Resource Category: Site Admin & Coach

Data Literacy & Leadership Resource Hub

The Data Literacy & Leadership Resource Hub is designed to support educators, leaders, and LEAs with practical tools to strengthen their use of data. This hub curates a collection of visualization, analytical, communication, and storytelling resources that can help transform data into meaningful insights for decision-making and student success.

What You will Find in the Hub

The resources are organized into three categories

  • Data Visualizing Tools: Explore tools that make it easier to create clear and impactful data visualizations.
  • Analytical Tools: Access dashboards and other analytical resources that can inform and inspire your work.
  • Communications & Storytelling: Discover strategies and tools that help you share data insights effectively with your community.

Share or Update a Resource

This hub is part of CCEE’s commitment to building data literacy and leadership capacity across California’s educational landscape.

Open Door Session – UDL in Motion: Leadership, Tools and Continuous Improvement

📄 About This Session

Join us for an inspiring and practical webinar highlighting how Carlsbad Unified School District is transforming teaching and learning through Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Featuring district leaders, site principals, and their professional development partner, this session will showcase the tools, strategies, and systems that supported their UDL implementation—along with the real-world impact on students and educators. Learn how the district built momentum through the CA Coalition for Inclusive Learning grant and discover how they plan to sustain and expand this work beyond the grant period. Whether you’re just beginning your UDL journey or looking to deepen your practice, this session offers valuable insights and resources for creating more inclusive, equitable learning environments.

🎙️ Featured Speakers

  • Emma Cobb, Principal, Jefferson Elementary
  • Nicki Rudden, MTSS Teacher, Jefferson Elementary
  • Karen Knudson, Assistant Principal, Carlsbad High School
  • Kimberly Fuentes, Director, Elementary Education, Carlsbad Unified
  • Mary Martin, Instructional Specialist, Carlsbad Unified
  • Michael Ecker, Student Services, Carlsbad Unified
  • Shamryn Coyle, CCIL Director, Placer County Office of Education
  • Moderator: Sehrish Anjum, Senior Program Specialist, CCEE

🧭 About the Open Door Series

The Open Door series is hosted by the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE) to spotlight authentic stories, tools, and strategies from across the state that promote equitable student outcomes.

🔗 Explore All Open Door Sessions

SESSION MATERIALS

SLIDES

WEBINAR VIDEO RECORDING

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California Statewide System of Support  

California Attendance Guide: Taking a Comprehensive Approach to Attendance and Engagement in California

We are excited to share the California Attendance Guide: Taking a Comprehensive Approach to Attendance and Engagement in California, Developed in partnership with the California Department of Education (CDE) and Attendance Works. This guidance was highlighted during a press conference hosted by CDE at Williamson Elementary School in Folsom Cordova Unified.

The guide provides a comprehensive framework to help schools, districts, and county offices of education reduce chronic absenteeism, strengthen family engagement, and ensure students are connected to supportive learning environments. With chronic absence rates still well above pre-pandemic levels, this resource outlines California’s bold goal of reducing chronic absence to 12.5 percent by 2030.

By focusing on student health and safety, family partnerships, and student connectedness, the guidance supports local leaders in building sustainable, data-driven strategies to improve attendance and advance equitable outcomes.

Explore the Guidance

California Attendance Guide

Chronic Absenteeism Statewide Resources

Frontline Voices Blog

Event Highlight: California Attendance Guidance Press Conference

Frontline Voices

Frontline Voices is a CCEE blog series dedicated to sharing insights and innovations directly from the field. Each post spotlights emerging and promising practices, highlights CCEE staff presentations, and uplifts local stories that demonstrate real-time strategies in action.

As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, Frontline Voices serves as a hub for practical takeaways, curated resources, and examples of what’s working across California’s schools. Posts are designed to help local educational agencies (LEAs) connect new ideas to their own context, supporting progress toward LCAP goals while advancing equity, access, and excellence for all learners.

Whether you are an educator, administrator, or partner, Frontline Voices offers a window into the innovative work happening statewide and a resource to inform and inspire your own efforts.

Explore the latest Frontline Voices issues

Assessment System Review Online Learning Path (2.0 Version)

DESCRIPTION

Please note that this online learning path was revised based on feedback from districts.

Launch Learning Path

What is the problem?

We see some common issues repeatedly with assessment systems. These include the use of too many assessments, duplicative assessments, assessment approaches not matched to instructional or monitoring needs, or assessments that do not adequately address the depth of the standards. Using the right combination of assessments to supply a variety of information to support different types of educational decision-making is at the heart of what is known as “balanced assessment systems.” The goal is to free up instructional time by removing assessments that are not useful for supporting better decision-making in schools or classrooms!

