Law Aims for Educational Equity
The Williams Settlement Legislation requires the County Superintendent of Schools to annually monitor and report on schools ranked by the CDE as CSI/ATSI, Teacher Credentialing Issues, and Graduation Rate.
The Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools and staff at the Santa Cruz County Office of Education are responsible for:
- Determining if students have “sufficient” standards-aligned instructional materials in four core subjects areas (English language arts, mathematics, history/social science and science), including science laboratory equipment in grades 9-12, and, as appropriate, in foreign languages, and health.
- Determining if there is any facility condition that “poses an emergency or urgent threat to the health or safety of pupils or staff.
- Determining if the school has provided accurate data on the annual School Accountability Report Card (SARC) related to the sufficiency of instructional materials and the safety, cleanliness, and adequacy of school facilities.
- Ensuring that a Uniform Complaint Process (UCP) policy is in use and UCP notices are posted in all classrooms and in administrative offices.
- Determining if there are any teacher misasignments or teacher vacancies at these schools.
Focus on Low-Performing Schools
All schools in California must comply with requirements and accountability measures contained in the Williams legislation. But the focus is on the state’s lowest-performing schools, defined as those ranked in the bottom one-third (deciles 1-3) of the Academic Performance Index.
- In Santa Cruz County, 27 schools and 8 districts and charter schools have been identified as low-performing and subject to action under Williams.