New Report Helps Educators Navigate California’s Complicated Education Landscape
The number of education initiatives across California seems to be multiplying. Teachers are asked to implement many different, but similar, projects and programs. School leaders are struggling to get their staff excited about these new requests while districts weigh the costs and benefits of making one more ask for one more initiative. This report is our collective sigh of relief. In two editions—one for TK-12 and another for Secondary—it offers a fresh perspective on aligning education initiatives through a whole-child lens, showcasing:
- The shared core of strategies across various initiatives,
- How these align with whole-child design and the science of learning and development,
- Insights from peers on strengthening coherence, and
- Tips on effective communication and collaboration around these shared goals.
Published by the Center for Whole-Child Education, the TK-12 Edition illustrates the consistent and complementary whole-child practices across five initiatives that are prevalent across California – Community Schools, Expanded Learning, Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS), Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and Social Emotional Learning (SEL).
In the Secondary Edition, the authors add College and Career Pathways and Dual Enrollment, consider the implications of adolescent brain development, and identify the ways the initiatives can work together to provide holistic support for young people.
These reports were authored by Katie Brackenridge, Gretchen Livesey, Laura Sikes, and Jeremy Koren and published by the Center for Whole-Child Education, a part of Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University. This work was made possible through the generous support of The Stuart Foundation.
A Call to Action for Policymakers, Leaders, and Educators with an Eye Toward Systemic Change
This project is not about putting one idea above another, creating technical checklists, or comparing initiatives point by point. It is about finding the threads that tie our work together, aligning our efforts around a whole-child purpose that supports all students to thrive, and building on the incredible work already happening across the state.
With insights into how the initiatives can be viewed through a holistic lens, this report aims to spark conversations and inspire actions that bring us closer to a unified approach to education in California. Ultimately, the goal for each of these initiatives is to create positive, equitable learning experiences in which every young person can learn and grow. With this report, the authors are inviting you into a conversation about how we can all seize this potent moment and contribute to a more coherent, focused, and joyful way of supporting our students.
Strengthening Coherence in Your Context
The Glen Price Group is available to facilitate planning sessions that bring the ideas in this report into action. We’ll work in your context – i.e., district, county office of education, state agency, state membership association – to help you and your interest-holders align initiatives around a whole-child purpose. To talk about your situation and how we can help, contact report co-author Katie Brackenridge at kbrackenridge@glenpricegroup.com.