What is one solution?

Conducting an “assessment system review” involves examining all the assessments that a student completes in a year. Considering the breadth and type of assessments that one student experiences is an important step toward understanding whether these are the right assessments being used for the right uses or if your school or district needs to make some adjustments to the assessments for that grade level. In some instances, lessons learned for one grade level can be applied to others within the grade-span.

Learning Path

The Assessment System Review online learning path empowers teams of school/district leaders and teachers with the knowledge, skills, and tools to conduct an assessment system review. Designed in partnership with the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment, this learning path contains seven modules of multimedia content, with tools to facilitate the collection of assessment information and evaluation of whether the assessment system is meeting the information needs of classroom teachers and school and district leaders. Users are able to decide on the pacing, as well as the level of learning and support that they need to complete the review process. 

Module 0: Planning an Assessment System Review
Module 1: Prepare to Launch 
Module 2: Clarify the Instructional Vision 
Module 3: Reflect on Assessment System Needs
Module 4: Conduct the Inventory
Module 5: Evaluate the Inventory of Assessments & Write Recommendations
Module 6: Create Action Plan

Launch Learning Path

DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Center for Assessment logo

Center for Assessment

DISTRICT TESTIMONIALS

Why did your district complete an assessment system review?

“We wanted to evaluate our assessments in our district. We had feedback from our teachers about the assessments that we were using at the district level. They didn’t feel that the data that they were receiving was useful for their classrooms and so we wanted to look into that. They also felt that there was a lot of time that was used for the assessments that were taken away from classroom instruction…We wanted a process…We didn’t want to go by, just feel or opinion …[this] gave us a process to use to go through.” Brooke Smothers-Strizic, Bakersfield City School District

What was the ‘problem’ your district was trying to solve in conducting an assessment system review?

“We knew there was something underlying that was consuming the time of our teachers in the classroom, but we didn’t quite know how or to what degree. And so I think that we had the right intentions that we wanted to give them the time to actually do the instruction right, and ensure the data they were collecting was meaningful to guide the instruction. And so I think that you can’t do that if all you’re doing is spending your time assessing, assessing, and assessing, without getting to the actual planning and instruction. So I think this process…just makes it more systematic: asking the right questions, the leading questions, to really force you to have those conversations that you’re documenting in a way that then you have the evidence [such as] the number of minutes that people were actually spending [on each assessment]. And then you can start evaluating the information and think: Is there a better way? I think the one thing that I myself personally have gained from this process is seeing the impact. As you’re removing assessments you know it’s going to make an impact instructionally for students and for teachers.” Rocio Muñoz, Bakersfield City School District 

What did you learn as a result of this assessment system review?

“Who is looking at this information? Who’s looking at the data? Is it for the teacher? Is it for the [school] administrator? Is it for the district? …I feel like, that’s a really super important question that sometimes we don’t ask ourselves enough. …When you’re doing the work you’re like, ‘This is important information, this [assessment] is needed.’ But then, when you’re actually in the classroom, you may be like, ‘Why are we doing this? Because we don’t even use this information.’ So I think it’s super important to always ask ourselves: What is the purpose of the assessment? Who will use this information? Why are we giving this assessment? And what are we going to do with this information?…That then helps us determine how many assessments we need and when we need them?” Beatriz Chavez, Coachella Valley Unified School District

What advice would you give to other districts interested in conducting an assessment system review?

“Think about your key players and build your team of who you want to complete the work. [Make sure] you know the time commitment, so that you don’t get halfway through and let it fizzle out because you really should see it through the end because that’s where the meat and potatoes of it is. That ending piece was kind of where we were like, ‘Wow! We really learned a lot.’ And so you want to get to that end result. So really, again, having an action plan for how you’re going to make sure you get through the modules. But just knowing, too, that you really do get a lot of really good insight and good information, you can then make a lot of really good decisions to improve practices. And if that’s what you really want to do, you will get that out of the process.” Tara Hinchen, Coachella Valley Unified School District

INSIGHTS FROM DISTRICTS’ ASSESSMENT SYSTEM REVIEWS

To learn more about districts’ experiences in conducting an assessment system review, read the blogs below published by the Center for Assessment.

