School and district leaders from alternative education programs across California are invited to connect with CCEA Plus Region 4 in Northern California at the upcoming “Meet & Greet on September 25, 2026, from 6:30 – 9:00 PM.

This free event is a valuable opportunity to learn more about CCEA resources, build new networks of support, collaborate with fellow educational leaders and share ideas that strengthen programs and improve school outcomes. Additionally, leaders who register for the Leadership Academy on Saturday will receive complimentary hotel accommodations for the evening of Friday, Sept. 25th. Let’s build connections, discover resources and strengthen Alt. Ed. together.

When: September 25, 2026 (6:30 PM – 9 PM)

Where: Embassy Suites by Hilton, Sacramento Riverfront Promenade

Address: 100 Capitol Mall, Sacramento 95814

Hosted by: Your team at CCEA Plus

RSVP: Please rsvp using the QR code on the flyer below.

View PDF

Leadership Academy 2026:

We will be hosting special all-day development events with an agenda full of seminars and training called “Leadership Academy” this fall 2026.

• The first event will be September 25, 2026 in Sacramento, CA.
• The second event will be October 9, 2026 in Anaheim, CA.

Full details and sign-up coming soon!

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It is with deep regret that CCEA+ must postpone the annual Conference from April to September 2021. Even though we have made tremendous strides to create, prepare and structure a conference with your health as our top priority, San Diego County health officials and the Port District will prevent CCEA+ from hosting the events in April as planned. To further complicate their latest rules, local officials have no guidance from the state on how to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 for professional gatherings.

Therefore, the CCEA+ board, in concert with state and local officials, have decided to move the conference weekend to the fall. The new Conference dates will be September 16 – 19, 2021 in San Diego, CA.

We are now working through the ramifications of this devastating news, and have already taken immediate action to reschedule and contract the new dates at the same venues, including the Sheraton Harbor Island Hotel and the USS Midway. We understand the inconvenience this brings to those of you who have already made arrangements to be with us. As a member and a full-time educator traveling to San Diego, I understand that personally. We hope that you can understand the gravity and impact of the situation for our nonprofit organization and our Alt. Ed. community.

As before, ALL conference purchases and Model School Gala reservations will be honored and credited automatically for the new dates, with no further action required by our members and school districts. All deposits for the CCEA+ Model School Gala and the conference will be transferred to the new dates. Existing hotel reservations will be automatically cancelled and can be re-booked at your convenience. We’ll have more detail on the Conference page for you.

We are working hard in the background to bring you the best experience possible this September, with seminars, speakers, break-out sessions, camaraderie and fun overlooking the ocean. We will be able to celebrate our 2020 and 2021 Model Schools and professional awards in person, and can’t wait to see you then.

Thank you all in advance for your understanding of this matter. The nature of this pandemic and the dynamics of reopening have been challenging to say the least. We sincerely appreciate your flexibility and patience while we navigate the mandates and changes due to Covid-19 as CCEA+ relies on the support of our members.

We want to thank you for the tremendous support you have shown CCEA+, especially over the last 12 unprecedented months. We continue to strive toward our shared purpose — to advocate for the interests of alternative education, students and staff. I know the Alt. Ed. community is eager to share our best practices and network once more. Until we are able to meet again, we wish all our members a safe reopening of schools.

Sincerely,
Jerry Abrica
President, CCEA Plus

The post Conference 2021 Rescheduled to September 16-19 appeared first on CCEA Plus - California Continuation Education Association Plus.

Last updated: September 22, 2020
Published: August 31, 2020

Dear friends and colleagues,

Due to recent COVID-19 State and Federal mandates, and for the safety of our members and attendees, the 2020 Conference has been postponed to the weekend of April 15 – 18, 2021, at the same location, the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina.

2020 Conference postponed to April 2021

In this exciting “double” Conference, we will honor both our 2020 Model Schools and our upcoming 2021 Model Schools at the evening Gala on Friday, April 16th. To celebrate the combination of two years of schools and professionals, we’ve booked the historic Midway aircraft carrier for a gigantic dinner celebration on the water.

Two years of Professional awards and Exemplary programs will be presented at the Awards luncheon on Saturday, April 17th, in the Harbor Island Ballroom. The Conference workshops, speakers, presentations and programs will still be a part of a packed weekend of events during the new dates, and everyone will have the ability to participate safely. Event details and registration

All purchases credited to the 2021 Conference automatically

All registrations, tickets and tables purchased in 2020 will be honored and credited automatically for the new dates, with no further action needed. There will be no increase or change in cost to those that have pre-paid, including the awards celebrations and meals. If previously registered for the Conference, you will receive an all-access badge to the 2021 dates.

