Category: NEWS & EVENTS

News & Announcements

Community Engagement Initiative (CEI) 2.0 Lead Agency RFA Announcement

The California Department of Education has released the results of the CEI 2.0 Lead Agency RFA. You can view the results on the CDE’s website.

In Case You Missed It

System of Support Updates (June 2023)

21CSLA Showcase in Sacramento

Our 21st Century California School Leadership Academy held a showcase in Sacramento on Thursday, May 11 to celebrate the first three years of supporting equity leadership in California! More than 90 people attended from across the state, including our state partners at California Department of Education, State Board of Education, and California Collaborative for Educational Excellence who have invested in and supported this important work. Read more and see photos.

21CSLA Practice Brief: Insights from California’s TK Educators and Leaders

In this practice brief, we underscore four key themes from UTK educational leaders as areas ripe for further research. These findings underscore current pressing challenges and dilemmas facing UTK leaders and speak to the larger context in which UTK expands. We draw from semi-structured interviews with four California UTK leaders to illuminate the challenges, opportunities, and ingenuity of educators and districts in supporting UTK implementation and/or expansion. Link to the brief.

Envisioning and Leading Equitable TK Classrooms

Alameda County Regional Academy in partnership with Alameda County Office of Education will offer UTK Professional Learning Envisioning and Leading Equitable TK Classrooms on August 1 and 2, 2023. Register here: https://bit.ly/41vU6JX

Equity Corner

Reasons to Celebrate in the month of June:

• African-American Music Appreciation Month
• Father’s Day
• Dragon Boat Festival
• Deafblind Awareness Week (starts 27th)

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About the Transformative Systems for Equitable Education (TSEE) Center

The TSEE team supports more than 20 unique statewide initiatives. Our Administrative Assistant II, Fiscal Analyst, and Program Specialists are the foundation of our team. They take care of all of our operational, administrative, and project management needs. The TSEE team takes pride in supporting our Deputy Executive Director, Senior Advisors, and Assistant Directors to collectively pave the way through communication, collaboration, and leadership to ensure our impact is far-reaching. While we all support different initiatives, we work together to deliver on our common goal of improving outcomes for all students.

About the CCEE

The California Collaborative for Educational Excellence is a statewide leader delivering on California’s promise of a quality, equitable education for every student.

 “Sometimes it’s helpful to stop and be grateful for what we do.  Education in California, one of the largest states in the nation, is complex.  It can often make educators feel like we may never get to where we need to be, but I would like to share another perspective.  The CCEE is grateful to be part of such an incredible state when it comes to education.  Our organization has seen many other state education systems and in our opinion California is often miles ahead in both our approach to and innovation of our education systems.  

Our state board and state board staff are incredibly thoughtful and represent a great and diverse group of thinkers, led by one of the most notable researchers in Education, Linda Darling Hammond. Our California Department of Education and the State Superintendent, Tony Thurmond, are visibly traveling and engaging with parents, associations, and educational partners to figure out how best to support them.  Our associations, county offices, and state lead agencies are always willing to step up with grace and a willingness to serve.  

All these examples remind me that regardless of what we think the current state of education is, we can be grateful for the fact that everyone in this “system” has one thing in common…we all want what is best for our students, teachers and families in California.  Gratitude is something we can all benefit from once in a while.

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The school year is winding down, summer and planning for the next year is in full speed.  It is a natural transition in our system with educators across the state reflecting on the past year, while planning for a new one ahead.  During these times it is important to not only find time to enjoy a break for rejuvenation, but to also take a moment and recognize our partnerships and the relentless commitment to serving the students, families and communities throughout the state.

On May 12th the annual “All Leads” meeting took place and was in person for the first time since 2019.  The level of expertise, experience, creativity and innovative spirit among attendees was only surpassed by a deep commitment to serving all children and youth in our state.   Our teams at CCEE are extremely grateful for the incredible collaboration we have with all our partners and look forward to continually growing and expanding these relationships.  

When we organize, collaborate and deliver support together, a true system with minimal silos and thru line from state initiatives to direct district and school site support is magnified.  At the end of the day, there are many hands on deck, each embracing positive aspirations for developing and deepening a Statewide System of Support that is cohesive, clear and accessible.  My deepest gratitude to our many partners, let’s finish strong!

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It is said that it takes a village to raise a child.  For Upper Lake USD, we are blessed to have our whole community working together to create the best possible educational, social, and emotional support system for all our students. 

ULUSD’s participation and partnership with the CCEE “Continuous Improvement Model,” and for the last three years in the Community Engagement Initiative (CEI), has allowed us to sharpen the focus of our work and guide us through practices that have fundamentally changed our communication style and content with our stakeholders and the community at large.

Our introduction of the “The Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships” and our work with the “Root Cause Analysis” to identify our “Problem of Practice” has been an eye-opening experience.  Due to the current work in these areas in concert with our intentional focus on implementing with fidelity, highly effective academic and social programs, ULUSD has become a “Destination District.” 

