WASC FOCUS ON LEARNING VISITING COMMITTEE REPORT
SAN MATEO ADULT AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION

Chapter IV: Quality of the School's Program

A. ORGANIZATION FOR STUDENT LEARNING

A1. School Purpose Criterion

To what extent has the school established a clear statement of purpose that reflects the beliefs and philosophy of the institution?

The School has developed a Mission Statement that appears on the Web site, in the School brochure, and is posted in the classrooms. The School staff is familiar with the Mission Statement. Student responses on surveys showed they had limited knowledge of the Mission Statement. Also, ESLRs have been adopted to further define the Mission Statement. Most teachers have been introduced to them but are not very familiar with the ESLRs yet. They are planning to integrate the ESLRs into the curriculum.

A2. Governance Criterion

To what extent does the governing authority adopt policies that are consistent with the school purpose and support the achievement of the ESLRs? To what extent does the governing authority delegate implementation of these policies to the professional staff and monitor results?

The San Mateo Union High School District Board of Trustees supports a comprehensive Adult Education program and delegates its authority through the Superintendent to the Director of Adult Education. A management team consisting of 2 administrators, 4 program coordinators, the administrative assistant, the financial clerk, and the head of facilities and maintenance give the director input. They are expected to know, practice, and follow all state and federal mandates and regulations when making recommendations to the Board. Coordinators communicate current policies to teachers through staff meetings, individual appointments, memos, and newsletters. While most of the teaching staff is familiar with policies, more than half would like to receive a Policy Book or Handbook.

The Director of Adult Education provides annual goals at the beginning of the fiscal year and a formal progress report at the end of the year to the Associate Superintendent of Instruction. The Superintendent monitors results during weekly Management Policy Group meetings, periodic Leadership Seminars, and Quarterly Cabinet/School Team meetings. Also members of the School Board and District Administrations frequently participate in student graduations, Advisory Board meetings, and special Adult School functions. During interviews, the Superintendent and Associate Superintendent of Instruction gave high reviews to the Adult School administration and staff for the thorough job they do to meet the needs of the community. They reported excellent communication and cooperation between the District and the Adult School. District personnel feel connected to the Adult School.

A3. School Leadership Criterion

To what extent does the school leadership make decisions to facilitate actions that focus the energies of the school on student achievement of the ESLRs? Does the school leadership empower the staff and encourage commitment, participation, and shared accountability for student learning?

The Management Team meets once a week. The team includes clerical and maintenance representatives. They elicit feedback from the staff through a monthly calendar, postings in the faculty lounge, informal classroom visits, the School Web site, regular and emergency staff meetings, and memos. The daytime classified staff meets once a month to discuss areas of concern. Four of the eight classified staff interviewed said that some changes that affect them were not communicated in a timely manner. This seems to be a one-time issue that was related to the budget. The daytime classified staff and teachers interviewed reported that the School has an open door policy and they feel comfortable taking issues to administration. There was mention of some communication problems with the classified staff in the evening. The Management Team is working hard to improve communication and it is part of their Action Plan that has already been partially implemented.

A4. Staff Criterion

To what extent are the school leadership and staff qualified for their assigned responsibilities and committed to the school's purpose? Do they engage in ongoing professional development that promotes student learning?

All teachers in the mandated programs have appropriate California Teaching Credentials. Teachers in fee-based classes have a combination of education and work experience in their fields. The Visiting Committee has noted through their many classroom observations that the teachers are exceptionally skilled and dedicated. The District Office hires the classified staff who are selected by the appropriate Adult supervisor. Coordinators have a combination of education and many years teaching and supervisory experience. The two administrators and one program coordinator have California Administrative Services Credentials. The Director of Adult Education has over thirty years experience with the San Mateo Union High School District. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the California State Consortium for Adult Education, the San Mateo Workforce Investment Board, and the Association of California School Administrators.

