Senate Standing Committee on Rules

The Senate Rules Committee will come to order. Before we begin today's agenda, let's establish quorum. Can we please call the roll?

[Roll Call]

Thank you. A quorum has been established. If there's no objections, I'd like to take up first on today's agenda. Governor's appointment is not required to appear. Starting with item two e, the appointment of Arthur Krantz, JD, as a member of the public employment relations board.

I'll entertain a motion. So moved. Thank you. We have a motion by, vice chair Grove. Can we please call the roll?

[Roll Call]

Thank you. That is approved. Five to zero. Next item for governor's appointments not required to appear. We have item two f, Christopher Ferguson to the Student Aid Commission. I'll entertain a motion.

I would move that.

Oh. Thank you, Senator Laird. Can we please call the roll?

[Roll Call]

Alright. That is approved. Five to zero. Next, we have item governor's appointments not required to appear. Item two g, Brian Haynes, PhD to the Student Aid Commission.

Okay. Thank you very much. We have a motion by vice chair Grove. Can we please call the roll?

[Roll Call]

Alright. That is 5-0. That item is approved. Next item is governor's appointments not required to appear. Item two h, Anna Marie DeMars, p c to the student athletic commission.

I'll entertain a motion. So moved. Thank you, vice chair Grove. Can we please call the roll?

[Roll Call]

Alright. That item is approved. Five to zero.

Last item for governor's appointments not required to appear. Item two, Aye, Ronald Fiore to the Student Athletic Commission. I'll entertain a motion, please. Thank you, vice chair Grove. We have a motion. Can we please call the roll?

[Roll Call]

Alright. That item is approved. 5-0. Next, I'd like to take item three, references of bills to committees. I'll entertain a motion. Thank you, Senator Laird, for the motion. Can we please call the roll?

[Roll Call]

Thank you. That item is approved five to zero. We will now turn to the governor's appointees required to appear. We have item one a, the appointment of Julia Montgomery JD as general counsel to the agricultural labor board's relation. Miss Montgomery, you are welcome to come forward and sit here on the dias.

You'll have one to two minutes for your opening testimony to the committee. In your opening, you're welcome to introduce any of your guests. We'll keep time and, prompt you when you're getting close to your time. Welcome. You're and you're ready to begin.

Thank you. Good afternoon, members of the Senate. I am honored to appear before you today for my appointment to a third term as general counsel of the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, and I thank governor Newsom for appointing me once again. With me today in the audience is my husband, Thomas, my seventeen year old daughter, Miranda, my 14 year old son, Julian, and several of my wonderful colleagues at the ALRB. My parents, Fran and Jim Montgomery, are also present online.

I am incredibly grateful for the support of my family, friends, and colleagues without whom I would not be able to do this important work. I have dedicated my career of nearly thirty years to serving rural Californians living and working in the agricultural industry. I have lived in both the Central Valley and the Central Coast and have worked on matters in all major agricultural areas throughout the state.

I have gotten to know workers and employers producing numerous commodities, including strawberries, vegetable row crops, fruit and nut orchards, wine grapes, dairies, and more. I am humbled by the incredibly hard work and dedication of those who work in this industry, and I am grateful that I've been able to help fulfill the ALRB's mission to achieve justice for all agricultural workers through peace in the fields and stability in labor relations, which is in our founding statute.

To me, this means supporting farm workers to be the agents of change in their workplaces by protecting their right to come together and raise concerns about working conditions or just to ask for improvements without about working conditions or just to ask for improvements without retaliation. It means supporting workers freely in deciding whether to have a union to represent them without coercion and fostering fair bargaining processes between employers and unions, which provides stability in this industry that is a backbone of California's economy.

It means working to ensure fairness in ALRB's processes and supporting employers who want to do the right thing and follow the law. It also means continually working to ensure that all our stakeholders, workers, employers, and unions are aware of the rights we protect and can easily access the resources we provide. I am fortunate to work with an excellent team at the ALRB that works each day to uphold our critically important mission in the face of mounting challenges.

I look forward to continuing to help lead the way to strengthen the ALRB to better serve all our stakeholders. Thank you so much for the opportunity to appear before you today, and I'm happy to answer any questions you have.

Thank you, miss Montgomery. We will now, turn it to our, members of this committee for any questions. We'll start with our vice chair Grove.

Thank you, Madam Pro Tem. Good afternoon. Thank you for being here again. So I have a couple of questions regarding AB 113, the mandatory mandatory card check or support petition for petition for card check processes. That obviously allows you, individuals to unionize just based on a signature. There's been a lot of complaints that come to my office regarding the guardrails that are available and not available. Some farm workers say they never signed the petition.

So, specifically on your office and the general counsel, how what is in place to make sure that farm workers are not pressured, misled, somebody else signs their name, or under and or they understand the consequences of the decision that they make. So what guardrails do you have in place?

Yes. Thank you for that question. So, workers or employers or unions or any anybody can who's involved in a card check petition can file an objection to an election result or or a certification. And, if they feel that that the process has not been handled properly or fairly, they are welcome to file either an objection or an unfair labor practice charge. If it's an objection, that will be heard by, by a an officer of the board.

If it is an unfair labor practice charge, that's investigated by the general counsel. But if if workers are if if there's an allegation that that workers are being coerced or pressured either into signing cards or not signing cards, then, we will take those, charges and and investigate those impartially to determine what facts there are and and whether or not an unfair labor practice has occurred. And and if there is an unfair labor practice, then we would we would seek remedies for that.

Does your office independently verify the authenticity of the signatures? How did the signatures get verified?

The general counsel's office doesn't oversee the that process, but but the staff of the regional director and the board do. And, there there is not a process to verify signatures. It's not one of the processes. However, if there is a claim that that a signature was improperly obtained or a card was not, in fact, signed and that were verified or we had evidence of that, then, you know, if there's an unsigned card, then it would not be counted.

And how is this communicated to the the farm worker themselves that is, you know, that they have this process of availability to file a claim or they don't have the they don't have the they don't have to sign the card if they don't want to, primarily when, I don't know, 95% of them are Spanish speaking only.

Yeah. I mean, we we do general outreach to to farm working communities about the process, what what is what is this card check process, how does it work. Certainly, really embedded in our act is the the right of farm workers to make their own decisions about whether they want a union to support them. Do they want to engage in the majority support process? Do they wanna have an election or not?

That's up to them, And they are to do that without coercion by any any party, their employer or union. And and so we do communicate that through outreach. And and certainly, if people contact our office and they ask if they have concerns or they raise concerns, we would give them information about their rights in that instance as well.

What does outreach look like to you?

Yeah. Outreach is is done in a very in many, many different ways. So we have significantly expanded our outreach, since I started at the ALRB. We, do a lot of we do radio and television outreach, social media outreach. We also, go in person to a lot of events in the communities and, and and do in person outreach.

We we also communicate with a lot of different community based organizations that are in touch with farm workers who have the trust of the farm worker community and communicate information about about what we do, who we are, what workers' rights are in in to those individuals and those groups so that they can then, in turn, pass on that information to to workers in their communities as well.

And we we just we and every person at the ALRB, really, in in the general counsel programming in our regional offices, we we take that responsibility very seriously for everybody to do outreach. Outreach is is everyone's job, to to help communicate and spread the word, and and build those relationships with with workers and community groups and employers and and the like.

You mentioned, trusted advocates for farm workers that you guys trust. Who are some of those advocates?

That the ALRB

You guys reach out to them and they reach out to the farm worker because you trust them. Who do you trust?

Well, there's a lot of different groups all throughout the state. There's there there's different indigenous farmworker groups that that also help with language access. So there's, MiCOP, CAUSE. There's a group called CBDIO that that reaches out to farmworkers. There's also I mean, there there's multiple groups.

There's a group in the Central Valley called ICUC, which I'd have to look up what that acronym means, but there's there are a lot of different groups all over the state. There's TODEC in the Coachella Valley. And that's just name a few. There's Poder Poplar in Ventura County. Yeah. There there's a lot.

Just off the top of your head. And then you you mentioned social media. What's the social media site that you put stuff out on?

So we were using Page. Oh, I'm sorry?

What's the Instagram page?

There is an ALRB Instagram page.

And that's how you communicate for outreach to the employees?

That's one of the ways. We also use Facebook.

Under the ALRB as well?

Correct. Yes.

Okay. I just wanna know what it was. I'm gonna look at it. And then, the recent union certification disputes that have been litigated recently litigated, it does raise concerns because you are getting cases that people are saying, you know, there are concerns with the way the process is going. And there's no other guardrails that you can put on the process from the council's office or the council's perspective to make sure that, people who want to unionize can unionize.

And those who don't want to unionize are not being, not forced or whatever. I I don't think it's a forced situation. I think they just get the list and they write down people's names and there's no validation of the certificates and it just happens and the average farm worker doesn't even know that they've signed up for it or somebody has signed them up for it and that's the story we get.

You know, I they come in and they're like, I didn't sign this and I don't know who signed it, but it wasn't me. And so they obviously don't know about the process and how they can be protected.

