Governors Briefs: State ProvidesLiteracy Coaches in Classrooms and California California Surpasses 150K EV Chargers

Gov. Newsom Welcomes Students Back to School with Literacy Coaches in Classrooms

SACRAMENTO – While visiting a classroom in Sacramento, Governor Gavin Newsom Aug. 27 welcomed California’s students back to campus for a new school year and announced that hundreds of the state’s highest needs schools will be staffed by state-funded and trained literacy coaches and reading specialists. Additionally, an initial cohort of 2,250 educators have completed a state-funded professional learning series and will apply that training in classrooms this school year. Educators and sites engaged in this training are supported by 12 regional hubs offering support to literacy teams with additional professional learning, covering more than 200 local educational agencies or LEAs.

By this time next year, hundreds of literacy coaches and reading specialists will be settled into their new roles supporting students and educators, schools will have evidence-based assessments for reading difficulties and literacy resources to instruct and intervene when necessary. In fall 2025, transitional kindergarten will be universal, along with expanded learning opportunities for California kids.

Efforts to strengthen literacy for California’s youth

In partnership with the Legislature, the State has made investments in evidence-based strategies and adopted new policies focused on literacy and improving student achievement on California’s English Language Arts/English Language development standards that collectively comprise California’s comprehensive literacy strategy, including training and funding for literacy coaches as described above, and:

• Screener for Reading Difficulties: Working with the Legislature, the 2023 Budget Act requires LEAs to begin screening students in kindergarten through second grade for risk of reading difficulties, including dyslexia, by the 2025-26 school year. This will ensure that 1.2 million students receive risk identification and intervention as soon as possible in elementary school.
• Literacy Roadmap: The California Department of Education or CDE anticipates that it will begin releasing grade level modules for the literacy roadmap beginning in fall 2024. Modules will be released throughout the 2024-25 school year to provide all educators with specific guidance on how to implement evidence-based literacy instruction and targeted interventions for native English speakers, multilingual learners, and students with reading challenges.
• Stronger Accountability: The 2024-25 Budget requires LEAs with unexpended funds from the $6.2 billion learning recovery emergency block grant to perform a needs assessment, with a particular focus on addressing low performance on the English Language Arts assessment, and incorporate into their annual budget planning process and transparently explain how they will use those funds to address the identified needs.
• Full Implementation of Transitional Kindergarten or TK: Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, universal TK will be fully implemented, and all four-year olds will be eligible. In addition to other benefits, universal TK eligibility will provide a stronger foundation for literacy for all students.

California’s family agenda on public education

• Tutoring + Literacy + Math: Schools will help students accelerate academic progress and mitigate learning loss with more than $8 billion invested in tutoring, increased instructional time, and other student supports.
• Community schools: Through California’s $4.1 billion community schools investment, parents and students throughout California have more access to schools that provide high-quality instruction and culturally competent wraparound services, including mental health support, tutoring, nutrition programs, health care, counseling and other social assistance.
• Expanded before and after school programs: All elementary school students will have access to before- and after-school programs, as well as summer learning opportunities, by 2025, reducing childcare costs for parents and giving kids a safe space to thrive.
• Universal free meals: No student needs to learn on an empty stomach, with all students having access to two free, nutritious meals per day at school – regardless of income or family status.
• Youth behavioral health: Youth ages 0-25 will have access to a revamped youth behavioral health system, including an online one-stop hub and billions invested to integrate mental health services with schools.
• More teachers, more counselors, and more paraeducators: Lower staff-to-student ratios means more support for students. Ratios will be lowered across settings and $1.1 billion in annual funding for high-poverty schools to hire up to 5 more staff each.

California surpasses 150,000 electric vehicle chargers

SACRAMENTO – As of August, California has surpassed 150,000 chargers installed statewide, including 137,648 Level 2 chargers and 14,708 fast chargers. This announcement comes just weeks after California posted its second highest ever market share in zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) sales

Further, California is also expected to receive more than $380 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for building out chargers.

Building a bigger, better charging network is a key part of the Governor’s build more, faster agenda delivering infrastructure upgrades across the state. Find projects in your community at build.ca.gov.

Rapidly deploying funds

This year, the California Energy Commission or CEC has approved more than $1 billion in funding for EV charging and hydrogen refueling projects for cars, trucks, and buses. The projects range from deploying chargers in underserved communities to rapid expansion along some of the state’s busiest corridors. A few highlights include:

• $390 million for electric school bus charging.
• $30 million to increase in-state manufacturing of ZEVs and related equipment.
• $12 million for EV charging at apartments and townhouse complexes.

$5 million to install Level 2 and fast chargers, bus charging ports, solar photovoltaic equipment and battery storage at a destination multi-use park and future Olympic venue in Los Angeles