Community Description of Oxnard High School Oxnard Union High School District is in Oxnard, the second largest city in Ventura County, and located approximately halfway between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. The district serves the cities of Oxnard, Camarillo and Port Hueneme, which is the home of the CBC Naval Base and the largest port between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Oxnard High School is the second largest high school is the district out of six comprehensive high schools. Within the last decade, the city has reinvented itself from an agricultural center, rich with historical landmarks, into a major commercial location. The military base and migrant agricultural communities contribute to the school’s diverse population. Oxnard and near-by Los Angeles Police Department are two of the top five departments in California. Within five miles of OHS, the Ventura County courthouse and jail is housed, offering numerous opportunities for students, as well as the Division of Juvenile Justice twelve miles away in Camarillo, home to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. Oxnard High School graduates can choose from three local community colleges, California State University Channel Islands and University of California Santa Barbara campus to pursue post-secondary education in law and society. Two of the three community colleges, Moorpark and Ventura College have criminal justice programs. Oxnard College houses a fire technology program and paralegal program. Pepperdine University and California Lutheran University, offer undergraduate degree in pre-law and criminal justice. Pepperdine has a graduate school of law for students who wish to pursue graduate studies. There are also local Ventura and Santa Barbara Colleges of Law for J.D. degrees and Santa Barbara Business College for paralegal programs. 1|Page Oxnard High School Law and Public Services Academy SECTION I. OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED CALIFORNIA PARTNERSHIP ACADEMY Oxnard High School’s Law and Public Services Academy integrates a dynamic career choice into the high school curriculum. The program enhances at-risk students’ connection to school through engaging, project-based curriculum. The program is structured as a “school within a school” that allows students more personalized learning. Its’ success helps address community needs for well-trained, multicultural professionals for public services careers. The school is located directly between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara and has a large migrant population due to agriculture and naval influences lending our population to be multicultural. The Oxnard High School Law and Public Services Academy has developed over the previous two years with community and district support. With academy support, the program will develop further and grow to 180 students in grades tenth through twelve allowing our first academy class to graduate in 2010 and pursue their post-secondary goals. SECTION II. CAREER-TECHNICAL FOCUS OF THE ACADEMY The career technical focus of the Law and Public Services Academy at Oxnard High School aligns to the Public Services Industry Sector of the California Career and Technical Education Standards. Our graduates will have background in the numerous career options available in the Legal and Government Services Pathway as well as the Protective Services Pathway. We selected this academy based on the void of any such academy in Ventura County and the projected need for professionals in this career. Oxnard Union High School District has a popular, site based, after-school Community Law Academy and the Regional Occupation Program offers Fire Technology and First Responder programs. The Law and Public Services Academy program addresses the interest of our students during the traditional school day. 2|Page Oxnard High School Law and Public Services Academy According to the Economic Profile for Southern California Region, Government jobs, including law enforcement, firefighting, and defense and public services jobs at all levels from local to federal, provided the largest number of the region’s jobs, totaling 14% of all jobs in the region (Economic Profile, Southern California Region, 2007). Specifically, the need for law enforcement in Los Angeles is immense, with a projected two thousand or more jobs needed in the next five years. Our graduates have several local colleges, both public and private, with pre-law or criminal justice programs ranging from associate to law degrees. Criminal justice offers over 100 civilian career opportunities and 250 sworn positions (Los Angeles Police Department website, 2008). Students who choose the Legal and Government Services pathway have over 100 job opportunities to choose from, ranging from the local level up to the federal level. SECTION III. AT-RISK ENROLLMENT Oxnard High School and the Oxnard Union High School District reflect the surrounding population of nearly 70% Latino with one-fourth of the students designated English Learners and one-third classified as socio-economically disadvantaged. The Oxnard median household income is $48,000 with 15% of the population living below the poverty line. Only 14% of the population of Oxnard