The Vision of DUSD is to become a high performing school district. We will do this by improving our student achievement and closing the achievement gap.
We have an urgent situation. First we have a moral imperative to provide the best education possible for all of our students. Cultivating Excellence means that we need to prepare all of our students for their future; whether they choose post secondary education or entering into their chosen profession after high school graduation. Specifically, they need to have strong English and math skills to be productive citizens in today's world. We must empower each student to succeed in life.
The second reason has to do with our status as a Program Improvement District. Remaining in Program Improvement will incur the possibility of a number of sanctions from the State Board of Education. This is not an option for DUSD!
Our district has adopted an Instructional Action Plan which serves as our roadmap to success. We will use:
- Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI)
- Response to Intervention (RTI2)
- Data to guide instruction
- Focus on results in a collaborative environment
- Researched based strategies
- Professional development & support systems for our teachers
Additionally, we are implementing the Nine Essential Program Components for increasing student achievement. They are:
1. Use of the State Board of Education (SBE) adopted (K-8) or standards-aligned (9-12) English-language arts and mathematics instructional materials, including intervention materials.
2. Instructional time (adherence to recommended instructional minutes for reading/language arts and mathematics [K-8] and high school access to standards-aligned core courses)
3. Participation by principals in instructional leadership training (Assembly Bill 75 on SBE-adopted instructional materials)
4. Fully credentialed teachers and teacher participation in AB 466 training on SBE-adopted instructional materials.
5. Student achievement monitoring system (use of data to monitor student progress on curriculum embedded assessments and modify instruction)
6. Ongoing instructional assistance and support for teachers (use of content experts and instructional coaches)
7. Monthly teacher collaboration by grade level (K-8) and department (9-12)
8. Lesson and course pacing schedule (K-8) and master schedule flexibility for sufficient numbers of intervention courses
9. Fiscal support
We have high expectations for all of our students, staff and leaders. Despite economic shortfalls and uncertainties, we will continue to provide a high quality education for all of our students.
We need to find a way or create one.
Joe Hernandez, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Take a step into the world of tomorrow right now. Some exciting, yet alarming statistics on the world of technology, education, and the information that envelopes all of us, but more importantly that is a part of our children's day-to-day lives and their future. UPDATED!!!
Click here for the Newest Version (v5) from April of 2009
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Welcome to Dinuba Unfied School District's NEW website. Select your child's school from the School link and you wilI be taken to their school website. You will find links to school and district events from the calendar link as well as resources to help your child through the year. From the Staff link found on each site you can also navigate to your child's classroom.
If you are looking for information from our old site please click on this LINK as we make this transition.
Budget Standards Committee Meetings
Dear Staff and Community Members:
The District has established a Budget Standards Committee to review and make recommendations to the Board of Trustees regarding the projected $6,080,500 deficit for the 2010-11 fiscal year. In planning for the 2010-11 year, at this time the district has made the following assumptions, which reflects the $6,080,500 deficit. Should any of these assumptions change, it will alter the projected deficit figure.
2010-11 Budget Assumptions Resulting in Deficit Figure
- Governor's budget proposal for K-12 education adopted by legislature as presented
- Revenue limit ADA of 5,604 remains in 2009-10 and 2010-11
- Step and column salary schedule adjustments included in 2010-11 preliminary budget
- No increases in health benefit costs in 2010-11
- No increase/decrease in supplies and materials
- No increase/decrease in district Operation expenses (utilities, district insurance, legal fees, etc.)
- All existing (2009-10) staff and programs remain the same in 2010-11
- No increase/decrease in capital outlay expenses
- Other outgo adjusted for long-term debt payment scheduled for 2010-11
The Budget Standards Committee members are as follows:
Mary Villarreal, Trustee
Bev Keel-Worrell, Trustee
Dr. Joe Hernandez, Superintendent
Paul Rogers, Assistant Superintendent
Barbara Thiesen, Director of Instructional Services
Virginia Padilla, Fiscal Services Officer
Yolanda Valdez, DHS Principal
Gina Ramshaw, Lincoln Elementary Principal
Chris Peterson, DTA Representative
Sage Clark, CSEA Representative
Joe Morgan, Community Member
Rudy Lopez, Community Member
The committee will have its first meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at the District Office Board Room, which is located at 1327 E. El Monte Way. Regular meetings will then be held each Monday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. Staff members and community members are welcome to attend. This committee will make a budget reduction recommendation to the Governing Board for final approval.
In order to increase student achievement and close the gap, Dinuba Unified School District will implement a high quality instructional core that comes from the tight alignment of rigorous academic standards, high yield instructional strategies/practices, purposeful assessments and ongoing professional development.
Dinuba
...provides a variety of perspectives to develop pathways to our future.
Innovation
...provides creative educational options to guide every student’s learning experiences.
Nurturing
...provides a community of support for the social, emotional, and physical well-being of all students and staff.
Unity
...provides a common purpose towards which everyone shares in preparing our students to become contributing citizens of a global society.
Building Character
...provides a foundation for responsibility, trustworthiness, respect, citizenship, fairness, and caring for all.
Accountability
...provides an assurance for successful achievement through the acceptance of personal responsibility by all.
High Performance in High Poverty Schools:90/90/90 and Beyond
By Douglas B. Reeves
INTRODUCTION
This article provides a review of research in high poverty schools that have also demonstrated high academic performance. The term “90/90/90” was originally coined by the author in 1995 based on observations in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where schools had been identified with the following characteristics: 90% or more of the students were eligible for free and reduced lunch, 90% of more of the students were members of ethnic minority groups, and 90% or more of the students met the district or state academic standards in reading or another area (Reeves, 2000).
Since that time, the term has been broadly applied to describe successful academic performance in schools with significant numbers of poor and minority students. Although the term has been widely used and the techniques have been frequently replicated, the suggestion that effective teaching practices can mitigate the impact of poverty remains controversial. After a review of the original research and subsequent replication of it, the article considers some of these controversies in light of the continuing evidence that, while economic deprivation clearly affects student achievement, demographic characteristics do not determine academic performance.
The evidence that follows makes clear that inappropriate commercial use of the term “90/90/90” is not supported by the research and should be challenged. There is no such thing as a proprietary 90/90/90 system nor are the methods employed by successful high-poverty schools the copyrighted property of any consultant, conference, or author. The practices are mundane, inexpensive, and most importantly, replicable. Finally, this article includes new research that
suggests that consistent application of the 90/90/90 techniques holds promise for improving student achievement and closing the equity gap in schools of any demographic description.
Click this link to download and read the whole article by Doug Reeves.
High Performance in High Poverty Schools: 90/90/90 and Beyond By Douglas B. Reeves
The Emperors claimed the Division III Valley Championship against the Porterville Panthers Friday night at Hebert Stadium in Dinuba. With a final score of 31-21 the Emperors scored all of the points they needed in the first half. Stiffling any Panther threats late in the game the Emperors got final possession with a 1:03 remaining and ran out the clock to end the season! Click here to watch the celebration. This may take a few seconds to load but it's worth it. GO EMPERORS!!!
Here some of the game STATS from the Fresno Bee
Check out these Photos of the Game from Darrel Wong of the Fresno Bee