Resource Category: Site Admin & Coach

Open Door Session: The Role of Health and Attendance Guidance in Boosting School Attendance

DESCRIPTION

Welcome to the final session of our Chronic Absenteeism Bright Spots series! This session focuses on how clear health and attendance guidance can significantly improve student attendance and foster a supportive school culture. Through a panel discussion with leaders from Livingston Union School District, you’ll gain insights into real-world strategies for communicating effectively about health and attendance. These strategies prioritize the well-being of students, families, and staff, ensuring that everyone in the school community is informed and engaged.

Explore how schools can create a healthier, more connected environment where students thrive and attendance rates improve. Access the session recording and resources to discover actionable guidance for enhancing your school’s approach to health, attendance, and community well-being.

PRESENTERS

Sujie Shin, Deputy Executive Director, CCEE

Kevin Gee, Director, School Policy, Action, and Research Center (SPARC)

Helen Duffy, Senior Fellow, Attendance Works

Maria Torres-Perez, Director of Categorical Programs & Special Projects, Livingston Union School District

Lori Morgan, Nurse, Livingston Union School District

Stella Montanez, Principal, Selma Herndon Elementary

SESSION MATERIALS

SLIDES

WEBINAR VIDEO RECORDING

Webinar Recording

RESOURCES

Open Door: The Role of Social-Emotional Learning in Boosting School Attendance

DESCRIPTION

The second session of our Chronic Absenteeism Bright Spots series will explore the connection between social-emotional learning (SEL) and school attendance. This session will examine how SEL is crucial in keeping students engaged and present. Through a panel discussion with Kings Canyon Unified School District, you’ll gain insights into how schools promote the social-emotional health of students and families, foster emotional and physical connections within the school community, and integrate SEL into daily practices. We’ll also discuss how ELOP (Expanded Learning Opportunities Program) funding has strengthened SEL connections, addressed challenges, and formed innovative partnerships. Join us to learn how enhancing social-emotional well-being can lead to improved attendance and a more connected school environment.

PRESENTERS

Sujie Shin, Deputy Executive Director, CCEE

Kevin Gee, Director, School Policy, Action, and Research Center (SPARC)

Helen Duffy, Senior Fellow, Attendance Works

Greg Visser, Principal, Washington Elementary School, Kings Canyon Unified

Patricia Ledesma, Principal, Jefferson Elementary, Kings Canyon Unified

Norma Doerksen, Social Worker, TL Reed Elementary, Kings Canyon Unified

SESSION MATERIALS

SLIDES

WEBINAR VIDEO RECORDING

Webinar Recording

RESOURCES

  • Kings Canyon USD – Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Learning Website
  • Bright Spot Factsheet
  • Webinar Session’s Padlet
  • Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) – Website
  • Is your child missing school due to anxiety? – Anxiety Handout
  • Using Chronic Absence Data to Improve Conditions of Learning – Website
  • Early Matters: Cultivating Engagement and Attendance in Kindergarten – Website
  • CCEE Microlearning Video – Supporting Social Emotional Well-Being

Open Door: Elevating School Attendance Through Meaningful Engagement

DESCRIPTION

Discover actionable strategies to address chronic absenteeism and strengthen connections within your school community in this engaging Open Door session, the first of a 3-part series. We’ll explore why chronic absence matters, as evidenced by national and state data, and dive into the critical role trust and engagement play in boosting attendance–especially post-pandemic. Through a panel discussion with Cypress, one of three Bright Spots districts, you’ll gain insights on how to build meaningful family and student engagement, rebuild trust, and implement effective strategies. You’ll also walk away with practical tools to create a supportive environment where every student feels valued.

