Have you provided and/or received technical assistance based on the California School Dashboard (Dashboard) identification in one or more years since 2017? If so, describe your improvement process, including use of the Dashboard and other local data, connection to planning in the LCAP, and progress toward improving student outcomes including one or two specific and concrete examples.

In response to the current EL population demographics and academic success data trends, the California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators (CALSA) has committed to increasing the number of districts implementing the California English Learners Roadmap Policy as the anchor of a systemic approach to successfully educating EL/Emergent Bilingual Learners. The development of educational leaders' capacity to create powerful articulation across departments and school sites is pivotal to create coherence in services and responsive instruction for all typologies of English Learner students following the four Principles of the CA EL Roadmap. The complexity of educating English Learners and Emergent Multilingual Students will continue to increase as more economic, climate and war refugee families seek sanctuary and opportunities in the United States.

Partnering with the California Department of Education, Californians Together, The Center for Equity for English Learners, the California Association for Bilingual Education and host County Offices throughout the State, CALSA is offering a rare and powerful opportunity for districts to be exposed to the latest research, exemplary systemic practices, self-evaluations and legal requirements that will allow them to apply their learning to their specific context, programs and initiatives.

CALSA strongly recommends that participating districts select multi-departmental teams to attend the EL Leadership Academies to facilitate the planning and articulation needed for strategic, tiered implementation of the El Roadmap that leads to sustained results.

*******

YCOE allocates resources, which could include funding, expertise, technical assistance, and professional development opportunities, to support all school districts including in achieving its goals. This allocation is tailored to the district's specific needs and may involve collaborations with external partners, educational organizations, and government agencies. YCOE professionals work with district administrators, teachers, and staff to implement effective strategies and best practices, however in some cases, YCOE can facilitate in the adding of support from an external provider such as a consultant or other agency. Our goal is to use all our resources and capabilities to contribute as much as possible to the success of our partner districts.

YCOE facilitates collaboration and networking among all our school districts. This enables districts to share experiences, successful practices, and lessons learned, fostering a supportive learning community.

• Providing professional development and technical assistance;

• Using data to identify critical issues related to equity, conduct root cause analysis, and generate improvement ideas;

• Developing goals (Aims) and conducting cycles of improvement by planning, doing, studying, and acting (PDSA);

• Using feedback to inform progress and adjust actions;

• Implementing districtwide evidence-based programs using the LCAP planning process;

• Operationalizing principles of equity;

• Establishing networks of learning communities;

• Providing connections to resources and regulatory support; and

• Providing technical assistance toward progress monitoring.

• Access and Equity: Providing needed services to the whole child by identifying students' individual needs, removing barriers to access, and delivering the needed service to those students who need them;

• Youth & Family Voice: Impacting systems whereby youth and families have openings to contribute to their own educational choices in order to form their future learning. Giving opportunities for youth and families to add their voices regarding lived experiences, ideas, opinions, attitudes, and systems that positively or negatively impact them.

• Alignment and Coherence: Identifying common goals and connections across seemingly disparate initiatives. An approach to policy making and implementation that can help educational leaders and stakeholders capitalize on opportunities that come through policy changes.

The architects of the Roadmap to the Future, and YCOE staff, both seek to implement practices that go beyond compliance goals and instead build long-term improvements that eliminate disparities existing between student groups and their respective communities. Further, they will work together to eradicate many of the silos that currently exist between and among many of the educational and governmental agencies.

• Collaborate and network with partner districts through weekly student services meetings across the county on topics related to health and wellness

• Establish Yolo County Social Emotional Learning Community of Practice to build capacity among SEL coordinators, counselors, administrators and teachers to better support SEL

• Establish effective partnerships with community-based resources with continuous updates

• Provide content-specific professional development opportunities around mental health and wellness

• Initiate on-site training and support resources related to homeless and foster youth

• Share available resources that support drug and alcohol prevention and overall health and wellness

• Share SARB and attendance resources and support regarding chronic absenteeism.

Supports for Creating Welcoming Beacons of Community Life

• Provide technical assistance as partner districts establish full-service community schools in Yolo County.
  

• Establish a wide range of local networks and consortiums for leaders in Yolo County to access best practices and break down silos that decrease the opportunities for children and youth

• Identify local community resources (asset mapping) for school district staff and students
  

• Establish and solidify the youth commission for Yolo County to support projects for children and youth.

YCOE is currently a Collaborating Partner in the English Learner Roadmap Power in Collaboration Across California (EPiCC) initiative, also funded by an EWIG grant and building upon the work done through EL RISE! As a Collaborating Partner, YCOE participates in regional planning meetings and is co-planning and facilitating a professional learning series for school leaders.

