Spotlight on Transforming Schools and Districts to Support the Whole Child, Person, and Community
Posted on
All educators aim to ensure every learner receives the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in school, career, and life. This Spotlight highlights resources to assist schools and districts in providing equitable and high-quality instruction for all students. The resources offer guidance for supporting principals, centering equity in data-based decision-making, and scaling systems change.
Be sure to visit our School and District Transformation Area of Work page to learn about our research and services. Check out our recent School and District Transformation E-Bulletin for more resources.
How to Ensure Principals Get the Support They Need to Succeed
Our REL West Educator Effectiveness (EE) Alliance has been working since 2017 to bring together leaders from different states and districts in the western region of the United States. This alliance aims to learn from experts about the latest research on evidence-based leadership supports, which can help educators improve the quality of education they provide to students. The alliance is currently working with leaders from Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah, all at different stages in implementing new statewide supports for site leaders.
REL West has organized regional events where state and district teams collaborate with experts to improve support strategies and practices. These sessions were recorded in a series of short videos that are valuable for all leadership teams to watch and discuss.
Centering Equity in Data-Based Decision-Making: Considerations and Recommendations for Leadership Teams
Safe and supportive school environments that promote well-being and healthy social and emotional development are essential to effective teaching, learning, and support of the whole person. Gathering, analyzing, and using data to make decisions in schoolwide whole-person work is critical for the systems change and continuous improvement processes that create equitable, safe, and supportive conditions for learning and well-being.
This guide helps school, district, and state education leadership teams redesign and transform systems for equitable health and learning by centering equity in their data-using culture and data-based decision-making processes.
Equitable, Sustainable Systems Change at Scale: Lessons Learned From State Collaboratives
This report from the Center to Improve Social and Emotional Learning and School Safety (CISELSS) provides insights from more than 5 years of universal, targeted, and direct technical assistance for state and local agencies. It shares recommendations from the experiences of participants in three long-term peer collaboratives. The teams focused on different themes; however, they all worked together toward equitable and sustainable systems change at the nexus of social and emotional well-being, excellent outcomes for young people, and equity.
The report describes the state collaboratives and the framework for convening state education agency leaders. The report also highlights six themes that emerged from the CISELSS state collaboratives, including engaging the community, balancing reflection with action, considering power dynamics, and working collaboratively.
Subscribe to the E-Bulletin
Stay informed about WestEd’s research, resources, services, events, and career opportunities by subscribing to our E-Bulletin. Our February 2024, Volume 1, issue explores strategies for improving school safety and climate. The issue features resources about the following:
- Helping Your School or District Create Equitable Outcomes for All Learners
- Building Impactful Professional Collaborations in Your School or District
- How States Can Attract and Sustain Teachers
- Supporting Integrated English Learner Student Instruction
- Supporting and Sustaining Principals: What Experts Say
- Strengthening Home and School Connections in the Middle School Years
View the February 2024, Volume 1, E-Bulletin.
Follow Us on Social Media
Join us on Facebook, and LinkedIn to share your experiences of transforming your school or district to support success for all learners.
Related Resources
Is There a “Fiscal Cliff ” on the Horizon for California School Districts? Planning for Financial Sustainability in an Uncertain Time
As state and federal pandemic relief wind down, California school districts must consider how to sustain programs beyond the duration of this one-time funding. This paper ...
Addressing Working Conditions to Improve Teacher Retention: An Exploration of the Research
This fact sheet describes categories that may influence a teacher's decision to stay or leave. District leaders may consider developing strategies to address these factors to ...