SCOE Spotlight: September 2021

SCOE Spotlight

Volume 2 Issue 2

N E W S & U PDAT E S F R O M S O L AN O C O U N T Y O F F I C E O F E D U CAT I O N

September 2021

Multi-media

Don’ t miss hyperli nks to videos and more

Year In Review 2020-21 Annual Report

We’re Back!

Reopening School Campuses to In-Person Instruction

Join the Quest!

Solano Outdoor Explorer Quest Gearing Up for Second Course

The

Whole Student

Supporting Students’ Well-Being in a Pandemic

IN THIS ISSUE: Returning to School Campuses Partnerships for Summer Learning Solano Outdoor Explorer Quest 2022-21 Year In Review Supporting Student Wellness The People Behind COVID Vaccine Clinics $13.8 Million Working for Students Solano School Budget and Enrollment Data SCOE Governance 101

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SCOE Spotlight

Solano County Office of Education

Solano County Office of Education’s Priority Areas • High Quality Teaching & Learning Environments • Job Readiness & Skill Development • Education Advocacy & Leadership • Equity & Enrichment for All Students • Student Safety & Wellness • Fiscal Stability for Solano School Districts

SUPERINTENDENT’S CORNER

Supporting Solano Schools Through the COVID-19 Pandemic SCOE was activated by the Solano Office of Emergency Services (Solano OES) in March of 2020, to serve as a liaison and support between Solano Public Health (SPH) and Solano private and public schools. SCOE developed streamlined systems of communication to facilitate answers to the numerous COVID-19 related questions that schools faced. Web pages for COVID-19 guidance information related to schools for educators and community members were created, and school guidance documents were crafted in partnership with SPH to assist educators and families.

The pandemic continues to evolve, and SCOE’s support role for schools and public health in COVID-19 management efforts will likely continue throughout the school year.

Looking back on 2020-21 & re-imagining education looking forward In this issue, we reflect on some of the highlights of the 2020-21 school year, including enrichment events that Solano County Office of Education (SCOE) hosted this summer. What a unique year it was! Despite challenges presented by the pandemic, we continued our work to fulfill SCOE’s vision and mission of preparing pupils for lifelong success and creating opportunities that address the needs of every student.

We are excited to see Solano students back on school campuses for in-person instruction, reconnecting with their teachers, classmates and school communities! The upcoming school year will be challenging without a doubt, and it offers educators across the state an opportunity to reimagine education. The pandemic has forced us out of prior paradigms and inspired educators to innovate remarkable shifts in learning for students. The pandemic has also highlighted opportunity gaps that we know exist for many students. Our schools are committed to embracing new paradigms, rethinking how we meet the unique needs of each individual student, acknowledging and understanding opportunity gaps to remove barriers and leading forward creating positive change for enhanced learning experiences.

The upcoming school year may prove to be the most challenging yet, with COVID-19 still having a foothold.

And yet, educators maintain resilience and press on with optimism for a new era for student learning that supports wellness and inspires lifelong learning.

Lisette Estrella-Henderson Solano County Superintendent of Schools

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SCOE Spotlight 2020-21 Year In Review

We’re Back!

Schools Return to Classrooms Across the County Starting the school year amid the COVID-19 pandemic has presented many challenges to say the least. School district and charter school teams throughout Solano County continue to implement COVID-19 mitigation strategies on school campuses to keep students and staff safe. Aspects of state guidelines for contact tracing, notification, testing and quarantine enforcement are challenging and complex. Adaptability has become a theme for schools amongst ever-changing circumstances and COVID-19 case rates. Yet, Solano schools are excited to see students return to school campuses and a modified sense of normalcy.

SCOE teachers, administrators and staff shared in the excitement of returning to school campuses across the county. The first week of school for SCOE programs was filled with smiles and laughter as we reconnected with students face-to-face.

Students enrolled in SCOE programs start off the school year with smiles

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Community Partnerships

SCOE Spotlight

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Solano County Office of Education

Partnering Together for Summer Learning Community engagement in public school programs and initiatives helps improve the educational experiences for students and families. Community partnerships allow organizations to pool and leverage resources, create opportunities for students, innovate and amplifying the great work happening across Solano County to support Solano students. Collaboration is a guiding principle at Solano County Office of Education, and we recognize and appreciate our community partners who are helping students learn, grow, thrive and achieve lifelong success.