has a bachelor’s degree or higher and only 60% of the population has graduated high school. Oxnard Union High School District has a dropout rate of 10%, with Oxnard High having a dropout rate of 12% over a four-year period. The CST scores from 2007 show over 50% of Oxnard High School’s student population falls at the basic level or below for both Math and ELA. In addition, only 75% of our students passed the CAHSEE in their tenth grade year. However, when examining the subgroup of English Learners, which creates the atrisk status for many of our academy students, the passage rate was only 51% on Math and 39% 3|Page Oxnard High School Law and Public Services Academy on ELA. The district-wide data mirrored the Oxnard High School data, although 49% of EL students passed the ELA portion district-wide. SECTION IV. RECRUITMENT, SELECTION AND COUNSELING Our recruitment begins at the conclusion of the eighth grade year by presenting to incoming freshmen at orientation evenings as well as our counselor providing information and generating an interest list when visiting the feeder junior high schools. Classroom presentations occur in the ninth grade college prep classrooms, and the staff is invited to recommend students in their standard classes that have an interest in the program and would be successful. Based on the interest list and the presentations, students are given an application (see Appendix A) to fill out which includes a written component, teacher recommendations and general student information. Based on the pre-screened applications, students are selected for interviews with Academy staff and advisory board members. Our counselor and coordinator review the selected candidates to ensure we have met the 50% CPA at-risk criteria. Students selected to join the Law and Public Services Academy are invited, with their parents, to an orientation night in both English and Spanish several weeks before school begins. The requirements of the program are outlined, and students and parents are asked to sign a contract (see Appendix B) outlining the expectations of the program. The Academy staff joined based on their interest and experiences in law enforcement or legal services. Most of our staff has worked in the field or has a relative in law enforcement, legal services or both. Those staff members without a direct link to law enforcement asked to join the program in an effort to be part of a unique educational experience. Our counselor 4|Page Oxnard High School Law and Public Services Academy became involved in our program through her experience with the after-school Community Law Academy and as facilitator of the ROP Fire Technology program. The academy administrator and coordinator are both part of the school leadership team as well as members of the team responsible for fulfilling the CAPP grant requirements. In meeting with school stakeholders on a monthly basis, the Law and Public Services Academy ensures ongoing development and progress aligned to the school’s overall vision and goals. Parents and students in the program are involved in various activities throughout the year through fundraising efforts, team building activities, advisory committee and fieldtrips. Often, we ask our parents to chaperone or serve as a carpool for different trips to involve them in the program. In addition, our students are an integral part of Oxnard’s annual California Strawberry Festival as well as school graduation ceremonies. Parents help with planning and transportation for both of these events. SECTION V. ATTENDANCE, CREDITS AND GRADUATION As part of the recruitment and interview process, we address attendance and academic issues. An attendance or academic issue is not an automatic exclusion from the program, but allows us to track specific students. In addition, the contract that students and their parents sign includes a clause regarding the attendance and academics expectations and consequences for poor attendance and academic performance. We have several resources on campus to help our students meet the academic requirements and graduation requirements. All of our students are assigned mentors, staff members who met with students once a week to review grades. Any student not meeting the academic requirements is mandated to go to tutoring and demonstrate proof of tutoring with their mentor within one week. Failure to meet with their 5|Page Oxnard High School Law and Public Services Academy mentor or complete tutoring results in parent contact, parent conference with the academy counselor, and parent conference with the academy administrator depending on infraction. Every academy staff member has either lunchtime or after school tutoring to help our students fulfill their academic requirements. In addition, after school, every Tuesday and Wednesday, in our school library is the Homework Center, with paid English and Math teachers to assist students. Quarterly, the coordinator and counselor review all students’ grades and initiate academic contracts. In addition, quarterly, the academy staff has a celebration lunch for all the students to recognize their accomplishments both academically and for good citizenship. At the end of each semester, the academy staff and students gather on the Saturday before