PRESENTERS

Sujie Shin, Deputy Executive Director, CCEE

Kevin Gee, Director, School Policy, Action, and Research Center (SPARC)

Helen Duffy, Senior Fellow, Attendance Works

Tina Ochoa, Senior Fellow, Attendance Works

Jacki Teschke, Principal, Clara King Elementary

Tanya Alvarez, Teacher, Clara King Elementary

Vickie Ohlman, Administrative Assistant, Clara King Elementary

SESSION MATERIALS

SLIDES

WEBINAR VIDEO RECORDING

Webinar Recording

RESOURCES

Open Door: Mitigating outdoor extreme heat: how schoolyard greening is critical for resilience

DESCRIPTION

This webinar on addressing extreme heat on school playgrounds highlights how Pasadena Unified School District and Long Beach Unified School District have successfully greenified their schoolyards to combat rising temperatures and create safer, more sustainable play environments for their students. Watch the recording and explore the resources to gain valuable insights and practical strategies for your own school’s climate resilience efforts.

PRESENTERS

Ria Apodaca – Director, Health Programs, Pasadena Unified School District
Jill McArthur – Farm-to-School Coordinator, Pasadena Unified School District
Ferdows Fazeli – Senior Program Manager of Facilities, Long Beach Unified School District
Mikaela Randolph – Associate Director of Regional Programs, Green Schoolyards America

SESSION MATERIALS

SLIDES

ARCHIVED VIDEO

Webinar Recording

RESOURCES
Previous Open Door on Climate Emergency and Resilience:

Green Schoolyard America Useful Links:

Extreme Hear Related Resources and Links:

California Department of Education (CDE) Resources:

Other Resources:

Assessment System Review Online Learning Path

DESCRIPTION

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: About the Assessment System Review Learning Pathway
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.

Data Literacy & Leadership Academy

DESCRIPTION

CCEE will be launching a Data Literacy & Leadership Academy in Fall 2024. In partnership with the San Diego County Office of Education, CCEE is developing two courses tailored to:

  1. Data analysts who are new to K-12 education or new to K-12 data
  2. Emerging data leaders looking to drive instructional change

This informational webinar provides additional information on the Data Academy, its courses, and next steps for those who are interested.

PRESENTERS

California Collaborative for Educational Excellence

San Diego County Office of Education

SESSION MATERIALS

SLIDES

ARCHIVED VIDEO

RESOURCES

Open Door: Energy and Grid Resilience: Mitigating Risk through Climate Adaptation

DESCRIPTION

This enlightening session featured innovative leaders from Yolo County Office of Education, Santa Barbara Unified School District, and Modesto City Schools. These forward-thinking districts shared their pioneering climate adaptation strategies that enhance resilience and drive significant cost savings.

Yolo County Office of Education (YCOE)
YCOE is spearheading the construction of a microgrid designed to protect their critical facilities. This project leverages Investment Tax Credits from the federal Inflation Reduction Act, showcasing a model for financial and environmental sustainability.

Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD)
SBUSD has successfully installed a microgrid that is projected to save $14 million over the next 20 years. Their approach demonstrates the long-term financial benefits and enhanced reliability that come with advanced energy solutions.

Modesto City Schools (MCS)
MCS is transforming their facilities with solar carports, EV chargers, and electric school buses. This transition is expected to make their schools energy resilient and attract $17 million in state and federal funding, setting a benchmark for sustainable infrastructure investments.

Key Takeaways

  1. Innovative Projects: Insights into the microgrid projects and sustainable initiatives of YCOE, SBUSD, and MCS.
  2. Financial Strategies: How these districts are leveraging federal and state incentives to fund their projects.
  3. Resilience Building: Practical steps to enhance the resilience of educational facilities through climate adaptation.
  4. Cost Savings: Strategies to achieve substantial cost savings while transitioning to sustainable energy solutions.


We invite you to explore the resources and archived video from this session to gain valuable knowledge and inspiration for integrating climate adaptation into your strategic planning.

PRESENTERS

Matthew Juchniewicz, Director of Operations Services, Yolo COE

Veronica Coronado, Associate Superintendent, Yolo COE

Desmond Ho, Operations and Sustainability Coordinator, Santa Barbara USD

Gilbert Blue Feather Rosas, Director of Sustainability and Adaptation, Modesto City Schools

SESSION MATERIALS

SLIDES
Video Recording

RESOURCES

  • Modesto City Schools Sustainability Website

Open Door Session: Empowering Math Education: Strategies and Resources for Success

DESCRIPTION

In response to California’s new Mathematics Framework, the Rural Math Collaborative (RMC) has taken significant strides in redefining mathematics education in small, rural settings. Led by Lake County and Butte County, and in partnership with the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE), the RMC encompasses a dynamic network of twenty counties dedicated to elevating math instruction and achievement.