SCOE Spotlight 2020-21 Year In Review

Community Partnerships

Inclusion Film Camp This summer, SCOE partnered with North Bay Regional Center to bring an Inclusion Film Camp to 31 Solano students at no cost to participants. Inclusion Film camps teach teens and young adults with special abilities the principles of film making. Over a two-week session, campers work together in small groups to develop a script, act, and shoot their film with professional support and equipment. The program encourages communication, confidence, and collaboration through acting and digital film making. Fond memories and life skills learned at film camp will carry students for years to come.

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SCOE Spotlight

Solano County Office of Education

Community Partnerships

Join the Quest!

Solano Outdoor Explorer Quest In partnership with the City of Vacaville, Solano Land Trust and Solano Resource Conservation District, Solano County Office of Education has created the Solano Outdoor Explorer Quest to help students get outside and experience science and natural phenomena in the world around them. Our hope is to spark interests in environmental learning and inspire wellness through physical activity and self-motivated exploration.

The Solano Outdoor Explorer Quest is an outdoor treasure hunt, similar to Geocaching®, offering explorers and families the adventure of finding hidden QR codes, referred to as Questcaches. Each Questcache leads to discovery of native plants and animals living in the area through videos and a secret Questcache log to record their discoveries. The Quest is a great opportunity for students to get outside with their families, do some exploring, learn new things and connect with nature and the outdoors.

SCOE’s first Solano Outdoor Explorer Quest course launched this summer at Lagoon Valley Park in Vacaville. The second Quest course is slated to launch this fall at Rush Ranch near Grizzly Island.

Video

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SCOE Spotlight 2020-21 Year In Review

Video

Girls In Robotics Leadership Camp

Students met women who have careers in engineering and other science and technology-related fields. GIRL Camp participants had the opportunity to interact in a career panel discussion with women engineers, students, and other STEM practitioners from ENGIE, Northrop Grumman, and Collins Aerospace.

Community Partnerships

This summer, Solano County Office of Education in partnership with UC Davis Computing-Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (C-STEM) hosted three free virtual Girls in Robotics Leadership (GIRL) camps to middle school girls. Virtual GIRL Camp students are introduced to robotics, principles in engineering, computer science and Ch/C/C++ programing code. As the camp’s name suggests, leadership is a key element of camp with emphasis placed on teamwork, kindness, communication, and strategic thinking.

GIRL Camp also teaches film production, and students create short videos using Linkbots that they program to perform like actors in their videos. Students then showcase their creative video projects and coding skills on the final day of camp to their families, education administrators, and community members.

Lois Cross, Senior District Representative of Congressman John Garamendi; Paul Adler, Valero Benicia Refinery Director of Community Relations and Government Affairs; and Jim Kennon, Director of Benicia Makerspace participated in the culminating activities.

For more information about GIRL Camps, visit www.solanocoe.net/girlcamp or contact SCOE Director of Innovative Programs and Student Success, Lilibeth Pinpin at lpinpin@solanocoe.net or 707-399-4439.

Summer Pre-K Academy In partnership with First 5 Solano Children and Families Commission, Solano County Library and SCOE’s Early Learning Team provided four sessions of a Pre-Kindergarten Academy in Vallejo. This four-week schoolreadiness program is designed to serve children who will be entering kindergarten this year and who have had little or no preschool experience.

First 5 Solano also offered other Pre-K academies throughout Solano County primarily through school districts. The goal of the 2021 Pre-K Academies are to promote school readiness with family engagement, learning, socialization, health and wellness, and resilience-building strategies.

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Solano County Office of Education

2020-21 Year In Review

SCOE Spotlight

Year In Review

Highlights of 2020-21

Learning Through Community Gardens

SCOE’s Juvenile Court and Community Schools and special education programs built garden boxes for learning on the Golden Hills and Irene Larsen campuses. Some students were able to get paid for work experiences through WorkAbility (WAI) funds.

SCOE’s career and technical education (CTE) construction trades class assisted with constructing the wooden planter boxes and expanded their leadership skills by mentoring special education students as they build the gardens together. SCOE is advocating for the flexibility in funding to continue, so that we can continue this paid work experience for our students.

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SCOE Spotlight 2020-21 Year In Review

Graduations & Completions 2020-21 Year In Review

SCOE was honored to celebrate 35 young adults who completed our Transition to Adulthood Program & 20 students who earned their high school diploma from Golden Hills School and Evergreen Academy. We are grateful for our partnership with Solano County Probation that enables us to support our young people on their paths to success. COVID-19 prevented traditional inperson commencement ceremonies, so our young people were cheered into the next phase of life at spirited car parades lined with balloons, signs, family members, friends and SCOE staff. The future is bright for all of our amazing graduates!

