Resource Category: Podcasts/ Videos

In a powerful demonstration of partnership and purpose, Newport-Mesa Unified School District (NMUSD) joined forces with the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE) and System of Support leaders in October 2023 to evaluate and enhance services for students with disabilities. This 16-month collaboration, known as the District State Study Team (DSST), brought district and statewide education leaders together in a proactive effort to strengthen support systems and champion equitable student outcomes.

Guided by empathy-driven root cause analysis, focus groups, and data reviews, the DSST process identified three transformative focus areas:

• Professional Development for All Staff
• Clarity of Roles and Responsibilities
• Inclusive Practices and Shifting Mindsets

Together, NMUSD and its partners developed and implemented a strategic action plan that resulted in meaningful, measurable progress. Early accomplishments include:

• Launching professional development aligned with best practices in IEP development and post-secondary transitions.
• Clarifying internal leadership structures and redefining special education as a service, not a place.
• Embedding inclusive language and student-centered thinking across district culture.

As a result of this collaboration, NMUSD is now poised to expand its efforts through the Supporting Inclusive Practices (SIP) initiative, starting July 2025. This next phase will support districtwide improvements such as:

• Co-teaching pilot programs
• Culture and climate surveys
• Ongoing family engagement
• Strategic integration of LCAP and compliance goals

NMUSD remains committed to fostering a culture of continuous improvement, equity, and inclusive excellence. The work of the DSST process not only enhanced services for students with disabilities—it strengthened leadership systems and deepened the district’s partnership with statewide educational experts. With continued support from the System of Support, NMUSD is building a stronger, more inclusive future for every student.

Listen Now
🎧Tune in to the audio summary of the Advancing Inclusive Excellence at Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

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Note: Audio summaries were generated using artificial intelligence (AI) technology. While we strive for accuracy, please note that AI may not fully capture the nuances of the content. For the most comprehensive understanding, we recommend reading the full brief.

In this episode of Rising from the Margins, we travel to Rocklin Academy, a charter school in Northern California, to explore the transformative power of the Community Engagement Initiative (CEI). As Rocklin Academy has grown, school leaders, educators, and families have had to redefine what community engagement truly means—not just as an external effort, but as a deep, intentional connection between students, families, and staff.

From shifting the way parent-teacher conferences are held to empowering students with leadership opportunities, Rocklin Academy is making simple but profound changes that are fostering trust, inclusivity, and belonging across its school community.

What You’ll Hear

• Building Trust Through Vulnerability: Rocklin leaders share their journey of embracing open communication and allowing families to ask tough questions.
• Parent Partnership in Action: How CEI’s framework helped Rocklin transition from transactional to transformational family engagement.
• Elevating Student Voice:The creation of the Student Impact Committee and how students are leading change on campus.
• Strategic Shifts in Communication: From personalized letters home to two-way coffee chats, Rocklin is making engagement meaningful.

Key Highlights

• Rethinking Parent-Teacher Conferences – Shifting the focus from grades to whole-child discussions that deepen parent-teacher relationships.
• Two-Way Communication – Simple shifts in communication practices—like positive calls home and parent listening sessions—are making families feel valued and heard.
• Student-Led Change – Middle school students are identifying challenges, proposing solutions, and leading initiatives to improve their school experience.
• Collaborating Beyond School Walls – Learning from other CEI districts has helped Rocklin refine its engagement strategies.

Why It Matters
This episode highlights how small, intentional shifts in communication and engagement can build a stronger, more connected school community. Rocklin Academy’s approach to CEI demonstrates that belonging doesn’t just happen. It must be cultivated through trust, dialogue, and shared decision-making.

Listen Now
🎧Tune in to Rising from the Margins: Season 2 Episode 1 to hear how Rocklin Academy is redefining family engagement and strengthening school-community connections.

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In the final chapter of Fillmore Unified’s journey, Rising from the Margins explores how the power of meaning is driving transformational change across the district. Building on the Intensive Assistance Model, this episode examines how redefining meaning in education is creating sustainable systems, fostering teacher empowerment, and improving student outcomes.

