California Department of Education March 2021

Expanded Learning Opportunities Grant Plan

Local Educational Agency (LEA) Name
	
Contact Name and Title
	
Email and Phone

Clovis Unified School District
	
Eimear O’Farrell, Ed.D., Superintendent
	
eimearofarrell@cusd.com 559.327.9000

The following is the local educational agency’s (LEA’s) plan for providing supplemental instruction and support to students, including those identified as needing academic, social-emotional, and other supports, including the provision of meals and snacks. The plan will explain how the LEA will use the funds it receives through the Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) Grant to implement a learning recovery program for at least the students included in one or more of the following groups: low-income students, English learners, foster youth, homeless students, students with disabilities, students at risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, disengaged students, and students who are below grade level, including, but not limited to, those who did not enroll in kindergarten in the 2020–21 school year, credit-deficient students, high school students at risk of not graduating, and other students identified by certificated staff.

For specific requirements please refer to the Expanded Learning Opportunities Grant Plan Instructions.

Plan Descriptions

A description of how parents, teachers, and school staff were involved in the development of the plan

Parents, teachers, students, staff, and community members were involved in the development of the Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) Grant Plan. The ELO was developed in conjunction with the 2020-2021 school year’s Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). During processing, over 100 district-wide stakeholder engagement meetings were held between October 2020 and May 2021. Informational meetings were offered in multiple languages, in person, and virtually in January and April 2021. In addition, students and parents were surveyed in the Spring of 2021 to gather identifying strengths and areas of improvement for both plans. These surveys thoroughly covered individual school site and districtwide topics such as engagement, instruction, school connectedness, technology access, and differentiated assistance for foster and homeless youth. The data was reviewed at both district and site levels. Comments were organized and processed with input from school site leaders, school site staff members, and parents to identify actions, services and budget for the seven strategies included in the ELO.
Community engagement included representation from various stakeholder groups such as special education, foster youth, District English Learner Advisory Committee members (DELAC), and the Governing Board. Employee groups including Faculty Senate, Classified Unit Business Support Senate (CUBSS), and California School Employees Association (CSEA) were consulted during the development of the ELO.

A description of how students will be identified, and the needs of students will be assessed.

Currently, the CUSD strategic plan includes the goal of ensuring multiple-tiered systems of support (MTSS) are in place to meet the academic and socio-emotional needs of each student. This

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will serve as the overarching means of identifying students in need of supplemental instruction and support. All students’ including students with disabilities, students at-risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, disengaged students, and students who are below grade level, including, but not limited to, those who did not enroll in kindergarten for the 2020-2021 school year, are credit deficient, or at risk of not graduating academic needs will be assessed using diagnostic assessments in both English Language Arts and Math. In addition, students will be assessed using a behavioral framework such as PBIS. Results will determine appropriate levels and types of support.
CUSD has systems in place to ensure individual needs of students are met including Intervention and Transition Teams who can assist with identification of “at-risk” students and parent communication. The ELO plan calls for expanding these services.

A description of how parents and guardians of students will be informed of the opportunities for supplemental instruction and support.
Governing Board policy 5123 states that as early as possible in the school year, the Superintendent or designee shall identify students who are failing to meet grade level promotion standards. Students identified as “at risk” will be provided intervention services during the school year and/or during summer. At the elementary level parent conferences are held no later than October 30th. During the conference parents and teachers discuss student learning progression and the opportunities provided for supplemental instruction. In grades 7-12 students’ counselors, teachers, and administrative designees are responsible for informing and discussing students’ needs with parents of students at risk of not meeting grade level standards. At all levels an intervention plan/compact is discussed with parents/guardians. Parent signatures verify that they approved or decline services.

A description of the LEA’s plan to provide supplemental instruction and support.
CUSD plans to provide supplemental instruction and support through a comprehensive MTSS system. MTSS is a two-pronged approach of supporting both the academic and social-emotional behavioral needs of students. Mandated components include universal screening, diagnostic assessments, clearly defined Tier I, II, III interventions, including “best first time” instruction during Tier I, targeted supplemental interventions at Tier II and intensive interventions at Tier III.
CUSD is committed to offering quality instruction, enhanced assessments, and targeted interventions during the school day as well as increasing supplemental support beyond the school day and year to accelerate student learning in response to potential learning loss caused by the pandemic and its instructional ramifications.
In order to diagnose student gaps in their learning progressions, CUSD will utilize diagnostic and formative assessments in both English Language Arts and Mathematics at all grade levels. These will be used in the beginning of the year to identify students performing below grade level. These universal screeners allow teachers to plan for core instruction as well as the immediate implementation of Tier I and II interventions. CUSD will expand the use of iReady diagnostic assessments in ELA and mathematics to meet the California Department of Education’s mandate for schools to provide diagnostic assessments that “can identify where students are in their learning within key content areas when they return to school so teachers can teach them most effectively”. The iReady tool not only informs the teacher of the grade level proficiency, but scripts out a learning path for individual students. The iReady system also contains formative assessments that are given in the Winter and Spring. The student learning is targeted and appropriate. Students in grades 9-12 use Reading Inventory, which serves as a pre-assessment tool for high school students. Secondary teachers are familiar with Lexile levels and learning paths and team with other grade level partners of the same subject. They are aware of the lesson pathways from previous years and what students may have missed with instruction in the prior year.