So I was curious about your outreach, and I'm also curious about the cases you're already handling and what we can do for authenticate authenticate authentication of the signatures that are supposed to be these farm workers signatures. You compare them with, like, a I don't know. You don't sign a D-6 form, but, like, a name on a D-6 form that's turning quarterly by the employers, and you know, I don't even know how you would do it. I'm you're the council. I'm not.

Right? So how would you authenticate signatures to make sure that you're certifying what people have actually wanted?

Yeah. I mean, we don't have handwriting experts on on staff, but certainly if if there valid.

When you fill out a Ballot, you vote. I mean, you have to sign the outside of the envelope.

It's basically similar. Sure. Sure. And I I would say that we like, if there were a claim I mean, I think a a signature would be presumed to be valid.

And if there were a question about its validity or authenticity, then we would investigate that, and we would look into that. And we would, we we we would see what evidence exists that that a that a signature is not, is not valid. Right? And so if if we were in touch with that individual, I mean, certainly, we might ask them if if if they signed. You know, do you remember signing something?

But but but there would be a a variety of ways in which which that could be investigated. But I think we would need to, have an allegation that it was false before we would

investigate it. Any of those allegationS Based on the lawsuits that have been challenging in this, SB 113? AB 113?

There are unfair labor practice charges that happen. We have received unfair labor practice charges filed. Yes. But nothing That have alleged that. No signatures.

There there are some that alleged that that workers didn't know what they were signing. I not there might have been I I I'm not sure if there is any saying that that they were, forged signatures, but but I do recall we we have some that were filed, claiming that workers didn't know what they were signing.

So I guess the problem that I have is is that I represent the top three food producing counties in the world. I have more farm workers than any other Senator that sits on this dias or in the chamber that work for us, to bring the crops to the to the table that we eat every day. And, their biggest issue that they bring to my office is they don't know what they're signing and it's not their signature. And they don't know that there's an appeals process. They're not following the ALRB on Instagram or Facebook.

They don't have the outreach. So whatever your outreach is, or it's not working, so you should probably look on a different plan because it's it's not working. And then were you in office? Were you a part of the general counsel when the ground farm workers issue came up and you guys locked up the ballots or the excuse me. Governor Brown locked up the ballots for five years?

No. No. That was before that was a few years before I got here.

Okay. Then I don't that's the end of my questions. Thank you, madam pro tem.

Thank you, vice chair Grove. Then we will go to some Senator Reyes. Thank you.

I know that your your office enforces make whole orders. And like you, we would love to know why the general counsel's office has not been able to enforce make whole orders. Very specifically, UFW believes the ALRB does not act swiftly enough and that there are still farm workers waiting for compensation. They maintain that employers resist paying make whole judgments and the failure to collect make whole orders and other significant delays on pursuing charges and setting hearings on complaints have harmed farm workers.

UFW believes some employers have avoided paying for farm workers who are owed make whole during the during the entirety of your ten year service at ALRB.

Now, your numbers indicate that settlements are occurring at a higher percentage, than in prior decades. I do applaud you for that. Thank you. But for those farm workers who are still waiting for their compensation, what do you think is a disconnect between your numbers and what farm workers feel on

the ground? Thank you for that question. You know, the the unfortunately, in a lot of these make whole cases, they they do go on for quite a long while, and and they're they're the result of of appeals and, you you know, they can drag on for years with appeals, which, of course, is is the right of the parties to to appeal if they disagree with an order. But, I mean, we have diligently pursued, make whole relief.

We we recently did get a a board order upholding make whole in a in against a grower.

It was a a rather large workforce just very recently. Now there have been some instances in which companies have closed down when there is a large make whole order, and we only I mean, we we can't always control that or or, do a whole lot about that, but we do we do pursue remedies when we can.

For example, there was a case in which, a few years ago where where an employer went into bankruptcy, and we had to make whole order, and we did file a complaint a claim in bankruptcy court. We have a claim pending to get paid out of that bankruptcy proceeding for the workers, and we're actively pursuing that. So I I do feel like we we are taking measures to to get payments for workers when we can.

It's just, unfortunately, sometimes there are circumstances beyond our control that delay the cases, and and delay relief or or result in the employer, closing operations and, and and then there's not a lot left over.

And as a follow-up, what what will you do to ensure that the the workers of farm workers get the money they're owed in a more timely fashion and specifically some make whole and specifically the make whole payments? And what are the barriers you're facing to prevent this dispensation other than the bankruptcy, to make sure that the farm workers get the money they're owed?

Thank you. Yes. I mean, it's as, you know, as I as I detailed in my my written responses, of course, which you mentioned, we we have worked really hard to try and resolve and settle cases as as expeditiously as we can. I find that when we we can settle a case before a hearing, then the likelihood of workers getting money soon or a lot sooner goes way up because you're not gonna have the case stuck in years of appeals.

And and the sad reality is when that does happen, people disappear, and it's hard to find people.

Right? Or or in financial circumstances of an employer can change over time as well. But so by settling cases and really working hard to resolve those cases, I I do believe we have really increased the amount of remedies we've been able to actually pay out to farm workers and get to farm workers.

And and just I I'm just continually working to find ways to streamline and improve our investigations and our processes so that we can finish cases more quickly and and remove those barriers that that workers may face. So just I think also making sure that that we that we can actively pursue judgment enforcement measures as well when when there's a need to do that.

And and just making sure our staff has the capacity to do that as well is is another, another way in which we can help increase the remedies to farm workers and get them paid more quickly.

Wonderful. I I know that would be important. We all know that would be important. Absolutely. Thank you. And before I forget, ICUC Inland Congregations United for Change.

Thank you very much.

We have one in the Inland Empire too. Very important organization. Absolutely. The last area I wanna talk about is about the Tri Fanucchi farm. Yes.

Forty nine years after the union election, twelve years after the ALRB ruling on bad faith bargaining, and they've never had a union contract nor have they received any money from the ALRB ruling of bad faith bargaining by Tri Fanucchi. The your office oversees the investigation enforcement of these orders. Trifonucci has avoided paying farm workers the owed make whole during the entirety of, again, your ten year, ten years of service with ALRB.

Now something that had been mentioned before is vacancy rate, at ALRB and and then departments responsible for enforcing labor laws, they say is twice as high as fish and wildlife agencies. And that may be part of the reason for the delay in enforcement.

My question is because I think this is clearly an egregious example of the number of years that have that have passed for the for these farm workers to finally see justice, finally see their compensation. What will you do to ensure farm workers get the money they're owed in a more timely fashion, specifically regarding the Tri Fanucchi farms?

Thank you. Well, I I will just mention that, that case is ongoing, so there is no judgment. There's no Yeah. There's no judgment on that. And so I don't have the ability to get any money out of any party until there's a final judgment saying that they owe that money. There

Where is it in litigation then?

So yeah. And and one reason I'll just I'll just point out why it's it's been going on longer than I've been at the ALRB is because the company, has appealed, the case. You know, there's been multiple appeals that took many years, and it went all the way to the California Supreme Court and back. And so during that time period, you know, we really couldn't do anything. We just had to wait for the appeals courts to to do their thing. Right?

And then they sent it back. And and there was a hearing held on that case that concluded last year, and then a administrative law judge came out with a decision. I believe he ordered over $7,000,000 in make whole to the workers. And our board came out with a decision very recently upholding the judge's decision but asking for a revision in the calculation of of that money, but it was only as to the interest, I think, so they left the rest of it intact. And and so that board decision just came out within the last month, I believe.

It's very recent. And so, the staff in the regional offices is working on, the board directive to to recalculate part of the interest calculation. And then once that is done, the employer will have an opportunity to and the union, they'll have an opportunity to, weigh in on that as well, and then the board will review that and issue a decision. And then after that, there'll be an appeal right for, any of the parties. And then so at

some point, I'm I'm hoping it will become a final decision and a final judgment, and then we can enforce that. But while the case is pending, I have no authority to to get money from anybody on that.

That makes sense. If it's still on litigation. The fact that it's forty nine years, I when I read this, I was I was shocked. But if, there is no final judgment and there's still the right of appeal, as you've mentioned, then that's something we have to wait for. Well, that is the end of my questions, madam PT. Thank you. Thank you.

Senator Laird.

Thank you very much. And thank you for the the meeting today. I appreciated it. Let me ask a couple of questions that we talked about. And and one is just you estimated that there's a 20% vacancy rate.

How is recruitment and retention going and what strategies do you have to try to attack that vacancy rate?

Yes. Thank you for that question. I'll just say recruitment and retent recruitment is always ongoing, and, although recruitment and retention do have their challenges at the ALRB given that we have offices in rural locations throughout the state, and it's very important for our staff to be physically present in the communities where we have offices so that they can be available to the workers and employers and, you know, the stakeholders. So so we we absolutely need people to be in these areas.

And, there's just not a high number, for example, attorneys in in some of these Central Valley towns and and other areas.

