to dance while she was in school. But Kaur pursued the hobby anyway, participating in college-level competitions.

After completing her education, Kaur left India in 2001 to be with her husband, Harjeet Singh, who was living in the U.S..

Back then, arranged marriages were normal. Kaur had faith her parents would find her a good man, but deep down she was hoping for a husband who would not only let her pursue her passions in life, but would also share them with her.

“I remember meeting my husband for the first time, and the very first question he asked me was if I knew how to dance.” Kaur recalls. “After hearing those words, I felt immensely grateful and happy.”

Fast forward to the future, Kaur and her husband have been teaching Bhangra, a traditional Punjabi folk dance, in the greater Sacramento area for 20-plus years.

“I feel so lucky. I get to share my passion with my husband and continue teaching the younger generations about our culture and traditions.” Kaur says. A few years ago, they were featured in a Sacramento PBS TV station’s documentary about Central Valley artists who have continued the traditions of their homelands.

“We enjoy doing this. Working with and for the community gives us the importance of humility and selfless service.” z z z

California School Business casbo.org 19

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IN FOCUS

Darin Ditmar Nothing makes him happier than serving others

By Nicole Krueger

Photography by Hope Harris

Growing up just minutes from Disneyland, which he once visited 360 days in a single year, Darin Ditmar learned a few things about service.

Although he watched the park change drastically over time, one thing that never budged was the inspirational attitude of Disneyland’s employees.

“They have such a great service attitude,” says the former accountant, who picked up a second job working at the theme park’s main entrance during the recession more than a decade ago. “They create magic, for people. I’d say 98% of Disneyland people buy into it and want to create that magic, too. Everybody loves Disneyland so much it carries over into the work.”

As a TPA relationship specialist for SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, which serves as a third-party administrator for school district retirement plans, Ditmar now creates a different sort of magic for his clients – but his passion for service remains the same.

“We just want to provide the best service possible to as many school employees as possible,” he says. “We do it at no

cost to the district. We’re just here to help.

I love it.”

Helping district employees access their retirement benefits is a far cry from his previous career in outside sales, which required him to make door-to-door cold calls at businesses that often had “no soliciting” signs posted, hoping to rustle up enough clients to feed his young family.

“It was a rough, rough go,” he recalls.

“Now when I walk into a district and they don’t know who we are or what we do, there’s no pressure on me. I walk in and say, ‘How can we help? We would love to partner with you. Here’s what we do and how we do it.’ ” Finding a job that felt like the right fit wasn’t easy for Ditmar, who initially planned on becoming an accountant and spending most of his life in a cubicle. But it turned out he was too friendly for cubicle work and kept getting in trouble for talking to his co-workers. He pivoted to sales, hoping it might provide a better outlet for his personable nature. For a while he even ran a business with his wife providing fundraising supplies – such as chocolate bars and wrapping paper – to schools.

It wasn’t until eight years ago, when he landed at SchoolsFirst, a CASBO Premier Plus Partner, that he felt he’d truly found his niche.

“The cool thing about the credit union is they have the same servant’s attitude,” he says. “Serving school employees and their families is our priority, and it’s where my heart is, too. That’s what I get jazzed up about. When I walk away and they’re super happy, I know I gave as much of myself as I could.” z z z

California School Business casbo.org 21

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INTERVIEW

Melissa D. Wood Special ed director and school psychologist discusses how leaders can support their teams’, teachers’ mental health

By Julie Phillips Randles

As the world throws its worst at us some days, Melissa D. Wood, president of the California Association of School Psychologists (CASP), has accepted the role of helping people navigate their way through just about anything that lands in their laps.

Even President Joe Biden called out tackling mental health in his 2022 State of the Union Address. But things like mass shootings, hate speech, coverage of foreign wars, COVID and California wildfires all play a role in the mental stress our teams carry on their shoulders when they walk into their offices, classrooms or cafeterias, or take a seat behind the wheel of buses.

Wood is an excellent candidate to lead this solutions-based charge. She spent seven years in the middle school and high school classrooms at the begin-

ning of her career, after graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 2003 with a bachelor’s in history and a single-subject teaching credential. She has taught everything from physical education to English, math, science and geography.

