Assessing The Education and Youth of the Great Valley Center - 2008

7/31/2019 Assessing The Education and Youth of the Great Valley Center - 2008

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Great Valley Cente r

201 Needham Street , Modesto , CA

Tel : 2 0 9 /522 - 5 103 Fax : 2 0 9 /522 - 5 116

www.greatvalley .org info @greatvalley .org

Supporting the economic, social, and environmental

well-being of Californias Great Central Valley

As s e s s i n g t h e Re g i o n Vi A i n d i c A t o R s

Education and Youth Preparedness

(Second Edition)

The State of the

Great central valleyof California


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th e s tAte o f t h e g ReAt ce n t R A l VA l l e y

ed u c A t i o n A n d yo u t h PR e P A R e d n e s s

Assessing the Region Via Indicators(Second Edition)

W h a t a r e I n d i c a t o r s ?

Indicators are powerul tools or monitoring and

tracking overall quality o lie and or comparing

perormance against goals or benchmarks. They

help communities monitor conditions by providing

a baseline against which uture changes can be

measured. Indicators help to answer important

questions such as how well the economy is

unctioning, how the schools are doing, or whether

air and water quality are improving or worsening.

W h a t a r e G o o d I n d i c a t o r s ?

A good indicator has several characteristics:

It addresses the undamental part o long-term

regional or community well-being.

It is clear and understandable.

It can be tracked, is statistically measured at

regular intervals, and comes rom a reliable

source.

It is easy to communicate in concept as well as in

terms o its value and importance to the region.

It measures an outcome rather than an input.

A b o u t t h i s R e p o r t :

Since 1999, the Great Valley Center has produced

an annual report in the five-part State of the Great

Central Valleyseries. The themes are updated in

five-year increments. This publication is a follow-up

to the first education and youth preparedness report

released in 2004 and authored by Nancy Goodban,

Ph.D.; Mary Jo Ortiz, M.A.; John Hedderson, Ph.D.;

and Lisa Branton, M.S. Other reports in the series

cover The Economy, The Environment, Community

Well-Being, and Public Health and Access to Care.

H o w t o U s e t h i s R e p o r t :

The data presented are a snapshot o inormation

providing tools or measuring the community well-

being o the Valley. The report oers data, analysis,

and structure which can be used as a benchmark

or assessing the progress o the Valley, providing

valuable comparative inormation at the county,

subregional, regional, and state levels.

The indicators do not present the entire picture

o conditions or issues in the Valley, but they may

serve as a guide and model or urther research and

dialogue. As with any indicator eort, the data

should be used with the understanding that there is

much more inormation available to create a more

complete, and sometimes more local, assessment.


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F a mi l y & H o me l i F e 6

Child PoPulation 7

Children in Single Parent FamilieS 8

Child Care 9

Child malt reat ment 10

FoSter Care 11

P o v e r t y & C H i l d r e n 1 3

Children living in Poverty 14

Food StamP PartiCiPation 15 StudentS enrolled in Free/reduCed PriCe 16

meal ProgramS

e d u C a t i o n 1 7

Children attending PreSChool 18

engliSh learnerS 19

third grade reading SCoreS 22

teaCher Quality 23

SChool CaPa City 24

truanCy 25

high SChool droPoutS 26

StudentS taking the Sat 28

uC/CSu eligible StudentS 29

C H i l d H e a l t H 3 0

health inSuranCe 31 dental inSuranCe 32

PhySiCal FitneSS 33Childhood obeSity 34Juvenile drug- and alCohol-related arreStS 35

birthS to teenS 36

low birth weight babieS 38

data SourCeS 39

CitationS & deFinitionS 40

T a b l e o f C o n T e n T s


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As some o the single greatest inluences in a young persons lie, the amily andconditions at home can either positively or negatively aect the development o

children. Additionally, by understanding the changing demographics o todays

child population, we can better plan or the uture needs in the region.

The ethnicity of the Valleys child population is shiting. Between 2000 and 2008, the

percentage o children who are Hispanic surpassed the percent o children who are white: in

2000, 39% o children were Hispanic and 43% were white, but in 2008, 45% are Hispanic and

37% are white.

The Valleys population is more youthful than the population in the rest of the state; there are

45 children under 18 or every 100 people o working age, compared to 42 statewide.

A higher percentage of children are living in single-parent families in the Valley (34%) than in

the state overall (31%).

In addition to a lack of licensed child care throughout the region, child care costs are overly

burdensome, requiring up to 65% o a Valley minimum wage earners wages.

The percentage of children in the Valley who have been abused or placed in foster homes

because o abuse and neglect has declined in recent years. However, Valley rates are still

higher than rates in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles Region, especially in the

North Sacramento Valley.

f A m i l y & h o m e l i f e

With a rapidly changing youth

demographic, issues of diversity

are becoming a more important

focus for Valley schools.Martone Elementary School in

Modesto implemented a School

Soul Success program to help

students, parents, and faculty

on conflict problem-solving with

a greater sensitivity of the role

that cultural diversity plays.

Activities were conducted in both

English and Spanish.


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Child care remains expensive and there continues tobe a shortage of licensed care in the Valley.

D e f i n i t i o n :

Child care availability:Availability is measured

as the percentage o children age 0-13 who have

working parents and or whom there are child care

slots available in either a licensed child care center or

licensed amily child care homes. All group child care

is required to be licensed by the State o Caliornia.

When a paid caregiver cares or children o only one

other amily besides their own they are exempt rom

licensing requirements. Exempt providers include

paid nannies, relatives, riends, or neighbors receiving

state-subsidized child care payments or low-income

working amilies. These exempt providers are not

included in the child care licensing igures. Ater-

school centers that are exempt rom licensing

requirements are also excluded rom these counts.

Child care affordability:Aordability is measured as

the percent o annual Caliornia state minimum wage

($15,600) that was needed to place a child up to 24

months o age in a licensed child care center during

2006.

C H i l d C a r e

W h y i s i t i m p o r t a n t ?

Children who receive quality early childhood

education enter school more ready to learn, have

better language, math and social skills, experience

ewer grade retentions, and have higher high school

graduation rates.

Aordable child care allows more mothers to

participate in the workorce.

H o w a r e w e d o i n g ?

In the Valley, there are licensed child care spaces or

27% o children who need child care, matching the

state percentage. The child care shortage is most

acute in the San Joaquin Valley, where there are

spaces available or only 23% o children who need

care. However, only two counties in the North

Sacramento Valley and Sacramento Metropolitan

Region have a lower percentage than Caliornia as a

whole.

Child care aordability varies throughout Caliornia.

Statewide, a minimum wage earner would need to

pay 48% o his or her wages to cover the cost o

child care or a child between the ages o 2 and 5 in

a licensed child care center. In general, child careis less costly in the Valley (45% o wages) than in

the San Francisco Bay Area (59%), the Los Angeles

Region (49%), and the state overall.

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

Tula

re

Stan

isla

us

SanJo

aqui

n

Mer

ced

Mad

era

King

s

Kern

Fres

no

Yuba

Yolo

Sutt

er

Sacr

amen

to

Plac

er

ElDor

ado

Teha

ma

Shas

ta

Glen

n

Colu

sa

Butt

e

PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN (AGE 0-13) WITH CHILD CARE NEEDS MET BY LICENSED CARE2006

Source: California Child Care Resource & Referral Networkhttp://www.rrnetwork.org/our-research/2007-portfolio.html

29

43

29

31

24

27

30

36

29

38

20

25 24

21

25 25 23

19

24

California 27

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Tula

re

Stan

isla

us

SanJo

aqui

n

Mer

ced

Mad

era

King

s

Kern

Fres

no

Yuba

Yolo

Sutt

er

Sacr

amen

to

Plac

er

ElDor

ado

Teha

ma

Shas

ta

Glen

n

Colu

sa

Butt

e

PERCENTAGE OF STATE MINIMUM WAGE NEEDED TO PLACE A CHILD (AGE 2-5) IN ALICENSED CHILD CARE CENTER2006

Source: California Child Care Resource & Referral Networkhttp://www.rrnetwork.org/our-research/2007-portfolio.html

2004-05 Regional Market Rate Survey of California Child Care Providers

46

4344 43 43

4849

47

43

50

4345

44 4543 43

4443 43

California 48


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The Valley has a higher rate of first entries to fostercare compared to the state.