What You’ll Hear

• Meaning and Energy: How the meaning we assign to actions, systems, and relationships influences energy, intention, and outcomes.
• Teacher and Student Empowerment: Stories of educators and students questioning traditional approaches to grading, remediation, and learning to create equitable opportunities for all.
• Flash Forward: Fillmore’s innovative intervention and enrichment model, providing dedicated time within the school day for reteaching, relearning, and advancing student success.
• Transformational Leadership: Insights from Superintendent Christine Sheffer Lee, Principal Keith Derrick, and educators at Fillmore Unified on shifting from transactional to transformational improvement.
• District-Wide Alignment: How Fillmore is ensuring coherence and equity across all schools through shared standards, common assessments, and a unified commitment to high expectations.

Key Highlights

• Rethinking Remediation: By eliminating remediation classes and embedding interventions during the school day, Fillmore has increased Algebra I enrollment from 30% to 92% in just one year.
• Grading with Purpose: Teachers are reexamining grading policies to eliminate practices that discourage students, such as the punitive use of zeros, and focusing on fostering growth.
• Collaboration at All Levels: Fillmore’s Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are fostering trust, shared practices, and data-driven decision-making to create consistency across classrooms and schools.
• Student-Centered Culture: Through intentional system design and transformational language, Fillmore is creating an environment where students feel supported, valued, and inspired to succeed.

Why It Matters
This episode challenges educators and leaders to reflect on the meanings embedded in their systems and practices. By asking better questions and embracing intentional change, Fillmore Unified is demonstrating how districts can transform from within, ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive.

Listen Now
🎧 Tune in to Rising from the Margins: Episode 6 to hear how Fillmore Unified is redefining education through the power of meaning.

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Stay Connected
For more episodes and resources, visit CCEE. Next time, we’ll head to Bakersfield, California, to explore the Community Engagement Initiative and its impact on local schools and communities.

Episode 5 of Rising from the Margins takes us to Fillmore Unified School District in California, where educators and administrators are questioning old traditions and creating new systems for success. Through the Intensive Assistance Model, Fillmore is pioneering district-wide transformation by focusing on collaboration, teacher empowerment, and student-centered results.

What You’ll Hear

• Stories of educators and leaders, including Superintendent Christine Sheffer Lee and Principal Keith Derrick, reflecting on dismantling ineffective traditions and embracing change.
• The transformative journey of Fillmore High School, which reduced math D and F rates from 62% to 24% in just one year and earned recognition as a California Distinguished School.
• How Fillmore Unified’s Flash Forward program reimagines intervention by embedding opportunities for reteaching and reassessment within the school day.
• The district’s shift from focusing on challenges to uncovering opportunities, redefining their approach to education with sustainable practices and teacher-led innovation.

Key Highlights

• District-Wide Transformation: Fillmore Unified is the first district profiled to implement the Intensive Assistance Model across all schools, setting a new standard for collaborative improvement.
• Teacher Leadership and Empowerment: By fostering trust and creating structured collaboration time, teachers are leading the change and redefining professional expectations.
• Focus on Impact: A commitment to intentionality and data-driven decisions has led to remarkable improvements in student outcomes, with fewer students performing below grade level and stronger teacher-student relationships.
• Challenging “Good Enough”: Educators at Fillmore are reexamining long-standing practices, asking tough questions, and striving for systems that work for all students.

Why It Matters
Fillmore Unified’s story is one of courage and vision—of educators willing to ask, “What if we’re the problem?” and finding solutions by dismantling systems that no longer serve their students. The district’s focus on collaboration, clarity, and purpose demonstrates the potential for transformation when communities unite around a shared commitment to growth.

Listen Now
🎧 Tune in to Rising from the Margins: Episode 5 to hear how Fillmore Unified is redefining what’s possible in education.

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Stay Connected
For more episodes and resources, visit CCEE. Don’t miss Part 2 of Fillmore Unified’s story, where we’ll explore their Flash Forward program and hear from the teachers and students driving the change. Model district-wide with transformative results.

