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California Linked Learning District Initiative
ConnectEd directs the California Linked Learning District Initiative, which aims to demonstrate that when school districts use Linked Learning as a primary district strategy for high school transformation, student outcomes improve.
With generous funding from the James Irvine Foundation, ConnectEd has provided financial support, technical assistance, and coaching to help nine medium and large school districts in California to plan and implement systems of high-quality pathways that are accessible to any student in the district. As of March 2010, with Irvine Foundation support, ConnectEd has awarded almost $12 million in grants to districts, with nine of eleven of them receiving implementation grants of more than $1 million each.
As part of the California Linked Learning District Initiative, school districts have developed master plans for expanding Linked Learning in their high schools and most are now implementing those plans. By offering at least six to eight pathways, these districts can provide students with more engaging options for learning.
Which Districts Are Participating?
As of March 2010, nine districts have received implementation grants of at least $1 million each over two years:
- Antioch USD
- Long Beach USD
- Los Angeles USD, Local District 4
- Montebello USD
- Oakland USD
- Pasadena USD
- Porterville USD
- Sacramento City USD
- West Contra Costa USD
Two districts have received continued planning and development grants of $250,000 each:
Participating districts have high school enrollments of at least 5,000 students; 30 percent or more of district students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch; and some existing capacity to develop larger systems of Linked Learning pathways.
Why is the Initiative Important?
While hundreds of pathways exist throughout California, districts often have not developed a comprehensive approach to offering Linked Learning, which give students a choice of industry-themed programs of study within a district.
Planning and development grants help districts to:
- Broaden and deepen common understanding of and commitment to pursuing a Linked Learning approach to high school improvement;
- Convene a broad-based community coalition to develop a vision, refine the implementation plan, monitor progress, and demonstrate results;
- Conduct further needs assessments of pathways and necessary system support;
- Build capacity of district and school site leaders to develop quality pathways; and
- Collaborate with and learn from colleagues in other districts doing similar work.
Implementation grants help districts to use their master plans to:
- Modify existing and create new policies, structures, and practices that support implementation of high-quality pathways;
- Implement systems of Linked Learning that offer at least six to eight certified pathways;
- Transform the nature of teaching and learning within pathways;
- Develop leadership capacity among district and pathway leaders to overcome implementation challenges to transform the district's high schools and substantially influence student learning outcomes; and
- Establish evaluation systems to demonstrate the success of Linked Learning.
What Supports Do the Districts Receive?
ConnectEd, which awarded the grants with the support of The James Irvine Foundation, is managing the California Linked Learning District Initiative and is providing the districts with technical assistance that includes the following:
- District coaches who support necessary shifts in policies, structures, and practices that enable development of quality pathways
- Pathway coaches and technical assistance providers who support the ongoing improvement of pathway quality and prepare them to pursue pathway certification
-
An ongoing Leadership Development Series for both district and pathway leadership teams that
- starts with an intensive, week-long summer institute;
- tackles challenging implementation issues through subsequent sessions during the school year; and
- promotes the establishment of a robust professional learning community between and among leaders across districts.
- Additional experiential site visits
- Development of and training in the use of high-quality integrated curriculum
- Online infrastructure that supports the development of integrated curriculum, use of project-based instructional practices, delivery of teacher professional development, posting of student portfolios, and connections with industry professionals
- A Linked Learning pathway certification tool and process to recognize high-quality pathways
- Advocacy through the Linked Learning Alliance
Who are the Coaches Supporting These Districts?
ConnectEd identifies and contracts with highly qualified coaches to support the school districts in the ConnectEd Linked Learning District Initiative. ConnectEd provides to each district:
- A District Coach to work with district leadership teams on changes in organizational policies, structures, practices, and culture that support and sustain a system of pathways.
- A Pathway coach to work with pathway leadership teams to assist them in aligning with the Linked Learning quality criteria.
Read more about the ConnectEd coaches, their experience, and expertise.
Download a one-page Fact Sheet on the Initiative or read about superintendents views on Linked Learning.