First Entries:This measures the number o childrenage 0-17 per 1,000 who were removed rom their

homes due to child abuse or neglect and entered

child welare-supervised oster care or the irst time

in 2006.

Exits to Permanency:This measures the percentage

o children age 0-17 who were discharged rom the

oster care system to a permanent home ater 24

months or more in care prior to turning 18 in 2006.


Foster care provides a saety net or children whohave been removed rom their homes by child welare

services due to child abuse or neglect. Public policy

and law generally hold that a childs best interests are

served by being with their parents and social service

agencies work to strengthen the amily with the goal

o reuniication.

Children who are removed rom their home may

eel socially isolated and depressed. In addition,

many children are moved rom one oster setting to

another. They are at risk or behavioral problems,

drug and alcohol use, and delinquency. Those who

remain in oster care until they age out at 18 oten

end up homeless.

Foster children are more likely to have physical and

mental health problems and do poorly in school.

F o S t e r C a r e


Mirroring the trends or the rates o substantiatedchild maltreatment reerrals, irst entries to oster

care rates have declined in the Central Valley since

1998, but still remain higher than those o Caliornia

as a whole and other Caliornia regions.

At 7.0 per 1,000 children in 2006, the North

Sacramento Valley rate o entry to oster care is more

than double that o Caliornia (3.2) and is higher

than other Valley subregions, the San Francisco Bay

Area (2.3), and the Los Angeles Region (3.2).

Length o stay in oster care is an indication o how

quickly child welare is able to resolve the problem

that led to the childs removal. When children are

removed rom their parents care, child welare tries

to ind a sae environment with relatives. When

that is not possible they are placed in non-kin oster

homes or group homes. The goal is reuniication

with the parents or another permanent plan or the

child. All Valley subregions, and all but ive Valley

counties (Colusa at 8%, Glenn at 11%, Sacramento

at 12%, Fresno at 14%, and Stanislaus at 16%), do

as well as or better than the state (17%), the SanFrancisco Bay Area (15%), and the Los Angeles

Region (20%) in inding permanent homes or oster

care children.

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

Los AngelesRegion

San FranciscoBay Area

San JoaquinValley

SacramentoMetropolitan Region

North SacramentoValley

EXITS TO PERMANENCY FROM FOSTER CARE AFTER 24 MONTHS OR MORE IN CARE2006

Source: UC Berkeley Center for Social Services Research (CSSR) / CA Department of Social Serviceshttp://cssr.berkeley.edu/ucb_childwelfare/

17

26

21

15

20California 17

Central Valley 21

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

200620052004200320022001200019991998

RATE OF FIRST ENTRIES TO FOSTER CARE1998-2006

Source: UC Berkeley Center for Social Services Research (CSSR) / CA Department of Social Serviceshttp://cssr.berkeley.edu/ucb_childwelfare/

CentralValley

California San FranciscoBay Area

Los AngelesRegion

4.3

4.8

3.6

4.2

3.13.2

4.24.64.6

6.26.46.4

6.1

6.9

3.23.3

4.1

3.5

3.6

4.2

2.32.22.32.5

3.43.53.8

4.2

4.7

3.83.5 3.4

2.82.8 3.1 3.2


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One o the greatest challenges acing the Valley is the high rate o poverty.

Poor children are more likely to go hungry, live in inadequate housing

and unsae neighborhoods, and have poor access to health care. They are

less likely to be in good health and succeed in school and more likely to be

involved in the criminal justice system. The regions children, especially

those in the San Joaquin Valley, are worse than children statewide on all

the economic indicators measured here.

Twenty-two percent of the Valleys children are living in poverty, compared to 18%

in the state overall. More than one in four children in the San Joaquin Valley live

in poverty.

Twice as many Valley households (8%) receive food stamps than statewide (4%).

More than 50% of children in the Valley and statewide are enrolled in free or reduced

price meal programs at school.

P o V e R t y & c h i l d R e n

The Community Food Bank in

Fresno provides nutritious food

for 50,000 people, 38% of which

are children, living in isolated,

rural communities with little

access to fresh produce each

week. Through their Kids Caf

and Mobile Pantry programs,

they are also educating parents

and children how to prepare

healthy meals and maintain a

balanced diet.

PhotoprovidedbyComm

unityFoodBank

.


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More than 1 in 4 children live in poverty in the SanJoaquin Valley.D e f i n i t i o n :

Children Living in Poverty:This indicator representsthe number o children under the age o 18 living

below the Federal Poverty Level in 2006. (In 2006,

the poverty threshold in Caliornia or a amily o

two adults and two children was $20,444.)

Parental Unemployment:This indicator is measured

as the percentage o children living in two-parent

households in which neither parent is working or in

single-parent households in which the one parent is

not working.

W h y i s i t i m p o r t a n t ?Children in poverty live in stressul environments

without the necessities most children have, such as

adequate nutrition and aid in physical and cognitive

growth and development.

Children rom poor amilies are less likely to urther

their education and have a stable job and income as

adults and are more likely to have poor health.

C H i l d r e n l i v i n g i n P o v e r t y


The Central Valley (22%), overall, has a higherpercentage o children living in poverty than the

state (18%), particularly in the San Joaquin Valley

(26%). Both the North Sacramento Valley and

the Sacramento Metropolitan Region are at 15%, 3

percentage points below the state average.

In six o the eight counties o the San Joaquin Valley,

more than 1 in 4 children live in poverty. San

Joaquin County (19%) and Stanislaus County (20%)

are the two exceptions, yet still have rates higher than

that o the state as a whole.

At 12%, parental unemployment in the Central Valley

is higher than the state as a whole (9%), the San

Francisco Bay Area (7%), and the Los Angeles Region

(9%). Only three Valley counties (El Dorado, Placer,

and Sutter at 5%)all located in the Sacramento

Metropolitan Regionhave rates lower than the

state.

O the Valley counties measured, all have a lower

median household income than the state, which was

$74,801 in 2006.

NOTE: Data was not available for the North Sacramento Valley counties of

Colusa, Glenn, and Tehama.

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Tula

re

Stanisla

us

SanJo

aquin

Merced

Madera

King

sKe

rn

Fresno

Yuba

Yolo

Sutt

er

Sacram

ento

Placer

ElDorad

o

Shasta

Butt

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PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN (AGE 0-17) LIVING IN POVERTY2006

Source: U.S. Census Bureauhttp://factfinder.census.gov

17

25

8

5

16

1718

23

29 2930

32

28

1920

28

California 18

0%

3%

6%

9%

12%

15%

18%

Tula

Stanisla

us

SanJo

aquin

Merced

Madera

King

sKe

rn

Fresno

Yuba

Yolo

Sutt

er

Sacram

ento

Placer

ElDorad

o

Shasta

Butt

e

PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN (AGE 0-17) LIVING WITH UNEMPLOYED PARENT(S)2006

Source: U.S. Census Burehttp://factfinder.census.g

12 12

5 5

10

5

10

16

14 14

12

16

12

11

12

California 9


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Food stamp rates are highest in the San JoaquinValley.


A ood stamp recipient is a person receiving oodstamp coupons that can be exchanged or groceries.

In general, households are eligible or ood stamps

only i their gross monthly income is less than 130%

o the Federal Poverty Level ($2,097 or a amily o

our in 2006) and their net income is less than 100%

o the ederal poverty level ($1,613 or a amily o

our in 2006). Families on TANF2/CalWORKs 3

are also generally eligible or ood stamps.

Undocumented immigrants are not eligible to receive

ood stamps. This indicator represents the percent o

the total population receiving ood stamps.


The ood stamp program is the cornerstone o

ederally-unded ood assistance to low-income

amilies, including those moving rom welare to

the workorce. Food stamps provide a saety net by

providing amilies resources to buy ood. Access to

ood stamps helps to ensure adequate nutrition or

children, providing a stronger oundation or healthy

growth and development and success in school.