Visit the new Conference page (coming soon) for more details about re-booking hotel reservations, the tentative schedule, nominations for the upcoming 2021 awards, and more as it is announced.

New to CCEA Plus: Community Day Schools

In our efforts to expand support for alternative education in California, CCEA Plus now supports and advocates for Community Day Schools. We’ll be developing new programs, content and professional development for the 2020-2021 school year: Become a member

Become a 2021 Model School: submit intent by Oct. 15th

The Model School application process will continue during 2020 with a revised deadline schedule, per CDE. To become a 2021 Model School, please submit your “intent to submit” survey by October 15, 2020. The new application schedule and forms for prospective applicants are up now with an instructional webinar.

Be safe and healthy,
Jerry Abrica, President
On behalf of the CCEA Plus Board

Want to Get Involved?

Find ways to support CCEA Plus:

Become a member — join us as a professional member, or have your school join together as a group. CCEA Plus now supports both continuation schools, as well as community day schools.

Join a committee — we are organizing into new committees for this school year to run events and support programs. Send us a message if you are interested in participating.

Donate today — as an educational nonprofit, we count on our members and affiliates to fund our programs that support and advocate for alternative education. Please consider giving to CCEA Plus!

The post COVID-19 Update for September 2020 appeared first on CCEA Plus - California Continuation Education Association Plus.

Just wanted to give a shout-out to our CCEA+ team for providing great insight into the challenges our students face along with alt. ed. schools during this time.

Here’s the link if you haven’t had a chance to read it:

  Alternative schools’ ‘relentless’ fight to keep track of students during pandemic | View article
Teachers working long hours to engage students most likely to drop out during campus closures

–Jerry

About the Feature

The EdSource article, written by Caroline Jones, features CCEA Plus members and schools, including Amistad Continuation High School and Principal David Gustafson. Quotes from the article are included below to showcase our members’ contributions. Please support Caroline’s article by reading it and commenting here!

“The effort was relentless,” said David Gustafson, principal of the public school in Indio, near Palm Springs, that serves students who’ve been expelled or are at risk of dropping out of traditional schools. “Our staff was working seven days a week, 10 to 12 hours a day, to keep these kids connected to school.”

Our Board was also featured:

Amistad High is typical of California’s 430 alternative schools in its commitment to keeping track of students during the pandemic — students who are at especially high risk of dropping out, said Gerardo Abrica, president of the California Continuation Education Association and a math teacher at an alternative school in Tulare County.

Although they serve a small portion of California’s 6 million K-12 students, alternative schools play a crucial role in educating students who might not otherwise graduate from high school. And as campus closures continue into the new school year, that role is heightened, Abrica said.

“As educators at alternative schools, we work with some of the most at-risk youth, and we want to make sure our kids are not forgotten or marginalized,” Abrica said. “Our drive and sense of duty to our kids is revealing itself during these extraordinary times… Our fear is without adequate support during this pandemic, we could see a large number of dropouts in the next few years.”

Joe Antonelli, assistant principal at Orange Grove alternative school in Corona in Riverside County, said alternative schools are often a refuge for students facing myriad challenges, including abuse, trauma and poverty. Even more than at traditional schools, alternative schools are where students eat their meals, get mental health counseling, learn and plan their futures, he said. Essentially, it’s a place of stability and hope, he said.

“For a lot of our students, coming to school has been an escape from a stressful home environment,” Antonelli said. “But now they have no escape.”

At Antonelli’s school, staff has tried to check in every day with students during the pandemic. If a student doesn’t respond to texts, emails or phone calls, teachers will try to track down the student’s siblings or friends.

So far, the school has lost contact with about 20-25% of its students, Antonelli said. He expects that number to rise this fall, but anticipates an explosion in enrollment when campuses reopen as more students in traditional schools fall behind academically or have discipline problems related to trauma or stress.

“I find I don’t sleep very well,” he said. “I am really concerned about the well-being of the kids.”

And, our very own Jamie Alarcon and Daily Continuation High School:

At Daily continuation high school in Glendale, teacher Jamie Alarcon has tried hard to maintain the personal relationships she’d developed with students and their families before the pandemic. She has called every parent and regularly emails her 80 students and their families. When she realized some parents don’t know how to use email, she sent a video tutorial. She sends out class newsletters in English, Spanish and Armenian, a common language in her district just north of Los Angeles. And when the spring quarter started, and she had new students, she made a personal welcome video introducing herself.

“It’s a whatever-it-takes mindset,” Alarcon said. “We don’t see it as saving one student. We see it as helping an entire community, because when one of our students stays in school and graduates, it’s a win for the entire city.”