Open Door Session: Driving Safer Schools with Daily Huddles: Hemet USD’s Blueprint for Action and Impact

📄 About This Session

Discover how Hemet Unified School District transformed student behavior and campus safety through a daily, data-driven collaboration process. By combining real-time data tracking with focused, action-oriented huddles, Hemet USD empowered site leaders and staff to identify challenges early, solve problems collectively, and deliver immediate improvements. Learn how this simple but powerful system led to measurable reductions in student aggression and suspensions—and how you can adapt these strategies to drive change in your own schools.

🎙️ Featured Speakers

  • Christi Barrett, Ph.D., Superintendent, Hemet USD
  • Jennifer Martin, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent, Improvement and Analytics
  • Moderator: Rocio Gonzalez-Frausto, Ed.D., Senior Advisor, Teaching Learning and Leading, CCEE

🧭 About the Open Door Series

The Open Door series is hosted by the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE) to spotlight authentic stories, tools, and strategies from across the state that promote equitable student outcomes.

🔗 Explore All Open Door Sessions

SESSION MATERIALS

SLIDES

WEBINAR VIDEO RECORDING

RESOURCES

Open Door Session: Empowering Black Student Success – Fresno Unified’s Blueprint for Graduation and A–G Completion

📄 About This Session

In this session, Fresno Unified School District highlights its efforts to increase graduation and A–G completion rates for African American students through the African American Student Leadership Academy (AASLA) and the African American 9th Grade Academy (AA9A).

From cultivating university partnerships to embedding student and family voice into program design, the district team walks us through the strategies, tools, and lessons that have shaped their work. Student and parent panelists bring these stories to life, sharing firsthand how mentorship and culturally responsive practices have impacted their educational journeys.

Whether you’re a district administrator, school leader, or equity champion, this webinar offers actionable insights and inspiration to inform your local efforts.

💬 Key Takeaways

  • Weekly mentorship check-ins are most impactful when paired with academic and social-emotional support.
  • Student voices must inform program design and evaluation.
  • University partnerships (e.g., with UC Merced, Fresno State) provide powerful opportunities for early exposure and long-term goal setting.
  • Family engagement and consistent communication are cornerstones of sustainable progress.

🎙️ Featured Speakers

  • Dr. Kimberly Hendricks-Brown – Principal on Special Assignment, Office of African American Academic Acceleration, FUSD
  • Dr. Lisa Mitchell – Executive Director, Office of African American Academic Acceleration, FUSD
  • Fresno Unified Student Panelists – AASLA Scholars from multiple cohort years
  • Parent Voice – Perspective from a participating parent
  • Moderator: Italo Ciccarelli, CCEE

🧭 About the Open Door Series

The Open Door series is hosted by the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE) to spotlight authentic stories, tools, and strategies from across the state that promote equitable student outcomes.

🔗 Explore All Open Door Sessions

SESSION MATERIALS

SLIDES

WEBINAR VIDEO RECORDING

RESOURCES

Tackling Chronic Absenteeism—Lessons from California’s Bright Spot Districts

DESCRIPTION

As California continues to grapple with high rates of chronic absenteeism, which disproportionately impacts learning outcomes for our youngest learners,  several local educational agencies (LEAs) are showing what’s possible through innovative, community-centered approaches. Cypress School District, Kings Canyon Unified School District, and Livingston Union School District have emerged as examples of bright spots in Kindergarten chronic absenteeism, modeling replicable strategies rooted in care, collaboration, and clear communication that result in measurable outcomes.Through the Chronic AbsenteeismBright Spots initiative, CCEE has spotlighted each of these districts via in-depth articles and companion Open Door webinars, providing a window into their systems-level thinking, strategic interventions, and on-the-ground practices that are making a real difference for students and families.

🌟 Meet the Chronic Absenteeism Bright Spots Districts

Cypress School District
📖 Read the Spotlight
🎥 Watch the Open Door Webinar

Cypress School District stands out as a positive outlier, with chronic absence rates far below the state average. Their success stems from a strong foundation of trust and consistency. Through proactive outreach, systematic data practices, and meaningful relationships with families, the district creates a culture where students and parents feel seen, supported, and valued.

Kings Canyon Unified School District
📖 Read the Spotlight
🎥 Watch the Open Door Webinar

Kings Canyon USD emphasizes the power of social-emotional learning and relational trust in building school communities where students want to show up. Their districtwide focus on belonging, inclusion, and family engagement has helped foster authentic partnerships and improved student attendance, especially in underserved communities.

Livingston Union School District
📖 Read the Spotlight
🎥 Watch the Open Door Webinar

Livingston USD approaches chronic absenteeism through the lens of health and wellness. With integrated supports ranging from mental health check-ins to accessible medical guidance, the district supports families in making informed decisions and helps students stay engaged—physically and emotionally—throughout the school year.