H o w a r e w e d o i n g ?Nearly twice as many Central Valley households

receive ood stamps (just under 8%) than the

state as a whole (just over 4%). Only three Valley

F o o d S t a m P P a r t i C i P a t i o n

counties have the same or lower rate o ood stampparticipation as the state: El Dorado (2%), Placer

(1%), and Yolo (4%). All three are located in the

Sacramento Metropolitan Region. In the San

Joaquin Valley, all counties have a rate o at least 7%

(San Joaquin and Stanislaus) and most are more than

10%.

In 2007, the US Census Bureau changed how

they classiy the race and ethnicity o ood stamp

participants. Prior to 2007, the Census Bureau

only tracked the ethnicities o ood stamp recipients.

Beginning in 2007, participants were instructed to

indicate i they were Hispanic or Latino in addition

to selecting a race, such as white, black, or Asian. As

a result, racial data collected ater 2006 cannot be

compared with ethnic data rom previous years.

Within the Valley, the largest racial/ethnic groups

to participate in ood stamp programs in 2006 were

whites (39%) and Hispanics (38%). In the San

Joaquin Valley, 52% o households receiving ood

stamps were Hispanic, 31% white, 10% Black, 6%

Asian/Paciic Islander, and 1% American Indian/Alaskan Native.

NOTE: Data was not available for the North Sacramento Valley counties of

Colusa, Glenn, and Tehama.

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

Tula

re

Stanisla

us

SanJo

aquin

Merced

Madera

King

sKe

rn

Fresno

Yuba

Yolo

Sutt

er

Sacram

ento

Placer

ElDorado

Shasta

Butt

e

PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVING FOOD STAMPS

2006

Source: California Department of Social Services

http://www.cdss.ca.gov/research/PG355.htm

6

7

2

1

7

5

4

7

10

9

11

12

10

7 7

13

California 4

PERCENTAGE OF PARTICIPATING VALLEY HOUSEHOLDS IN FEDERAL & STATE FOOD PROGRAMS

BY RACE/ETHNICITY

2006

Source: California Department of Social Services

http://www.cdss.ca.gov/research/PG355.htm

White

BlackHispanic

American Indian/AlaskAsian/Pacific Islander

Other

39%

38%

14%

8%1%

.1%


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In terms o student and school perormance measures such as third

grade reading scores and average class size, the Valley as a whole has

rates similar to those statewide. But in terms o college aspirations or

adequately preparing young people to transer into a CSU or UC campus,

the Valley alls short o the state norms. Challenges acing the region

particularly the San Joaquin Valleyinclude high poverty rates, a large

child population, and high rates o English Learners.

At 21%, the Valley has a lower percentage of English Learners (EL) than the state as a

whole (25%). The San Joaquin Valley, which has a signiicant Latino and Asian

immigrant population, matches the state rate o EL. While the average third grader in

the Valley is perorming almost as well on reading tests as the average Caliornia child,

third graders in the San Joaquin Valley have signiicantly lower reading scores.

The Valleys truancy rate is higher than the states (31% of students compared to 25%

statewide). Likewise, approximately hal the regions counties have higher dropout

rates than the state as a whole. O the 10 Valley counties with truancy rates higher than

the state, six also have higher dropout rates.

The regions school counselors, valuable in helping students chart the course to a

college path, are overburdened with 759 students to each counselor, compared to 684

students in the state as a whole.

Additionally, high school seniors take the SAT I

and graduate with courses meeting UC/CSU

requirements at a lower rate in the Valley than theircounterparts statewide.

e d u c A t i o n

Students from Porterville High School

painted a series of murals throughout

their school's hallways representing the

six pillars of character: caring, citizen-

ship, fairness, respect, responsibility,

and trustworthiness. During the project,

the students also learned about project

management and working together.


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Children in the San Joaquin Valley are least likelyto attend preschool. Valley rates range from 23% inTulare County to 61% in El Dorado County.

D e f i n i t i o n :This indicator measures the number o 3- and 4-year

olds who attend preschool, as reported by their

parents, divided by the total number o 3- and 4-year

olds.


Young childhood is a critical time or childrens

cognitive, social, emotional, and physical

development. While parents are childrens irst

teachers and provide them with an essential

oundation or later learning, quality preschools oer

all children opportunities to develop important skills

and understanding that contribute to success during

their school years.

Children who attend quality preschool programs are

less likely to be placed in special education or held

back a grade. They are also more likely to exhibit

positive behaviors in the classroom, do better on

standardized math and reading tests, graduate rom

high school and continue their education.

When every child arrives at school prepared to

do his or her best, the whole classroom beneits.

Furthermore, the entire K-12 system enjoys gains

as ewer resources must be diverted to special or

remedial education.


A lower percentage o children in the Central Valley

are enrolled in preschool (35%) than in the state

(42%), the San Francisco Bay Area (53%), and the

Los Angeles Region (40%), due particularly to the

low San Joaquin Valley rate (31%). The North

Sacramento Valley rate (39%) and the Sacramento

Metropolitan Region rate (41%), while still lower

than that o the state, are much closer.

All counties in the San Joaquin Valleywith the

exception o Stanislaus County at 42%have a lower

preschool enrollment rate than the state. Conversely

every county in the Sacramento Metropolitan

Region, except or Sacramento at 35%, exceeds the

state rate.

NOTE: This data set groups Trinity Countynot considered to be in theValleywith the North Sacramento Valley counties of Colusa, Glenn, and

Tehama.

C H i l d r e n a t t e n d i n g P r e S C H o o l

18

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Los AngRegi


San JoaquinValley



PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN (AGE 3-4) ENROLLED IN SCHOOL2005

Source: Children Now, 2007 California County Dhttp://publications.childrennow.org/publications/invest/cdb07/databook_

IPUMS USA, Minnesota Populati

http://usa.ipums.org/usa/in

3941

31

53

40

California 42

Central Valley 35

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Tula

re

Stanisla

us

SanJo

aqui

n

Mer

ced

Mad

era

King

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rn

Fres

noYo

lo

Sutt

er/Y

uba

Sacr

amento

Plac

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ElDor

ado

Shasta

Butt

e

PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN (AGE 3-4) ENROLLED IN SCHOOL2005

Source: Children Now, 2007 California County Data Bookhttp://publications.childrennow.org/publications/invest/cdb07/databook_2007.cfm

IPUMS USA, Minnesota Population Center

http://usa.ipums.org/usa/index.shtml

56

26 27

61 60

35

43

50

34

29 28

40

28 2823

California 42

Colu

sa,Gle

nn,Teh

ama,

Trin

ity

42


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19

One in four students in the San Joaquin Valley is anEnglish Learner.


English Learners (EL) are those students or whomthere is a report o a primary language other than

English on the state Home Language Survey. This

survey is based on a state-approved oral language

assessment or grades K-12 and includes a literacy

assessment or grades 3-12 only. English Learners

have been shown to lack the English language skills

o listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and

writing necessary to succeed in the schools regular

instructional programs.


Becoming proicient in the English language is

critical to long-term success in school, leading to

higher socioeconomic status through high school

graduation, college education, and better career

opportunities.

English proiciency opens avenues o civic and

community participation, such as voting in elections,

that might not otherwise be available.

Students o lower socioeconomic backgrounds

generally require more time to master English.

Oral proiciency can take 3 to 5 years; academic

competence, 4 to 7 years. 4

At the time EL students are learning English, theymust also master content presented in the school

curriculum.


Because o its large immigrant population, a quarter

o Caliornias K-12 students are classiied as EL.

These break down to 21% in the Central Valley, 22%

in the San Francisco Bay Area, and 28% in the Los

Angeles Region. In the San Joaquin Valley alone,

the percentage o EL students matches the state at

25%.