Wood has a history of saying “yes” to where she is needed to make an impact. She holds a Master of Education in technology from Grand Canyon University and an MS in school psychology from National University in Bakersfield, California. She worked as a school psychologist and director of special education at Taft City School District before accepting a position as the Kern County Consortium Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) coordinator in October 2019. Currently, she is working as the director of special education programs for the Panama

Buena Vista Union School District in Bakersfield.

Thanks to her unique background and hands-on experience, we reached out to Wood to discuss how leaders can evaluate which employees may be quietly struggling, and exactly what districts can do to meet the mental health needs in their organizations.

What advice would you give your 10-year-old self?

I would tell my 10-year-old self that achieving total perfection is not necessary to be successful in life. I was very much a perfectionist as a child, and sort of still am, and I worried a lot about life choices, making mistakes and letting people down.

Today, I’d assure that little girl that everything was going to be OK, and that

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Melissa D. Wood

it’s fine to make mistakes because that’s how we learn.

How should a leader go about measuring/evaluating the mental well-being of their staff?

In my experience, just having a desire to get to know my staff has really helped me identify the areas where they might be struggling.

The very first step is building rapport with your staff. In my experience, just having a desire to get to know my staff has really helped me identify the areas where they might be struggling. I’m not only getting to know them to evaluate their mental health, but as I’m getting to know them as people, I’m noticing more and more things about my staff as a whole.

So as you’re building that foundation and establishing yourself as an empathetic leader, you’re going to have space to discuss important things as needed.

Education has been stressful for the last two or three years. And for me, just letting staff know that they can come into my office and shut the door, and even if it’s just for five minutes to vent and be heard, has been incredibly beneficial.

And this comes after getting to know them as people and coming to understand what they need.

Often, we just accept the idea that life is stressful without realizing it might be more. What should a person look for (in themselves and in others) to know they are not in a good place?

When we see in others or ourselves that stress is taking over and preventing us from enjoying the things that we previously found relaxing or joyful, that’s a red flag. For example, personally, I know that stress is taking over when I’m not sleeping well or I’m not doing the things that bring me joy, like exercising, playing with my kids, or making plans with friends. Instead, I’m allowing those stressful events to take over every aspect of my life.

26 California School Business Fall 2022

Stress is part of life and we have to learn how to cope with stress. But when the stress from our job or the stress from any aspect of our lives starts to invade those other happy areas of our personal lives, that’s when it becomes a problem.

What if you observe that someone at work is not mentally healthy, but they don’t see it themselves? How should your organization go about that conversation (or does it)? If it does, who should have the discussion with that person?

I think it goes back to the rapport you have established with your staff. If you’re in a place where you know your staff and you feel comfortable, the conversation might sound like, “Hey I’ve noticed that you seem stressed. What do you think?”

As a director, the first thing I try to do is to ensure that I’m giving staff what they need to manage their caseloads or jobs appropriately. Because sometimes I can immediately intervene to reduce some stress and offer support.

And in the absence of that, it’s about having a conversation and planning with specific staff. And if they’re not yet in a place to see it, it’s important to provide resources that can help address their mental health issues.

A few years ago, I worked with a staff that was very well versed in all the resources available, but when any one of us would get overwhelmed, we had a brochure full of resources that we had created and we would just say, “Do you have any questions about the resource brochure?” and that helped realign our thinking, even if the response was, “No, I’m fine.”

The brochure was something we designed for our community and staff, but we ended up using it as a team because it was about addressing mental

It’s important to provide resources that can help address their mental health issues.

health issues. So it kind of became a code word.

That team had a challenging workload, but leaning on them for support was so beneficial. It was about, as a supervisor, having the kind of rapport with your staff that allows you to have those conversations that are very honest, sensitive and kind about what you’re seeing, and then just offering support.

Asking “What do you need for me as your supervisor?” is sometimes music to their ears. It can really help alleviate stress when they know they have someone to lean on.

