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Early childhood learning quality depends on educators being fully prepared to meet the needs of diverse young learners—something that can be supported by high-quality coaching. Examples from state and county systems show ways that comprehensive coaching systems can be implemented at scale, types of coaching approaches, and supports offered.
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Many states are considering community schools as a way to address student mental health and chronic absenteeism and support learning recovery. Aided by the federal Full-Service Community Schools grant program, states can support systemic approaches to expand community schools by leveraging a range of federal, state, local, and private funds.
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Effective educational leaders are important for student and teacher success, yet leaders’ access to professional learning varies across states and communities. States can use federal, state, and local funding sources to build infrastructure to support long-term leadership development and meet the professional learning needs of their educational leaders.
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In 2019, state legislators re-invested in the discontinued 21st Century California School Leadership Academy (21CSLA) to provide free, high-quality professional learning to PreK–12 educational leaders. Evidence suggests 21CSLA has positively influenced participants' knowledge, skills, and practices, particularly in areas related to evidence-based practices, continuous improvement, and equity.
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Teaching performance assessments (TPAs) are used by many states to assess candidates’ classroom readiness—a critical mission for preparation programs and the state agencies that approve programs and set licensure standards. Understanding the relationship between preparation experiences and TPA success can inform programmatic and policy decisions.
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Using federal, state, and local funding sources, Buena Vista Horace Mann K–8 Community School’s approach supports students’ physical and emotional well-being in myriad ways, including offering the school as an overnight shelter for families experiencing homelessness.
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Los Angeles Times by Jenny Gold | This article featuring insight from Hanna Melnick explores California's expansion of transitional kindergarten, what this expansion means for the state's 4-year-olds, and the difference between transitional kindergarten and preschool.
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Thoughtful improvements and support of teaching performance assessments has the potential to strengthen preparation statewide and increase the readiness of the state’s teaching candidates as they enter the classroom.
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While most school leaders manage countless priorities, William Smith High School explores what can happen when the focus is deliberately refined to the essentials, such as building community, exploring project-based learning, and integrating professional learning into the school’s culture.