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2020-21 Year In Review

SCOE Spotlight

Solano County Office of Education

Solano Youth Resiliency Summit In May of 2021, youth and adults gathered virtually for the 2nd Annual Solano Youth Resiliency Summit. 127 attendees, including 87 middle and high school students and 50 adult allies, participated in the virtual summit.

Keynote Speaker, Javier Sanchez, opened the conference with an inspirational talk about advocacy, using art to create change, and the power of the youth voice.

Students and adults attended various workshops focusing on mental health, human trafficking, alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention, life after high school, suicide prevention and healthy relationships. Closing out the day was Keynote Speaker, Ashanti Branch, who focused on resiliency, mental health and wellness and the importance of being authentic and kind. Both Javier and Ashanti hosted workshops during the day so students could take a deeper dive into their messages and work.

The Youth Resiliency Summit provided students an opportunity and outlet for creating positive change in their communities. They learned how to address topics that directly affect youth and how to engage their peers to become actively involved. It was inspiring to see this many young people come together for their communities.

The summit was hosted by the Solano County Office of Education in partnership with Nature of Sound, Fighting Back Partnership, Solano County Public Health, SafeQuest Solano, Solano Family Justice Center, Solano Youth Coalition, Kaiser Permanente, and VIBE Solano.

Communities of Practice for Social-Emotional Learning In order to engage the minds of students, educators must first engage their hearts. Social-emotional learning (SEL) is an essential part of a well-rounded quality education. It is also essential for adults who provide support, especially during these unique and ever-changing times.

SCOE launched a community of practice (CoP) for SEL to convene teams of educators who were wanting to lead SEL integration in their school(s). California’s SEL Guiding Principles provide a platform for the education communities to work together and build SEL practices already happening in schools. SCOE CoP supports SEL integration that leverages the expertise of educators in the region to build the capacity for all.

Goals for the CoP include offering a collaborative space for professional learning around SEL and connected equity efforts, providing ongoing networking and sharing of best practices, integrating district/school action planning opportunities and sharing successful SEL efforts in districts/schools.

CoP workshop topics included: • Creating a culture of belonging • Addressing trauma & adversity • Committing to equity, inclusion, & cultural responsiveness • Teaching for social, emotional, & academic development • Supporting SEL with diverse families & communities Contact Edservices@solanocoe.net to get involved!

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SCOE Spotlight 2020-21 Year In Review

SCOE, alongside the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Solano County, Sutter Medical Foundation, Volunteers of America, North Bay Schools Insurance Authority, and Valero Refinery supported a regional Stuff the Bus campaign to help give Solano County foster and homeless youth a great start to the upcoming school year.

Solano County schools have identified over 1,200 homeless students and approximately 400 foster students, this past school year. Students navigating these living circumstances often don’t have essential school supplies and clothing.

2020-21 Year In Review

SCOE Stuffed the Bus for Foster & Homeless Youth

Together, our community partners donated 225 stuffed backpacks and 80 school supply kits for students. SCOE raised more than $1,523 in monetary donations and gift cards that will also help make the new school year a little brighter.

105 Students Completed WRC The Work-Ready! Certificate (WRC) Program offers 20 hours of workplace instruction that assists Solano County students in finding and being successful in local jobs. This year, the program has grown to serve all six Solano County school districts as well as Golden Hills Court and Community School and the Evergreen Academy at the Juvenile Detention Facility.

In 2020-21, the program was modified to fit a virtual platform and accommodate the ever-changing school schedules. Students attended a hybrid of virtual and self-paced workdays and skill-building workshops.

Students who completed the program participated in virtual mock interviews with members of the Solano business community and left the program with a professional portfolio. SCOE helped 105 students complete the WRC Program in 2020-21.

The success of the program is due in part to the partnership with the Fairfield-Suisun, Vacaville, Vallejo, and Dixon chambers of commerce along with the Solano Workforce Development Board and the hard work of the college and career development specialists.

Travis Credit Union is also a wonderful partner, providing financial literacy lessons, mock interview participation, and financial support for the WRC celebration event.

Chamber of

Commerce

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SCOE Spotlight

Solano County Office of Education

2020-21 Year In Review

Educators of the Year

SCOE announced the 2021-22 Solano County Educators of the Year winners during a virtual celebration held for all nominees in April. The program is designed to reflect the rich diversity of Solano County’s educators and school staff while paying tribute to Solano’s teaching force.