Among Valley counties, three have a student

population o more than 30% EL (Colusa at 39%,

Merced at 32%, and Madera at 31%). Additionally,

within the San Joaquin Valley, only three counties

have lower percentages o EL than the state: Kings

(24%), San Joaquin (23%), and Kern (22%).

e n g l i S H l e a r n e r S

%

%

%

%

%

Tula

re

Stan

isla

us

SanJo

aqui

n

Mer

ced

Mad

era

King

s

Kern

Fres

no

Yuba

Yolo

Sutt

er

Sacr

amen

to

Plac

er

ElDor

ado

Teha

ma

Shas

ta

Glen

n

Colu

sa

Butt

e

PERCENTAGE OF ENGLISH LEARNERS

2006-2007

Source: California Department of Education

http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest

12

39

17

3

13

5

7

19 19

22

20

26

22

24

3132

23

25

29

California 2528

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Los Angeles

Region

San Francisco

Bay Area

San Joaquin

Valley

Sacramento

Metropolitan Region

North Sacramento

Valley

11

25

28

PERCENTAGE OF ENGLISH LEARNERS

2006-2007


http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/

California 25

22

17

Central Valley 21


22/44

Finance, in the year 2000, over 43.8% o the

students, ages 017 in the Central Valley were White

while 38.8% were Latino. Since 2000 there has been

a signiicant change in the demographic numbersso that in 2008, Latinos are now 45.3% o the

ages 017 and Whites are now 37.2%. A complete

reversal in the demographic numbers has occurred.

These are our school age children and the economic

uture o our Central Valley.

An unortunate truth regarding the number o

Latino students in the State o Caliornia, and

especially in the Central Valley, is that a large number

o Latino students, particularly male Latinos, are

dropping out o schoolsome as early as middleschool. Unortunately, the number o Latino

students who make it through high school and

onto college campuses and eventually onto graduate

school is minimal at best. Considering the number

o Latino children who begin school, the number

graduating rom high school presents a serious

shortall. The Rand Corporation recently published

a 2008 literature review o an empirical study, The

Impact of Educational Quality on the Community,

in which they pointed out the interrelatedness o

academic achievement and the improved level o

educational attainment. In other words, as schools

do a better job o reaching out to and teaching our

children, the level o educational attainment will rise.

This may seem a somewhat simplistic statement but

with the dropout rate o our Latino Central Valley

students reaching as high as 44% in one assembly

district, the point must be made.

In July o 2008, Dr. David P. Lopez, currentCaliornia State Board o Education memberand also current President o the National Hispanic

University in San Jose was the keynote speaker atthe summer institute organized and held by the

Caliornia Association o Latino Superintendents and

Administrators (CALSA). Reerring to his days as a

young man working in the ields, he made reerence

to his athers statement in the early morning hours

when the water arrived to irrigate the ields, el

agua llegthe water arrived. This was the most

important time o the day or making sure that the

plants received their source o growth and energy.

His point is that or all the residents o Caliornia,

the wave o inluence, energy, and lie orce is arrivingdaily in the orm o the Latino peopleel agua

lleg.

There is a demographic change occurring that

has aected, and continues to aect, the state o

education or the Central Valley o Caliornia. The

change in student demographics or the State o

Caliornia, and speciically or the Central Valley, has

recently been described by various educational leaders

such as Dr. Fernando Elizondo, Executive Director

o CALSA, as a Latino Tsunami. For instance, in

20022003 the number o Latino children attending

schools in Caliornia was 2,819,504 or 45.2% o the

total students. In 20062007 the number increased

to 3,026,956 or 48.1%. During the same period o

time in Fresno County, the Latino student population

increased rom 102,030 to 107,780, an increase o

over 2% (Ed-Data 2008). According to additional

data provided by the Caliornia Department o

Kenneth R. Magdaleno, Ed.D.

Kremen School of Education and Human Development

California State University, Fresno

th e s tAte o f ed u c A t i o nf o R lAt i n o s i n t h e c e n t R A l VA l l e y

Not everything that is faced can be changed,

but nothing can be changed until it is faced.

James Baldwin


23/44

A quick look at the economic impact on our nation,

state, and Central Valley is that:

The workorce in the nation, state, and Central1.

Valley is becoming more diverse.

The racial/ethnic groups that are the astest2.

growing in the nation, state, and Central Valley

are the least educated.

I current population trends continue and3.

stakeholders in the nation, Caliornia, and the

Central Valley do not improve the education o

all students, the skills o the workorce and the

incomes o its residents will continue to decline

and impact all o us.

There are currently over six million students in

Caliornia schools, o which over 48% are Latino.

O the 48%, more than 1.3 million studentsare Spanish-speaking and designated as English

language learners, or emerging bilinguals and

a national resource as described by Dr. Oelia

Garcia, Proessor o Bilingual Education at the

Teachers College, Columbia University. A third o

the nations almost ive million English language

learners are in Caliornia schools (WestEd 2008).

As emerging bilinguals in ive to six years a great

many o the Latino students in Caliornia will be at

least bilingual while many o the states residents will

remain monolingual. Such is their value as a nationalresource in a rapidly changing world where being

bilingual and multilingual is a resource.

This point o view diers drastically with the deicit

thinking model that has been historically prevalent as

it relates to Latinos, Latino students, and emerging

bilinguals. Deicit thinking, deined by the point o

view that deicient cultures and behaviors, most

oten based on incorrect stereotypes, are at ault

or the achievement gap rather than societal and

systemic inequities, has long been used to explain the

achievement gap in our schools and communities. In

other words, the problem is with them, not us is

that which oten prevents change rom occurring

because there is no motivation to change the way we

do things since we are not part o the problem.

Perhaps Lisa Delpit, author o the prize winning

book Other Peoples Children: Cultural Conflict in

the Classroom, said it best when she stated, it all

begins with attitude. It is extremely important that

teachers, administrators, students, parents, and the

community begin developing what I call an Asset

Rich Learning Culture where what students bring

to school, whether it be a dierent language or

culture, is celebrated rather than seen as a deicit.

Our students do not arrive with an empty slate.They have a culture and language rich in value. It

is vital that our educators recognize and use the

assets brought to school by our students as and that

teachers and administrators begin to see themselves as

critical bridge builders between races and cultures.

O such importance is their role in developing the

uture leaders o tomorrow.

Education is certainly one o the most important

routes to economic success. Latinos have long spoken

to, and addressed, the many barriers to attaining aquality education. However, while acknowledging

the act that barriers exist, it is time to look orward

and work with other racial and ethnic groups to build

bridges to success. Addressing issues o classroom

rigor, equal access, higher expectations, and early

literacy will help Latinos take their rightul place

at the head o the class. To be Latino in Caliornia

today is a wonderul opportunity, especially as the

world around us becomes more diverse and that

diversity becomes more celebrated. It is time that

we make use o our bilingual ability and bicultural

knowledge to make the world around us a better

placeand it is time or those with which whom we

live and learn rom to help us do so.

And this will take you to a place you could only have

imagined in years past...

Considering the number of Latino

children who begin school, the

number graduating from high

school presents a serious shortfall.


24/44

22

Two Valley subregions have higher third gradereading scores than the state overall.


This indicator measures the number o third graders

testing at or above the 50th national percentile

ranking in reading on 2007 Caliornia Achievement

Tests, Sixth Edition Survey (CAT/6 Survey), a

nationally standardized test used in Caliornias

Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR)

program. The purpose o administering the CAT/6

Survey is to compare Caliornia students academic

achievement with students nationwide. Caliornia

students test results are compared to the results

o a national sample o students tested in the same

grade at the same time o the school year. Begun

in 1998, the STAR program requires that nearly all

students in grades 2 through 11 be tested annually.

These test scores include English Learners who are

designated by the schools as not luent in English.


By the end o the third grade, children should show

evidence o reading comprehension and be able to

read unamiliar words through various strategies such

as roots, preixes, and suixes.

Third grade reading scores are highly correlated with

later academic success. Early intervention is critical

or children who are struggling with reading.

Test scores are also highly correlated with

socioeconomic status. The relatively low reading

scores in the Valley relect the high poverty rates,

as well as the large number o immigrant students

whose native language is not English.


At 37%, Central Valley third graders are reading at or

above the 50th national percentile ranking at a rate

nearly equal to the state as a whole (38%). Within

the Valley, both the North Sacramento Valley (46%)

and the Sacramento Metropolitan Region (45%)

have rates higher than the state. However, the San

Joaquin Valley (32%) rate is lower than those o the

state, other Valley subregions, the San Francisco Bay

Area (45%), and the Los Angeles Region (35%).