In Episode 4 of Rising from the Margins, we explore the transformative journey of Harkness Elementary in Sacramento, California, a school striving for coherence amidst challenges. The focus on intentional collaboration and clarity through the Intensive Assistance Model is reshaping their culture and outcomes. This episode dives into the heart of what it means to move from fragmentation to unity and from tradition to innovation.

What You’ll Hear

• The challenges of navigating educational systems in a low-performing school with deep community roots.
• How Harkness Elementary applies the four essential questions to build coherence and focus on essential standards:
  1. What do we want students to learn?
  2. How do we know if they’ve learned it?
  3. What will we do if they’ve learned it?
  4. What will we do if they haven’t learned it?
• Stories from educators like Principal Scheeline and 22-year veteran teacher Miss Martinez, who share the impact of fostering collaboration and shared ownership among staff.
• A look at their visual data wall, a tool for tracking student progress in real time and celebrating wins that foster motivation for both students and teachers.
• The power of stripping away distractions and focusing on the fundamentals to create meaningful, sustainable change.

Key Highlights

• Teacher Empowerment: Educators at Harkness are building a culture of “we” rather than “I,” fostering collaboration across grade levels and embracing shared leadership.
• Data-Driven Impact: Real-time data tracking and collaboration are helping teachers identify challenges, celebrate successes, and focus on solutions that matter.
• Sustainable Practices: The Intensive Assistance Model is paving the way for long-term transformation, equipping teachers with the tools to sustain progress even amidst funding uncertainties.
• Community and Clarity: Harkness’ focus on essential standards ensures every student is prepared to succeed in their current and future grade levels.

Why It Matters
This episode highlights the human side of educational transformation, showcasing how schools like Harkness are not just implementing systems but reshaping their culture. The Intensive Assistance Model offers a framework for collaboration, clarity, and empowerment, reminding us that change begins with teachers and their dedication to their students.

Listen Now
🎧 Tune in to Rising from the Margins: Episode 4 for an inspiring look at how one school is rewriting its story and paving the way for a brighter future.

Listen Here

Stay Connected
For more episodes and resources, visit CCEE. Don’t miss the next episode, where we explore a district that has implemented the Intensive Assistance Model district-wide with transformative results.

In this compelling episode of Rising from the Margins, we take an in-depth look at Highland Elementary in Inglewood, California, as they navigate the challenges of receivership and embrace the transformative power of the Intensive Assistance Model. Through the voices of teachers, administrators, and educational leaders, this episode highlights the critical role of collaborative leadership, culture building, and coherence in driving meaningful change.

What You’ll Hear

• The reality of teaching in a system under receivership and the resilience of educators at Highland Elementary.
• The foundation of the Intensive Assistance Model: 51 days of coaching focused on leadership, collaboration, and content.
• The power of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to rebuild leadership, culture, and coherence from the ground up.
• Insightful commentary from educational leaders like Dr. Stephanie Gregson, Deputy Executive Director of CCEE, and Dr. Bernadette Lucas, Chief Academic Officer for Inglewood, on shifting school culture and empowering teachers.
• How shared meaning and a common language create sustainable systems of support for students and educators.

Key Highlights

• Resilience in Adversity: Despite systemic challenges, teachers at Highland continue to innovate and support each other, demonstrating unparalleled commitment to their students.
• Shared Leadership: The PLC model fosters teacher agency, empowering educators to lead and collaborate to solve classroom and schoolwide challenges.
• Sustainability and Coherence: Through a focus on essential standards and structured collaboration, Highland is embedding sustainable practices that will thrive beyond the three-year project.

Why It Matters
This episode underscores that change is not just about implementing new systems—it’s about creating a process that empowers individuals to take ownership and lead transformation from within. The Intensive Assistance Model offers a blueprint for how schools can shift from fragmented efforts to unified, coherent systems that support students and educators alike.

Listen Now
🎧 Tune in to Rising from the Margins: Episode 3 to hear the inspiring stories of Highland Elementary’ s educators and their journey toward creating a thriving school community.

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Stay Connected
For more episodes and resources, visit CCEE. Don’t miss the next episode, where we explore a district in Sacramento implementing the Intensive Assistance Model.