Classified Employee of the Year Andre Finn, Benicia USD

Teacher of the Year Laura Roberts, Vacaville USD

Laura Roberts teaches U.S. history and ethnic studies and has been teaching for 11 years, 8 1/2 years in her current position. She serves on Vacaville Unified School District’s (VUSD) Equity Task Force and teaches the ethnic studies course she created. A letter of recommendation stated, “Ms. Roberts has not only created a class that allows students to connect with each other and see themselves and their history in the curriculum, she did it by pivoting her teaching expertise to a virtual platform during a pandemic and a time of political and social unrest. This type of in-themoment responsiveness around emotional and difficult topics is not to be understated. We are so fortunate to have Ms. Roberts as an educator, a colleague, and a change agent in Vacaville Unified.”

Andre Finn, a skilled trades technician, has been with Benicia Unified School District (BUSD)for 16 years. The letter of recommendation from Benicia USD Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, Khushwinder Gill, Ed.D. stated, “Mr. Finn encourages and provides opportunities for his fellow employees.” The letter went on to say, “His services are countless and outstanding.

He has continually proven to be a terrific asset to BUSD. He has worked very hard to motivate others and has the best interest of the district.

He is a diligent and committed employee and leader, who works very hard to support all schools and departments to achieve success in their work.”

Videos

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SCOE Spotlight 2020-21 Year In Review

Preparing the Local Work Force

The Work-Ready Certificate Program for students is a workshop providing over 20 hours of work-related instruction and support. The program helps students locate job opportunities.

Workshop topics include: Time management Resume writing Job search & applications Cover letters Work ethic Customer service Teamwork Interview techniques

2020-21 Year In Review

Video

The Work-Ready Certificate Program is coordinated by the Solano County Office of Education and is presented in school districts throughout Solano County.

Employers interested in partnering with SCOE’s Work-Ready Certificate Program can contact SCOE at (707) 399-4809.

Honoring Our Veterans with Operation Recognition Each year, Solano County Office of Education hosts “Operation Recognition” which honors United States Veterans and Japanese-American citizens who were unable to finish high school due to wartime circumstances with retroactive high school diplomas. This summer SCOE posthumously honored Austin Shifflett and recognized his service and sacrifices made for our country by presenting a retroactive high school diploma to his loving family.

Throughout the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, thousands of young men and women left high school and the comforts of home to serve in the United States Armed Forces. During World War II many Japanese-American citizens were interned in relocation camps in various locations across the United States. Some veterans who served were not able to finish high school and receive their diplomas due to military service or Jim Crow laws in effect at the time. Veterans and Japanese-American citizens now have the opportunity to be granted diplomas as a gesture of gratitude for the sacrifices they made.

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SCOE Spotlight

Solano County Office of Education

2020-21 Year In Review

5,500 Backpack Giveaway

The First 5 Solano Children and Families Commission and Solano County Library Literacy Services partnered with SCOE to provide early learning backpacks to 5,500 transitional kindergartners and kindergartners in Solano County public schools.

The backpacks served as a midyear support for teachers, students and their families who are navigating virtual learning.

Learning Through Art

Art is an essential part of education. Almost as soon as motor skills are developed, children communicate through artistic expression. Art is important to human development and it provides a creative outlet for students to share and express their thoughts and feelings.

The backpacks were filled with pencils, crayons, paper, letter-sounds/sight word cards and other early learning basics. Unit counters, a dry-erase board and markers were also included, as were handouts for parents featuring information on screen time, library services and the Triple P parenting program.

Creating a Culture of Thinking The arts place great emphasis on creativity and require students to engage in higher-order thinking skills inclusive of the creative practices.

Arts education fosters creativity and innovation through creative practices inherent in arts education, such as flexible thinking, creative problem-solving, inquisitiveness, perseverance, problem identification, research, interpretation and more. These cognitive processes transfer across all content areas.

Keeping Art Alive During a Pandemic SCOE partnered with the Solano County Fair Association to provide Solano students, in TK12th grades, the opportunity to participate in a virtual art fair. A team from the Solano County Fair Association judged entries based on the picture provided by students.

Supporting Foster Youth

SCOE hosts mental health workshops for Solano educators focused on Trauma Informed Practices for Schools (TIPS) and mindfulness. Youth in foster care have often experienced multiple adverse childhood events, leading to trauma. Trainings on such topics enhance skills of individuals, agencies, and community-based organizations supporting foster care youth.