Our “Responsive Leadership” created a culture and structure for system organization learning to include the different voices from our community in the design, development, and implementation of processes, programs, and services.  Today our local native Pomo Tribes leadership, philanthropic & service organizations, and business community are partners in shaping our organizational outcomes. This engagement raises the level of responsibility and accountability that we all collectively hold for the success of our students and youth population in general.

We believe that the absence of engagement limits growth and fosters a diminishing mindset. Gratitude for community partnerships moves educational organizations forward. 

CEI has been a catalyst on our path to success.

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Superintendents collaborating on and sharing best practices and strategies is the secret sauce to achieving exceptional results in public education. The Small School Districts Association (SSDA) and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE) have partnered to develop the Leadership Institute, a community of leaders to collaborate, support and mentor new superintendents. The founding principle of the Leadership Institute is to empower educational leaders by providing access to the resources they need for exceptional student achievement.  The collaborative approach has resulted in statewide synergy in the field of public education. 

Small school district superintendents no longer need to feel isolated.  Within the Leadership Institute, participants are matched with a seasoned successful superintendent who serves as a trusted coach and mentor for a period of six months.  During this period, best practices are reviewed in the areas of Governance and Fiscal Management, Community Engagement, Vision and Goals, Human Resources and Effective Communication.  The purpose is to improve student outcomes and build a positive district culture and climate. 

As a coach, I value the time I spend coaching and mentoring my colleagues.  We all come to the table with unique strengths and talents.  During our time together, we tap into each other’s strengths to share best practices.   Often, I gain new knowledge from the stories and experiences shared in the group.  I also make myself available to the participants whenever they need my support or simply need a sounding board.

Unlike traditional professional development, this is not designed to add more to the plate of a superintendent.  It’s a time to support each other with the resources and knowledge we each possess.  Our conversations range from emergency recovery efforts to understanding the reading intervention strategies and programs that make a positive impact on student achievement.  We also share many of the state mandated plans and the process used to gather stakeholder input. 

The Leadership Institute is a great example of an effective means to bring equity to education.  Together, we are opening doors by providing resources that will drive the actions of all Superintendents to be effective for the students they serve.

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California policy makers have made historic investments over the last few years to bring the state closer to universal pre-kindergarten (UPK) for all 3- and 4-year-olds. This has come in the form of several new and expanded programs including TK expansion to all 4 year-olds by 2024/25, the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P), an additional 200,000 childcare vouchers, and more than 8,000 additional preschool slots.  

As local education agencies (LEAs) work toward implementation of this ambitious goal, many have expressed the need for technical assistance, tools, and training to help them address barriers and shortages in staffing and facilities. Small and rural LEAs are facing some of the most significant implementation challenges due to economy of scale issues. In response, CCEE has partnered with the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) over the last year to develop Tier 1 and 2 tools and trainings to add to the statewide system of support. To ensure that these resources support all schools, regardless of size or circumstance, the partnership has collaborated with LEAs throughout the state and with the Department of Education. 

Most recently, the CCEE/SCCOE partnership offered a UPK Blending, Braiding and Layering workshop in which LEAs were provided with a series of high-value tools that helped them identify mixed-delivery models to address their staffing, facilities, revenue, and/or cost shortage. These tools are now available online to all LEAs and include: 1) a resource hub with curated, summarized, and searchable resources for busy school administrators, 2) a planning tool to help LEAs project their staffing and facilities needs and identify issues with enrollment and costs, 3) an online technical assistance tool with AI features that provide tailored suggestions for LEAs based on their unique characteristics, and 4) a budgeting worksheet and accompanying costs/revenues template. To access these resources or learn more about how blending, braiding, and layering early learning and care programs can help your LEA address barriers to UPK implementation, please visit visit https://upktool.ccee-ca.org/. To view the workshop slide deck, visit https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1kn4eHWv3LoOUCx5wFpd5eSwfiChMxGGb/edit#slide=id.p1

News & Announcements

Project CLEAR (California Literacy Elevation by Accelerating Reading)

Project CLEAR builds capacity in implementing and accelerating literacy development in districts across the state. Educators can participate in one of two levels of professional learning offered through Project CLEAR – Teacher Leaders and Teachers. Participation is fully funded through Project CLEAR! For more information, see Project CLEAR’s webpage on our Learning Acceleration System Grant Website.

In Case You Missed It

System of Support Updates (May 2023)

New 21CSLA Practice Brief: Insights from California’s TK Educators and Leaders

Drawing from interviews with California UTK leaders, this practice brief underscores key themes from UTK educational leaders as areas ripe for further research. These findings serve to illuminate the challenges, opportunities, and ingenuity of educators and districts in supporting UTK implementation or expansion. Read the brief

May Resources

• Mental Health Awareness Month – NAMI raises awareness and provides support to educate the public on mental health
• Healthy Minds Innovations – an easy to use app as a guide to well-being
• Asian Pacific American Heritage Month – Find ready use lesson plans, student activities, guides, and research aids in this selection of resources for teachers

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About the Teaching, Learning, and Leading Center (TLLC)

Our team works in alliance with educators to improve teaching, learning, and leadership so every student is inspired and prepared to thrive as their best self.

