We are pleased to present the California Digital Learning Integration and Standards Guidance, a collaboratively developed framework for helping our teachers move standards-aligned instruction seamlessly between the in-person and virtual spaces, a resource that we believe will prove critically important in our volatile and ever-changing world.
The intent of this guidance is to help teachers deepen their technological skills and sharpen their instructional focus so they may better engage learners and make the best use of valuable class time.
This guidance is the result of Senate Bill 98 (2019-2020), which directed and funded its development. We thank the California Legislature and Governor Newsom for their foresight in outlining that the guidance address key areas of focus, including
- Critical areas of instructional focus based on standards in English language arts, English language development, and mathematics;
- Resources for formative and diagnostic assessment; and
- Guidance on embedding social-emotional supports for pupils.
As a result of intentional stakeholder engagement, this guidance includes input from teachers, administrators, parents, and students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and eager to share their experiences. We thank them as well for sharing their stories and suggestions which helped shape this project.
We gratefully acknowledge the coordinating teams from the Sacramento County Office of Education, the California Department of Education, the State Board of Education, the International Society for Technology in Education, EdSurge Solutions Studio, and Computer-Using Educators for keeping this project on track and in focus.
We thank writers Jo Boaler, Nancy Brynelson, Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, Kathryn Kennedy, Lorea Martínez, Cathy Williams, and Hallie Yopp Slowik for their diligence and dedication to bringing this important resource to our schools.
Finally, we thank the members of the State Board for unanimously approving this guidance at their May 2021 meeting.
It is our hope that this guidance is a useful support for leveraging technology in teaching and learning in a variety of ways even as we return from distance learning to classroom-based instruction and, as such, improve learning for California’s students who so deserve instructional methods that mirror our state’s present and future as America’s technology leader.
It is our hope that this guidance is a useful support for leveraging technology in teaching and learning in a variety of ways even as we return from distance learning to classroom-based instruction and, as such, improve learning for California’s students who so deserve instructional methods that mirror our state’s present and future as America’s technology leader.
Sincerely,
DAVID W. GORDON
Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools
LINDA DARLING-HAMMOND
President of the State Board of Education
TONY THURMOND
State Superintendent of Public Instruction