This is best coming from the team’s immediate supervisor. For me, as a director, I want to have those conversations; I don’t want anyone else to have this conversation with my staff. I care for my staff and I want to be sure that I’m provi-

ding the help they need, and running it up the chain of command or giving that to someone else makes it less authentic and takes the power away from these conversations.

When I’m seeing something in my staff, additional conversations might sound like, “What can I do for you? Or what resources can I provide you?” And letting them know that I’m there for them as a resource as well.

We know that employee well-being is crucial to organizational health.

Organizations simply can’t function effectively with struggling and suffering workers. What are three initial steps districts can take to be sure they’re meeting their team’s mental health needs?

The first thing that districts must do is ensure that staff has what they need to

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Melissa D. Wood

What I’ve found, particularly when it comes to teachers, is that it’s important to bring them in as stakeholders when creating a plan.

28 California School Business Fall 2022

meet the mark. In the case of teachers, for example, they had to make an incredible pivot in the last couple of years, and it’s been very challenging. There was just this incredible ask of teachers without, in some cases initially, being able to lend a lot of support.

If we’re asking staff to do X, Y and Z, we need to be sure they have the support necessary to produce the outcomes we’re expecting.

Second, we need to be sure they know who to go to for support when needed. It sounds pretty simple, but staff sometimes feel like they don’t know who to go to, and they kind of feel hopeless.

Third, ident ify ing t he act ual resources out there that can support staff if they’re experiencing a little bit more stress than usual, or they need a little bit more support. What do those resources

look like, because when you’re in the moment and trying to find them yourself, it’s almost impossible.

Some organizations have reduced work hours or offered more flexibility to improve employee well-being, yet recent Gallup research found that fewer than one in four U.S. employees felt strongly that their employer cared about their well-being – the lowest percentage in nearly a decade. How can leaders turn that statistic around?

In what ways have you seen that adding more workplace flexibility successfully contributes to improvement in how employees view their employers’ concern for their well-being?

This is tough because sometimes in education, we can’t always offer a lot of flexibility. But what I’ve found, partic-

ularly when it comes to teachers, is that it’s important to bring them in as stakeholders when creating a plan. They’re more receptive – even if the answer isn’t exactly what they want – if they’ve had some input in terms of how this will be rolled out, or created or managed.

An EdWeek Research Center survey conducted earlier this year found that the most common step among district and school leaders to address staff mental health needs was offering professional development on selfcare. Many teachers say sessions on superficial self-care – like breathing exercises, yoga, and reminders to take a bubble bath or go for a walk – are no substitute for the kind of broader, systemic change that would keep them from feeling that their jobs have become untenable. What long-term, organization-wide solutions can leaders implement that go beyond offering individual employees a self-care, band-aid approach?

What I’ve found in the districts I’ve worked in is that teachers just want to make sure that they have enough support. And in addition, that we’re not overloading their classrooms and that they, in the case of special education for example, have enough paraprofessionals in the room to support them in what they’re doing.

In general, teachers don’t want to be inundated with meetings and other training unless these programs pertain to what they’re doing in the classroom.

And it makes sense; their time is very precious. They’re planning their grading, evaluating, instructing – so we want to make sure that any kind of activity that we ask them to be pulled away from the classroom for is incredibly beneficial and pertains to what they’re doing in the classroom with their students.

And then we need to make sure that they have enough support to implement the new ideas or curriculum, and that they have the training and support to make sure that any rollout is clean. And in terms of “self-care,” I’ve heard from a number of teachers that things like yoga are great, but that’s not going to address the issue.

I think school leaders need to ask themselves, “Does the three- to five-year vision for my district include a plan for supporting staff at all levels in the district?” Basically, are we planning accordingly in terms of what’s right for students and the district in terms of growth or declining enrollment? And then asking whether the site administrators and teachers have the tools they need. It’s about ensuring we have a plan that works for the long haul.

It’s about ensuring we have a plan that works for the long haul.

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Melissa D. Wood

Mental health resources Melissa Wood, CASP president and director of special education programs for the Panama Buena Vista Union School District, recommends these mental health resources to school leaders: • Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength and Happiness.

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration website: findtreatment.samhsa.gov/.

• Mental Health America website: mhanational.org/.

• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline website: fcc.gov/988-suicide-andcrisis-lifeline.

30 California School Business Fall 2022

A study by RAND found that positive school environments where educators are involved in decision-making and feel supported are linked with better educator well-being and a decreased likelihood of quitting. Teachers and principals also told RAND researchers that positive relationships with their colleagues help them cope with the stresses of their jobs.

How can district leaders help facilitate those positive relationships?

I think this goes to what leaders’ conversations with staff look like when they’re happy with the way things are going and when they’re not happy. Are you validating their concerns? So, for example, staff might come to me very upset about something in terms of a

change, and that’s OK. I need to allow them the space to vent and be upset and to tell me how they feel. And then how do I approach them and say, “I hear you,” and support them? My approach needs to be empathetic, open and kind.

That’s why, to ensure a positive working environment, I allow them the space in either good times or bad to come to me and communicate how they’re feeling. It can be tricky when things are not going great or they’re frustrated, but we need to still allow them to do that. z z z Julie Phillips Randles is a freelance writer based in Roseville, California.

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California School Business casbo.org 31

32 California School Business Fall 2022

COVER FEATURE

What’s next for edtech?

8 tips for making the most of the tech you have, preparing for the next interruption

By Jennifer Fink Relationships between educators and students are key to student learning. But technology, we’ve also learned, is an essential piece of the puzzle. Amid the uncertainly of the COVID-19 pandemic and various natural disasters, technology helped school leaders support their communities and allowed teachers to connect with students and families.

“Technology is not a luxury and it’s not something that should be taken for granted,” says Andrea Bennett, executive director of California IT in Education (CITE). “It’s as essential as electricity and water when it comes to learning.”

Over the past three years, school districts in California and throughout the U.S. pivoted toward increased use of technology – at times, purchasing whatever equipment was available so they could support distance learning. Teachers, administrators, students and families are arguably now more tech-savvy than ever before, with most now using digital devices regularly.

But now what?

“Most districts now have more devices and technology than they had before, but if they don’t figure out a way to make it useful to their people, it could have just been a big waste of money,” says Carl Fong, chief technology officer for the Orange County Department of Education, a CASBO Organizational Subscriber.

California School Business casbo.org 33

What’s next for edtech?

Without sufficient bandwidth, internet speeds slow way down, and that’s a problem that can inhibit productivity and learning, and exacerbate behavioral issues.

Now is the time to be thoughtful and deliberate. “The quick pivot to distance learning highlighted that there is a difference between what we needed to do because of the coronavirus emergency and what a quality distance learning program is,” says Thomas Tan, executive director of technology services at Huntington Beach City School District, a CASBO Organizational Subscriber.

It’s time to deliberately deploy the tools at hand, and carefully choose technology that will allow you to meet the needs of your students, families and staff most effectively, now and moving forward. Here’s how:

1. Add bandwidth, if you can All the new devices purchased in recent years + student and staff devices that will likely come into your schools = increased demand for network bandwidth. Without

34 California School Business Fall 2022

sufficient bandwidth, internet speeds slow way down, and that’s a problem that can inhibit productivity and learning, and exacerbate behavioral issues. (Picture 30 students in a classroom waiting for learning software to load.)

Adding access points in classrooms or throughout the school building is not a satisfactory solution. An access point is basically like a stoplight positioned at on ramps to major highways, Fong says – “Only one car can go at a time, but you’ve got 30 or 40 devices all waiting to get on there.”

CBOs and IT leaders need to make the case to school boards that “this is not good for learning,” Fong says. “It’s not good for productivity if we’ve got people waiting to get on the internet.”

He recommends collaborating with school leadership and educational services to determine current network and internet bandwidth needs and projected

needs. Many popular career technical education programs (such as video game design and digital media arts), STEM classes and extracurriculars (think esports) are bandwidth intensive.

Tan suggests working with an E-rate consultant who can help you navigate the federal E-rate program.