All eight counties o the San Joaquin Valley have

rates below that o the state, while within the North

Sacramento Valley and the Sacramento Metropolitan

Region, only two counties (Colusa at 31% and Yubaat 36%) have rates below that o the state.

t H i r d g r a d e r e a d i n g S C o r e S

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Tula

re

Stan

isla

us

SanJo

aqui

n

Mer

ced

Mad

era

King

s

Kern

Fres

no

Yuba

Yolo

Sutt

er

Sacr

amen

to

Plac

er

ElDor

ado

Teha

ma

Shas

ta

Glen

n

Colu

sa

Butt

e

PERCENTAGE OF THIRD GRADERS TESTING AT OR ABOVE THE50TH NATIONAL PERCENTILE RANKING FOR READING

2007


http://star.cde.ca.gov/star2007/viewreport.asp

46

31

38

4947

5860

4042 43

36

32 32 33 33 32 3335

28

California 38

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Los Ange

Regio

San Francisco

Bay Area

San Joaquin

Valley

Sacramento

Metropolitan Region

North Sacramento

Valley

PERCENTAGE OF THIRD GRADERS READING AT OR ABOVE THE

50TH NATIONAL PERCENTILE RANKING FOR READING2007

Source: California Department of Ed

http://star.cde.ca.gov/star2007/viewrep

46 45

32

45

35

Central Valley 37

California 38


25/44

23

There is a higher percentage of credentialed teachersin the Central Valley than in the state.


Credentialed Teachers:This indicator measures the

percentage o the total teaching sta in the public

schools who have completed a teacher preparation

program and hold a preliminary, clear, proessional

clear, or lie teaching credential. 5


Credentialed teachers are better equipped to

eectively teach, manage their students, write unit

plans, and connect with dierent cultures.


The percentage o credentialed teachers is high

throughout the state (95%), the Valley (96%), the

San Francisco Bay Area (95%), and the Los Angeles

Region (94%).

Among Valley counties, all but our have higher

rates than the state. The counties with the lowest

percentage are: Merced (94%), Kings (93%), San

Joaquin (93%), and Yuba (91%).

t e a C H e r q u a l i t y

%

%

%

%

Tula

re

Stan

isla

us

SanJo

aqui

n

Mer

ced

Mad

era

King

s

Kern

Fres

no

Yuba

Yolo

Sutt

er

Sacr

amen

to

Plac

er

ElDor

ado

Teha

ma

Shas

ta

Glen

n

Colu

sa

Butt

e

PERCENTAGE OF TEACHING STAFF WITH FULL TEACHING CREDENTIALS

2007-2008



99

98

96

99 99

98 98

97

96 96

91

97

95

93

97

94

93

97

96

California 95

85%

90%

95%

100%

Los Angeles

Region

San Francisco

Bay Area

San Joaquin

Valley

Sacramento

Metropolitan Region

North Sacramento

Valley

PERCENTAGE OF TEACHING STAFF WITH FULL TEACHING CREDENTIALS

2007-2008



98

94

97California 95

9595

Central Valley 96


26/44

24

Class size in the Valley is comparable to the state, butcounselors continue to be overburdened.


Class Size:This indicator measures class size, which

is derived rom the number o students enrolled

divided by the number o classes in which these

students are enrolled. Classroom counts and

enrollment counts used in calculation do not

include the ollowing: classes with enrollment o 0

or more than 50 students, special education classes,

teachers who do not have other instruction-related

assignments, and department chairs. Average class

size is reported here or grades K-12.

Counselor/Student Ratio:The counselor/student

ratio measures the number o K-12 counselorsavailable divided by the number o students enrolled.


Smaller class sizes, when coupled with good teachers,

have been ound to be eective in improving

student achievement, although the results o class

size reduction are mixed because low-income and

rural districts can ace diiculty in recruiting highly

qualiied and experienced teachers.

The number o counselors is signiicant, particularly

in high schools, because it indicates the support

that is available or students with regard to career

planning and preparation or college.


Average class size numbers include K-3, in which the

class sizes are typically around 20 students, as well as

the later elementary and secondary classes which are

much larger. The average class size or Caliornia is

25 students. Within the Valley, average class sizes

vary between 21 and 25 students. Colusa, Glenn,

and Yuba counties have the lowest average class sizesat 21 students.

At 759 students to every counselor in the Central

Valley, counselors have more than three times

as many students to oversee than the American

School Counselor Association recommended

1:250. Statewide, there are 684 students to every

counselor. The highest pupil counselor ratios in the

Valley can be ound in the San Joaquin Valley (811),

particularly in Kings (1010), Madera (1279), and

Tulare (1072) counties. Thirteen o the 19 counties

in the Valley have pupil counselor ratios higher than

the statewide ratio.

S C H o o l C a P a C i t y

0

10

20

30

Tula

re

Stan

isla

us

SanJo

aqui

n

Mer

ced

Mad

era

King

s

Kern

Fres

no

Yuba

Yolo

Sutt

er

Sacr

amen

to

Plac

er

ElDor

ado

Teha

ma

Shas

ta

Glen

n

Colu

sa

Butt

e

AVERAGE CLASS SIZE

2007-2008



24

21 21

2 3 23

2524 24

22

25

21

2524 24

2324

25 25 25California 25

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

Stan

isla

SanJo

aqui

n

Mer

ced

Mad

era

King

s

Kern

Fres

no

Yuba

Yolo

Sutt

er

Sacr

amen

to

Plac

er

ElDor

ado

Teha

ma

Shas

ta

Glen

n

Colu

sa

Butt

e

PUPIL/COUNSELOR RATIO

2007-2008

Source: California Department of Ed

http://dq.cde.ca.gov/da

5

90

California 684

756

691

57

0

451

916

615

633

714

705

742

666

853

1279

1010

802

719


27/44

25

A higher percentage of Valley students are truantthan in the state and other California regions.


A truant student is deined as a student with an

unexcused absence or tardy or three or more days

per school year.


Truancy has been correlated with students dropping

out o high school. 6

Truant students are at risk or educational ailure,

social isolation, substance abuse, low sel-esteem,

unwanted pregnancy, unemployment, violence and

criminality, and incarceration as adults. 7

Truants are more likely to participate in daytimejuvenile crime. 8

t r u a n C y


The Central Valleys rate o truant students (31%)

is substantially higher than the state overall (25%),

the San Francisco Bay Area (24%) and the Los

Angeles Region (24%). Within the Valley, both the

Sacramento Metropolitan Region (31%) and the San

Joaquin Valley (32%) have rates higher than that o

the North Sacramento Valley (24%).

Among Valley counties there is much variation. Nine

o the 19 counties have truancy rates below that o

the state overall, while 6 o the remaining 10 have

rates greater than 30%: San Joaquin (31%), Yolo

(31%), Kern (36%), Stanislaus (36%), Sacramento(37%), and Fresno (38%).

%

%

%

%

%

Tulare

Stan

islaus

SanJo

aquin

Mer

ced

Mad

era

Kings

Kern

Fresno

Yuba

Yolo

Sutter

Sacr

amento

Placer

ElDor

ado

Teha

ma

Shasta

Glenn

Colusa

Butte

PERCENTAGE OF TRUANT STUDENTS2006-2007



26

14

12

30

14

22

16

37

28

31

19

38

36

18

28

23

31

36

17

California 25

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Los Angeles

Region

San Francisco

Bay Area

San Joaquin

Valley

Sacramento

Metropolitan Region

North Sacramento

Valley

PERCENTAGE OF TRUANT STUDENTS2006-2007



24

3132

24 24

California 25

Central Valley 31


28/44


29/44

27

U N D E R S T A N D I N G T H E

S T A T E W I D E S T U D E N T I D E N T I F I E R S Y S T E M

Prior to 2008, high school dropout rates were calculatedusing complex ormulas that were, admittedly, educated

guesses. But in 2002, Caliornia State Senate Bill 1453

required that each student be assigned a unique and

anonymous Statewide Student Identiier (SSID). In July

2008, the Caliornia Department o Education (CDE)

oicially released data or the school year o 2006-2007,

stating that it is the most accurate data to date. Given

the change in calculation methods, data rom previous

years cannot be compared with the newly-released data.

The new SSID system allows the CDE to more accurately

ollow a students path throughout their school years. For example, under previous methodology, i astudent reported plans to transer to another school, there was no mechanism to know i they actually

enrolled in another school. Now, i that student does not reenroll, it is known and schools can ollow-

up. The new system also paints a clearer picture o student activity with 28 student withdrawal codes,

allowing educators to speciically target problem areas.