( https://releases.jhu.edu/2018/11/12/black-students-who-have-one-black-teacher-more-likely-to-go-tocollege/) that found that African American students who have even one Black teacher are more likely to go to college in developing their response to disproportionality for Black students. The district began supporting a group of male teachers of color to engage in professional development in an affinity space at one district high school and has expanded the program to middle and elementary schools. More than 90% of the participants overall find the groups to be effective in supporting their teaching practice and the network expanded by 75% in its first two years.

The CAAASA-CCEE PLN successfully engaged the highest level of leadership in the state, itself a strategy for improvement, hosting superintendents and school board members at numerous meetings to engage with them on approaches to equity interventions, districtwide and county-wide. Our group met leadership where they were, including at conferences of the California School Board Association (CSBA), the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) and CAAASA’s own annual conference where we devoted a Special Session to the work of our PLN.

Some districts cited the use of LEA and school-wide actions and services and funding directed for “All” students as well as actions, services, and funding principally directed for English Learners, Foster Youth, and Low-income students, as benefited all students including African-American students as well. However, this pattern of LCAP development lacks the root cause analysis and intentionality that is needed to address the disproportionality in suspension rates experienced by African-American students. This circumstance prompted CAAASA to develop slides and a handout for our PLN panel session at CAAASA’s Annual Professional Development Summit to focus on ways that districts can, and should, target funds directly at areas of disproportionality for African-American students.

Our mantra, ''Transforming Lives Through Education,'' embodies our dedication to unlocking each student's potential. We are committed to educational excellence through strategic initiatives tailored to the needs of all students.

A prime example of these efforts is the Community Engagement Initiative 1.0, a $13.2 million project that has formed a cornerstone of California's statewide support system for the past five years. In collaboration with the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) and Families in Schools, this initiative forges high-impact community engagement strategies to build enduring partnerships aimed at student success.

Moreover, SBCSS is instrumental in the California Community Schools Partnership Program, offering vital technical assistance that bolsters learning and student outcomes. This work, directed by the California Community Schools Framework, focuses on establishing community schools that merge academics with health and social services, enriching student learning and development.

Our targeted initiatives ensure that every student receives comprehensive support to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally, honoring our pledge to inclusivity and equity. By nurturing these strategic endeavors, SBCSS not only supports the educational journey of its students but also cultivates an environment of collaboration and enrichment that upholds our mission and vision for immediate and lasting success.

Since 2017, SBCSS has leveraged the California School Dashboard for guidance and technical assistance. Our improvement process is deeply interconnected with the Dashboard's insights, enabling us to refine our LCAP strategies and enhance student outcomes. For instance, we've been proactive in dissecting Dashboard data to unearth and address performance disparities, instituting specific interventions to bolster English language proficiency and math achievement. Moreover, local climate surveys have been pivotal in our efforts to resolve identified school climate challenges, resulting in heightened student engagement and reduced absenteeism.

These initiatives are part of SBCSS's broader commitment to continual growth and improvement, as seen through our differentiated assistance workshops and cyclical review processes. We remain steadfast in our resolve to use state and local data proactively for the betterment of our educational community.

To support these efforts, we have established a dedicated team within our LCAP Support and Advisory Services Department, including one director, three program managers for 11 districts each, and a new program manager for small schools. This team structure ensures that each district receives individualized support, fostering meaningful partnerships essential for collaborative LCAP development. Our array of workshops assists in LCAP writing and keeps our districts informed of the latest regulations, providing technical assistance and examples that simplify the writing process and clarify instructions.

The San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (SBCSS) has implemented a comprehensive and inclusive educational partner engagement process anchored by our continuous improvement model, clearly represented in our most recent LCAP. Here's how our key strategies align with the engagement process:

1. Dedicated Program Managers: These managers serve as the primary support contacts for our districts and charter schools, offering personalized assistance that feeds into the LCAP development.

2. System of Support Proposal Process: This encourages districts to submit LCAP-aligned proposals to enhance student achievement and foster effective engagement through active participation.

3. Allocated Funding for Districts: Funds are set aside specifically to be accessed by districts for needs identified in their LCAP, promoting an engagement strategy where resources are allocated to support district-identified goals.

4. Stakeholder Engagement: This involves diverse educational partners in the LCAP development, ensuring that engagement strategies are wide-ranging and inclusive.

5. Data-Driven Decision Making: Data from the California School Dashboard guides our decision-making, a critical aspect of stakeholder engagement.

6. Goal Setting: Our goals, influenced by comprehensive stakeholder input, drive targeted resource allocation.

7. Monitoring and Evaluation: The progress of our LCAP goals is consistently tracked, with results feeding back into the system to inform stakeholders and guide future engagement strategies.

8. Reflective Practice: A cycle of review and reflection helps us to continuously improve our engagement strategies, ensuring they effectively meet the evolving needs of our educational community.

