Charge to the District Advisory Committee

March 1, 2005

Draft v2

Mission

The committee will review options for ways to operationally define quality in education, identify what is optional and what is required in setting quality standards, and develop recommendations and priorities to ensure that all students will have access to a quality education within the Claremont Unified School District.

Objectives

  1. Using research-based quality frame-works, identify the key elements that constitute quality educational programs.
  2. Review what is required and what is optional in operationally defining quality in education at the Federal, State, Local District, and School-site level.
  3. Taking into account the requirements identified under item #2, and considering the need to articulate with the graduation requirements and expectations of secondary schools within the district, produce a matrix recommending which elements of a quality education should be defined and determined at the district level, the school site level, and within the classroom.
  4. Using the matrix developed under item #3 identify recommended options for involving students, parents and teachers in determining quality standards within the Claremont Unified School District for each element the committee identifies as central to quality educational programs.
  5. Reviewing assessment results, including standardized test scores and other measures as the committee deems appropriate, identify priorities to ensure that all students will have access to a quality education within the Claremont Unified School District.

Assumptions

  1. The committee may choose to include the following elements of a quality educational program:
    • Focus and vision
    • Standards and expectations
    • Approach to decision-making
    • Collaboration and communication
    • Safe and supportive school environments
    • Monitoring and assessment
    • Professional Development
    • Curriculum and instruction
    • Parent involvement
    • Use of technology
    • Opportunities for enrichment and remediation
  2. All grade levels within the district must articulate in order to prepare students to meet the expectations and requirements for graduation
  3. The term "operationally define" in the mission statement implies some type of measurement or assessment.
  4. The committee will consider student equity and access to a quality education across the district.
  5. The committee will consider existing CUSD board policy regarding the mission and educational vision of the district.
  6. The committee's role is advisory to the CUSD Board of Education. The Board will have the final decision regarding the Committee's recommendations.
  7. The committee's initial priorities should not be constrained by current financial limitations.
  8. The Claremont Unified School District is bound to follow the requirements of the Education Code of the State of California. Certain aspects of the committee's recommendations may be subject to existing or future collective bargaining agreements with the Claremont Faculty Association.
  9. The committee will encourage frank and open discussion. The committee is encouraged to obtain feedback throughout the CSUD community through whatever means determined feasible.
  10. The committee will be subject to the requirements of the Brown Act—California Open Meetings law.
  11. The committee is free to issue interim recommendations prior to its final report.

Composition

The committee membership will include at minimum:

Per past practice, Board members and district level administrators will be appointed to provide liaison and resources to the committee but will not serve as committee members.