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SCOE Spotlight 2020-21 Year In Review

• Academic Decathlon • Solano Student Art Showcase • Girls In Robotics Leadership Camp • Regional Spelling Bee • Science and Engineering Fair • Solano Youth Summit

Art is Power Speaker Series

The Art is Power speaker series for youth was hosted by Solano County Office of Education in partnership with Nature of Sound. The speaker series was a collection of workshops hosted by various local, state and national artists, each focused on a different form of art. Art forms included painting, hip hop and songwriting, photography and graphic design. Artists spoke about using art to further one’s cause and build resiliency.

Academic Decathlon Goes Virtual

The Bay Regional Academic Decathlon, hosted

by SCOE included over 240 students from 15 high schools across 11 counties. The Academic Decathlon is a ten-event scholastic competition for teams of high school decathletes. The ten events include comprehensive written exams in art, economics, language and literature, mathematics, music, social science and science. The competition is designed to include decathletes from all academic backgrounds. Each decathlete competes in all ten events with fellow decathletes of comparable grade point average.

Regional Spelling Bee

SCOE hosted the 45th Annual Solano County Student Spelling Bee virtually in April of 2021.

This year, Vacaville Unified School District and Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District boasted the top two elementary spellers in Solano County. Olivia Miyashiro, a 6th grader from Cooper Elementary School in Vacaville earned first place.

Xian Felicisimo, a 4th grader from Nelda Mundy Elementary School in Fairfield, was a formidable competitor who won second place overall.

2020-21 Year In Review

SCOE’s Virtual Enrichment Events for Students in 2020-21

Science & Engineering Gaps

SCOE’s 2021 Solano County Science and Engineering Fair was held as a virtual competition and award ceremony. The competition had three divisions: elementary, middle and high school.

Each division had three categories: earth science, physical science, and life science.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, rapid industry growth has created a STEM worker shortage in the U.S. To address this, SCOE is joining widespread efforts to boost interest in STEM among students.

Our goal is to inspire more students to consider a career in science, engineering, or a related field. The fair is an excellent opportunity for our elementary, middle and high school students to apply science and engineering skills to investigate problems, gather and evaluate evidence, and develop conclusions. Events like the Science and Engineering Fair have the potential to spark a lifelong interest in a related field.

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2020-21 Year In Review - Student Wellness

SCOE Spotlight

Solano County Office of Education

Supporting Students’ Well-Being in a Pandemic Solano County Office of Education (SCOE) has been an active partner in the Solano community advocating and working for more robust supports for the social and emotional needs of Solano students. As students return to school campuses in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, systems of support are in high demand, and SCOE is well positioned to support the educators supporting students.

Solano County School Wellness Center Initiative

SCOE acquired three grants totaling $1,763,530 to support the establishment of school-based wellness centers across Solano County. 45 school based centers have been opened in Solano County, helping to position schools to better serve the social and emotional needs of students amidst the pandemic.

SCOE’s wellness center program has provided the furnishings, wellness items and supports to open centers throughout Solano County. Wellness centers are intended to create a positive culture around mental health on school campuses, reducing negative stigmas.

School-Based Wellness Centers Offer Students: Culturally inclusive spaces to decompress for 10-20 minutes, art, meditation, music, check-ins with trusted adults, stigma reduction, suicide prevention supports, trainings, student groups/workshops, and access points for students who need higher level services.

Grants awarded to SCOE include $509,378 from the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant issued by the California Department of Education, and a grant from Solano County Behavioral Health (SCBH) totaling $954,152. Additionally, SCOE received a $300,000 Health Systems Development Grant (HSG) from the County Medical Services Program (CMSP).

Mental Health Screenings for Students

Video

Youth Mental Health First Aid

Youth Mental Health First Aid Training teaches adults how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders in youth. In 2020-21, SCOE’s certified instructors offered these important courses, to the Solano community.

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SCOE is in the second year of using a universal mental health screening tool for Golden Hills students. Each student is offered the opportunity to voluntarily complete the screening aimed at highlighting areas of concern, including, but not limited to, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, trauma exposure and early psychosis symptoms.

Trained mental health staff have been able to quickly identify the areas where support is needed for a student, and route them to appropriate support services which included on-site therapeutic support and linkage to a variety of community-based organizations.

Contact SCOE for more information on mental health resources and supports for schools at (707) 399-4855.