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As noted above each school has a robust MTSS system around which to provide supplemental instruction and support for students. This tiered system includes the identification of students and strategies for dealing with learning gaps. All students have access to tier 1 support, which happens in the classroom to meet the immediate needs of students who may be struggling with concepts or skills. Students can be broken into small groups after instruction to assist those who may need additional time and/or instruction. Tier 2 support is more targeted and takes place after core instruction, so students don’t miss new learning. Tier 3 provides more individualized support. It targets smaller groups of students, sessions last longer, and topics are more narrowly focused.
Instructional support and intervention are not only an issue in ELA and math, but in all subject areas. To mitigate learning loss and provide supplemental instruction and support teacher use formative assessments to identify appropriate lessons in closing the achievement gap. Data from these assessments are used to support Professional Learning Communities (PLC) at the sites as teams work together to ensure that students are mastering grade level standards.
CUSD currently utilizes a combination of four social-emotional learning programs including Second Step, The Positivity Project, Character Strong, and Positive Behavior and Interventions Supports (PBIS). These programs offer strategies and interventions to increase positive behavior and encourage character development. These supports, which are culturally inclusive, have been enhanced to assist teachers throughout our district. In addition, ELO dollars will provide for the expansion of social-emotion and behavioral support.
The CUSD Transition Program provides the opportunity to focus on students and their families who might not seek support but would benefit from mentoring and increased connection to school resources. Transition team members are able to connect students and families with resources they need to be successful in the classroom, at home, and in the community. Transition Team members collaborate with parents, staff, district administrators, and other stakeholders to review and monitor individual student progress ensuring students are college and/or career ready. Through mentorship, Transition Counselors and Student Relations Liaisons strive to develop meaningful relationships with students.
Many supports will be offered, through the Clovis Unified Wellness Project. The Wellness Project was developed to increase awareness of the social-emotional and behavioral needs of students and provide the necessary interventions/supports to assist students. Critical components of The Wellness Project include the district’s PBIS Team, Mental Health Support Providers, and Behavioral Consultation Team (BCT).
Clovis Unified’s PBIS Team will continue to meet with school site personnel as they transition back to face-to-face instruction. The focus will be to support teachers in maintaining social-emotional connections with students. Universal proactive strategies derived from collaborating with schools include: adjusting campus-wide behavioral expectations, integrating student and teacher social-emotional engagement within the school day, problem-solving new means for behavior correction and discipline, and providing training in data-based decision making for students who may need more intensive and customized supports.
CUSD provides counseling and mental health supports at intermediate schools, comprehensive high schools, and alternative education sites. Each area has a full-time Mental Health Support Provider (MHSP). MHSP offers numerous supports, including individual counseling, group counseling, collaboration with teachers and administrators, as well as consultation with our families to find appropriate mental health supports outside of our district. Additionally, many of our schools have Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) trainees who, with supervision, provide mental health support. Our district will also provide mental health supports through on-site therapists from Fresno County Behavioral Health and Comprehensive Youth Services (CYS). Our contract with CYS will be expanded during the 2021-2022 school year. CYS is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing supportive services to children, adolescents and families who have experienced abuse or

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domestic violence, and for those who are at-risk, or who are struggling with difficult personal or family issues.
Clovis Unified provides behavior consultation, collaboration and support through our Behavior Consultation Team (BCT). The BCT is comprised of three school psychologists, a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and five behavioral consultants. The BCT offers collaboration and consultation with school teams and parents as well as direct support for those students whose behavior impedes their own learning or the learning of others. The goal of the BCT is not only to provide support, but to also build capacity within our school teams.
Education has faced unprecedented challenges because of the pandemic. Even in trying times, Clovis Unified has proactively adjusted to meet the needs of all stakeholders. The district will continue to be committed to provide highly effective and meaningful social-emotional-behavioral supports to our students and families.
CUSD will continue to provide professional learning opportunities for teachers and support staff. A focus will be on mitigating learning loss caused by distance learning models of instruction. Teachers will also continue to be trained on social emotional learning and strategies to help students cope. The purpose is to equip all staff members with the necessary tools to increase student engagement and interest, accelerate learning, and to reduce any gaps caused by the global pandemic.
CUSD schools will monitor students with unique learning needs and will provide targeted interventions for those students. English learners are susceptible to learning loss, especially when they did not have consistent models of fluent English speakers during distance learning. To address the issue, teachers will provide greater opportunities for students to both speak and listen. Supplemental instruction and support will be offered throughout the school day as well as extended periods outside of the school day and summer.
Students who are low-income have unique learning needs and benefit from additional support from school. We learned from surveys and distribution of computers in the 2020-21 school year that low-income students have less access to technology and internet connectivity is often a struggle. Many students aren’t well-versed in technology-enhanced learning and may need additional support. CUSD plans to further support technology access for these students through the LCAP and the Expanded Learning Opportunities Grant.
Foster youth and unhoused students are some of our most vulnerable students. Lack of continuity in a placement and lack of a permanent home can create learning struggles. Factors that contribute to learning loss for these students may include irregular attendance, communication barriers, and access to outside technology. To address these issues, our Assistant Director of Student Services and School Attendance will work closely with school sites and Transition Team Coordinators to connect these students to the campuses. One-on-one contact will be made with these students to ensure that they have the tools necessary to begin the school year. Additional laptops and hotspots will be designated to these students.
Students with disabilities may experience regression when instruction lacks continuity and is not comprehensive in nature. These students were some of the first to return to in-person instruction at the start of the 2020-21 school year. To mitigate learning loss, these students’ IEP’s will be carefully considered. In-house and outside resources will be provided to these students in addition to providing them more time with teachers and instructional aides. The ELO grant will afford funds to meet the increased instructional needs of these students.
Based on the seven strategies, presented for the ELO grant, below are some actions/services Clovis Unified School District plans to implement:

