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The Legislature and Governor created the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE) to provide advice and assistance to LEAs (school districts, county offices of education and charter schools) in achieving their Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) goals. The CCEE Request for Assistance provides LEAs with access to continuous improvement support, including the Facilitated Instructional Review, to identify strengths and opportunities that determine priorities and actions to improve student outcomes.

Criteria for Reviewing District Requests for Assistance

CCEE will prioritize requests for districts that are eligible through Education Code Section 52074 (see below) and meet a minimum threshold to receive such services such as, 1) at risk of qualifying for state intervention and 2) a presenting need that CCEE can address in nine months or less. Districts must also confirm a third criteria that a number of outside improvement partners are currently engaged in providing assistance, including the local county office of education and Geographic Lead, in addition to any other additional improvement partners.

Request for Assistance Submission Process

Requests for assistance must be in response to the conditions defined in EC Section 52074 sections (g) and (h). As part of CCEE’s review process, each request will be assessed pursuant to the criteria described above. The request for assistance proposal process is a collaboration among the requesting entity, CCEE, and the Administrative Agent. Please keep in mind that the contract development process is typically initiated upon approval. It can take up to five business days to prepare an agreement, with no delays. If negotiations over contract language and template is anticipated, the final contract development process will likely take longer.

Request for Assistance Form Instructions

The purpose of the Request for Assistance Intake Form is to identify necessary information in response to the request. The form includes several prompts for information that will assist with CCEE’s initial review and drafting of a Request for Assistance contract proposal including a scope of work and associated costs. Upon submission, CCEE will follow-up with an initial verification within 48 hours of receipt.

Confirmation that agency is eligible through the following minimum criteria (check all that apply).*

Eligibility Criteria Education Code Section 52074

The CCEE is authorized to provide advice and assistance to local educational agencies through its forming statute in Education Code Section 52074. Subsections (g) and (h) specify the conditions in which the CCEE can provide advice and assistance and when the CCEE may charge for these services pursuant to authority provided in the annual Budget Act. (g) (1) The California Collaborative for Educational Excellence may accept a request or referral to advise and assist a school district, county superintendent of schools, or charter school pursuant to paragraph (2) or in either of the following circumstances:

(A) If the county superintendent of schools of the county in which the school district or charter school is located determines, following the provision of technical assistance pursuant to Section 52071 or 47607.3, as applicable, and the geographic lead agency of that county identified pursuant to Section 52073 agrees, that the advice and assistance of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence is necessary to help the school district or charter school accomplish the goals described in the local control and accountability plan adopted pursuant to this article.

(B) If the Superintendent determines that the advice and assistance of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence is necessary to help the school district, county superintendent of schools, or charter school accomplish the goals set forth in the local control and accountability plan adopted pursuant to this article.

(2) (A) If a school district receives an emergency apportionment pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 41320) of Chapter 3 of Part 24 of Division 3, the school district shall be deemed to have been referred to the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence.

(B) If the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence provides assistance to a school district referred pursuant to this paragraph, the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence shall conduct a systemic review of the school district to identify needs and strategies to improve pupil academic achievement, including, but not limited to, needs identified pursuant to Sections 52052, 52064.5, and 52071. Based on the results of the systemic review, the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence shall coordinate and facilitate the assistance provided to the school district by governmental agencies to provide coherent and effective support consistent with the purpose of the statewide system of support specified in Section 52059.5. The governmental agencies may include, among others, the department, the local county superintendent, the applicable geographic lead agency, and the County Office Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team. It is the intent of the Legislature that no single governmental agency providing assistance in partnership with other governmental agencies bear the full cost of assistance.

(3) Outside of the processes described in paragraphs (1) and (2), a school district, county office of education, or charter school that requests the advice and assistance of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence shall reimburse the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence for the cost of those services pursuant to authority provided in the annual Budget Act.

(h) To the extent authority is provided in the annual Budget Act, a school district at risk of qualifying for state intervention pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 52072 shall have priority for direct technical assistance from the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Magyar, Executive Advisor, at [email protected].