finals for a study-a-thon with food provided by donations from staff, students and their parents. At the conclusion of each year, a dinner is held to recognize students’ accomplishments and students are given ribbons to put on their dress uniforms worn for special events. To attend fieldtrips, students must have a minimum of 2.0 GPA with no D’s or F’s. Any student not attending the fieldtrip is placed with an academy staff member not attending the fieldtrip to complete make-up or extra credit work. Each guest speaker has an accompanying assignment that increases students’ grades and motivates students to investigate further the career pathways available to them. In addition, each Academy course integrates criminal justice or public services mock activities and asks the students to create analogies to their career choice. Academy funding would provide more resources to support our staff in their tutoring time as well as create more fieldtrips and classroom resources to implement activities that engage and motivate the students to do well in their academics. 6|Page Oxnard High School Law and Public Services Academy SECTION VI. STRUCTURE AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT Our academy team consists of an academy administrator, an academy counselor, our Youth Services police officer, an academy coordinator whom also teaches academy science courses, a career technical education teacher whom also is coordinator of our work experience program, two Social Science teachers, two English teachers, and a Physical Education teacher. As we are in a block schedule implementation year, we do not currently share a common prep period. The coordinator has a planning period funded by the district. Several academy teachers share adjoining classrooms and meet on a regular basis, however the team meets once a month during collaboration time allowed due to our 4X4 block schedule to discuss academy business. All members are involved in designing, writing and presenting to the district curriculum relevant to their subject area. Each Academy teacher is assigned 7-10 students to whom they mentor. All academy staff is invited to attend the quarterly advisory board meetings, guest speakers in another academy classroom, and fieldtrips. Academy funding would allow for a common planning period and funds to allow more staff to attend unique opportunities with the students. We have been assigned an academy administrator and academy counselor that oversees scheduling for our students and allow them to meet their academic requirements. Oxnard High School is on a 4x4 block schedule that allows students to take 2 academy courses and 2 non-academy courses each semester throughout the year. However, students are grouped together in their academy classes to allow for guest speakers and fieldtrips. Yet, the grouping varies with grade level. For example, sophomores are blocked for periods 1 and 2 whereas another grade level would be blocked 2 and 3, which allows the schedule to be flexible around the academy model. Throughout the year, our students take Science, Physical 7|Page Oxnard High School Law and Public Services Academy Education, English and Social Science together as well as an academy specific course. We have developed connections with Oxnard College for fire technology and Ventura College for criminal justice to offer our students post-secondary options. We have integrated our 10th grade curriculum into the master schedule. Our academy currently has a pre-academy ninth grade year in which students take Introduction to Legal Systems as a semester long course, but we are restructuring our program to meet the CPA requirements of grades tenth through twelve and will begin offering Introduction to Legal Systems as a year long sophomore course. Sophomores Juniors Seniors English 2-Law English 3-Law English 4-Law World Civilizations 2-Law US History-Law Government/Economics PE-Law Forensics-Law Introduction to CJ-Ventura College course OR Fire Protection OrganizationOxnard College Biology-Law Discussion & Debate-Law Internships Business Law Introduction to Legal Systems Chemistry Study Introduction to Philosophy Foreign Language Foreign Language Psychology (AP?)/ Sociology Math 8|Page Math Math Self-Defense-Law Foreign Language Oxnard High School Law and Public Services Academy The district has approved the sophomore level courses and the district has already approved many of the junior level courses. The staff is working on UC approval for all courses. Integration of criminal justice content has included specialized assignments, guest speakers during relevant topics, i.e. forensic scientists during DNA curriculum and field trips that integrate team building and content knowledge, i.e. trip to Ventura County courts and a mock trial or trip to ropes course and analysis of the ecosystem. Our program includes the necessary academic requirements to qualify a student for the UC/CSU system, but also provides opportunities to further experience career pathways available in the Public Services Industry Sector. Our program begins with an overview of the legal system, and then students experience through engaging, integrated curriculum various aspects of the legal system, culminating in their senior year with a choice