SCOE Spotlight 2020-21 Year In Review

School-Based Mobile Crisis Services

Trainings for Educators, Parents and Students

Solano County Behavioral Health (SCBH) and the Solano County Office of Education (SCOE) received a Mental Health Student Services Act (MHSSA) grant award of $4 million funded over five years, which will expand mental health services and supports for students in K-12 school sites across Solano County. With this funding, SCOE provides trainings for school personnel and for parents/caretakers in suicide prevention, behavior management and more. SCOE also provides student social emotional learning (SEL) workshops for classrooms and small groups around social skills, anger management, anti-bullying, safe social media, etc.

Images from school-based wellness centers across Solano County

During the COVID-19 shelter-at-home orders, the mental health program staff were eager to address ways to continue to offer mental health support to students and staff. In partnership with the BHWorks platform by MDLogics, program staff were able to quickly provide telehealth counseling sessions to students and their families. Staff were also able to modify social emotional learning (SEL) curriculum so that it could be offered via Zoom to groups of students throughout the county. Benicia fourth graders were able to attend a weekly series of SEL instruction that focused on addressing the emotions that surfaced related to the pandemic.

High school students from various schools participated in a weekly series that allowed them to ask a mental health clinician questions they had related to mental health and wellness. Mental health staff continued to support educators as well, offering virtual trainings on topics related to addressing mental wellness during difficult times.

Mental Health System Supports for Schools

2020-21 Year In Review - Student Wellness

New for the 2021-22 School Year: Through a contract from Solano County Behavioral Health (SCBH), SCOE will provide school-based mobile crisis services and the screening/assessment services for the current 2021-22 school year. The new services were implemented in collaboration with the county, school districts and school sites, local police departments and community partners.

Additionally, SCOE has hired and trained clinicians as crisis specialists to respond to crisis situations on K-12 school campuses serving children and youth experiencing a mental health crisis. All students in need will be served, regardless of insurance or immigration status, with the mission of deescalating situations, linking families to necessary services, and supporting the coordination of care.

School-based mobile crisis services provided through SCOE differ slightly from the communitybased mobile crisis services provided by SCBH. The SCOE team specializes in supporting schools and districts and are a key local education agency (LEA) partner familiar with school communities and protocols.

Telehealth Counseling Sessions

The robust system of supports that SCOE provides to Solano public schools are offered at different tiers.

Tier 1 Supports Include: Suicide prevention training, technical assistance and consultation for suicide prevention plans, crisis protocols, crisis response, building parent liaison teams to provide support to families needing assistance with mental health concerns, screenings for students kindergarten through third grade.

Tier 2 Supports Include: Screenings and assessments for students identified as at risk for dropping out of school, deeper crisis evaluation and safety planning, schools based mobile crisis intervention, 5150 hold and transport arrangement.

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SCOE Spotlight

Solano County Office of Education

2020-21 Year In Review

A Community Affair

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The People Behind COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics for Schools As Solano County Public Health (SCPH) progressed through the initial stages of the COVID-19 vaccination roll out, Solano County Office of Education (SCOE) hosted vaccination clinics for educators from 14 area schools and provided logistical support. Solano County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) led a remarkable effort, and healthcare providers, fire departments, nurses, medical arts students and educators all rallied together for dozens of school-based clinics across the county. Clinics will continue through the 2021-22 school year to ensure all educators, students and family members 12 years and up have convenient and free access to the life-saving vaccine.

SCOE Spotlight 2020-21 Year In Review

2020-21 Year In Review 7 19

SCOE Spotlight

Solano County Office of Education

2020-21 Year In Review

Career Exploration Virtual Field Trips

During the pandemic, SCOE created a series of videos offering students virtual field trips to businesses across Solano County in order to continue career readiness and exploration. The videos toured facilities, interviewed professionals and explained what to expect.

We appreciate our business partners who collaborated with SCOE on the virtual tours.

I-80 Forklift Fairfield Ford Lincoln Ron DuPratt Ford Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 343 Operating Engineers Local 3 Solano Sports Physical Therapy Iron Workers Local 3

Videos

Innovation Lab for Students

SCOE created an innovation lab for students at Golden Hills School as a maker space for science and engineering focused projects.

Travis Air Force Base has been a longstanding partner to Solano County schools and SCOE, particularly in the areas of engineering and innovation. Major Justin Poole and Staff Sergeant Max Estrada from Travis Phoenix Spark taught SCOE employees how to use the equipment in SCOE’s innovation lab. We are so excited to bring this career technical education opportunity to students, and we cannot wait to see what they create and innovate!

