CA School Field Trip

A "Field Trip ShortCut" is an individual segment within our monthly half-hour podcast episode. This ShortCut focuses on #CADashboardWeek, a public awareness campaign from Sept. 16-20 that encourages education stakeholders to jump online and navigate the CA School Dashboard, an online tool designed to support continuous improvement efforts.

In Episode 12, the topic is Differentiated Assistance (DA) -- a technical term that describes what happens when a district in California is identified for needing extra support under the state's new approach to school improvement. We hear from education leaders in the Mother Lode Union School District and the El Dorado County Office of Education as they reflect on their two-year experience, share progress made, lessons learned, adaptions in strategies, and the work ahead.

Episode 11 is the first installment of CCEE's special podcast series on public school districts in California that are now considered "Models of Continuous Improvement" under the state's new approach to education. In Part I, we head to the Chula Vista Elementary School District located less than seven miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. This district is recognized as a "model" because of its pioneering practices and commitment to sustained improvement for all students. Find out how CVESD is beating the odds and what educators could learn from this school community.

In Episode 10, we learn how CCEE-supported Professional Learning Networks (PLNs)are bringing educators together so they can collaborate and develop a unified approach to dealing with instructional challenges in their own backyard.  We also introduce a new occasional segment called "Coaches Who Inspire," quick takeaways from California educators about the school leaders who inspire them in the field. This month we feature Freedom Writers Foundation's Erin Gruwell.

We travel to the Beaumont Unified School District in west Riverside County to learn about a special instructional tool that's helping district officials and principals examine CA School Dashboard results and other sources of data to strengthen supports for the district's neediest students. Then, we speak with CA Collaborative for Educational Excellence's Executive Director Tom Armelino about the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, how it fits into CA's school accountability system, and whether CCEE has a role under ESSA. Then, we bring you a round table discussion with officials from three state agencies in charge of bringing together what’s called “Lead Agencies" under the new System of Support to help struggling districts.

2019 is shaping up to be a big year in education for the Golden State. In this episode, we delve into how the state's new System of Support will help districts eligible for differentiated assistance. First, we hear from CCEE's Tom Armelino about how the agency is committed to being a trusted partner for county offices of education and the districts they serve. Then, we hear from two county superintendents about the role of Geo Lead Agencies within the state's new accountability system, We wrap up by getting a preview of CCEE's professional learning opportunities in 2019!

In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, the theme of this episode is "togetherness and unity." First, we hear from middle school students in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District about what they're thankful for at their campus. Then, we highlight the statewide Community Engagement Initiative and how it fits into the CA System of Support. Next, we spotlight SELPA Leads, another resource and support within the System of Support designed to help districts better meet the needs of their students with disabilities.