of community college classes and internships. Our English curriculum includes report writing as an alternative writing assessment for novels. Students are asked to write a police report regarding a specific event or scene in a novel. Our Social Science curriculum involves examining and comparing the legal systems worldwide with the United States legal system and demonstrating this understanding through essay writing and discussion. Our sophomore Social Science and English teachers worked collaboratively on a World War II Project; students read Night in English and discussed World War II enforcement techniques. The project culminated in a trip to the Museum of Tolerance for our students. Our Science curriculum involves using crime scenes as a way of understanding the scientific method. In addition, in science, students are exposed to the Chemistry, Biology, Earth Science and Physics needed to understand crime scenes. Our Physical Education curriculum supplements the 9|Page Oxnard High School Law and Public Services Academy required California standards with self-defense, first aid/CPR training and POST (Police Officer Standard Training) level endurance obtained on the obstacle course designed and built specifically for our academy. We currently have a mentorship program within our academy, but will include community members from our advisory board within the next two years in an e-mentoring program. In addition, utilizing our CTE teacher and our advisory board, the students will have career based internships their senior year. The current mentor program involves each teacher choosing several students whom they currently have or have had in the past. This teacher remains the student’s mentor until they graduate. These students meet with their mentor once a week during lunch or after school and show them the grades for the previous week. The mentor discusses specific concerns with the academy to share with the team or general concerns that may affect their scholastic achievements. Recently, the mentors have organized day trips on the weekend to go hiking, to play paintball, to go snowboarding that allow students to interact with one another and the mentors and have a fun experience. Next year, when our current sophomores become juniors we will begin an e-mentoring program based on the interests of the students. Students will email their e-mentors at least once a month and discuss concerns and questions about their potential career. Beginning in two years, during their senior year, students will complete internships with their e-mentor, if possible, or another individual recommended by their e-mentor. Our students are committed to the program and are rewarded for their efforts by lunch provided by the academy staff, an all day ropes course, weekend adventures, and guest 10 | P a g e Oxnard High School Law and Public Services Academy speakers from K-9 to forensic toolmarks specialist. The students are also immersed in the college bound culture through one to three-day college trips. SECTION VII. ADVISORY COMMITTEE Our advisory committee consists of the Youth Services police officer, Oxnard Police Department personnel, both sworn and civilian, including two Crime Scene Investigators, Ventura County Sheriff’s Department personnel, sworn and civilian, including a deputy and a Crime Lab Scientist, department chair of Ventura College Department of Criminal Justice, a local lawyer and Oxnard College business law instructor, district personnel, parents and students. The Oxnard Police Department has provided funds to outfit our students with uniforms and physical education attire. The department has also provided numerous guest speaker opportunities and simulations for the students. Ventura County Sheriff’s personnel have also given their time in assisting us to develop our curriculum and focus. The guidance provided by the Ventura College Department of Criminal Justice has been invaluable in changing our curriculum to meet the needs of our students for their future. Their addition to our advisory board demonstrated the need for a speech course and additional written requirements in our English curriculum. In addition, Mr. Sment is a local lawyer who also works with Oxnard College’s paralegal program and is an active Judge with the Ventura County Superior court, has helped us understand what opportunities are available for our students. We meet quarterly with our advisory board to evaluate our program and ensure our curriculum is current and appropriate. Beginning in May 2008, the Fire Technology Department of Oxnard College will join our advisory board to discuss post-secondary matriculation. 