💡 Bright Spots, Shared Insights

These three LEAs offer powerful examples of what’s possible when chronic absenteeism is addressed not just as an attendance issue, but as a call to action to better support the whole child and their family. Common themes across the Spotlights include:

  • Systemic Leadership & Collaboration
  • Use of Real-Time Data to Guide Action
  • Prioritizing Student Belonging and Mental Health
  • Strengthening Family Trust and Communication
  • Clear Health and Attendance Guidance

To explore these takeaways in greater depth, check out the Chronic Absenteeism Bright Spots Factsheet, which distills key conditions and strategies that helped each LEA reduce chronic absenteeism and improve student engagement.

By elevating these stories and making their tools and strategies accessible statewide, the Bright Spots project supports California’s broader commitment to equitable learning opportunities—ensuring that every student is seen, supported, and present.

Open Door Session: Making Every Assessment Count – Eliminating Redundancy, Prioritizing Meaningful Data

DESCRIPTION

Welcome to the resource hub for our Open Door session on Making Every Assessment Count: Eliminating Redundancy, Prioritizing Meaningful Data, featuring insights from Bakersfield City School District.

This session explores how BCSD took a strategic approach to reexamining its assessment system—conducting a thorough inventory, refining the assessment calendar, and ensuring a balanced approach that prioritizes both instructionally useful assessments and meaningful data collection.

What You’ll Find on This Page:

📽️ Recorded Webinar – Watch the full session to learn how BCSD streamlined assessments to better align with instructional priorities.

📑 Presentation Slide Deck – Download the slides used during the session.

🛠️ Assessment Inventory & Planning Tools – Access resources to help your district evaluate and optimize its own assessment practices.

In This Session, You’ll Learn:

✅ How BCSD conducted an inventory of existing assessments to identify redundancies.

✅ Strategies for refining an assessment calendar to prioritize high-value data collection.

✅ Lessons learned in balancing assessments to support both instruction and accountability.

If you’re looking for actionable strategies to streamline assessments, reduce redundancy, and focus on meaningful data, these materials provide practical insights to support your district’s continuous improvement efforts.

📥 Access the Materials Below!

Explore the resources and take the next step in optimizing your district’s assessment system.

PRESENTERS

  • Brooke Smothers-Strizic – Executive Director, Data & Assessment, Bakersfield City School District
  • Avilene Cueto – Program Specialist, Data & Assessment, Bakersfield City School District
  • Dorcas Kong – Senior Specialist, Executive Projects, CCEE

SESSION MATERIALS

SLIDES

WEBINAR VIDEO RECORDING

RESOURCES

Open Door Session: Enhancing LCAP Monitoring & Evaluation: Insights from Riverside COE and Lake Elsinore USD

DESCRIPTION

Welcome to the resource hub for our Open Door session on Enhancing LCAP Monitoring & Evaluation, presented in partnership with the Riverside County Office of Education and Lake Elsinore USD.

This session highlights Riverside COE’s LCAP Monitoring & Evaluation Tracking Tool—a powerful resource designed to help districts effectively monitor, evaluate, and refine their Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs) and School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA).

What You’ll Find on This Page:

📽️ Recorded Webinar – Watch the full session to gain insights from experts.

📑 Presentation Slide Deck – Download the slides used during the session.

🔗 LCAP Monitoring & Evaluation Tracking Tool – Access this valuable resource to support your district’s planning and improvement efforts.

In this session, representatives from Riverside COE and Lake Elsinore USD share:

✅ How the tool was developed and implemented.

✅ Strategies for effectively monitoring and refining LCAPs and SPSAs.

✅ Firsthand experiences from a district using the tool.

Whether you’re looking to strengthen your district’s LCAP processes or seeking efficient ways to align your SPSA, these materials provide practical strategies and actionable insights to enhance your work.

📥 Access the Materials Below!

Explore the resources and take the next step in refining your district’s planning and evaluation processes.

PRESENTERS

  • Dr. Melissa Bazanos Hutton, Executive Director, Riverside County Office of Education
  • Elizabeth Atkinson, Director – LCAP and State/Federal Programs, Lake Elsinore Unified School District  
  • Alisha Morff, Administrator, Riverside County Office of Education
  • Lisa Winberg, Administrator, Riverside County Office of Education
  • Naomi Dimacali, Director, Riverside County Office of Education

SESSION MATERIALS

SLIDES

WEBINAR VIDEO RECORDING

RESOURCES