•	Expand and Extend Learning Opportunities
•	Expand and increase interventions offered during the school day •	Provide short term contracts for mental health providers

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•	Provide professional learning and curriculum to support student learning loss •	Provide school counselors
•	Provide additional behavioral support
•	Increase full time Behavioral psychologist for childcare and preschool programs
•	Increase teacher support for students in grades 4-6 falling significantly below grade level •	Increase tutoring services specifically for foster and homeless youth
•	Expand teacher stipends for after school reading and math intervention
•	Provide Fountas and Pinnell intervention program and assessments to primary students •	Increase parenting classes
•	Provide substitute teachers for teachers to plan for students returning to face-to-face instruction
•	Purchase additional Social Emotional Curriculum and training •	Purchase Goalbook for Special Education
•	Purchase software services such as zoom, GoGuardian, Q, Tyler, Microsoft •	Additional stipends for intervention and/or credit recovery programs

Expenditure Plan

The following table provides the LEA’s expenditure plan for how it will use ELO Grant funds to support the supplemental instruction and support strategies being implemented by the LEA.

Supplemental Instruction and Support Strategies
	Planned Expenditures
	Actual Expenditures
	
Extending instructional learning time
•	Expand and Extend Learning Opportunities •	Increase teacher support for students in
grades 4-6 falling significantly below grade level
•	Increase tutoring services specifically for foster and homeless youth
•	Expand teacher stipends for after school reading and math intervention
	$7,270,000
	[Actual expenditures will be provided when available]
	
Accelerating progress to close learning gaps through the implementation, expansion, or enhancement of learning supports
•	Expand and increase interventions offered during the school day
•	Provide Fountas and Pinnell intervention program and assessments to primary students
	$1,464,800
	[Actual expenditures will be provided when available]

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Supplemental Instruction and Support Strategies
	Planned Expenditures
	Actual Expenditures
	
Integrated student supports to address other barriers to learning
•	Provide short term contracts for mental health providers
•	Provide school counselors
•	Provide additional behavioral support
•	Increase full time Behavioral psychologist for childcare and preschool programs
•	Purchase additional Social Emotional Curriculum
	$ 1,754,340
	[Actual expenditures will be provided when available]
	
Community learning hubs that provide students with access to technology, high-speed internet, and other academic supports
•	Purchase software services such as zoom, GoGuardian, Q, Tyler, Microsoft
	$12,413,490
	[Actual expenditures will be provided when available]
	
Supports for credit deficient students to complete graduation or grade promotion requirements and to increase or improve students’ college eligibility
•	Additional stipends for intervention and/or credit recovery programs
	$ 2,200,000
	[Actual expenditures will be provided when available]
	
Additional academic services for students
•	Additional stipends for intervention and/or credit recovery programs
	$ 1,298,500
	[Actual expenditures will be provided when available]
	
Training for school staff on strategies to engage students and families in addressing students’ social-emotional health and academic needs
•	Provide professional learning and curriculum to support student learning loss
•	Provide substitute teachers for teachers to plan for students returning to face-to-face instruction
•	Purchase Goalbook for Special Education
•	professional Development for VAPA teachers
	$ 1,089,600
	[Actual expenditures will be provided when available]

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Supplemental Instruction and Support Strategies
	Planned Expenditures
	Actual Expenditures
	
Total Funds to implement the Strategies
	$27,490,730
	[Actual expenditures will be provided when available]

A description of how ELO Grant funds are being coordinated with other federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds received by the LEA.

The District will be utilizing other federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds to strengthen infrastructure needed to support the increased use of technology in the classroom and after school as outlined in the ELO Grant Plan. Increased staffing and lower class sizes will require the district to purchase or rent portable classrooms. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, upgrades and replacement of aging HVAC systems has become a priority. The social distancing guidelines during meal service may result in outdoor student meal service. Shade structures will be installed throughout the district for students.

Other items include:

• Devices to disinfect school buses

• Increased Principal’s Discretionary funds • Student furniture
• Interim support staff to assist with purchasing equipment needed to implement plan

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