About the CCEE

The California Collaborative for Educational Excellence is a statewide leader delivering on California’s promise of a quality, equitable education for every student.

What do we mean by wellness in education?  For us it means a myriad of support needed to address Social Emotional Learning (SEL), mental health, and well-being of students. If we can see how SEL strategies and practices impact the mental health and well-being of students, then it would allow educational practitioners to be more focused on how to utilize funding to support the wellness of students and educators. Measuring the impact of those supports and services as it relates to the education of the whole child requires an intentional awareness and design so that LEAs can efficiently and effectively address the needs of their students and the educators that support them. This newsletter highlights some resources, services, and supports that address wellness education for adults and students in education and the importance of wellness for teaching and learning.

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Executive Director Matt Navo started off his article with the question, “What do we mean by wellness in education?” I’d like to dive into this question a little more with adding what does wellness mean and what do we mean by wellness in education for students and educators?

In 1976, Dr. Bill Hetler released the Six Dimensions of Wellness Model. The six dimensions of wellness are: Emotional, Physical, Intellectual, Occupational, Spiritual, and Social. He defines wellness as functioning optimally within your current environment. So what does this mean for students? What does this mean for educators?

Diving into wellness just a little deeper, you find that wellness involves seeing our lives from multiple sides, a holistic view, and brings about an awareness that each dimension is interconnected and contributes to a healthy or unhealthy life. How does this translate into how we are providing an education grounded in wellness? From my experience, the first step is having self-awareness of how we are showing up for ourselves, our students, and our colleagues on a daily basis. How are you as an individual and as part of a collective enhancing your wellness and creating opportunities for students to enhance their wellness?

The National Wellness Institute developed three questions to help professionals and organizations to determine how successfully they are incorporating wellness into their strategies and initiatives:

1. Does this help individuals achieve their full potential?

2. Does this recognize and address multiple dimensions of wellness?

3. Does this affirm and mobilize an individual’s unique qualities and strengths?

I encourage us all to consider these three questions when we are developing programs, strategies, and initiatives for students and for each other.

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Tyler Hester spent his first year of teaching like many first year teachers – overwhelmed. Thanks to support from his colleagues, he made it through. During his subsequent years in the classroom and leading a teacher preparation program, he saw numerous early-career educators burnout and leave. He knew what so many of us know: it doesn’t need to be this way. There are predictable and preventable causes of educator burnout. We can and should be better equipping educators to thrive in the face of those predictable challenges. 

As a doctoral student at Harvard, Tyler worked alongside the Boston Teachers Union to pilot a well-being program open to all members – not just new teachers. Much to his surprise, the room the union had booked was too small to accommodate the number of people interested. Since then, Educators Thriving has served educators in over 26 districts and county offices across the country with demonstrated results: statistically significant reductions in burnout and increases in well-being. 

However, Tyler and our team knew that equipping individual educators wasn’t enough; we must also improve the conditions in which teachers work. Educators Thriving now offers measurement and strategic consultation to help school and district leaders improve well-being for all staff using a unique, educator-generated scale. We offer ongoing support to leaders and simultaneously address aspects of organizational structures or culture that detract from staff well-being. By equipping individual educators and enabling leaders to drive systematic change, we can help every educator achieve well-being and reach their full potential.

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When we attend meetings, whether in-person or virtual, we tend to follow a pattern or standard of behavior that determines how we interact with our teammates. This could be greeting others enthusiastically, being reserved and waiting to be called on, identifying more strongly with someone with similar experiences, or leaning in to support a teammate in need. While all of these styles can be effective in supporting our teammates, it’s important to consider whether they are effective in supporting the system as a whole.

To understand this better, we can refer to the “Ladder of Connectedness¹” graphic, which represents how our connections can either support or mute our ability to foster a generative social field. A space that can support all of our teammates and move the organization forward. The three empathic stances we can take – in-group empathy, cognitive empathy, and altruistic empathy – can definitely support our teammates. However, taking somebody’s side or their feelings and/or perspective doesn’t always allow us to remain neutral and see multiple perspectives, to see the entire system.

This is where neutral awareness comes in – the ability to remain non-judgmental and non-attached, in a state of equanimity and ultimate balance. By showing up with neutral awareness, we can influence the space to be more generative, and drive the system to better outcomes for students. This doesn’t require any extra professional development – just a different way of showing up that can make a big difference. So, try it out and see what you notice – how we show up really does matter.

1. Peter Senge & Mette Boell, Compassionate Systems Framework