2. Plan for tech replacement Right now, most of your hardware is probably in good shape. That will change quickly.

“Most laptops have a lifespan of four to five years before the batteries start to fail to hold a charge and wear out from use, damage and loss,” Tan says. And while many districts were able to purchase a lot of technology between 2020 and 2022, thanks to an infusion of funds from the federal and state government, districts can’t count on external support to replace this batch of technology when it fails.

Create a technology replacement plan and budget accordingly. IT leaders and CBOs may need to convince school boards to allocate funds to tech replacement, CITE’s Bennett says, noting that, when budgets need to be trimmed, “the first areas that get cut are the areas that are perceived to be as far away from the classroom as possible, and traditionally, IT has been seen in that way.” IT staff need to emphasize the fact that technology is now indispensable to learning.

S h e re c o m m e n d s i n t e g r a t i n g technology – and technology replacement – into district Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs).

3. Emphasize cybersecurity Some of the apps your teachers are using with their students may be cybersecurity risks. Many easily accessible educational

applications don’t comply with national and state privacy laws, and if your educators are using them, your district is at risk.

Your IT staff should work with educational services to compile a list of all apps being used districtwide. If your district is a member of the Student Data Privacy Consortium (SDPC), you can then cross-check that list with the SPDC Resource Registry, a database of applications are compliant with privacy laws.

(As of January 2022, access to the registry is restricted to members.)

To protect student data and district privacy, staff should only use software and apps from vendors that have signed the national data privacy agreement. That means IT staff must educate teachers and instructional staff about the importance of data privacy – and why they must consider it, Bennett says. (The 2022 Illuminate Education data breach that exposed the data of three million current and former students may be a useful case study.)

Some of the apps your teachers are using with their students may be cybersecurity risks.

California School Business casbo.org 35

What’s next for edtech?

Districts should also set up a workflow process to evaluate apps educators are interesting in using in the classroom.

4. Aim for interoperability Teachers need ongoing training when it comes to technology.

36 California School Business Fall 2022

Interoperability is “the seamless, secure, and controlled exchange of data between applications,” according to Project Unicorn, an organization dedicated to improving interoperability in K-12 education.

That’s not currently the norm in most school districts. EdSurge, an independent education technology information resource and community, notes that “In education … interoperability has lagged behind other industries and services.

Data is fragmented across different systems that don’t ‘speak’ to one another.”

That’s a problem, particularly in an era of massive educator shortages. Moving forward, look for technology that works with your existing technology; tools that work together can increase productivity and learning and decrease frustration.

“As you consider ed tech selection, it’s really critical to consider interoperability,” says Mindy Frisbee, senior director of learning partnerships for the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). “Look at, how does this resource or tool work within my technical system? And can I share data privately?”

Project Unicorn has an interoperability rubric districts can use to evaluate tech tools. You can also look for vendors that have signed the Project Unicorn Interoperability Certification.

5. Invest in professional development

Purchasing technology is just a first step.

“Teachers need ongoing training when it comes to technology,” Bennett says. “We need to make sure they know how to integrate it into their lessons.”

Orange County’s Fong agrees: “We can give teachers all the technology that exists today, but the PD for them to learn it and be able to instruct students with it, that’s the key.”

Investing time and resources into helping staff learn how to best use available tools will ultimately be more effective than scouring the internet for the “best edtech.”

6. Establish a system to evaluate tech tools

Tech tools aren’t one-size-fits-all. Your district’s needs (and goals) may be quite different than your neighboring districts’, so the tools you use should be as well.

Tan, from Huntington Beach City, recommends asking and answers to questions before searching for new tech: • What problem are you trying to solve?

• What opportunities are you trying to create?

Your answers to those questions will help you focus your attention. “From there, you can have the curricular discussion, look at assessment data and look at standards across grade levels,” Tan says.

“Then, with a small group of teachers, administrators and students, you can see what technology services, programs, software and equipment meet your needs.”

Teacher input is absolutely essential.

“There are two things I cannot buy – teacher time and teacher enthusiasm,” Tan says. “If technology can help teachers save time and bring joy to their teaching

Resources to guide your edtech next steps If these eight tips for deploying the tech you have and making great tech choices in the future have made you think about shortfalls in your district, here are some resources to guide your next steps.

