Learning takes time. Time to grasp. Time to practice. Time to allow yourself to make mistakes and improve on the next try. One of the critical struggles educators face is finding a way to teach students new skills and concepts in a short amount of time.

As a recent study by UCLA’s Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access found, this challenge is even more daunting for teachers at high-poverty schools.

The study's key finding is that public school students in California have “markedly different amounts of instructional time depending on the neighborhoods in which they live.”

Because of the constant interruptions, delays and routines at high-poverty schools, students that attend these schools lose roughly 30 minutes of instruction per day when compared to their counterparts at low-poverty schools. And they lose nearly ten additional days each year due to the issues with teacher absences, emergency lockdowns and preparation for standardized tests. That's two weeks less to learn, practice and improve throughout each school year.

This study reinforces the core premise of Cruz v. State of California, a lawsuit the ACLU of Southern California filed earlier this year with Public Counsel, and the law firms Carlton Fields Jorden Burt and Arnold & Porter LLP—that learning time matters. The UCLA study also confirms that this is a statewide problem requiring state-level solutions, as we argue in Cruz.

Last month, as a result of the lawsuit, a judge ordered the State of California and state education officials to intervene to stem the loss of learning time at Jefferson High School in Los Angeles. This important victory showed that California courts see the loss of learning as unacceptable. It also confirmed that the state is ultimately responsible for ensuring that students have an equal chance to succeed in school, no matter the neighborhood they live in.

The UCLA study's findings provide even more evidence that the state—like so many of its students at high-poverty schools—has run out of time. California leaders must act now to create systems that catch and correct the major education disparities facing students who attend high-poverty schools.

David Sapp is director of education advocacy with the ACLU of California. Follow ACLU SoCal on Twitter.

By Chris Conley, @manconley

“There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.”

The saying has been around for decades, but it has never been truer in an era where technology so often seems to promise something for nothing. Dig deeper, and you’ll usually find there’s a hidden cost — and it could be one you’re not so happy to pay.

That’s why the ACLU of California has just released Making Smart Decisions about Surveillance: A Guide for Communities. It provides step-by-step assistance to help your community ask and answer the right questions about surveillance. It includes case studies from California and elsewhere highlighting smart approaches and missteps to avoid, as well as a model Surveillance & Community Safety Ordinance to ensure that public input, transparency and accountability are part of every discussion about surveillance technology.

Download the report (.pdf)

 

Unfortunately, too often that’s not the case. As our interactive map on the state of surveillance in California illustrates, while many communities have adopted some form of surveillance technology, there is little evidence that community members had or have the opportunity to debate its adoption or the resources to evaluate its impact. Even courts are sometimes left out of the loop, blocking their essential oversight function.

Because each community and each surveillance proposal may present a different set of issues, there is no one-size-fits-all answer as to whether surveillance is the right choice. The key to making a smart decision is to thoroughly assess every proposal with the benefit of input from the entire community. We’re delighted that San Francisco Supervisor John Avalos and Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian have announced plans to introduce ordinances in their communities to ensure that happens every time. We hope our guide and resources will also help your community make smart decisions about surveillance going forward.

Chris Conley is technology & civil liberties attorney at the ACLU of Northern California. Follow ACLU SoCal on Twitter.

The ACLU of Southern California hosted its 2014 Bill of Rights Dinner on Sunday, November 9, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, paying tribute to individuals committed to the protection of civil liberties and advocacy for equal rights.

Watch highlights from the event and see our #Stand4Justice snapshots from the red carpet.

The 2014 Bill of Rights honorees included Participant Media CEO Jim Berk presented by actor David Oyelowo; artist and Co-Founder of the True Colors Fund Cyndi Lauper presented by actor and writer Fran Drescher; longtime ACLU SoCal Board Member Marvin Schachter; and Chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Records & Warner/Chappell Music Publishing Cameron Strang presented by musician Tom Morello.

The Ramona Ripston Liberty, Justice & Equality Award was presented to U.S. Senator for Massachusetts Elizabeth Warren by ACLU SoCal Executive Director Emeritus Ramona Ripston, who was introduced by Norman Lear.

In his keynote ACLU SoCal Executive Director Hector Villagra addressed the urgent humanitarian crisis of child refugees from Central America and the critical need for legal defense of unaccompanied minors in deportation proceedings.

The program also included a musical performance by singer-songwriter Steve Earle.

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Watch highlights from the event and see our #Stand4Justice snapshots from the red carpet.  

ACLU SoCal is grateful to all the sponsors of the 2014 Bill of Rights Dinner, captured in our Tribute Video.

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