And and then the cost of living in some of our areas is very high as well, which is another challenge. So we've always faced those challenges, however, and and and we also do endeavor to hire, Spanish speaking staff. Right? All of our investigators speak Spanish, and three of them speak Mistecco. And and so that just is another requirement of the job that we have to, you know, we have to find somebody with those with that skill set.

And but we are certainly doing whatever we can to recruit, which includes going to local organizations, local law schools, bar associations, using our own connections that we have in communities throughout the state to spread the word and, yeah, posting on social media and and actively working with our HR to to get to get people through the pipeline, so to speak, and screen and all of that. So so we are actively working on that.

And then for retention, I would say we we regularly train our staff and do a lot of skills building. We we have monthly trainings of the general counsel staff on on both, like, skills as well as just the law and updates and really try to help people with their professional development, which which I think helps with

And and you sort of triggered a follow-up question here. I know you have an office in Salinas and you mentioned indigenous languages and I know mixed tech tricky other stuff are real issues and being able to communicate. Do you find that's an issue throughout all your offices? Do you have people that are available on the phone to do stuff if nobody translates in a particular office? How do you deal with that language barrier?

Yes. So if we have a staff member who speaks the language, we certainly will try to connect them if possible. If not because, of course, like you like you mentioned, Senator, there's so many different languages, that people speak. So we do have a interpretation service that we use. And and so we will avail ourselves of that service when we need to.

And then one thing we talked about and I thought somebody else would ask this question and I think I'm gonna ask it just for everybody's edification because many people will say that jeez the unions have not necessarily been successful in organizing a lot of farm workers. Why are you there? And you, I know, do things way beyond that. So how would you answer that question?

Yes. Thank you for that question. Yeah. I mean, the the ALRB is more relevant than ever, I would say. And we regularly receive claims from workers who are organizing themselves at their own workplaces or just getting together.

It can just be a couple of people. It doesn't even have to be a big group or the whole workforce, but just workers who who want to affect change in their workplace. They wanna improve their working conditions. We get claims of, like they it can be we don't have water. We don't have shade.

We we're being sexually harassed, or it can be a, you know, a variety of things that might violate a law that they're complaining about. But we also get people who who just say, well, I want the foreman to treat us with more respect and stop yelling at us. We don't like to be yelled at. And and there are people who will raise those issues, and then they get laid off first or not called back the next season, or just flat out fired.

And and they come to us when that happens, and then we investigate.

And if we find that the motive for for that action was, in fact, a retaliatory motive, that violates the law, then we'll take action. So we we are, day in and day out throughout the state, supporting workers in being able to raise issues in their workplace and and better their working conditions, which I I I believe is really for the better the it's it's in the best interest of everyone.

Because if we can get workers and employers to talk to one another directly, they can often resolve those issues themselves, without involving us or or some other entity. Right? And and that's really the most efficient and expeditious way, I think, for us to to improve, working conditions.

But but having this the ALRB as as support and this law is allowing people to feel safe enough to do that. Alright.

Thank you. I really appreciate that response. Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you. And I appreciate just what you've shared with us today. I think that some of the issues that our members have covered are issues that a lot of us are following in particular. Excuse me. And, I know that, there were there was a question regarding, some of the unfair labor practice charges, in in particular around it sounds like it's still ongoing case.

But I I did note that that was that there are procedural questions that help inform us more than anything. And so in in terms of what that process is like from start to finish and the timeliness of the completion of those cases.

And so I don't know if you can speak broadly not to a specific case, but just for our general understanding in terms of how you prioritize, some of these, claims that come for in charges that come forward, and, the the timeline or your ideal timeline to try to resolve or come to a conclusion?

Sure. Thank you. Well, first of all, I'll just say that if if there is a if there's an unfair labor practice that we can remedy more quickly and by by, for example, going in and getting a court order.

For example, if if somebody is is fired for exercising their rights under the act and and we and and the season is still going on and the work is still going on, and we have clear evidence of that violation, we will prioritize cases like that too, and we'll go and, you know, we and seek a court order. And and I would say a lot of the time, we will we will tell the employer we're gonna seek a court order, and then they'll say, oh, never mind.

I'll I'll hire them back. Right? And so we are able to get that remedy, more quickly. And and so if there's a really blatant unfair labor practice that happens and and we're able to, like, get a quick remedy, we'll we'll prioritize those.

I mean, we we prioritize all of our cases, I'll just say, but in terms of what would be more urgent if we wanna get somebody back to work while the season is still ongoing, then that might it might have a a faster timeline because we wanna make sure people get back to work while workers are still there.

Because that's one really important way to remedy an unfair labor practice because if people are exercising their rights, for example, they're complaining about a condition at work and the people in their crew see that they've been fired because they took that action, then that sends a strong message to the crew that, well, you better keep your mouth shut and you don't say anything. Right? And and that's really, really damaging to and and it's chilling all of their rights.

So the one of the ways we can remedy that is the those same workers who saw this see those people that complain coming back to work. And then we'll do, like, we we notice the crews and talk to them and everything when when there's a resolution of a charge.

So if we can do that while the work's still ongoing, we'll prioritize that. But we we really do we seek to, get our investigations done as quickly as we can. We, you know, we really like, the the benchmark is between four and six months depending on the complexity.

However, a lot of investigations do take longer than that to complete, and and there's a lot of reasons for that including, sometimes it's hard to find workers and witnesses, especially a lot of times people come to us at the end of a season. And so then we have to wait for the season to come back around again and people to come back to be able to find the witnesses and get the information.

We also face obstruction by parties where they will not provide the requested information, and we have to go into court and seek orders from the court to to get them to give us the information that we need to be able to complete our investigation. And sometimes we get stuck in the court's backlog, right, where where it can be months and months and months before the court will even look at our case or set it for hearing, and we have no control over that.

So so that does also delay our processes. And and then to the extent that there's, yeah, just other, you know, other other problems that, I mean, they, you know, can range from, yeah, just workers being reluctant to talk to us, being afraid to come forward. Sometimes our staff has to do a lot of work to try and and build trust to get to get that information. It can take some time.

Thank you. Thank you. We are now going to turn it to members of the public. If you are here to speak in support of, the appointee, we're gonna ask you and welcome you to come forward. This is the time.

Alright. Seeing no one here in support, if there's anyone here in opposition, we're going to ask you to come forward at this time. Alright. So we'll bring it back to this dais for a motion, if there is a motion.

Madam chair?

Yes.

I would move that we advance this appointment to the floor of the Senate.

Thank you very much. We have a motion by Senator Laird. So we will go ahead and call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Three to two. Congratulations. The appointment has been approved to move to the full Senate for a floor confirmation. Thank you so much.

Thank you. Our next item is governor appointees required to appear item one b through d, the appointments of Cynthia Glover Woods, EDD, Brenda Brenda Lewis, EDD, and Gabriela Orozco Gonzalez as a member of the State Board of Education.

So we welcome you all to come forward. You will each have one to two minutes for your opening testimony. You're welcome to do any introductions of your guests in the opening testimony, and then once you've all had your opportunity to give your opening, we will then ask questions. So we can begin.

We'll go in this order. Actually, it's from my left to right, if that's okay. We'll start with Dr. Glover Woods, then Dr. Lewis, then Ms. Gonzalez, if that's okay.

Well, good afternoon. I would like to say I am very honored and blessed to be able to be before you this afternoon. I'm quite excited and very grateful for the opportunity to be considered for confirmation as a member of the State Board of Education. My passion in education really echoes both sides of my life; I would say my professional as well as my personal.

As a professional, I've been in the field for almost 40 years now. Actually, it's been 40 years. I started as an instructional assistant in Long Beach Unified and have served as a teacher, a principal, a district administrator, a County Office administrator, and have had the opportunity to serve on the California State Board of Education in this realm.

But I will say, the part of my life that I think has shaped me the most and has made me most passionate for the work that the State Board of Education is called to do has been my personal life. I am a product of college and career.

My mother is a high school or what-- she's a retired high school English teacher. My father decided to go straight into the field of career. He enlisted in the United State Marine Corps, retired master gunnery sergeant, and then went on for a second career in the private sector. So I see how both tracks can lead to a thriving life and a very thriving family. I'm a product of California public education system.

I did my K-12 bringing up, if you will, and I thank the educators in Fresno Unified as well as Oceanside Unified for giving me just the skills that are necessary to be successful as well as our state universities. And I will conclude by saying, I think the largest aspect of my personal life has been a mom.

I have a wonderful husband who is listening right now, and we had the opportunity to raise children as he was a lieutenant for Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and I was working in the field of education, and we had wonderful children to bring forward as well. And I've had children who have graduated from traditional public high schools as well as private Christian high schools.

And what I have learned is that there are many tracks for our children and what's most important is that we provide all opportunities in all different realms for children to be able to thrive in the space that works well for them.

As I conclude and thank you for the opportunity to respond to any questions you may have, I do want to give a shout out to my mother who is listening. Today is her 87th birthday and I'm not sure which camera maybe she may see me from, but I wanna say, Happy Birthday, Mom. Thank you so much for loving me and bringing me into this world. Happy 87th.