• Read a case study on the Illuminate Education data breach at bit.ly/3zXmSZg. • Check out the Project Unicorn Interoperability Rubric at projectunicorn.org/project-unicorn-rubric.

• See which edtech providers have signed the Project Unicorn Interoperability Certification at projectunicorn.org/interoperability-certification.

• Check out the Butte County Office of Education Information Technology Disaster Recovery Plan at bit.ly/3cYvZzI. • Get the Better Edtech Buying for Educators, a resource from ISTE and Project Unicorn that provides insight and guidance on edtech decisionmaking, and outlines how leaders and educators can work together to make more informed purchasing decisions at bit.ly/3ddqtJX.

and learning to their students, then that is the way to go. Conversely, if it’s destroying teacher time and enthusiasm, the tech needs to be re-evaluated.”

7. Strengthen stakeholder relationships

Recent wildfires and natural disasters underscored the importance of cooperation between schools, communities and families. Continue to strengthen and nurture those connections. Some students and families still don’t have reliable internet access. Community partnerships will be essential to expanding access and maintaining student privacy.

Students “can go to Starbucks or Taco Bell and do their homework, but

California School Business casbo.org 37

What’s next for edtech?

that network may not be safe,” Bennett noes. She recommends working with community partners to implement safeguards.

Community partnerships will be essential to expanding access and maintaining privacy.

38 California School Business Fall 2022

8. Review emergency

preparedness plans

Schedule time to review your district and site emergency preparedness plan.

Is technology adequately addressed?

Every district should have an up-to-date disaster recovery plan that includes technology deployment and support.

If yours does not, check out the plans recently developed by Butte County and Sacramento County, available online.

Don’t simply create a plan and file it away either. Review it and discuss it on a regular basis.

“This needs to be something that’s talked about at the district level, not just in the IT department, so that everyone understands what it means, especially when it comes to technology, ” Bennett says, “because technology is the only thing that ‘s going to keep everybody talking and learning, if possible.” z z z Jennifer Fink is a freelance writer based in Mayville, Wisconsin.

What tip would you add to our list?

Tweet us at @CASBO to let us know.

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New generation CTE

42 California School Business Fall 2022

FEATURE

California School Business casbo.org 43

New generation CTE

Skills gaps and an ever-increasing need for technical skills make providing CTE pathways critical

By Jill Scofield

Book knowledge is one thing, but the soft skills and technical skills, those are shortages that our business and industry partners are seeing, especially in the STEM fields.

44 California School Business Fall 2022

When Sudha Venkatesan, Ed.D., talks about the future of career and technical education (CTE) at her school district, the excitement she exudes is almost contagious.

“Cyber security. Virtual reality.

Artificial intelligence pathways. These are areas that students naturally want to engage in, and these are also areas that lead to jobs of the future,” says the director of San Bernardino City Unified School District’s Secondary Education Department, a CASBO Organizational Subscriber.

“We try to stay super innovative,” she says about the district’s CTE pathways, adding, “It does require a lot of staff, connections and time.”

San Bernardino City Unified School District has certainly received the recognition to prove its innovative approach is working, including receiving gold certification for five of its CTE pathways and silver certification for seven others from the Linked Learning Alliance, a nationwide coalition of education, industry and community organizations dedicated to increasing equity and empowering young people for college and career success.

San Bernardino’s innovative goldcertified programs include the Digital Design and Communications Academy at Pacific High School; the Digital Media Arts Academy at Arroyo Valley High School; the Business and Logistics Academy at Arroyo Valley High School; the

Construction Opportunities in Renewable Energy (C.O.R.E) at Arroyo Valley High School; and Project Lead the Way Biomedical Science Academy at Pacific High School.

What can other leaders apply in their own districts to build or grow a successful CTE pathway? And perhaps more important, what should districts be doing to prepare for the workforce of the future?

Venkatesan and others with knowledge of the subject have some innovative ideas to share.

Today’s career and technical education CTE as it is currently known has come a long way over the past 105 years.

Federal funding was first earmarked for secondary vocational education in 1917, providing funding to states for education that focused on agriculture, homemaking and trade and industrial education.