11 | P a g e Oxnard High School Law and Public Services Academy The academy coordinator and academy administrator are in constant contact with the Youth Services officer to ensure new law enforcement ideas are being integrated into the curriculum. The advisory board also hosts our students on various fieldtrips and brings the latest technology into the classroom during guest speaker opportunities. SECTION VIII. DISTRICT AND INDUSTRY MATCH Oxnard Union High School District is committed to the CPA model as evidenced by the three academies at Pacifica High School, two also requesting funding. We have a district Career Technical Education Director who has ongoing workshops for our CTE staff to ensure students leave our schools prepared for the workforce. The Law and Public Services Academy continues to fulfill this mission through the community and business partners already involved in our program as well as future partners. Our district has provided a period for the academy coordinator and has allowed academy staff to attend workshops relevant to career technical education in an effort to demonstrate their commitment to our program. The district also purchased the POST-certified obstacle course last year for our academy. Our business partners have given multiple hours of their time as guest speakers and hosts for field trips. Our community partners have donated money and materials in an effort to support our program and motivate our students. This support will equal, if not exceed, the 100% match required through the following: Job shadowing/mentoring Guest Speaker opportunities Campus officers Curriculum support Simulations and demonstrations Classroom support Advisory Board meetings 12 | P a g e Oxnard High School Law and Public Services Academy SECTION IX. USE OF FUNDS Funds will be used to finance the academy coordinator’s salary in part, field trips for the students, technologically advanced instruction, updated textbooks and lab materials, and salaries for specialized instruction. The funds will finance partially the academy coordinator’s salary and pay for clerical support to maintain the expectations of the grant. Specialized field trips relevant to the academy curriculum, such as the Museum of Tolerance and the California Science Museum, and field trips to create a cohesive academy group, such as one-day ropes course, will be funded. Software for the laptops will be purchased to supplement the curriculum. Specialized kits and supplies for the forensics course will be purchased. The funds will support additional staff to teach tactics, First Aid/CPR and self-defense. The coordinator’s release period will allow for maintenance of grant records and overseeing mentors to ensure student success. Specialized field trips will allow the students to be more engaged in the curriculum because they will create relevance within the world around them. Specialized software for use on the academy computers will allow the students unique opportunities to see situations in 3-D and be able to manipulate them. The tactics and self-defense instruction will allow students to be better prepared mentally and physically for their post-secondary career choice. The First Aid and CPR training will allow our students to react well in emergency situations in their community. SECTION X. TIMELINE, BUDGET AND BUDGET NARRATIVE Task Meet with academy staff, plan curriculum, guest speakers, field trips 13 | P a g e Academy Responsibility Academy staff Schedule July 2007 Oxnard High School Law and Public Services Incoming Student Orientation Write and present junior year curriculum to district Expand partner outreach Advisory Board meetings Field Trips Recruit 70 tenth graders from ninth grade class; Recruit an additional 30 eleventh graders Guest Speakers Student Success Celebrations Task Academy coordinator, counselor, administrator Academy staff August 2007 Academy staff and Advisory Board Academy staff and Advisory Board Academy staff and Advisory Board Academy coordinator, Academy counselor, Academy students August 2007-June 2008 Academy staff and Advisory Board Academy staff August 2007-May 2008 Responsibility Receive grant funding August 2007-June 2008 Aug. 2007, Nov. 2007, Feb. 2008, May 2008 October-November 2007 April-May 2008 Nov. 2007, Feb. 2008, April 2008, June 2008 Schedule June 2008 Review progress, update curriculum and finalize report Budget discussion Academy coordinator and Academy administrator June 2008 Academy staff June 2008 Meet with academy staff, plan curriculum, guest speakers, field trips Incoming Student Orientation Team Building Activities Academy staff July 2008 Academy coordinator, counselor, administrator Academy staff and students August 2008 Write and present senior year curriculum to district Expand partner outreach Academy staff August 2008-June 2009 Academy staff and Advisory Board Begin E-Mentoring program Academy staff and Advisory Board Advisory Board meetings Academy staff and Advisory Board Attend CPA Conference Academy coordinator, 14 | P a g e Academy August 2008 August 2008-June 2009 September 2008 Aug. 2008, Nov. 2008, Feb. 2009, May 2009 March 2009 Oxnard High School Law and Public Services Recruit 70 tenth graders from ninth grade class Field Trips Guest Speakers Student Success Celebrations Review progress, update curriculum and finalize report Academy counselor, Academy administrator Academy coordinator, Academy counselor, Academy students Academy staff and Advisory Board Academy staff and Advisory Board Academy staff Academy coordinator April-May 2009 Sept. 2008-May 2009 August 2008-May 2009 Nov. 2008, Feb. 2009, April 2009, June 2009 June 2009 BUDGET NARRATIVE The Oxnard Union High School District does not have any California Partnership Academies in any of its’ schools. Oxnard High School has a ROP Hospitality and Tourism Academy, two other ROP on-site courses and a large A.V.I.D. program, but no CPAs or SSPs. Carl Perkins funding is currently covering the costs for the coordinator’s release period. Block Grant 7396 and categorical funding covers other services and operating expenses. PTSA and student fundraising have paid for field trips and uniforms. The Law Academy Coordinator will serve one release period per day as a coordinator and facilitator for the academy. 