Happy birthday. Next, we will go with Dr. Lewis.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair and distinguished members of the Senate Rules Committee. First of all, thank you for allowing me this time to introduce myself. I first wanna give you a little background about myself, and the first thing I want to tell you is that I am the proud mother of two adult children, Courtney and Adam, and an even prouder gigi to my two-year-old grandson, Zachary, and they are all the joys of my life.

I am the tenth of 11 children born to my parents in a small town in Oklahoma. My parents were a housekeeper and a janitor, who instilled a love for God and faith and family in me and my siblings and taught us to be hard workers and good people.

My love for education began when I had the opportunity to work in college in a summer program called Upward Bound, servicing socioeconomically disadvantaged high school students. I decided after first summer-- after the first summer that I wanted to be an educator. And throughout my educational career, I've witnessed firsthand the meaning of the mantra that education is an equalizer. And that brings me to my why for being in education for over 30 years as a teacher, coach, site and district administrator.

And it is still after retirement my why and what makes me want to stay in the game. Education was an equalizer, but in reality, it gave me more than I expected. As I said, I was an educator for over 30 years, and I was able to see new teachers flourish. I was able to see students flourish in academics and in the classroom and in extracurricular activities. I was able to witness them graduate, go to college, or go straight into the military or into the workforce, and I see a lot of them in doctor's offices and other places that I go today.

And I still have a wonderful relationship with many of the athletes that I coached. What I wanted to instill in my students and in my children is that the successes that I've been blessed to experience in my life, personal life and career, did not happen because of the zip code that I came from. It happened because-- or the-- what my parents did for a living.

It happened because of the encouragement I received from my family and also the encouragement of teachers, high school-- both middle school and high school, and coaches who noticed my abilities encouraged me in and out of the classroom. And in every position that I've held in school system, my motivation has been to give back what I received.

And serving on the State Board of Education has given me an extended platform to positively impact the lives of students from this level and the educators who serve them. I wanna thank Governor Newsom for reappointing me for a second term on the State Board of Education and I wanna thank each of you for your time and your consideration today and I'm ready to respond to your questions. Thank you.

Thank you. Ms. Gonzalez.

Thank you. Good afternoon, Madam President Pro Tem Limón and members of the committee. My name is Gabriela Orozco Gonzalez, and I wanna thank you for the opportunity to be here today. I also would like to acknowledge my husband, Hyman, an elementary school teacher, and my sons, Joaquin and Benjamin, my mother and my brothers who are watching from home, and my 2nd grade students who are watching in Montebello Unified and who remind me every day of the why this work matters so much.

I'm deeply grateful to Governor Newsom for the trust he has placed in me for-- through this appointment. Public like-- public education has shaped every chapter of my life. I was born and raised in Los Angeles by immigrant parents who believe deeply in the power of education.

My mother worked in a preschool, teaching children for over 35 years, and my father who loved mathematics and science earned several engineering degrees. There-- this example taught me that education creates opportunity, purpose, and hope.

As a child growing up in Los Angeles and entering school as an English learner, I experienced firsthand the impact teachers can have on a student's life. I can still remember gatherings, neighborhood kids in my backyard with a small chalkboard and pretending to teach lessons. Later, as a high school literacy tutor and bilingual instructional assistant, I realized teaching was not simply something I loved, but it was also a calling. For the past 26 years, I've served in California public schools.

I still walk into my classroom every morning with a sense of-- strong sense of purpose. Teaching has never been a stepping stone for me. It has been the work I've committed my life to. Every day I see policies impact students and families, not in theory but in practice. This is why I want to serve on the State Board and this is why I continue to do this work. I believe classroom teachers need to have a voice in the educational decision-making.

We know our students by name. We understand that the realities of families and educators face every day, and we see firsthand what students need to need to be successful. I wanted to help bridge the space between policy and practice, so the decisions that are made at the state level remain connected to the experiences of students, educators, and communities.

And through my work as a teacher, a curriculum writer, a professional learning facilitator, an assessment contributor, I have always had the opportunity to support educators across California, remaining grounded in the realities of the classroom.

Serving on the board has allowed me to continue advocating for students through the lens of a practitioner, a practicing educator. As someone who grew up in California public schools and has dedicated her career in serving them, this work is deeply personal to me.

I carry my students and their families with me in every conversation, every vote. Thank you for your time and consideration. I'm just delighted to be here in front of you. Thank you.

Thank you. All right. We will bring it to the dais for any questions. I'll start with Senator Reyes.

Great. Three great nominations by the governor. It's great to have adjunct professors. It's great to have the 2nd grade teacher. Happy birthday to your mother. 87th. My mother is 90, so those are great milestones. And Upward Bound-- I was just-- during lunch, I was sharing with the friends we were at lunch with that that's how I met my husband.

He was in charge of the Upward Bound Program at Cal State San Bernardino, needed a speaker who wasn't a professional. I was in law school and there I went. And that was 46 years ago. I still love the guy. For those 2nd grade teach-- students that are watching, I'm sure they feel just as proud of you as you feel of them.

And I love seeing these kinds of nominations where you are connected to the very-- to where you want to be, and here with the the State Board of Education. And I'm very happy to have all of you nominated. I have one question for you, for each of you. Why do you want this job? Why do you want this job?

I think it goes back to my why, and I think that may be a selfish reason, but I look back on the impact that education has had on my life. I look back on the things that I tried to do as a teacher, as a coach, and as administrator to impact the lives of my students, to improve instruction and help teachers be flourish in the classroom, to help mentor up and coming administrators, and all of us were working together to make things better for kids.

So, upon retirement, you know, the nomination came, and I was very grateful for it because it allowed me the opportunity to continue to do what I want to do and that's make an impact in the lives of students, of teachers, and families, and this platform gives me that opportunity to do so.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And I would like to say that I'm a lifelong learner. I'm-- you know, from being the daughter of a preschool teacher to working and really in public education for over 30 years, but I didn't count the aid job and the tutoring, and for 26 years, I feel that being a lifelong learner and being in front of educators constantly from professional learning to guiding them to being a curriculum writer and a former assessment writer, I always believe that giving teacher voice.

I think that every time that we have a policy that comes up to the State Board, when I look at the tools for teachers that we have at the CDE level and our websites and when we have something really exciting like the ATLAS, which is science instruction, I can't wait to come back and relay that to my colleagues.

I can't wait to have a professional learning at my school site, to my district, to sometimes at the state level, or even at universities where I sometimes give talks about improvement in curriculum. And I can't wait to share that because I think that that's who I am, not only a learner, but also a teacher. So I think that's my why, because I just learned so much from the position and I can't wait to share.

Thank you.

And I will add by saying my why really goes back to wanting to create great schools and education for children who have so many diverse backgrounds and needs, from our students who are learning with disabilities, to our students from various family structures and zip codes, to our high-achieving learners.

We have a wonderful system, I believe, in the State of California, and of course we have a lot of work to do, but we have a wonderful system that recognizes the unique learning needs of all of the diverse students that are here in our state, and that is why I want to continue to do this.

There have been a lot of strides going forward, and as I said, I believe we do have still more work to do, and I'm excited to be a part and to collaborate with all of the entities that helped to shape that.

And the last question, Dr. Glover, was, when you were at Riverside County Office of Education, did you serve with Dr. Judy White?

Yes, I did. I was--

How lucky are you?

Oh, beyond lucky. Beyond lucky. I was Chief Academic Officer when she was County Superintendent of Schools and absolutely adore her.

So do I. So do I. Thank you, Madam PT.

Thank you. Any additional questions?

Grove, are you going?

Oh, sorry. Senator Ochoa Bogh.

Good afternoon. It's incredible to see these amazing and beautiful, strong women, and obviously beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside. Just based on your testimonies today, it's incredible, and I think we would be incredible friends outside of this committee.

I am-- that sounded a little self-serving. That's not what I meant. I meant like you have what I would absolutely just be called to know personally. That's what I meant.

We got you.

That just didn't come out right. So education, I've been passionate about education. I was able to teach as a young adult and I am also a product of these schools of being a child of immigrant parents who are not familiar with the educational system but knew and valued education. Part of my childhood was spent in Mexico and in the U.S. going back and forth.

So I have a perspective of both the educational system in Mexico as it has been and as well as, you know, the U.S. I can tell you where I have suffered from systems that haven't been very conducive to the fact that I was an English language learner as a child. I was eight when I began to learn English, a little bit when I was in kindergarten, but mostly we-- for a month, maybe. And then we-- it's been, you know, pretty much all Spanish until the age of eight.

That created a lot of academic-- lacked opportunities at the time, especially when we lived in Hawaii at the time. So I'm very, very cognizant about the importance of having educational opportunities for all students.

And then I also understand that schools don't always-- not every school has all of the tools or the capacity to be able to meet every child, which is why I'm a huge advocate of ensuring that our public schools have what they need in order to teach but also having educational opportunities outside of public school for parents.

So I'm also very much pro-choice as far as school goes, school choice. So-- I know. Let me rephrase that as well on that end. But where I'm going to head right now is in the six years that I've been here, I've worked quite a bit with understanding our math curriculum in California and understanding where we are.