By the end of the 2019-20 school year, the dropout rate for Daily school was about what it’d be normally, around 7.5%, she said. And some students actually seemed to prefer online learning, because the school environment had been stressful for them.

She’s been gratified that so many students made the effort to finish the school year despite significant obstacles. But she’s not sure what to expect when school begins.

“Do I worry? I worry about my students all the time,” she said. “That’s something that hasn’t gone away.”

According to the article, about 133,000 students in California attended alternative schools in the Fall of 2019. The state hosts 430 alternative schools. CCEA Plus proudly promotes, supports and advocates alternative education for continuation schools and community day schools.

Want to join our efforts?  Become a member!

The post Alternative School Challenges During the Pandemic appeared first on CCEA Plus - California Continuation Education Association Plus.

With the COVID-19 pandemic greatly affecting all of our lives right now, we sincerely hope this finds you, your family, colleagues, students and friends safe and healthy. Our deepest sympathies go out to those suffering from the disease.  

Letter below last updated: April 8, 2020

Dear friends and colleagues,

First and foremost, I hope that all is well with each of you in these trying times. I know that each of you is trying to navigate not only your individual life, but that of your family life and professional careers.

As CCEA+ navigates through these uncharted waters, know that we do so with your best interest in mind. After much consideration the board has decided to postpone the Conference until October of this year. We have been in much communication with the many partnering organizations that help make each annual conference a great success. As you can imagine, each of our partners is trying to navigate their own uncharted waters and so it’s been a lengthy process.

As we move forward, our aim to make this year’s conference as successful as possible by recognizing and honoring the hard work that students, staff and districts have put forth to impact the community they serve. At this point in time, the conference will run as planned but at a later date. The conference is now scheduled to run from October 2 – 4, 2020, with early registration on the evening of October 1st. We believe the new dates allow members, state representatives, district personnel, presenters, and vendors to have sufficient time to make appropriate arrangements.

Our partners have been very helpful in providing alternatives and remaining flexible in these unprecedented times. With that being said, ALL conference purchases and Model School Gala reservations will be honored and no further action is required by our members and school districts. However, all May hotel reservations have been cancelled, and will need to be re-booked for the September 30 – October 4th timeframe. To make this easy, the Sheraton has setup our group block and special rate at this online booking portal. Or, call the hotel at (619) 291-2900 (the hotel recommends using the link for ease and convenience).

CCEA Plus is excited for the upcoming conference. We know as we move forward there will be a renewed sense of community and unity.

Be safe and healthy,
Jerry Abrica, President
On behalf of the CCEA Plus Board

The post Important Conference 2020 Update appeared first on CCEA Plus - California Continuation Education Association Plus.

Greetings CCEA members,

I hope this email finds you well. As you know, CCEA, in conjunction with the California Department of Education, reads all of the Model School applications each year. There is both a Northern California Reading as well as a Southern California Reading. We encourage you to consider participating in either Reading. Additionally, we are strongly encouraging all readers to participate in a “Model School” site visit as well.

There are many benefits to becoming a reader. It helps you gain experience in the Model School application process (if your school isn’t currently a model school), it empowers, equips and resources you in that you have an opportunity to read about other alternative education programs/systems, and it allows for you to collaborate with other alternative education professionals.

Additionally, CDE will send participants and their respective Superintendents a letter verifying participation, training and expertise. It really is a great experience!

Northern California Reading

If you would like to be part of the Northern California Reading, or you would like to nominate someone else from your staff, please let me know as soon as possible. The Northern California Reading will take place at the Holiday Inn (300 J. Street) in Sacramento, California on Friday, September 6, 2019.

As always, a one night hotel accommodation will be afforded you (for either the night of September 5th or the night of September 6th—your choice). Additionally, all meals are free to you (on the Reading day) and are catered in the meeting room. Breakfast will begin at 9:00 a.m., with welcome and introductions beginning at 9:30 a.m. The Reading will end around 5:30 p.m.

If you would like to be part of the Reading, or you would like to nominate someone else from your staff, please answer the following questions and email me your responses as soon as possible.

We need to have an established Readers list by August 2, 2019.

Please send me an emailed response with answers to the following highlighted questions, or apply via our Model School Readers application form. I’ve included my example below.

Stay tuned for more information regarding the Southern California Reading.

Thank you again for all that you do to serve and advocate for continuation students, staff members and schools.

Warmly,
Scott Braden
CCEA President

We’re Better Together

Be sure to keep your CCEA membership active. We count on your continued participation! Get involved

The post Become a Model School Reader this September appeared first on CCEA Plus - California Continuation Education Association Plus.