Session Highlights:
Dynamic Instructional Strategies: Discover how the RMC leadership team is accelerating math learning through targeted instructional coaching, intervention, and Lesson Study approaches.
Support for Rural LEAs: Learn about the collaboration among member counties to enhance educational outcomes in rural schools.
New Asynchronous Course: Get an introduction to a new, free statewide course developed by the California Mathematics Project (CMP), designed to deepen educators’ understanding of the new Mathematics Framework.

If you couldn’t join us live, we’ve got you covered. Below, you can access the slides and archived video from the session. This is your opportunity to gain valuable insights into effective strategies for improving mathematics instruction in rural areas.

PRESENTERS

Kim Ferguson – RMC Lead Coordinator, Lake County Office of Education

Rebecca Walker – Deputy Superintendent, Lake County Office of Education

Aaron Carter – SR. Director of Teaching & Learning, Lake County Office of Education

Dr. Brian Lindaman – Professor of Math Education & Co-Director of the Chico Math Project, CSU Chico

Michelle Sanchez – Senior Director of Special Projects, Butte County Office of Education

SESSION MATERIALS

Session slides

ARCHIVED VIDEO

RESOURCES

Learning Acceleration System Grant Website

Rural Math Collaborative Landing Page

RMC Number Sense Module Overview

Number Sense Module Part 1: Grades TK-2

Open Door Session: Strengthening Coherence Across Initiatives: A Whole-Child Lens

DESCRIPTION

This captivating session featured the launch of The Center for Whole-Child Education’s insightful report, “Strengthening Coherence Across Initiatives: A Whole-Child Lens.” This groundbreaking study examines the intricacies of California’s educational framework, highlighting the integration of the “whole-child” approach within various educational initiatives. If you missed the live event, don’t worry! We have made the slides and archived video available below for your convenience.

Key Highlights of the Report
Exploration of “Whole-Child” Education: Dive deep into this transformative educational philosophy and discover how it’s reshaping California’s educational landscape.
Cultivation of Coherence: Learn about the integration of multiple initiatives aimed at fostering the holistic development of students.
Best Practices: Gain insights from districts that are leading the way in successfully implementing “whole-child” practices.
Taking Action: Find out actionable strategies and tips that can help promote coherence in your own educational settings.

Explore the detailed discussion and expert insights shared during the presentation by accessing the materials below:

PRESENTERS

Katie Brackenridge – Whole-Child Consultant, Glen Price Group

Danny Hernandez – Principal, Ethel Phillips Elementary School

SESSION MATERIALS

SLIDES

ARCHIVED VIDEO

RESOURCES

The Power of Data Partnerships: District data sharing through the Local Assessment Project

DESCRIPTION

In this Open Door session, the San Bernardino County Office of Education (SBCSS) dives into their journey as they tackle the critical challenge of improving student progress tracking in reading and math. Discover how they identified the gaps in their local assessment data and how they initiated the Local Assessment Project to fill this void.

In this session, you will:
– Gain valuable insights into the practical steps taken to create a secure portal providing focused, interactive reports, offering a comprehensive view of student status and growth at various levels – county, region, district, and school.
– Learn firsthand about the strategic collaboration with assessment vendors, resulting in streamlined and user-friendly detailed reports tailored for district use.
– Explore the development of a robust infrastructure capable of collecting, processing, and storing multi-year assessment data from diverse vendors, ensuring accessibility and reliability.
– Hear about SBCSS’ plans for a roadmap, designed to empower other County Offices of Education to replicate this impactful project in their own communities.

PRESENTERS

John Massie – Program Manager

Krystal Ramirez – Data Analyst

SESSION MATERIALS

SLIDES

ARCHIVED VIDEO

RESOURCES