And I think we've had conversations, I believe, with Dr. Woods on your previous-- I think we might have been-- we have touched bases before on this subject matter. But I'm gonna be a little passionate about this. So, as you know, the board took a position to remove algebra I as one of the components-- or of-- you know, being as a mandatory class-- not a mandatory, but a class that would be offered in middle school.

The number one concern behind that when I asked in our committee on education as to why we would remove algebra I as being offered in middle school was that it was disproportionately impacting our Black and brown community members or students and their ability to attain higher education.

What we learned is that San Francisco had done that in--previously, and they removed that, and there was quite a decline of that performance for these students. Needless to say, the parents with the knowledge, the know how, and the means ensured that their children had access to tutors in classes that offered algebra I in middle school in order for them to be able to get the pathway.

So one of the things that we noticed on that, when the evaluation for the math curriculum was coming before the board, there was opposition for about 1,200 professors of math, science, and so forth that came in and objected to this math framework because it would not actually prepare the students for the math rigor when it came to heading to those universities after they were done with high school.

The Department of Defense, also in 2023, also asked that there be a major initiative by government to ensure that we have initiative to support education in science technology, education in math or STEM as-- because there were eight times as many college graduates in these disciplines in China and four times as many engineers in Russia as in the United States.

So when they were looking at the future, the quote here goes that the advances in technology that are going to drive where the world goes in the next 50 years are going to come from other countries because the intellectual capital-- because they have the intellectual capital and we don't.

This is by Jim Stigler, a psychology professor at the University of California LA who made this department. They also stated that this was also posing a huge--sorry--a huge national threat. So when we look at our academic scores in math and science in comparison to the rest of the nation, we are towards the bottom. And even though we've increased about 1%, just over 1% in our scores, we're still at the very bottom. So having said that--

In hindsight, when you supported the changing in curriculum. Would you have changed your vote or would you have continue with the same vote that you did back in 20, I don't have the date here when you folks took that vote on.

But when you voted to remove algebra one as a required course?

Well, I will start with that. And, when the mathematics framework was brought to the board for approval. From my understanding, it did not prohibit students in eighth grade from taking algebra one. It provided opportunity for schools and districts to decide and for parents and children to decide if they were ready to take algebra one at the eighth grade level.

So it did not require every eighth grade student to take algebra one at that level, but it does still allow for students who are in eighth grade that are ready for algebra one to be able to take that course. And the, School District and schools would ensure that the, that is opportunity that's provided.

As it relates to science, again, I concur. Science is a very critical area for our students and especially, in the 21st century and beyond. We do know that. And I'm quite excited that as one of our newly instituted state indicators, science is one of them. And the board is in process of conversation.

And as many of you already know, in July, we will take up a revised differentiated assistance criteria. Part of which considering science as a full indicator, that would be part of that. So, I do believe with the science indicator now on the school dashboard, there is a more heightened awareness how important science instruction is and I'm not saying that districts and schools don't think it's important.

But sometimes having just that additional opportunity to show student performance provides opportunity for districts and schools to provide more opportunity for kids in the area of science at the elementary level, as well as what happens at the middle school and the high school level. So those two things, I do believe moving forward and looking ahead are going to allow for us to strengthen our students in those areas of science and mathematics.

I believe when you folks voted originally for or the when the curriculum was being processed or deliberated at first with the math, it was removing the requirement from offering algebra one in eighth grade or in middle school. The new framework right now, it recommends or not recommends, but it allows for the possibility to be reintroduced and offered. So the new one does, but the previous one did not.

And that was the one that was actually being voted upon that you that came be that be that came before you, at the time. So that's that's where I'm coming. That's I just wanted to make sure we had I had a clarity on that end. So not on the new one, but the previous one. And that's where my concern is that, as members of the board, you know I have here that you folks all voted in support of that curriculum even though there were 1,200. UC and CSU professors in math, science, and chemistry, and computer science, and parents who wanted to adopt the more rigorous standard for children.

So I just wanted you to have an opportunity to explain as to why you folks move forward with that vote, rather than listening to what the concerns were from the UC and CSU professors.

Do you remember the year of that vote?

Okay. It is my, Senator Ochoa Bogh. Okay. It is my understanding that the students can I mean, the adopted framework encourages students?

The new one does.

Okay.

But I'm referring to the one previously that was becoming that was coming before you as the curriculum was being developed.

Maybe I wasn't part of that vote. I don't believe that came before me because, I mean, I can even speak personally to my son who and and I hear you what you're saying. I think I mentioned in my statement that I'm a daughter of an engineer, had several engineering degrees, was one of the main opportunities when he came here to this country as a student pursuing engineering.

So there's no bigger passion in my life than it have been having a physics degree also. Science and the importance of mathematics as a stepping stone.

I have a son who is very mathematically driven. He took algebra in the eighth grade and it allowed him to then take calculus next year as a senior. If he hadn't done that, then he wouldn't be able to, pursue his dream of becoming a mechanical engineer. So I understand your concerns.

And I think that one of the main things that I continuously advocate on the State Board is not only something that Doctor Woods also had brought up was that science is on the dashboard.

We're very conscientious of the professional learning that our teachers need to teach science and to teach really all subject areas that are STEM related and we have a lot of tools for teachers. So that they're very comfortable at the elementary school level. I can speak personally to the performance tasks that now teachers have access to that will then incorporate not only mathematics but really inquiry and project based learning.

And those performance tasks really will be the cornerstone to what is, what I think your goal and your what you expressed was really to have more students go into STEM careers and to be better prepared as they graduate. And I'm constantly thinking of that. I mean I think of the way that I was brought up to my students in my classroom.

Doing inquiry based lessons to doing those performance tasks and to have them explore and interact with science and to incorporate that into mathematics at an early age is really what it's gonna have them be successful and be curious enough to have that interest when they get to the middle school level, which then allows them to then maybe take an algebra class in the eighth grade.

And I can tell you personally from my son who is a junior, that if he had not taken that class, it would be more you know difficult for him to get into a STEM career.

Which is why I'm incredibly.

So I'm listening and I hear what you're saying.

I which is why I'm very passionate about learning that.

Of course.

And I carried actually right after that vote happened and just I just got confirmation. The vote happened in July 2023 and you all supported that. That curriculum without the math, algebra component within that within middle school. Just it might not be in your memory, but that's I just got confirmation on it.

That's what I thought, but I just wanted to confirm my number. So just your perspective. This is why I always wanted to ensure that you folks had an opportunity to discuss because I believe I met with Doctor Wood prior to that happening and we discussed the math curriculum. And so I was a little surprised disappointed, quite frankly, when the vote came and it was supported by the three of you on that end.

So that's why I wanted to give you an opportunity to follow-up on that and explain your position on that.

And then looking at retrospectively, would you have voted differently?

I would say that I support what I support is that parents and the administrators and teachers in the elementary, middle school, eighth grade, I believe you never wanna hold students back. And I believe that if a student is ready to take algebra, then they should be allowed to do so in junior high. So and with respect to the vote, I'm thinking now I mean, now I support the new curriculum that allows for that flexibility.

And if we voted for that in 2023, which you have the evidence that I did, then I'm trying to think of the rationale at the time what that vote is and I'm just gonna tell you honestly. I'm not recalling all the facts.

In fact, when you brought it up I was thinking about my last years as the Associate Superintendent of Instruction. I remember meeting with one of our large elementary districts with the curriculum leader in that district, my district math leader and teachers, because they were deciding on how they were gonna advance students in eighth grade who really needed algebra and not just completely cut the course out. So I think they may have seen it coming at that time.

So when you asked the question, I'm thinking about both activities. So that's why you saw the perplexed look on my face, like, I was thinking about when I met with that district in Bakersfield. So

Yeah. So the article that I just quoted in the the Department of Defense came out literally probably in September right after that vote happened. And so he brought it to my attention, and I've been passionately speaking on it, especially as a woman of color, you know, considered a woman of color or viewed by or identified as a woman of color. I was very disappointed to see that because the the rationale behind that was that our black and brown community members or students were being disproportionately.

And I'm all about I'm not I don't believe that we should be forcing students to take it, but at least offering the opportunity is definitely of importance.

The last question I have for you both, it was the math and then this particular version. Right now, we're reviewing and discussing the proposed changes to the State's Education Governance structure by the Governor. And we've had some feedback that I was, unbeknownst to me, we had Senator, we had Superintendent Thurman come and speak to us in in committee and give his perspective on that. He mentioned in committee that he had not been consulted about the govern- the new governance structure.

So it caught us off guard, not expecting his feedback. But as far as Board Members, have you folks reviewed the new governance structure?

And do you have any thoughts on the new proposed governors structure for the super the role of the Superintendent of Instruction?

Well, I will say that I'm sorry, Gabriela. Did you want to

I just was still thinking of your the mouthful and Oh. I'm sorry, Senator Ochoa, but I really I don't believe that we ever that I ever voted on

I don't remember that.