The vocational education of the past has evolved into the CTE of today, which provides an educational option for learners to gain the knowledge and skills needed to be prepared for both college and careers through learning real-world skills and practical knowledge.

For Chuck Sandoval, the administrator of curriculum, instruction and accountability at Clovis Unified School District, a CASBO Organizational Subscriber, CTE gives his students a leg up, allowing them to test the waters of the

field or industry they have in mind before determining whether it’s the right path for them.

“Why wait until you think you know what you want to do, and then get down that path and figure out that it isn’t what you thought it would be, or realize it’s not the right position for you?” he asks.

“Our kids who go through CTE are able to learn more about their futures and find out if it’s the right path for them.”

The value of CTE is emphasized by an ongoing skills gap coupled with an increasing need for technical skills required in key industries. In California, 47% of jobs require additional skills training – more education than high school but less than a four-year college degree. Yet only 39% of workers are trained at this level,

according to the “CTE in California” fact sheet from the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE).

“CTE is often looked at historically as you left high school and entered a job,” says Steve DeWitt, deputy executive director for ACTE. “That landscape has changed dramatically. You need some post-secondary education in something like 65% of jobs – and that is certifications, four-year and two-year programs.”

DeWitt’s role at ACTE includes oversight of policy development, advocacy and research activities for the organization, which focuses on promoting CTE’s value related to school improvement and student career readiness. According to ACTE, other benefits of CTE include higher levels of student

California School Business casbo.org 45

New generation CTE

You need to understand what the business community’s needs are.

46 California School Business Fall 2022

engagement and reduced dropout rates; plus an average high school graduation rate of CTE students that outpaces the national average rate – 94% compared to 85%, respectively.

Employers see the value of CTE pathways, too. About 77% of employers from in-demand industries (identified as accounting/banking/finance; construction and architecture; health care and pharmaceuticals; manufacturing; and technology, information technology and telecommunications) report hiring an employee because of knowledge and skills gained from their CTE experience, according to “Shifting the Skills Conversation,” a publication from Advance CTE that summarizes employers’ responses to a survey about their perceptions of CTE.

The key to CTE: Industry relationships For a CTE program to be successful, DeWitt says a district must have strong industry partnerships. “You have to have a strong link to business and industry at the state level, and in local communities as well. You need to understand what the business community’s needs are, and work with them to outline specific sectors where there is a need.”

The benefits of those partnerships go beyond a strong CTE connection for the district, he says. “If you already have the connection with the business community, they are going to advocate for you, and they have a very strong voice that can be stronger than the school dis-

trict’s when it comes to advocating with legislators.”

Clovis Unified and San Bernardino City Unified have 250 and close to 100 industry partners, respectively. These partnerships, once established, require continuous maintenance, according to Chuck Sandoval.

“Twice a year, our CTE teachers have advisory meetings with our industry partners to learn more from industry about what they need and what is evolving within that industry. They tell us what they need in their future employees,” he says.

The communication with industry partners helps elucidate the skills employers are looking for, and how school districts can adapt to meet those needs.

For many employers today, those are primarily soft skills – the mix of social and interpersonal skills that don’t typically come from straight academics. Teamwork, time management, communication and other interpersonal skills are a few examples.

“Communication is key on the job, as are other employability skills. That’s what business and industry are telling us that they need the most. Even students coming from a four-year pathway often don’t have those,” says DeWitt.

“Employers tell us that when employees go through our CTE programs, they understand the soft skills that some people lack when they go to work. Filling out resumes, interviewing, time management, that sort of thing,” adds Sandoval.

F o r Ve n k a t e s a n , t h i s a s p e c t underscores the importance of CTE’s convergence of traditional academics with hands-on learning.

“Book knowledge is one thing, but the soft skills and technical skills, those are shortages that our business and industry partners are seeing, especially in

the STEM fields. In the current world we are living in, there is no way book knowledge alone is sufficient,” she notes.

Funding opportunities In California, a number of state and federal funding mechanisms are available to support CTE pathways.