Solano Friday Night Live Chapters Create PSAs for Students SCOE coordinates Friday Night Live (FNL) student chapters across Solano County. FNL programs help empower youth to become active leaders in their communities. This past year, FNL students engaged their communities in an effort to improve health and wellness for teens through radio public service announcements (PSAs).

Local FNL chapters went beyond the creation of PSAs. Benicia FNL focused on tobacco and vaping prevention, youth mental health and wellness, and underage drunk driving prevention.

Vanden High School’s FNL Chapter developed awareness campaigns around distracted driving, underage drinking, drunk driving, and tobacco and vape prevention.

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Other FNL chapters advocated for similar topics to improve the health and wellness of Solano students.

95.3 KUIC supported the efforts of FNL chapters across Solano County by donating numerous radio time slots to feature their recorded public service announcements. Thank you KUIC!

SCOE Spotlight 2020-21 Year In Review

Grants

$13.8 Million in Grants, Donations, & Contracts Working for Solano Students As part of SCOE’s commitment to support school districts and organizations working to improve educational outcomes for students, $13.8 million dollars in grants, donations and service contracts have been obtained by the SCOE team, ($8.7 million stems from new grants and contracts beginning in the 2021-22 school year. $5 million is funded through continuing multi-year grants and contracts, and $15K was donated). Below is a summary of the priority areas being addressed for students and educators with the funding.

$1,060,296

Equity, Enrichment & Youth Voice

Advocacy & Community Partnerships

$139,255

Donations $15,435 High Quality Education

$3,576,636

Continuing Funds $5,069,312 New Funding $8,738,518

$6,370,880

Safety & Wellness

$2,676,198

TOTAL $13,823,265

Job Readiness Total: $13,823,265

Visit the SCOE’s Professional Learning Hub SCOE has created a web page to showcase professional learning opportunities. SCOE’s Professional Learning Hub features events hosted by SCOE as well as opportunities provided by other educational partners, providing a current resource of wide-ranging courses available to Solano educators.

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SCOE Spotlight

Solano County Office of Education

Demographics

Solano County Public School Enrollment As reported by California Department of Education’s DataQuest, 2020-21 District Enrollment for Charter and Non-Charter Schools report (with school data), based upon California Basic Educational Data System (CBEDS).

8 Schools

4,526

61,029

public school students

Benicia USD

2,956

7 Schools Dixon USD

20,703

29 Schools Fairfield-Suisun USD

5,284

10 Schools Travis USD

VU S D Va c a v i l l e U n i f i e d S c h o o l D i s t r i c t

Vacaville USD

12,447

16 Schools

11,095

20 Schools Vallejo City USD

Independent Charter Schools

8 Schools

358

22

3,660

Of the 61,029 Solano students: 5,469 attend charter schools 3,660 students attend “independent” charters 1,809 attend “dependent” charters governed by school districts.

Moderate to severe special education, Court & Community schools & Juvenile Detention

SCOE Spotlight 2020-21 Year In Review

2020-21 School District Budgets Benicia USD Certificated Staff

Dixon USD

FairfieldSuisun USD

Travis USD

Vacaville USD

Vallejo City USD

21,858,320

13,864,074

100,476,810

26,736,556

51,213,996

51,714,524

Classified Staff

7,402,047

5,674,523

41,286,218

9,596,076

21,585,667

24,318,665

Benefits

13,461,191

9,391,339

60,203,292

13,510,674

34,176,771

35,384,365

Books & Supplies

1,591,098

2,149,594

8,833,893

1,674,432

3,828,508

5,797,360

Service & Other Operating

2,476,772

4,810,603

19,605,190

5,242,789

16,148,678

18,435,567

Capital Outlay

-

123,671

-

293,716

534,682

17,500

Other Outgoing

899,073

888,086

4,051,391

1,869,108

531,720

(646,794)

$47,688,500

$36,901,890

$234,456,794

$58,923,351

$128,020,022

$135,021,187

SCOE

More Demographics

Solano Districts & SCOE

Certificated Staff

11,467,618

277,331,898

Classified Staff

16,448,664

126,311,860

Benefits

12,996,263

179,123,895

Books & Supplies

1,618,668

25,493,553

Service & Other Operating

15,356,521

82,076,120

Capital Outlay

583,770

1,553,339

Other Outgoing

(16,571)