On that. I mean, the I of course, we voted on the framework, but I just wanna make sure that I go on the record that the mathematics framework that adopts instructional practices that enhance success And like those used in the high performing. So I have here that the framework both encourages students to launch into high school mathematics algebra one or mathematics.

But by eighth grade, if they are ready to do so, it suggests as teaching strategies to support algebra that they are able to to take those courses as Doctor Lewis mentioned that if they are ready to. And that is what we voted on in 02/2023.

They I'm sorry. I respectfully No. Disagree that we did we did vote for them to take those courses. They might look a little different through integrated math. And I know that and I will say this because I actually asked that question as a mother.

I was very concerned. I remember when I saw the word integrated math in my son's eighth grade enrollment and then I thought to myself, what is this? And what does that look like? And then when I understood that it was, algebra one mixed with geometry, and it was at the eighth grade level. So I think one of the things that I think is needs to be transparency in education for parents.

Maybe more professional learning just as we get it as educators is also in the community to understand that these courses are available for our students to take. And I know that you had moved on with another question, but I just definitely wanna say that on the record because I would have felt very strongly against a framework that prevented students from taking, eighth grade algebra because it would have impacted my love for science and for STEM.

So, I want to say that I know that for a fact, the students can take algebra if they choose to do so within this framework that we adopted.

When? In '23? '22. July 23?

Yes.

Okay. So just for the record, I'm just gonna quote here that the math curriculum was released in for review in 2021. And at that time, over 1,200 UC and CSU professors in math, science, chemistry, highlighted the numerous concerns with the politicization and proposed curriculum. The board had the IQC anyway, I just I think I just wanted to for the record that 1,200 UC and CSU professors disagreed

Understood.

With that with the rigor of what was being proposed on that end.

I understand.

Go ahead. I know we have to end soon, so

Okay. So, governance proposal?

Yes. Okay. I will say as it relates to the Governance proposal, that is not anything that has come before the board as a information item or discussion item or action item. So, as far as the details and those who are involved in the conversations, that is not something that I personally, as a Board Member, has been involved with.

Yes, ma'am.

I will say is a answer or response that I feel very confident that with the Governor and the Legislature and all those who are going to have conversation and make decisions in that space, that when the final decision is made, it's going to be done with the heart and the knowledge that it's gonna benefit California students.

Thank you.

I have the same response. I have not been we have not been involved in any discussions regarding the policy. And I too believe, like, my colleague here that whatever comes down from the legislature and the governor, that as a board member will continue to do the work that we've been charged to do regardless of what the structure is.

Okay.

Same response. Okay. Perfect.

Thank you. That's all for me.

Thank you. Senator Laird or Senator Grove?

Thank you. Welcome. I know that, I mean, this is, I think, the second time that all of you have been before myself and Senator Laird. We have been on the committee for quite some time. So, thank you.

Number one, thank you for your heart and passion. It's evident that that's what comes through when you do your opening statements and why your, why is your why like Senator Reyes asked you. I just have a couple of questions to follow-up on that are kind of factual information that I got as research. And Miss Lewis, it's good to see you here. She, she's one of my constituents, if you guys did not realize that.

We're the fourth largest economy and we're 43-, 43rd in the nation. Is that acceptable? Miss Lewis?

Can you repeat that, Senator?

We are the fourth largest economy and we are forty-third in the nation for our education in mathematics. Student achievement.

I think we all want to do better and, for our students. So, I think the work continues and I think when you hear statistics like that, we all know that it's not good enough. And we wanna continue to try to improve on the math education that we provide for our kids. So, no.

Miss Woods, I mean, and we're forty-third, like, last. Like, there's only three other states that are behind us, if that makes, or excuse me, seven other states that are behind us. I apologize. So, is forty-third in the nation good for California?

Forty-third is not good. And I think that as we look at data, as we look at all of the, the facts that are there, the conversation circles around what do we need to do to do better for students in California. I think that we are on the road to making some better decisions along with the new instructional materials that were recently adopted in November. All of our districts and charters will have about 63 different programs that have been calibrated to the standards into the framework.

I do believe that will help.

I also believe the additional professional development that will come forward for teachers will also help them meeting the needs of students in the area of mathematics. So to give a direct answer, no forty-third. If if we're talking forty-third out of 50, that's never a good number. And so, we need to continue to work to do better and to strive more.

Thank you. Miss Gonzales?

I agree. I mean, I work in a small school in Pico Rivera in Los Angeles County. We're a very high performing school. And we particularly do well in mathematics. I think, and we do better than most schools in the state.

A lot of that has to do with professional learning, has to do with a lot of collaboration. Being very purposeful from using a lot of the tools for teachers that the CDE has to developing teacher-led assessments and continuous formative and summative assessments to check in on our students to differentiate a lot of language support, since the majority of my students are English language learners. And having them multiple, giving them multiple opportunities to not only have conversations around mathematics, but to, in all subject areas.

And I think a lot of that has to do our success, for our school that has a lot of deficiencies, is community involvement and partnering with families. And I think that that model could continue to follow in our state.

I think it's really important to, to share and to collaborate with what, what is working. When I sit on the state board and I listen to superintendents--specifically I remember--having a superintendent from Compton Unified discuss the success that's happening there and share out that a lot of it has to do with collaboration and with communication and with parent engagement.

Thank you.

And thank you.

Thank you. No. Thank you. So, in when you guys first came on the board, when all three of you first came on the board, math was at 34.6, almost 35% of proficiency for all of our students in the state, not just particular schools. And then, now it is 37.

So it went up a little bit. Science was at 30, and it's 30.2, and now it's at 33. English Language Arts, it was at 47 and it's still at 47. And, so you guys are in charge or on a board, and you sit on a board to make sure that, you know, education is advanced and that our students are successful, and our students are failing. And I'm not trying to be critical.

I'm just giving you the facts that our students are failing. And I know you're only three members of the board. But the bottom line is, is that our students are failing. Like, we're forty-third in the nation. And our math proficiency is at 37, science is at 33, and English is at, for, English Language Arts is at 47.

And that's just a few percentage points, single digits, in the low single digits above what it was in 2022. So, I, I what, what can you do as board members to make that better? Because we have to turn out the next generation of people that are the, I, you know, this will sound political. I don't mean it political, but, like, the Elon Musk of the world.

The people who just think stuff up and go to the moon and build engines and change, you know, make things better for the climate or whatever it is.

Right? We need to, that generate, the next president of The United States. We need to have our students be successful in life. And forty-third in the nation, 37, 33, and 47 based on math skills, since you guys have been in charge, is not good, if that makes sense. So what's the plan to help make that happen?

You guys support charter schools? Yes or no?

Sure.

Yes.

Private schools?

Yes.

I, I have children who graduated from private schools, so I support private schools, as well.

Yes.

Okay. What's the plan to make it better?

So I, I will say I'm gonna put it into two contexts that you will, Senator Grove.

As we think about the years that you mentioned for the data, one part that was, I think, an important piece to keep in mind, not as an excuse, but as an understanding, is that during that time, we did have a pivot of students, and we had the pandemic, and we had a lot of things happening at home and families and in our schools during that period of time from 2020 until about '22, 2022, 2023 when schools fully came back on board.

And, and many of our students and families decided to homeschool and that was okay as well. So that provided a little bit of a slowdown, I would say, in the trajectory of what was happening in instruction.

Going forward, I, it's 2026 now.

It's 2026 now.

Yes, it is.

I don't mean to interrupt you, but 2022, I understand we would have 30% of our students because we just came out of COVID and home Zoom meetings and all that stuff and kids not having social experiences and mental health issues. I mean, I, I realize that, but we're at 2026. So?

Yes.

We are.

Okay.

Okay.

We are at, in 2026. And so what is, what is being done to move forward, as you had mentioned. Well, one of the very key things, and I'll pivot back to an answer that I gave a little while ago, is putting into the hands of schools instructional materials that are aligned to the standards. This is the, the adoption that just took place, was the first adoption of, since prior to, the years that you had mentioned.

So, this coming year, schools and teachers are going to have enhanced instructional materials that are going to be better aligned, that are going to better address standards and, as I had shared before, they also are going to have professional learning on how to teach that to children.

So, I, I appreciate the question, Senator Grove, and I appreciate really the bluntness of--

Sorry.

This is not okay. No. No. Please do not apolo--.

I'm real blunt.

No. I, I appreciate that because we, we do have to be honest with what is what. And, I, I do feel very confident with those two pieces moving forward as well as the revised differentiated assistance criteria so that we can really focus on schools that are having a difficult time serving their students well, and really narrowing it down so that they receive the resources that they need.

Those three things amongst many others are going to allow for us to see a big jump in performance.

I, I do believe that very strongly.

Thank you. Miss Lewis?

Now, I just want to add to what, Dr. Glover Woods has already said in, with regards to the professional development piece cause that's a really important part to what she said because you put the tools in the hands of the teachers but you want to give them all the support they need to do that. And I don't know if you're aware but, Kern, our Kern County Office of Education was awarded, I think the first award was like 30,000,000 and then 20,000,000 to provide those.