The state of California sets aside more than $300 million annually that is dispersed through the California Department of Education’s CTE Intensive Grants (CTEIG). Federal funding is also available through the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act – more informally known as Perkins funding – which earmarked $133,555,412 specifically for California CTE programs in fiscal year 2021.

And a new program, Golden State Pathways, sets aside $500 million in the current California state budget for competitive grants to “help students transition from high school to wellpaying, skilled careers.” According to reports on the new funding, this grant program will attempt to bridge existing

These are areas that students naturally want to engage in, and these are also areas that lead to jobs of the future.

California School Business casbo.org 47

New generation CTE

logistics, giving our scholars the ability to have the related training and resources that allows them to make headway in a booming industry,” he says.

“We would be out of the loop if we didn’t go down that road of preparing students to excel in such pathways. Our partnership with Amazon is a specific success story that brings technology and 21st century learning to these educational pathways.”

Where does CTE go from here?

Those strengths that students have, we have to capitalize on in the classroom.

48 California School Business Fall 2022

gaps that currently exist in CTE funding, allowing school districts, charter schools, regional occupational centers or community colleges working in concert with K-12 schools to apply, with prioritization placed on a few general CTE pathways including education, computer science, health care and climate resilience involving STEM. But industry partnerships can also provide a valuable piece of funding for CTE pathways.

“One good example CTE partnerships we see often is when a business or industry has donated expensive equipment that a district cannot afford itself.

Industry will provide that to the district, and in turn there is training or education on that equipment,” says DeWitt.

Marcus Funcess, Ed.D., assistant superintendent of human resources at San Bernardino City Unified School District, notes one such partnership at Cajone High School that does just that.

“Amazon provides grant funding to one of our pathways that is centered on

According to ACTE, the U.S. is facing a projected deficit of 6.5 million skilled workers over the next decade, with key industries and occupations that are facing talent shortages including health care, manufacturing, infrastructure, operations and logistics, information technology and education.

For school districts interested in starting or expanding a robust CTE program, this presents an opportunity to play a role in the local community’s economic growth and recovery, particularly as the economy braces for what’s needed in the post-COVID landscape.

In San Bernardino, bolstering the region’s economic vitality is something that has been a secondary goal of the district’s CTE pathways. “San Bernardino was a community that was thriving 2025 years ago. But industries left,” says Venkatesan, noting that school districts can play a valuable role in a local area’s growth.

“If we develop talent, we attract companies. Every community should aspire to that – to build up the local talent, build a pool of very high-skilled workers. Our goal for our district is to be that catalyst.”

A couple of years ago, San Bernadino City Unified brought CTE and traditional

academic pathways under one roof, so to speak, with the same district leadership overseeing both programs. “Why separate services at the district office?

Give them two different instructions? I feel like the message is now streamlined.

When CTE and other departments are separate, they are not in alignment,” says Venkatesan.

Regardless of what the model looks like within a given district, both Clovis and San Bernardino agree leadership support is key.

“If we didn’t have the support of our superintendent and executive board, we wouldn’t be successful,” notes Sandoval.

As CTE programs continue to shift and address needs of local employers in the post-COVID economy, some factors remain unknown. But for Funchess, CTE

programs have the power to build on students’ strengths in close partnership with industry.

“I had a chance to go to San Francisco recently to visit Cisco Systems, and we talked about the importance of education aligning with the skills, tools and resources that they [students] have at their fingertips. If our scholars who are digital natives utilize certain tools or software, why don’t we make sure they’re utilizing those things in their learning?” he says. “Those strengths that students have, we have to capitalize on in the classroom. If we’re not doing that, we’re not setting kids up for success to enter the workforce.”

If CTE pathways can continue to do just that, both students and parents will see the increasing value of such pro-

grams, says DeWitt of ACTE. “The stigma of CTE is that people think of it existing 50 years ago, but it really is cutting edge.

If parents can better understand that, they will advocate for CTE in their local school districts.” z z z Jill Scofield is a Northern Californiabased freelance writer whose coverage largely focuses on issues affecting higher education, agriculture, membership associations and local government.

What CTE programs are thriving in your district? Share your examples at LinkedIn/CASBO.

California School Business casbo.org 49

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