The system does have its limitations, however. Some school districts may not be adequately equipped to

update the data and be inclined to mark other when the location o a student is unknown. All o these

students are then counted as dropouts. Additionally, the CDE is still using enrollment data collected on

CBEDS Inormation Day rather than actual numbers. This is particularly problematic or schools with

high-volumes o short-term students. Once student-level data are collected or our-years, the CDE will

be able to provide more accurate numbers rather than estimated dropout rates based on actual data orone year.

Anticipated to be ully implemented in 2009-2010, the Caliornia Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data

System (CALPADS) will provide educators with even more inormation.

The dismal educational outcomes should prod Caliornias leadership to address more ully a critical issue

aecting the states ability to compete economically with other states and countries.

For More Information:

SSID and a complete list o student withdrawal codes: www.cde.ca.gov/ds/td/lo/ssid.aspCaliornia Dropout Research Project: www.lmri.ucsb.edu/dropouts


30/44

Fewer than 30% of Valley high school seniors arepreparing for a college career by taking the SAT I.


This indicator measures the percent o high schoolseniors taking the SAT I, although many students

take the SAT I in both their junior and senior years.


The SAT I is used by colleges and universities to

determine the probable success that students will

have in post-secondary education and is required by

many in the admission process.

The number o students taking the SAT I also

indicates how many students plan on attending

college and how well our schools are doing helpingour students aspire to a postsecondary education.


Central Valley students are ar less likely to take theSAT (27%) than students in the state overall (37%),

the San Francisco Bay Area (47%), and the Los

Angeles Region (38%). Within the Valley, students

in the North Sacramento Valley (22%) and the San

Joaquin Valley (25%) are taking the SAT I at a lower

rate than students in the Sacramento Metropolitan

Region (34%).

Among Valley counties, only twoboth in the

Sacramento Metropolitan Regionhave rates higher

than the state: Placer at 38% and Yolo at 43%. In

three Valley counties, ewer than one in ive seniorsare thinking about their utures by taking the SAT I:

Madera and Yuba at 18% and Tehama at 15%.

S t u d e n t S t a k i n g t H e S a t

28

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Tula

re

Stan

isla

us

SanJo

aqui

n

Mer

ced

Mad

era

King

s

Kern

Fres

no

Yuba

Yolo

Sutt

er

Sacr

amen

to

Plac

er

ElDor

ado

Teha

ma

Shas

ta

Glen

n

Colu

sa

Butt

e

PERCENTAGE OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS TAKING THE SAT I

2006-2007

Source: California Department of Educationhttp://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest

25

30

2120

15

35

38

34

23

43

18

31

24 24

18

2425

2022

California 37

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Los Ang

Regi

San Francisco

Bay Area

San Joaquin

Valley

Sacramento

Metropolitan Region

North Sacramento

Valley

PERCENTAGE OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS TAKING THE SAT I2006-2007

Source: California Department of E

http://dq.cde.ca.gov/d

22

34

25

47

38

California 37

Central Valley 27


31/44

The average high school student in the Valley is lesslikely to complete courses required for admission intothe UC/CSU system than the average Californiahigh school student.


Another measure o college readiness is the

percentage o twelth grade graduates who have

completed all the courses required or University o

Caliornia (UC) and/or Caliornia State University

(CSU) entrance with a grade o C or better.

Course completion represents only a portion o the

entrance requirements or UC or CSU.


College attendance leads to better uture

employment chances and higher socioeconomicstatus.

Completion o UC/CSU required courses represents

the maximum number o students who may be

eligible to attend post-secondary education; not all

students complete the other requirements. It also

relects school capacity, including the availability o

academic guidance counselors and their eectiveness

in encouraging completion o the requirements.


UC/CSU course requirement completion in the

Valley (30% o high school graduates in 2007) is

lower than the state overall (35%), the San Francisco

Bay Area (46%), and the Los Angeles Region (37%),

thus making students less prepared or a uture

college career. The rate is particularly low in the

North Sacramento Valley (24%), compared to 29% in

the Sacramento Metropolitan Region and 32% in the

San Joaquin Valley.

In only ive Valley counties did more than 30% o

students completed the course requirements to

transer to a UC or CSU, including Kings (31%),

Placer (36%), Yolo (38%), El Dorado (39%), and

Fresno (46%). On the other end o the spectrum,

six counties have rates o 20% or lower: Sutter (9%),

Colusa and Shasta (17%), Yuba (18%), Madera(19%), and Merced (20%).

When comparing UC/CSU course completion by

race and ethnicity, Asian/Paciic Islander students

have the highest completion rates among graduates

in that racial group. In recent years, the rates o

white and American Indian/Alaska Native students

have dropped, while all other group rates have

increased.

Caliornia Community Colleges (CCC) are a more

aordable and accessible higher education optionor many students. Valley high school graduates

are more than twice as likely to transer directly to a

CCC (23.2%) than they are to a CSU (10.3%) and

more than ive times as likely to transer directly to a

CCC than to a UC (4.4%).

u C / C S u e l i g i b l e S t u d e n t S

29

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Tula

re

Stan

isla

us

SanJo

aqui

n

Mer

ced

Mad

era

King

s

Kern

Fres

no

Yuba

Yolo

Sutt

er

Sacr

amen

to

Plac

er

ElDor

ado

Teha

ma

Shas

ta

Glen

n

Colu

sa

Butt

e

PERCENTAGE OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES MEETING UC/CSU COURSE REQUIREMENTS

2006-2007



26

17

29

17

26

39

36

23

9

38

18

46

23

31

1920

25

2123

California 35

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

2006-20072003-20041997-19981994-1995

PERCENTAGE OF CENTRAL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES MEETINGUC/CSU COURSE REQUIREMENTS BY RACE/ETHNICITY

1994-2007



White Asian/Pacific Islander

Black

American Indian/

Alaska Native

Hispanic/Latino


32/44

30

The Valley generally ares better than the state as a whole concerning

measures o overall child health, such as health and dental insurance,

physical itness, and childhood obesity. However, measures that address

high-risk behavior such as drug and alcohol use and early sexual activity

leading to teen pregnancy show that the Valley is struggling, particularly

in the North Sacramento Valley.

Ninety-three percent of children in the Valley have health insurance and 81% have

dental insurance, close to the rates statewide. But disparities exist between racial and

ethnic groups. Latino and American Indian/Alaska Native children are less likely to

have health insurance than other groups.

While the percentages of children who are physically fit or obese in the Valley are similar

to statewide percentages, the overall picture is poor. Only 32% o Valley 9th graders are

considered physically it and 33% o Valley 5th, 7th, and 9th graders are obese.

The juvenile drug- and alcohol-related arrest rate for the Valley is 7.4 per 1,000

children age 10-17, which is very close to the state rate o 7.0. In the North

Sacramento Valley, the rate is much higher at 12.3.

Likewise, the percentage of births to teen mothers in the Valley is 11.5% in the Central

Valley, while only 9.1% statewide.

c h i l d h e A l t h

Physical activity has

substantial health benefits

for children and adolescents,

including favorable effectson endurance capacity,

muscular strength, body

weight and blood pressure.

Schools that offer physical

education programs also post

positive effects on academic

achievement for students.


33/44


34/44

32

Compared to the other Valley subregions, the NorthSacramento Valley has the lowest dental insurancecoverage rate.


This indicator measures the percent o children age

0-17 with dental insurance at the time the Caliornia

Health Interview Survey was completed.


Many pediatricians identiy dental problems as

a serious concern, especially among low-income

children.

Children who see a hygienist or dentist are more

likely to be educated on the importance and proper

method o caring or teeth and gums.

Parents learn to avoid dental problems such as early

caries (a demineralization o the tooth surace caused

by bacteria) or baby bottle tooth decay caused by

allowing the child to go to sleep with a bottle that

has juice or milk in it.

Having dental insurance makes it more likely that a

child will receive assessment and treatment or dental

problems, including seeing a hygienist or teeth

cleaning every six months.

d e n t a l i n S u r a n C e

Improper or lack o dental care leads to dental

problems and, in turn, discomort and pain which

distracts children rom classroom instruction,

subsequently impeding learning and potentially

causing more serious and expensive dental problems

in the uture.