So I think the help is coming to support the, new framework and the instructional materials that have been given to the teachers. So I think, again, I know we're always saying time, time, but as the interruption that occurred that, Doctor. Glover Woods spoke about, now we we as we needed time to recover from the pandemic now, we're on track.

We've got this new curriculum, new framework. Let's give it a chance for the teachers to receive the professional development to be able to utilize the tools and then the school sites to put in those intervention measures to help those students who are falling behind in their progress. And I just believe in time, we'll continue to see this number rise. That is our hope.

Thank you. And my deepest apologies for not addressing you correctly, doctor. I apologize. Both of you. Wait a minute.

So I apologize. Miss Gonzales. You're a doctor.

Yes. It's it's miss Gonzales. I think it goes along with what my colleague said, professional learning. I think collaboration time for, you know, I always think that the best way to learn is through each other. Teachers are other teachers' best teachers.

So I think that's the collaboration. And I I know that I actually do a lot of professional learning around math. And so we do a lot of cognitive guided instruction and and lesson study and and having, I my recommendation is to give time to teachers to plan and to collaborate. There is no greater, opportunity than to learn from each other. And I know that's what makes our school successful.

And I know that we try to replicate that when we share it with other schools.

Thank you. Thank you. Full disclosure, I know I voted for all three of you last year. I've asked the pretend to separate the vote because I have direct access to miss Lewis all the time if I want it. And she's always available.

And so just that's a that's a procedural thing, but I just wanted to know that although I supported all three of you before in the past, I will be supporting all three of you today. So just thank you.

Thank you. Senator Laird?

When Senator Grove says she's being blunt, don't encourage her. Thank you for meeting with me. I really appreciated it. It was a good conversation, and I feel like most of the things I was going to ask have been discussed.

So let me just do one question that we talked about and it's actually a variation a little bit on on what Senator Grove asked and and that is is that everybody seems to focus on our level of spending and jeez are we paying off to settle up money and is there enough in proposition 98?

But then the question is is is it being effective? Are we feeling like we're getting results for the investment? And we talked about that in the meeting and I just thought it would be good for each of you to sort of put your views on the record. And maybe we'll start in in the reverse order this time.

And so your question is again, Senator Laird?

My question is how do you assess that we're making results with all the investments we're making so that we don't just focus on the amount of money we're spending. We're focusing on whether we've really dented math or reading or you know other things.

Well, we have our LCAP. Right? So I think it's the way that we are repaired. I'm sorry. The local control accountability.

Just bless you, doctor.

Thank you.

But it's just to our accountability plan to for school districts to report and to reflect on what they have currently in place and how what's working. It's a three year plan and they allocate, funding through what they designate their their through their budget. So I think that that's the way that we then get in turn at the state level and we see how districts are allocating their budgets, what's working, their reflection piece and it gives them time because it's three years.

I know that that's what, sometimes there's also, sometimes complaints about it because it's so long and it could be a very long document depending on the size of the school district. But I think that it's the best way for, for school districts to see how they can best allocate their funding, and to meet the needs of the diverse population they currently have.

Thank you very much. And and we joked and Senator Ochoa Bugg will know and that is that when I was chair of the education budget subcommittee, somebody from the Department of Education used four acronyms in one sentence and I went okay

that's it.

Nobody knows what you're talking about. What would the other two of you wish to comment on that before?

No. I'll just echo what, my colleague has said about the reflection piece. I think on the local level, that's how districts, make sure that what they're doing is working and have the time to reflect. But also remember reading a little, a research piece that says 10 or more after LCFF funding has been in effect, it's showing that there are gains in student achievement.

So I believe that it is working on that level, but I think the most important research is the research and reflection that the districts do.

Because that gives them the opportunity to see firsthand what's working, what's not working, collaborate with teachers and parents and others to see how they need to redirect and go forward. So, I think, I believe in the LCAP and I I I just, excuse me, in the local control accountability plan. And I believe that also over time, we see that it is working. I believe I said that my first time around that it takes time.

And I do believe that the research that I've read says that it is working.

Thank you.

And I will only add to say that I know within our, local control accountability plan that there have been, additional areas that have been added to provide transparency to the community on how dollars are spent to meet specific needs of students and the outcomes that are outlined in the in that particular plan. Moving forward, I think it, requires continual refinement.

The plan can sometimes start to be very very a lot of a lot of pages in it, and it makes it sometimes difficult for community and others to engage in, are we really getting the best for our money?

And I think as we continue from the state board level, continue to support how do we refine the plan template itself so that at the local level, they can have the conversations they need and be sure that the dollars reflect what their communities want those dollars to reflect and ultimately student achievement. We will be able to move in a positive trajectory there.

Thank you very much. And thanks each of you for your willingness to serve and your passion. And in particular, if if miss Gonzales' second grade class is still watching. They should be very proud of their teacher. And if you would just pay attention the next ten or fourteen years, you could be sitting here as well.

And so just know that you can do that And this is an example of that. Thank you very much. Thank

you. And I wanna appreciate, you coming and your time. I spent six, years on a k through 12 school boards and fourteen years in higher ed. So I have some thoughts, about some of the work that happens, in the earlier years and the impact it has, in the higher ed system. But, more specifically, I think for for today and just hearing some of the questions that have been asked, What are the top two things that during your tenure on the school on the school I'm sorry.

On the State Board of Education you are most proud of accomplishing and doing? And what are the two pressing challenges for our state in education, for our k through 12 system at this moment. And I'll start with doctor Woods.

Thank you for the question. I'll start with the pressing challenges, if that's okay, and, go to what I'm most proud of. As far as the pressing challenges are concerned, it's, increasing academic achievement in language arts, math, and English learner proficiency. I believe that our challenge will be really bringing alignment and coherence to the many wonderful actions that are happening. We're bringing children in at a younger age through transitional kindergarten.

We have we are revising differentiated assistance criteria to allow for more support and targeted support to the neediest schools. So all of those things bring within themselves challenges on how can we be more coherent as a state that is as diverse as California is and, meet the needs, for all of those students.

As far as what I am most proud of during my tenure, that that's that's a I appreciate the question and and I will say what I'm most proud of is the support that we have provided, to the classroom level, the recognition, again, that we need to provide additional support for our students that are the youngest and try to provide to ensure that they are able to, get a good first step.

So as I think about our, English language arts ELD follow-up adoption process that we're engaged in now, for the first time ever, we're going to have programs specifically for transitional kindergarten. I believe that's gonna be a game changer because, there are times that we are intervening because students have gaps, but to be able to get in front of it makes a big difference.

So I'm I'm very proud of that recognition as well as, putting in the hands of teachers materials and professional development that's going to help them with our current standards and the current needs for our

world. Doctor Lewis.

K. I'll go to the most proud. In addition to the things that doctor Glover Woods has said, I think those are things great things to be proud of. But I'm gonna be I wanna focus on, I think, the community schools, the framework we develop for the community schools, as well as the planning and implementation grants because the power of community schools has the ability to affect families, total families, and really look at all the barriers that are impeding student progress.

And, you know, when you look at the students, sometimes you think about the students' progress depends on their actual performance in school, but we don't think about what's happening at home, what's happening with the parents, and the things that they have to go through at home that might be impeding the student success when they come to school.

So, I think that that the community schools are a benefit to our families, and I think as we we have over 2,500, I think, community schools across the state now and I believe that is they continue to grow and maybe more funding comes along, we can be able to provide that whole child support to all students because we, not only does it encompass school staff, but you also work with community partners in terms of mental health, all the provisions that families might need.

So, I think just the community schools and knowing we had, some input in providing the framework for those schools and approving those grants, I think that's something to be proud of. I think the challenges, I think there, there are, are many.

The challenge is to continue, I think, to look, listen to the, the stakeholders, the people who are in the field who are actually doing the work and taking in all that information of what's needed to improve the outcomes for our students and being able to make the right decision, based on the principles that we've we've established to be our our guide as we make decisions about what's best for students.

So, I think, I know that's a vague answer, but I just think the challenges are many. And to think of one great challenge, I think, is a little difficult right now. So, but I think there's a lot. Sorry.

Thank you.

I want to build on my colleagues. I think community schools, but I also think of because I'm a elementary school teacher, I think transitioning universal kindergarten. I think just having universal transitional kindergarten has been a huge endeavor for California. I see it when I see the t k's going into their classrooms and getting ready for school and I see how much they have advanced. And now I see it how they go into second grade and how prepared they are.

And I also see the allocation to early childhood literacy. We have literacy coaches and a lot of, allocation into students, getting intervention early on so that they're more successful. And I we as you know, the sooner students can read and they can read proficiently by third grade, the more successful they will be in school as they they continue to climb up into each grade level. So I do think that that has been a huge win.

Community schools, as far as wrap around services and mental health supports and all across from t k through twelfth grade mental health supports from having therapists on-site.

That has been, I think, instrumental to having our students. I know personally, some of my students, receiving services. It has been a shift in the way that they learn and how they succeed in school. So I think allocation to, having those things in place have been very monumental. As far as, challenges, there is a lot, especially I think with, seeing how our students are, succeeding and, and brought up by Senator Grove.