The School has maintained classes at 42 locations in the community. Programs are offered for ESL students, Adults with Disabilities, Vocational Training,

High School and GED, Basic Skills, Citizenship, Home Economics, Parenting, Health and Safety, and Fee-Based classes that reflect community interest. There is also a Distance-Learning program for ESL and Parenting.

Teachers are routinely using creative and innovative teaching approaches and share in curriculum development. Professional development is provided primarily by off-site and on-site workshops and conferences. In interviews, teachers stated that they are encouraged by administration to participate in staff development. The Older Adult Programs Education Network annually holds a workshop with outside speakers and all instructors are invited to attend. There was a need found in the Self Study to create department-specific professional development plans and an Action Plan goal was developed to address this issue.

The teachers feel that teacher evaluation is valuable to professional development. However, 87% of the staff surveyed said they did not know how often they were evaluated. The Director currently performs evaluations upon request or as needed. It was mentioned in interviews that administrators and program coordinators visit the classrooms frequently. The Visiting Committee recommends that the Administration and Adult School Teachers Union collaborate to provide teachers with periodic formal feedback.

A5. School Environment Criterion

To what extent does the school have a safe, healthy, nurturing environment that reflects the school's purpose? Is there respect for differences, trust, caring, professionalism, support, and high expectations for each student?

Out of 794 students, 629 feel that teachers and staff demonstrate a high level of concern for them. Most comments on the surveys suggest that students feel that students are supportive of each other. An annual International Day of celebration promotes respect for different cultures.

Teachers, student services aides, academic advisors, and staff can refer students to outside agencies. On special occasions, volunteers or interpreters are provided to help students. Teachers use CASAS, pre/post tests, informal evaluation, and student portfolios to communicate expectations and to measure performance.

Support for learning disabilities, pre-literate students, and expanded childcare need to be explored as needed. It was suggested that the teacher resource library be updated.

A6. Reporting Student Progress Criterion

To what extent does the school leadership and staff regularly assess student progress toward accomplishing the school's ESLRs? Do they report student progress to the rest of the school community?

Although instructors use a variety of assessment methods to determine student progress, the Self-Study shows that ESLR assessment has not yet been implemented. The School has developed an Action Plan goal to address this issue. Regular staff meetings and newsletters report news to classified and instructional staff. The Student Council reports progress to students and has them discuss issues at-hand. The broader community hears about events through newspapers, word-of-mouth, public service announcements, networking with outside agencies, and local cable TV. The School has an Advisory Council that meets three or four times a year and a different program is highlighted at each meeting. Board members discuss industry needs and ways the Adult School can serve their needs.

A7. School Improvement Process Criterion

To what extent does the school leadership facilitate school improvement that is driven by plans of action that will enhance quality learning for all students? Do they have school community support and involvement? Do they effectively guide the work of the school? Do they provide accountability by monitoring the Schoolwide Action Plan?

The School leadership does an excellent job of facilitating School improvement as is noted in the facility upgrades and increasing communication between Administration, faculty, and the community. They have developed an Action Plan that directly addresses student learning. Community involvement is highly effective as witnessed in the ESL, Parenting, Older Adult, and Adults with Disabilities programs. So effective are these programs that the community comes to the School with needs they encounter. The Administration also has a comfortable and dedicated relationship with the teachers, staff, and community. Schoolwide Action Plan goals have been developed and a timetable to achieve these goals is in place. Some implementation has already begun.

Areas of Strength:

1. A comprehensive and diversified Adult Education program.
2. Highly skilled credentialed teachers and staff.
3. A student council and students who feel their needs are being met.
4. A Community Advisory Board.
5. Strong connections to the community.

Key Issues:

1. A Policy Handbook for all teachers and staff.
2. Administration and the Adult School Teachers Union collaborate to provide teachers with periodic formal feedback.
3. Continue to provide avenues for communication.
4. Educate staff about ESLRs and assessment of implementation.
5. Provide professional development in which staff learns from each other and share successful techniques.

Evidence:

Course catalog, Web site, and Adult School records. Classroom locations
Student surveys . Staff interviews