Author: Sehrish Anjum

The California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE) celebrates significant growth in academic achievement among schools participating in the Intensive Assistance Model (IAM). After three years in the IAM, the 2025 CAASPP scores are showing impressive results for the first cohort of IAM LEAs.

Launched in 2022–23, the Intensive Assistance Model was established to address the growing need for districts requiring more comprehensive support through Direct Technical Assistance. Informed by research on districts that outperformed expectations, this initiative was designed to deliver focused and sustained support to LEAs aiming to strengthen instructional practices and improve academic outcomes for their students.

In this cohort, the Intensive Assistance Model utilized the PLC at Work framework. Through this collaboration, the Intensive Assistance Model leverages needs assessments, Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), and leadership coaching, and promotes common formative assessments, aligned curriculum, and data-informed instructional strategies, to incite positive growth among LEAs.

• This year, Highland Elementary (Inglewood USD) has seen extraordinary gains — +13.11% in ELA and +9.96% in Math on the 2025 CAASPP.
• Similarly, H.W. Harkness Elementary (Sac City USD) has seen remarkable growth of +6.42% in ELA and +5.06% in Math on the 2025 CAASPP.
• Fillmore Unified School District saw an increase of +6.38% in ELA and +2.13% in Math on the 2025 CAASPP.

To hear more about their journeys, tune into CCEE’s Podcast: Rising from the Margins. Dive into Episodes 2 and 3 of Rising from the Margins to hear about Highland’s journey through the power of focused coaching and collaboration.
In Episode 4, you can hear how focused, collaborative improvement helped Harkness set a new standard for student success.

Finally, listen to how educators and leaders at Fillmore USD are charting a new path for student achievement in Episodes 5 and 6.

In the Intensive Assistance Model’s short span of existence, it is already proving to make a substantial impact on LEAs. At CCEE, we are excited to continue to support and expand this model in order to grow our reach and impact on California’s schools and improve outcomes for all students. 

Successfully accelerating learning is complex and often challenging because it requires a holistic shift in how educators and school systems approach student support. It demands a comprehensive and systematic change that centers learning acceleration in all educational system design decisions, educator professional learning initiatives, and instructional planning for students. Though this may seem daunting, the return is worth the investment… and CCEE’s Playbook for Accelerating Learning (PAL) 2.0 is here to help!

We’re excited to announce the release of a comprehensive update to the PAL, which outlines core components of learning acceleration along with updated research, resources, and actionable strategies. Initially published in 2021, the PAL aimed to distill available resources into a concise and actionable format, helping instructional leaders in California shorten the time it takes to create effective accelerated learning systems. Though the purpose of the PAL remains unchanged, we’ve learned a lot since then. Further, California has taken bold action since 2021 to strengthen the system of support for learning acceleration.

The PAL 2.0 incorporates new research, learning, initiatives, resources, and evolution since its initial publication. Enriched and informed by the work and expertise of Learning Acceleration System Grant partners in California, the PAL 2.0 details essential elements of learning acceleration, including:

• Defining Learning Acceleration
• Planning for Strategic Content Instruction
• Harnessing the Power of Data-Driven Instruction
• Creating the Conditions for Learning Acceleration
• Embedding Strategic Supports for Diverse Learners
• Building Sustainable Learning Acceleration Systems

Learning acceleration requires an all-hands-on-deck approach and a willingness to diverge from current models. We hope you find the resources in the PAL 2.0 useful to help your team get started, keep you iterating and improving, and provide support at all stages of your work to help all students thrive and reach their full potential. 

California Collaborative for Learning Acceleration (CCLA) is designed to strategically leverage the expertise around learning acceleration across the state in order to provide resources and support that can be accessed by every educator. Led by the Santa Clara County Office of Education in partnership with six CCLA county regional hubs, CCLA provides free online courses, statewide workshops, and annual summits for leaders, educators, and paraeducators. CCLA also offers targeted site-specific professional learning and coaching to build capacity in evidence-based accelerated learning strategies, such as small group instruction, tutoring, and focusing on key content. We are excited to share the following CCLA resources and collaboration opportunities in math, literacy, and language development to help educators accelerate learning for all students!

BRIDGES to Learning Acceleration

One of CCLA’s signature tools is the BRIDGES to Learning Acceleration Framework, a seven-component model that highlights best practices and helps educators connect their current approaches with new strategies to enhance accelerated learning. By using the BRIDGES framework, educators can strengthen instructional practices and more effectively meet the diverse needs of students.

CCLA Canvas Courses

CCLA also offers flexible, self-paced Canvas courses in math, literacy, and language development. These courses emphasize culturally sustaining pedagogy, social-emotional learning, and support for multilingual learners while equipping educators to expand access to grade-level content. Participants may use the courses for individual professional growth or to earn graduate-level credit, making them a versatile option for professional learning. Complete the interest form for enrolling in the Canvas Course.

Statewide Virtual Workshops

In addition, CCLA continues to host statewide virtual workshops that provide targeted professional learning and collaboration opportunities for all California educators. These sessions combine the sharing of evidence-based methodologies with dedicated time for educators to collaborate, exchange ideas, and strengthen their practice. Workshop topics include learning progressions, comprehension, and culturally responsive pedagogy, giving educators practical strategies they can apply immediately in their classrooms. (Math workshop Registration | Literacy Workshop Registration).

By helping school systems and leaders adopt learning acceleration mindsets and practices, CCLA is committed to promoting student success. Please visit the CCLA website to learn about additional opportunities including the upcoming 2026 Summit and don’t forget to subscribe to the CCLA newsletter!