7,576,013

$58,454,933

$699,466,677

Solano County

Solano Cohort Graduation Rate* 86.8% English Language Learners** 7,661 or 12.5% Socioeconomically Disadvantaged** 30,237 or 49.5% Students with Disabilities* 7,779 or 12.7%

Budgets & Statistics

School District & SCOE Budgeted Expenditures in $ (general fund expenditures only)

*California Department of Education DataQuest 2019-20 data (latest available) ** California Department of Education DataQuest 2020-21 data

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SCOE Spotlight

Solano County Office of Education

Governance

2020-21 Solano County Student Ethnicity As reported by California Department of Education’s DataQuest, 2020-21 District Enrollment by Ethnicity report (with school data). Charters schools are included.

Dixon USD African American - 2.1% American Indian - .3% Asian - .9% Filipino - 1.5% Hispanic or Latino - 58.1% Pacific Islander - .5% White - 28.4% Two or More Races - 4.6% Not Reported - 3.6%

Benicia USD African American - 6.4% American Indian - .4% Asian - 4.8% Filipino - 7.1% Hispanic or Latino - 20.3% Pacific Islander - .2% White - 44.6% Two or More Races - 14.3% Not Reported - 2.1%

Fairfield-Suisun USD African American - 13.5% American Indian - .3% Asian - 5.8% Filipino - 9.0% Hispanic or Latino - 45.2% Pacific Islander - 1.1% White - 15.6% Two or More Races - 9.2% Not Reported - .2%

VU S D Va c a v i l l e U n i f i e d S c h o o l D i s t r i c t

Vacaville USD African American - 5.8% American Indian - .4% Asian - 2.8% Filipino - 3.5% Hispanic or Latino - 39.0% Pacific Islander - .6% White - 38.5% Two or More Races - 9.0% Not Reported - .5%

Travis USD African American - 10.9% American Indian - .3% Asian - 4.2% Filipino - 10.1% Hispanic or Latino - 27.1% Pacific Islander - 1.1% White - 31.5% Two or More Races - 13.5% Not Reported - 1.4%

Solano County Schools Combined

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13.4% .3% 4% 8.4% 41.1% 1.1% 22.7% 8.2% .8%

African American Indian Asian Asian Fillipino Filipino Hispanic or Latino or Latino Hispanic Pacific Islander Islander Pacific White White Two or Moreor Races Two More Races Other or Not Reported Not Reported

Vallejo City USD African American - 25.7% American Indian - .3% Asian - 2.9% Filipino - 13.8% Hispanic or Latino - 45.4% Pacific Islander - 1.9% White - 6.5% Two or More Races - 2.8% Not Reported - .5%

African American

American Indian or Alaska Native

Note: Rio Vista schools are part of the River Delta Unified School District and served by the Sacramento County Office of Education. Therefore, Rio Vista data is not reflected.

SCOE Spotlight 2020-21 Year In Review

Solano County Office of Education Governance 101

The County Superintendent is elected by voters of Solano County. The Superintendent serves as a liaison between local school districts and the state. The Superintendent also serves as the chief executive officer of the Solano County Office of Education. The Superintendent leads SCOE in providing leadership, collaboration, support, and fiscal/program oversight for the county’s six school districts which serve approximately 61,000 students.

Demographics

The County Superintendent and the County Board of Education are elected officials who have separate duties and responsibilities. County Superintendents of Schools are established pursuant to Section 3, Article IX of the California Constitution and are considered county officers (similar to a sheriff, district attorney, or clerk). (Gov. Code § 24000). County Boards of Education are established by Education Code section 1000.

The Solano County Board of Education is comprised of elected representatives from seven trustee areas. The Solano County Superintendent of Schools serves as the ex-officio secretary to the County Board. The Solano County Board of Education serves as the governance body for the Juvenile Court and Community School System and may authorize charter schools. The Solano County Board of Education also serves as an appellate body for expulsion, inter-district attendance, and charter school appeals.

Solano County Superintendent of Schools Lisette Estrella-Henderson

Teresa Lavell Trustee Area 4

Board President Michelle Coleman Trustee Area 1

Elease Cheek Trustee Area 5

Board Vice President Amy Sharp Trustee Area 2

Ginger Dunne Trustee Area 6

Dana Dean Trustee Area 3

Peggy A. Cohen-Thompson Trustee Area 7

5100 Business Center Drive, Fairfield, CA 94534 • (707) 399-4400 • www.solanocoe.net

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