Welcome to the California Continuation Education Association — the voice for all things continuation education. Historically, CCEA has been instrumental in structuring success for schools and students up and down the State. Today, CCEA is growing and expanding as an organization. It’s mission and vision is committed to honoring, advocating, resourcing, empowering, connecting and inspiring continuation education students, schools, certificated staff, classified staff and stakeholders.

Our Community

Our statewide community connects to well over four hundred high schools in four major regions, from the south to the north. CCEA’s partnerships continue to expand, but its most strategic partnership is with the California Department of Education involving the Model Continuation High School program.

Santa Clara, California

CCEA is well known for its annual, three day conference. Last year’s conference took place in San Diego, California and this year’s conference will take place in Santa Clara, California. As always, the current years’ Model Schools receive recognition and are honored in episodic fashion. Empowering workshops and networking opportunities are all facilitated wherein new friendships/partnerships are formed and old friendships are nurtured. I encourage you all to register early for the annual CCEA conference, and to do so is a very easy process due CCEA’s user friendly website.

Your Support

If you are new to the continuation education community, then you’ve found the right organization to join, and, if you’re a veteran we thank you for your continued support — year in and year out.

Best regards,
Scott Braden
President, CCEA

2018 – 2019 Regional Advisors

Region I
Joe Antonelli – Orange Grove High School (Corona, CA)
Sharon Clark – Valley High School (Escondido, CA)

Region II
Jill Adams – Somerset High School (Bellflower, CA)
Jaime Alarcon – Allan F. Daily High School (Glendale, CA)

Region III
Gerardo “Jerry” Abrica – Citrus High School (Porterville, CA)
Rees Warne – Gateway High School (Clovis, CA)

Region IV
Jillian Damon – Albert Powell High School (Yuba City, CA)
Tim Cooper – Live Oak High School (Antioch, CA)

Read more about our regional reps

The post President’s Letter 2018 appeared first on CCEA Plus - California Continuation Education Association Plus.

Message from CCEA President – Febrauary 16, 2017

I would like to welcome you to 2017 and a re-branding of the California Continuation Education Association.  We begin the year with 37 outstanding schools being eligible to be named Model Continuation Schools by the California Department of Education.  In addition, our website has undergone a complete makeover and looks awesome!  Please click around to see for yourself.  Our Council of District Representatives (CDR) discussed re-districting our state and constitution at our fall meeting with recommendations.  We will present and finalize our recommendations at the state conference.  Our primary goal is to reach every continuation educator in California despite location.

Conference in Fresno, April 28 – 30

Our conference this year will be in Fresno (April 28-30), so please register as soon as possible.  If you have any exemplary programs or activities, please do not keep them a secret.  Please copy and paste the following link: Call for Presenters and complete a presenter’s application.  For our new continuation school administrators, a two day Principal’s Institute will precede the conference.  The group will be presented with valuable information to address the laws and nuances of continuation education.

Become a Member

Finally, please consider becoming a professional member of the CCEA.  Visit that link join, and read about the benefits of membership.  Feel good that you are supporting an organization which is dedicated to to better help support our most at-risk, or, at-promise, students.  We look forward to seeing you at the conference in Fresno.

CCEA –– Contact us

Reorganization Update

Letter from CCEA President – April 24, 2017

Dear Continuation School Colleagues:

Our professional organization, the California Continuation Education Association (CCEA), is proposing a necessary re-branding and overhaul to basically become a 21st century organization. The kind of structure we are recommending is the same that CCIS and ACSA have turned to in recent years and should make for a more efficient system. The changes we are proposing is to become primarily electronic so that we can reach ALL our members across the state. We want to share best practices, provide legislative updates, and have our experts statewide be resources for all of us

We are proposing a change to our by-laws and the division of our state regions. Currently, our state is divided into 12 districts. It has become difficult for members from all 12 districts to attend the Council of District Representatives (CDR) meetings.

At our north and south model school readings last fall, we proposed a re-structuring to both groups, and with some suggestions I am submitting them to you now. I am sending this message out to current members so that we can have a meeting of the Committee of the Whole at our Sunday, April 30 state meeting in Fresno at the conclusion of our conference. We strongly encourage any of you to please try and attend this meeting as all current members are entitled to participate.

The proposal is [submitted] as the “Proposal of New CCEA By-Laws.” The “Proposed New CCEA Regions” as a replacement for the 12 district system and is also attached. Please let me know if you have any questions.