1/6th of the teacher’s $50,000 annual salary will be calculated in the budget. The coordinator will plan and execute all meetings, run all student services such as student monitoring, field trip planning, and other record keeping to meet grant requirements. The coordinator will also seek out and instigate parental and community involvement through community service opportunities, 15 | P a g e Academy Oxnard High School Law and Public Services internship and mentoring sites, and fundraising. Certificated benefits are budgeted for $2075=$8,300 X .25%. A part-time secretary will provide general clerical support for the academy through administrative assistance, budget development, maintenance of records, and general office procedures necessary to run the program. 10 hours per week @$13 per hour X 30 weeks=$3900. Classified benefits are budgeted for $351=$3,900 X .09. Books and supplies needed for the academy consists of lab supplies for the Forensic Science lab, 10 microscopes at $300 each, totaling $3,000 and 10 C.S.I. kits at $25 each, totaling $250. Books and supplies will also be needed for First Aid/C.P.R. training at $30 for 80 students, totaling $2,400. Thirty Business Law books are needed at the cost of $80 each totaling $2400. Oxnard Police Department covers $5,400 for Class A uniforms, physical education clothing, recruitment brochure printing costs, and name tags as well as ribbons for uniforms. The Oxnard Police Department has financed salaries for their commander and former assistant commander to participate in planning meetings with the district. Also, the department has provided guest speakers and members of our advisory board. The total hours for the advisory board equals 80 hours per year times an average salary of $40 per hour totaling $3200. Guest speaker opportunities have taken another 20 hours totaling an additional $800. Services and other operating expenses would include fees to pay First Aid/C.P.R. instructor, $500. Fees for students to attend workshops, such as the day long ropes course, at $60 per person, totaling $3,600. Other operating expenses include the Oxnard Police Department financing salaries for their commander to participate in 16 | P a g e Academy Oxnard High School Law and Public Services planning meetings with the district and supporting the school police officer’s salary to help the academy. Also, the department has provided guest speakers and members of our advisory board. The total hours for the advisory board equals 80 hours per year times an average salary of $40 per hour totaling $3200. Guest speaker opportunities have taken another 20 hours totaling an additional $800. Travel and Conference expenditures will be budgeted for a team to attend the annual C.P.A. conference at $800 per person X 8 people, totaling $6,400. Another $3,600 will be allocated for the National Academy conference in the fall for 4 team members to attend at $900 each. The capital outlay includes budget figures for the two Promethean Whiteboards in the Law Academy portable classrooms, science lab supplies, laptop computers, other classroom furniture and supplies, and obstacle course. Estimated costs for these items exceed $200, 000. The indirect costs total 4.3% of the budget equaling $1814 for $42,000 financed. Form F: 2007-08 Implementation Grant Budget Page 17 | P a g e Academy Oxnard High School Law and Public Services Each California Partnership Academy applicant must submit this Budget Page along with a budget narrative (not to exceed three pages each for 2007-08 and for 2008-09) that explains all expenditures under each category. A 100% match of funds (cash or in-kind) must be evident from both the school district and community/business partners. District Name: CDS Code: Oxnard Union High School District 5634548 High School Name: Principal Name: Oxnard High School Mr. James Edwards CPA Program Name: CPA Contact: Law and Public Services Academy Dr. Jahnell Nichols Amount Requested: District Fiscal Contact: $42,000 Randy Winton, Asst. Superintendent Expenditure Codes 1000 Certificated Salaries California Partnership Academy Funds $8,300 Sources of local match (Cash or In-kind) Private, Public, Nonprofit District Funds Sectors Funds Equal 100% Equal 100% $8,300 2000 Classified Salaries $1,500 $1,500 $3,000 3000 Employee Benefits $2,426 $2,426 $4,852 4000 Books and Supplies $5,800 $5,774 $15,574 5000 Services and other operating expenditures (other than Travel expenditures) $5,000 $16,000 $21,000 $8,000 $8,000 $16,000 $4,000 Budget Item Totals $16,600 5200 Travel & Conferences 6000 Capital Outlay $9,160 $36,186 $45,346 7000 Indirect Charges (CDE approved rates apply) $1,814 $1,814 $3,628 Totals $42,000 $42,000 $42,000 $126,000 Principal Signature Date CPA Coordinator Signature Date District Fiscal Contact Signature Date 18 | P a g e Academy Oxnard High School Law and Public Services