   
   

By incorporating these strategies into our LCAP development process, SBCSS ensures that our educational partner engagement is effective, inclusive, and responsive to the feedback and needs of our community.

1. Partner Engagement: Leveraging the Dual Capacity-Building Framework, we have established inclusive and welcoming district cultures that facilitate robust engagement between families, schools, and the wider community. These practices are evident in our family engagement efforts, such as home visits and school-community events, that bridge the educational experience from school to home.

2. Cultural Responsiveness: Our professional development programs emphasize culturally responsive teaching, enabling educators to effectively connect with students from diverse backgrounds. This approach is integral to our strategy and is supported by continuous learning opportunities for staff to remain responsive to the cultural dynamics within our communities.

3. Empowering Decision-Making: Through participatory processes and tools like the Community Engagement Best Practices Self-Assessment, we involve our educational community in shaping the LCAP. Steering committees that include students, parents, and educators are instrumental in this process, ensuring that our LCAP reflects our community's collective vision and values.

4. Idea Generation: We encourage innovative problem-solving by implementing design thinking protocols among all stakeholders, promoting creative and critical thinking that leads to impactful educational initiatives and positive student social-emotional development.

5. Systemic Alignment: Our Continuous Improvement Cycle, which includes planning, implementing, evaluating, and refining actions, ensures that our academic strategies are thoroughly assessed and continuously improved. This cycle is critical for achieving sustainable improvements and is central to our LCAP development process.

   
   

The SBCSS Open Data Portal exemplifies our dedication to data transparency and data-driven decision-making. This portal provides educators, students, and community members with accessible data to inform and guide improvement strategies within the LCAP framework.

The Cradle to Career Roadmap is also an essential resource, offering comprehensive support to parents, educators, and community partners. This roadmap aligns with evidence-based milestones and supports students through each educational phase, ensuring consistent and coherent support from early childhood to career readiness.

Our LCAP support reflects these strategies, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to educational equity and excellence. Through this detailed and dynamic approach, we are driving continuous improvement and achieving progress in student outcomes.

The task force identified systemic effects such as:

• Persistent racial achievement gaps on standardized measures of performance.

• A higher frequency of exclusionary disciplinary actions, including suspensions and expulsions, against African American students.

• Lower enrollment and completion rates in advanced and challenging coursework for African American students.

These systemic issues were not mere statistical aberrations but outcomes of deeply entrenched social and educational structures that had long disadvantaged African American students. The task force actively worked to counteract these issues by fostering a culture of collective responsibility among all stakeholders within the educational community.

The objectives of the SBCSS Task Force for African American Student Achievement included:

• Collaborating with community stakeholders and educators to develop a Collective Impact Model focused on the achievement of African American students.

• Utilizing appreciative inquiry practices to conduct self-studies that informed the development of frameworks for effective classroom instruction, school systems, student and parent engagement, and innovative school and community practices.

• Creating an online clearinghouse to disseminate best-practice programs, services, and initiatives for educational communities to utilize.

In alignment with these objectives, the task force operated on guiding principles that emphasized an unwavering belief in the commitment to the success of African American students, accountability for creating the necessary conditions for their achievement, and a recognition that barriers to success were rooted in systemic issues rather than in the individuals within these systems.

The task force's work was a proactive stance towards changing the narrative from one of deficits to one of potential and success, focusing on replicating the successful mindsets and practices of those within the school and community who contributed positively to the educational outcomes of African American students. This work by SBCSS and the task force stood as a testament to the commitment to recognizing the historical challenges faced by African American students and actively working towards dismantling those barriers and improving educational outcomes. We are currently using this model to review how to increase A-G data practices in schools to support increased identification of historically marginalized students who meet the requirements for postsecondary education. 

The San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (SBCSS) has taken decisive actions to address the negative impacts of historical inequities. Here are the specific actions that articulate SBCSS's commitment:

1. Implementation of the Task Force Study Model: The Task Force for African American Student Achievement, established by SBCSS, conducted a comprehensive self-study to identify and scale effective educational strategies, fostering a culture of collective responsibility among educators, parents, students, and community members​​.

2. Development of a Repository of Lessons: SBCSS has supported the development of ethnic studies programs and created a repository of lessons, ensuring educators have access to culturally responsive materials that enrich classroom instruction and reflect the diversity of experiences and histories.

3. Creation of an Ethnic Studies Network: This network has been established for educators to collaborate and engage in professional development related to ethnic studies, promoting dialogue and sharing insights to improve the quality and impact of education in this area.

   
   

These specific initiatives have been geared toward dismantling systemic barriers and providing an inclusive educational environment that acknowledges and celebrates all students' diverse cultural heritage. By integrating ethnic studies into the curriculum and establishing supportive resources and networks, SBCSS is actively engaging in rectifying past injustices and enhancing educational outcomes for historically marginalized groups.