California Continuation Education Association

Quick Link:

Rethinking How to Measure Alternative School Performance (article)

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Continuation education is a high school diploma program designed to meet the needs of students 16-18 years old who have not graduated from high school, are not exempt from compulsory school attendance, and are deemed at risk of not completing their education. Students enrolled in continuation schools are often credit deficient, need flexibility in their educational program because of work or family obligations, or are simply not able to function in a large comprehensive school.

The continuation high school serves as our education system’s dropout prevention program. For many students, it is a second chance and safety net to help them complete their high school graduation requirements and earn a diploma.

Ineffective teachers and administrators used to be – and sometimes still are – assigned to continuation schools. The problem with this scenario is that the students they serve are not the self-motivated students who know their paths and just need us adults to help them through the educational bureaucracy.

Clearly, most continuation students need extra academic support and adults who genuinely care – adults who have behavior management skills and an understanding of non-academic learning barriers. An understanding of youth development, grit and resilience is also necessary in the continuation environment.

Continuation Schools, LCFF and LCAP

There can be a belief that the continuation high school simply “babysits” students until they graduate or become exempt from compulsory education at age 18 and drop out. That is, until now.

Under the Local Control Funding Formula, all districts receive base funding allocated by grade span. In addition, districts will receive supplemental funding that amounts to an additional 20 percent of the base grant for an unduplicated count of low-income, EL and foster youth. If these students amount to more than 55 percent of the district enrollment, the districts will receive an additional 50 percent of the base grant for those students.

Continuation schools should receive some of these resources to support these targeted sub-groups. For example, in 2013-14, one large school district in southern California had 47 percent of its students designated as low income, EL and foster youth. The population of the district’s continuation education program accounted for 69 percent of the district’s low income, EL and foster youth population.

The Changing Face

There has been a change at continuation schools, where school leaders and staff now genuinely want to work with these students and are transforming their lives. School districts need to allow principals to hire teachers and support staff members they believe will fit in the school community. School districts should also provide access to specialized professional development through regional districts of the California Continuation Education Association (cceanet.org).

Of the 520 continuation schools in California, 62 – or 12 percent – are Model Continuation Schools. These schools are fantastic resources and are listed on the California Department of Education website.

Continuation schools should strive to achieve six-year accreditation designations through WASC and apply for California Model Continuation School designation. These activities require a lot of work; however, the payoff is invaluable.

The post The Changing Face of Continuation Schools appeared first on CCEA Plus - California Continuation Education Association Plus.

New Initiatives

This is an exciting time for Continuation Schools.  With the implementation of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) and Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), school districts will be more accountable in how their Continuation Schools perform.  For example, under LCFF school districts receive supplemental funding as an additional 20% of the base grant based on the unduplicated count of Low Income (LI), English Learners (EL) and Foster Youth (FY).  An additional 50% of the base grant is funded if the district’s unduplicated count of these subgroups is 55% or more.  In my school district the unduplicated average for these students was 20% higher in the two Continuation Schools than the rest of the district.  I would argue that this is a trend throughout the state.

Under LCAP, school districts will be held accountable for increasing their graduation rate.  Again this is where Continuation Schools have a significant stake.  For example, my school district’s graduation rate is just over 90%.  Significantly, the two continuation schools in my district account for 8% of that total.  I would argue that many of our Continuation Schools also have a significant effect on their district’s graduation rate.  This data suggests that school districts pay serious attention to, and support their Continuation Schools with adequate and appropriate resources.

Model Schools

With that said, my challenge to ALL of California’s Continuation Schools is to get WASC accredited and apply for California Model Continuation High School designation.  This designation raises the quality level of the school which is good for students, staff, parents, school district, and community.  In my opinion it is the right thing to do for the entire community and elevates the school’s positive reputation.  Any Continuation School that needs a “role model” or peer support can check out the 62 current model schools on the CCEA website at: http://cceanet.org/awards/model-school/

Become a CCEA Member Today

This is also an excellent reason to become a member of CCEA as well.  It is a great way to connect with colleagues around the state and know that you are all part of the same “club.”  When Continuation educators get together they “get it” – they speak the same language.  The Professional Membership is designed for the educational employee, certificated or classified, who supports continuation education. Professional members a personal copy of the State Newsletter, and a discount registration for the state conference along with a special President’s Reception at the state conference. Professional Members are the driving force behind CCEA and continuation education.

This is going to be a great year.  We will continue to make our website more user friendly and make it a valuable resource for the Continuation educator.  Please become a member and help move your school to the next level.  If you have any questions, comments or concerns, the state officers are listed on the CCEA website and you can also contact me.  Have a great year and we hope to see you at our annual conference at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, May 1-3, 2015.

CCEA — Contact us

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