I know that we would, like for our students to have the resources and and I think that we're on the right step. I think having really high quality instructional materials, professional learning, and resources for educators, an abundance of especially around science and mathematics has been I think a huge gain for our state. What we are rolling out with the Atlas, I think in our dashboard because now that science has equal weight, there will be more professional learning around that.

Always there's webinars that are being offered to have education for our teachers to participate in. So I think those will be some that will help close that achievement gap.

Thank you. Two of you mentioned transitional kindergarten. I have a five year old. I have thoughts. And I'm just curious if you if you what what what where do you think, what do you think are the things that are needed to further enhance transitional kindergarten opportunities for our state?

I think one of the things that they're doing is actually giving not only opportunities for teachers to get credentials because it does take a special credential to teach, p k. I have a multiple subject but I degree also in child development. And that is, I think, very instrumental. So I think having opportunity to give, LEAs or local educational agencies or districts opportunities for teachers to go and get credentialed in that.

Because I think that having that expertise of teaching that early, age, those four, five year olds and really four year olds is going to be instrumental.

So resources for that. Professional learning, I think allocation. Now that's out of our purview because that's, budget. But I do know that, it is part of what we see come to the board is just resources for TKs. And I already see it come to fruition.

Like for instance, our school district has a partnership with Loyola Meyermont and teachers take a lot of classes for them and get credentialed so that they can have a really high quality, instructor right in front of your child. I think of when my child went to, preschool, they didn't have that level of education. And I think now what they have in front of them is the rigor. And that is exciting to me.

I see an it's not only whole child but I see when they come out and they start kindergarten, they're so much more prepared.

And the instruction's different, but it's still very rigorous. And so I'm excited that we have that to offer our students in California.

And I will, piggyback on that to say, really having the, instructional resources and materials that are developmentally appropriate for transitional kindergarten students is critical. As well as as, my, fellow board member mentioned, the professional training for teachers, because transitional kindergarten isn't kindergarten light. And I recall when we first started, phasing in transitional kindergarten back, and I believe it might have been, like, 02/02 twenty twelve, twenty thirteen.

I happened to be at the district at the time, and we were trying to bring together teachers and trying to figure out how we were going to divide classrooms and allow for students at that age level to get what it is they needed.

And fast forward to where we are now in 2026, having the assessments, the instructional materials, and the instructional strategies that are appropriate for the grade level, but that are also going to springboard them in that area of early literacy and early numeracy and early science knowledge is going to be critical for our transitional kindergartners and for us to really realize the promise and the benefit that bringing children in at that age, will do.

Thank you.

Doctor Lewis, did you wanna add anything on your thoughts on TK?

No. I don't think I need to add anything.

Thank you. Thank you. So the one thing that I I will say is, as a working parent in the state, I I really appreciate the that that there was, you know, note made about the promise and the benefits of transitional kindergarten. I think there is no doubt a promise in what TK brings to the state, and there is no doubt that there is a benefit. I also will say that there are still a lot of challenges.

And, you know, one is that a promise, you know, and benefit assumes that there is access. And while we've made it accessible and free, that for a lot of parents that are working parents, a full day is is still out of right? A half day is out of reach in terms of accessibility. And I and I hope that that is something that folks think about, you know, in the future.

And and certainly, you know, it's not something that hasn't come up through the legislative, you know, path.

There have been legislators who have said this loud and clear that, you know, half days, minimum days are actually not fully accessible, to to working parents. And I think that that continues to be an issue. I also think that one of the things that it has done is it has destabilized, the system for early care. And certainly for infant and toddler care and preschool, there is a bit of a destabilized system as well.

And so I hope that we will think about, you know, how we continue to deliver on our state's promise and benefit to our, you know, students.

I agree wholeheartedly that I see the difference. I see the like, you can tell who has had early childhood education. You can tell who's been in a TK or, you know, high quality preschool program. There's no question about it. You see it as a parent.

You don't have to be an educator or have a doctorate to see the differences, and that I think is really powerful. But I also think that, there's still some work to do, and I hope that the state board, of education. Right? We look from what's on paper to what is, you know, the practice and and what is just the on the ground feeling. And, and and I say that, very humbly because I was a co author of the bill.

And I feel like I I have the ability to to both say here's the things that have really worked, but here's the things where we're still falling short in this particular space. And so some of the ways it's destabilized, good intentions, but they can still destabilize, our early childhood care, I think are still very, very much felt by many working parents, in this state. And I'm saying that more as a parent than I am as a leader of the Senate.

And so I hope that we will continue to look at that and, very much, appreciate that you're all thinking about this, and leading, our state board in this particular space. So with that, I'm going to now welcome, the public to come forward.

If there are any folks here that are, that are here to speak in support, please come forward.

Good afternoon, madam, pro tem, and members. Trevor Nelson with the California Alliance of Child and Family Services. I'm here today to support all three appointees for the State Board of Education. They are collaborative leaders who are passionate about education equity for all students. We represent organizations that work with the most vulnerable students, foster youth, youth who are experiencing and or have experienced homelessness, and youth who have experienced trauma.

And we believe these three appointees have all, have all students in mind when considering education policy in the state. We are pleased to support their appointments to the State Board State Board at a critical time in California, and we look forward to continuing our work with this important body. Thank you very much.

Thank you, madam chair and members. Andrea Ball here on behalf of the California Association of Suburban School Districts in strong support of the appointment of doctor Glover Woods, doctor Lewis, and Gabriela Orozco Gonzales to the State Board of Education. What sets these nominees apart and a reason district leaders support them is the depth of their practitioner experience, and we also appreciate that they have worked in different and diverse, grade levels and, of education.

They've worked at school sites in classrooms as site leaders, district leaders, and county offices of education. School district leaders believe the board's decisions must be grounded in the realities of California schools and classrooms, and these three nominees have demonstrated and ensure they can they will continue to be represented on the board.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hi. Good afternoon. Carlos Machado with California School Board Association. Our association, our members represent the one nearly 1,000, school districts and county boards of education. They are actively working on closing the achievement gap statewide, and, we appreciate the the experience that, each of the appointments bring to, their role on the State Board, and we also, want to highlight their thoughtfulness, with which they approach the issues, that come before the board.

These qualities are important to ensure that the state supports LEAs in the important work that they do, and that's why we're here to, strongly support their appointments and ask you to, vote eye on her on their appointments. Thank you.

Thank you. And for the next few, just because we've exceeded our time for comment, we're just gonna have name, affiliation, and position only. Thank you.

Sounds good. Christina Saracera with the Riverside County Superintendent of Schools in strong support of doctor Glover's appointment. Thank you.

Diana Vu, on behalf of the Association of California School Administrators in strong support of doctor Cynthia Glover Woods, doctor Brenda Lewis, and miss Gabriela Orozco Gonzalez. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you. Lindsey Tornatore on behalf of the California County Superintendents, in strong support of doctor Cynthia Glover Woods, doctor Brenda Lewis, and miss Gabriela Orozco Gonzalez.

Thank you. Alright. Seeing no one else in the room to speak in support of our appointees, is there anyone here to speak in opposition? Alright. Seeing none, I will welcome a motion from, our colleagues.

I am going to go in order. We're gonna do one at a time. So I'm going to start, with doctor Cynthia Glover Woods for the State Board of Education. Do we have a motion?

I Oh, there you go.

I would move that we advance this combination to the entire form.

Thank you. We have a motion by Senator Reyes. Secretary, can we please call the roll?

Limon? Aye. Limon, aye. Grove? No.

Laird? Aye. Laird, aye. Ochoa Bog? No.

Ochoa Bog, no. Reyes? Aye. Reyes, aye. Three to one.

Alright. That appointment has been approved to move to the full senate, for confirmation with a three to one vote. Congratulations. Next, we'll have the motion for doctor Brenda Lewis for the State Board of Education. Do we have a motion?

So moved. Thank you. We have a motion by vice chair Grove.

Can we please call the roll? Limon? Aye. Limon, aye. Grove?

Aye. Grove, aye. Laird? Aye. Laird, aye.

Ochoa Bog? No. Ochoa Bog, no. Reyes? Aye.

Reyes, aye. Four to one.

Thank you. That appointment has been approved to move to the full Senate for confirmation with a four two one vote. Congratulations. Next, we will go to I will entertain a motion for miss Gabriela Orozco Gonzales for the State Board of Education. Do I have a motion?

So moved.

Thank you. Senator Laird, I have a motion. Can we please call

the roll? Limon? Aye. Limon, aye. Grove?

Not aye.

Laird? Aye. Laird, aye. Ochoa Bog? No.

Ochoa Bog, no. Reyes?

Aye.

Reyes, aye. Three to one.

Thank you. That appointment has been approved to move to the full Senate for confirmation with three to one vote. Congratulations to the three of you. You'll be moving forward to the Senate for a full. Thank you.

This concludes today's public portion of the agenda. And, I wanna thank everyone who participated, of course, to the appointees, for being here and answering our questions and taking the time, to hear the exchange. We'll now take a few minutes for the room to clear before we begin executive session.