The Central Valley has a slightly higher percentage

(81%) o children with dental insurance compared to

the state overall (79%). Among Valley subregions,

the Sacramento Metropolitan Region has the highestrate (83%), ollowed by the San Joaquin Valley (80%)

and the North Sacramento Valley (74%) with a rate

below that o the state.

The highest coverage rates in the Valley are ound in

the Sacramento Metropolitan Region in Sutter (87%)

and Yuba (88%) counties. The counties with the

lowest rates are Butte (70%) and Shasta (73%) in the

North Sacramento Valley.

Children who live in rural areas are less likely to have

access to a pediatric dentist whether or not they areinsured.

60%

70%

80%

90%

Tulare

Stanislaus

SanJo

aquin

Merced

Madera

Kings

Kern

Fresno

Yuba

Yolo

Sutter

Sacram

ento

Placer

ElDorado

Shasta

Butte

PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN (AGE 0-17) WITH DENTAL INSURANCE2005

Source: 2005 California Health Interview Surveyhttp://www.chis.ucla.edu/

70

82

73

84

76

84

87

80

88

79 79

86

83

8079

82

California 79

Colu

sa,Glenn

,Teham

a

82

60%

70%

80%

90%

Los AngRegi


San JoaquinValley



PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN (AGE 0-17) WITH DENTAL INSURANCE2005

Source: 2005 California Health Interviehttp://www.chis.u

74

83

80

84

77

California 79

Central Valley 81


35/44

33

Student physical fitness rates have been improvingthroughout the state since 2000.


The Caliornia Physical Fitness Test is administeredto students in public schools. This indicator

measures the percentage o ninth grade students

tested in 2006-2007 who obtained scores within

the Healthy Fitness Zone with respect to aerobic

itness, body composition, abdominal strength,

trunk extension strength, upper body strength,

and lexibility. Students are required to meet all

six standards to be considered physically it. The

Healthy Fitness Zone represents a level o itness that

oers some degree o protection against diseases that

result rom sedentary living.


Physically it children have better memory,

concentration and energy levels, are healthier

physically and emotionally, and are less prone to

obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

These children are likely to continue practicing a

healthy liestyle while adults, making them less likely

to be obese or have heart disease, strokes, high

blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, cancer, ractures,

and depression.

The American Heart Association recommends that

children ages ive and older get at least 30 minutes

o moderate exercise every day and 30 minutes o

vigorous exercise 3-4 times a week.

It is important or schools to ensure that studentsparticipate regularly in physical education classes. In

addition, with ewer students walking or biking to

school and playing outside ater school, and with

some schools reducing P.E. classes due to other

requirements, amilies must ocus on helping their

children stay it. Family activities can include hiking,

walking, bicycling, or playing in the park so that

children and parents can build a healthy liestyle

together.

H o w a r e w e d o i n g ?Rates o physical itness among ninth grade students

have been increasing steadily since 2000-2001. In

general, the average Valley student is a little more

likely to be physically it than students in the Los

Angeles Region, but slightly worse than the San

Francisco Bay Area. Within the Valley, the North

Sacramento Valley has traditionally had higher rates

o physical itness and experienced a sharp increase

between the school years o 2005-2006 and 2006-

2007.

In only two Valley counties are ewer than a quarter

o ninth graders physically it: Merced at 21% and

Yuba at 18%. In 10 o the remaining 18 counties, at

least one-third o students are physically it.

P H y S i C a l F i t n e S S

%

%

%

%

%

%

Tula

re

Stan

isla

us

SanJo

aqui

n

Mer

ced

Mad

era

King

s

Kern

Fres

no

Yuba

Yolo

Sutt

er

Sacr

amen

to

Plac

er

ElDor

ado

Teha

ma

Shas

ta

Glen

n

Colu

sa

Butt

e

PERCENTAGE OF PHYSICALLY FIT NINTH GRADERS

2006-2007



48

32

43 43

31

4142

3334

32

18

33

27

39

28

21

2526

37

California 30

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

2006-20072005-20062004-20052003-20042002-20032001-20022000-2001

PERCENTAGE OF PHYSICALLY FIT NINTH GRADERS

2006-2007


http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/

North

Sacramento ValleyCalifornia Sacramento

Metropolitan Region

San Joaquin

Valley


36/44

34

Obesity is most prevalent in the San Joaquin Valley.


Childhood obesity is measured using the body

composition component o the Caliornia Physical

Fitness Test administered to grades 5, 7, and 9 in

public schools. Students whose test scores indicate

that they are not in the Healthy Fitness Zone or

body composition are considered to be obese. Body

composition test results provide an estimate o the

percent o a students weight that is at.


Childhood obesity has many health and psychosocial

consequences that oten continue into adulthood.

Children who are overweight are at risk odeveloping high blood pressure, high cholesterol,

asthma, and Type 2 diabetes. These children also

have the potential o becoming overweight in

adulthood as well as having a stroke, heart disease,

or arthritis as adults. The psychosocial consequences

o childhood obesity include decreased sel-esteem,

depression, and anxiety.


Obesity rates are high in the state overall (32%), the

Valley (33%), the San Francisco Bay Area (28%),

and the Los Angeles Region (34%). In the Valley,

the San Joaquin Valley has the highest percentage

o obese children (35%) and the Sacramento

Metropolitan Region has the lowest (29%).

Within the San Joaquin Valley, more than one-third

o children are obese in every county, while this is

true o only two counties in the North Sacramento

Valley (Colusa at 37% and Glenn at 34%) and no

counties in the Sacramento Metropolitan Region.

C H i l d H o o d o b e S i t y

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Tula

re

Stan

isla

us

SanJo

aqui

n

Mer

ced

Mad

era

King

s

Kern

Fres

no

Yuba

Yolo

Sutt

er

Sacr

amen

to

Plac

er

ElDor

ado

Teha

ma

Shas

ta

Glen

n

Colu

sa

Butt

e

PERCENTAGE OF OBESE CHILDREN (GRADES 5, 7, & 9)2006-2007

Source: California Department of Educationhttp://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest

28

California 32

3029

34

37

32

303030

24

22

343535

3738

3736

34

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Los AngRegi


San JoaquinValley



PERCENTAGE OF OBESE STUDENTS (GRADE 5, 7, & 9)2006-2007

Source: California Department of Ehttp://dq.cde.ca.gov/d

3029

35

28

34California 32

Central Valley 33


37/44

35

crime. That is, the data do not simply relect teen drug

and alcohol use; some jurisdictions crack down with a

get tough approach and show higher arrest rates.

Alcohol is the most commonly used substance among

youth. It is correlated with other risky behaviors such as

truancy, ighting, drunk driving, and sexual activity.


Juvenile drug- and alcohol-related arrest rates in

the Valley (7.4 per 1,000) are slightly higher than

those in the state as a whole (7.0), due mostly to

the North Sacramento Valley (12.3). Both the

Sacramento Metropolitan Region (6.7) and the

San Joaquin Valley (7.1) have rates closer to that o

the state. Rates o elony and misdemeanor arrests

ollow a similar pattern to that o the combined

totals.

Since 1996, both juvenile elony and misdemeanor

arrest rates or drug- and alcohol-related oenses

have steadily decreased, with the exception o the

North Sacramento Valley, which has seen a slightincrease in both elony and misdemeanor arrests

since that time.

Juvenile drug- and alcohol-related arrest rates areincreasing in the North Sacramento Valley anddeclining in the San Joaquin Valley and Sacramento

Metropolitan Region.


This indicator represents the percentage o elony

and misdemeanor drug- and alcohol-related arrests

o juveniles age 10-17. Misdemeanor arrests include

drunk and disorderly conduct, Driving Under the

Inluence (DUI), liquor law violations, glue sniing,

marijuana, and other drug oenses. Felony arrests

tend to involve injury or substantial property loss,

and can include DUI, marijuana, dangerous drugs,

and other drug oenses.


Drug and alcohol use can lead to poor health, academic

ailure, and other problems.

Juvenile drug- and alcohol-related arrests are the tip o

the iceberg; the vast majority o teen drug and alcohol

use does not conclude in arrest.

Identiying the prevalence o teen drug- and alcohol-

related arrests is important in assisting community

leaders and policy makers in the development o

programs which ocus on prevention, education,

and direct targeting o resources or treatment and

intervention. At the same time, interpretation o these

data needs to take into account local policies on juvenile

J u v e n i l e d r u g - a n d a l C o H o l - r e l a t e d a r r e S t S

0

6

2

8

Tula

re

Stan

isla

us

SanJo

aqui

n

Mer

ced

Mad

era

King

s

Kern

Fres

no

Yuba

Yolo

Sutt

er

Sacr

amen

to

Plac

er

ElDor

ado

Teha

ma

Shas

ta

Glen

n

Colu

sa

Butt

e

FELONY & MISDEMEANOR ARREST RATE FOR DRUG- OR ALCOHOL-RELATED OFFENSES(PER 1,000 JUVENILES AGE 10-17)2005

Source: Office of the Attorney General, California Department of Justicehttp://ag.ca.gov/cjsc/datatabs.php

Misdemeanor Arrests Felony Arrests

11.

5

1.

2

3.

1

1.

7

1.

9

1.

8

9.

9

9.

2

14.

1

10.

0

0.

3

1.

5

0.

9

1.

4

1.

7

1.

2

1.

1

1.

7

1.

5

1.

4

0.

7

1.

1

1.

2

1.

3

14.

6

7.

5

7.

4

3.

5

7.

0

9.

6

6.

6

5.

3

4.

5

8.

0

4.

6

15.

1

4.

2

6.

1

California 5.6

California 1.4

12.8

10.7

12.9

10.9

11.8

14.9

9.18.3

4.8

8.77.7

7.1

6.0

9.4

5.3

16.2

5.4

7.4

15.9

0

6

12

18

2005200420032002200120001999199819971996

FELONY & MISDEMEANOR ARREST RATE FOR DRUG- OR ALCOHOL-RELATED OFFENSES(PER 1,000 JUVENILES AGE 10-17)1996-2005

Source: Office of the Attorney General, California Department of Justicehttp://ag.ca.gov/cjsc/datatabs.php

CentralValley


Los AngelesRegion


38/44


While births to teen mothers have been steadilydeclining since 1996, the Central Valley percentage

(11.5%) continues to be signiicantly higher than the

state percentage (9.1%), that o the San Francisco

Bay Area (5.7%), and that o the Los Angeles Region

(9.4%). This dierence can be accounted or the

high rates ound in the North Sacramento Valley

(11.6%) and the San Joaquin Valley (13%). The

Sacramento Metropolitan Region, at 8.4%, ares

better than the state as a whole.

Within Valley counties, only our have a rate o

births to teen mothers under 10%: Placer at 4.9%,

El Dorado at 6.8%, Yolo at 7.7%, and Sacramento

at 8.9%. All are located in the Sacramento

Metropolitan Region.

The rate of teen pregnancy is declining, but the

Valley still exceeds the other regions in the state.


This indicator represents live births to mothers age15-19 as a percentage o all live births.


Children born to teen mothers are typically born into

a disadvantaged lie, where athers are oten absent

or not supportive to the mother in raising the child.

This compounds the eect o teen mothers being

poorly prepared or motherhood with limited savings,

education, work experience, and emotional maturity.

Many teens who have babies are dependent on Medi-

Cal.

Teen mothers are more likely to drop out o school and

less likely to marry. It takes many years or them to

begin to earn income and have education comparable to

others their age.

Children o teen mothers are more likely to have

behavioral problems and academic trouble throughout

their school years.

b i r t H S t o t e e n S

36

0%

6%

12%

18%

Tula

re

Stan

isla

us

SanJo

aqui

n

Mer

ced

Mad

era

King

s

Kern

Fres

no

Yuba

Yolo

Sutt

er

Sacr

amen

to

Plac

er

ElDor

ado

Teha

ma

Shas

ta

Glen

n

Colu

sa

Butt

e

PERCENTAGE OF LIVE BIRTHS TO TEEN MOTHERS (AGE 15-19)2005

Source: California Department of Public Healthhttp://www.cdph.ca.gov/data/statistics/Pages/CountyBirthStatisticalDataTables.aspx

10.3

California 9.1

12.812.0

13.9

11.8

13.3

7.7

10.2

8.9

4.9

6.8

13.0

14.2 14.1 14.213.3

11.3 11.4

13.9

0%

6%

12%

18%

200420032002200120001999199819971996

PERCENTAGE OF LIVE BIRTHS TO TEEN MOTHERS (AGE 15-19)1996-2005

Source: California Department of Publichttp://www.cdph.ca.gov/data/statistics/Pages/CountyBirthStatisticalDataTab

CentralValley


Los Regi


39/44

I S S U E B R I E F

F O R G I R L S O N L Y

Youth development comes in many orms

including leadership training, political and

civic engagement, recreational alternatives, and

educational programs, all designed to encourage

young people in sel-discovery and ostering a

sense o sel-worth and responsibility to grow

into conident and successul adults.

But not all youth are equal. At Girls

Incorporated, it is acknowledged that while

boys and girls are similar, girls also have and

do ace speciic challenges that are better met

in a setting exclusively or them and has been

empowering girls o all ages or nearly 150 years

through its 105 local chapters in the US and

Canada. Under the guiding principle o creating a sae and supportive environment or girls, Girls Inc.

programs ree girls rom stereotypical roles and allow them to develop healthy and independent images o

themselves.

In 2006, Girls Inc. o the Northern Sacramento Valley was incorporated, serving the counties o Shasta,

Tehama, and Glenn. Being the only Girls Inc. eort in the Central Valley, it is uniquely positioned to

address some o the struggles o the region, including teen pregnancy, child maltreatment, and drug and

alcohol use. They ocus their eorts through our core programs: Will Power/Wont Power addressingthe avoidance o early pregnancy by planning or the uture, Project BOLD equipping girls with the

power to protect themselves against violence, Friendly PEERsuasion directed toward substance abuse

prevention and being positive peer inluences, and a Girls Circle support program providing a place where

girls can encourage one another through sharing their own experiences.

In a region marked by low household incomes and educational attainment, Girls Inc. is inspiring and

empowering girls in the Northern Sacramento Valley to secure a brighter uture or themselves.

For More Information:

Girls Inc. o the Northern Sacramento Valley: www.girlsincnsv.org

37


40/44


41/44

39

F a m i l y & H o m e L i f e

Child Population

Youth Dependency Ratio Data

U.S. Census Bureau

2006 Population Estimates, Table T8-2006

http://actinder.census.gov/

Race/Ethnic Data

Caliornia Department o Finance

Race/Ethnic Population Projections

with Age and Sex Detail

www.do.ca.gov/HTML/DEMOGRAP/Data/

RaceEthnic/Population-00-50/RaceData_2000-2050.php

Children in Single Parent Families

U.S. Census Bureau

2006 American Community Survey, Table B23008http://actinder.census.gov/

Child Care

Caliornia Child Care Resource & Reerral Network

The Caliornia Child Care Portolio, 2007

www.rrnetwork.org/our-research/2007-portolio.html

Availability Population Data

Caliornia Department o Finance

Race/Ethnic Population Projections

with Age and Sex Detail

www.do.ca.gov/HTML/DEMOGRAP/Data/

RaceEthnic/Population-00-50/RaceData_2000-2050.php

Availability Parental Labor Force Data

U.S. Census Bureau

2000 Census

http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html

Affordability Data

2004-05 Regional Market Rate Survey o Caliornia Child

Care Providers

Child Maltreatment

UC Berkeley Center or Social Services Research (CSSR)

Caliornia Department o Social Services

Child Welare Dynamic Report System, Reerral &

Substantiation Rates

http://cssr.berkeley.edu/ucb_childwelare/

Foster Care

First Entry Data

UC Berkeley Center or Social Services Research (CSSR)

Caliornia Department o Social Services

Child Welare Dynamic Report System, Entry Rates

http://cssr.berkeley.edu/ucb_childwelare/

Exits to Permanency

Documents

Assessing The Education and Youth of the Great Valley Center - 2008