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Teachers of Color are
under-represented.
One of the primary obstacles to engagement and educational improvement for students of color is the lack of teachers and school leaders from diverse backgrounds. Research, from Harvard to the American Economic Association, repeatedly shows that having a same-race teacher improves student outcomes significantly and reduces disparities between students of color and white students in both the short- and long-term.
CCE first worked with Boston Public Schools to co-create the Boston Principal Residency and since 2010 we have worked with Los Angeles Unified Schools (LAUSD) to build the LA Unified Teacher Residency and the LA Principal Program.
All CCE pathways focus on the high-need areas of Special Education; Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), and Early Childhood Education. Central to our programming is our Collective Ownership Model that helps to develop strong partnerships between K-12 schools, communities, community colleges and four year institutions.
The educator pathways are done in conjunction with both the US Department of Labor and California Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) under California’s Department of Industrial Relations (DIR).
The Reciprocity Project will empower communities to reimagine schools as institutions designed to increase community health, wholeness, and prosperity. This transforms schools from instruments of the status quo into agents of opportunity with community-developed outcomes where student academic performance improves in a culturally respectful and responsive manner.
As CCE develops this project, our progress and updates can be found on this website and on CCE’s blog.
The Quality Performance Assessment (QPA) model provides educators with multiple entry points for creating student-centered learning and assessment systems. Alignment between district, school, educator, and student goals results in:
Designing a rigorous, high quality performance assessment is just the start; the power of performance assessment is maximized when placed within a balanced system that features multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning and exercise their own voice and choice.
Quality analysis of student learning as demonstrated through performance assessments is essential to fair and aligned scoring and reporting systems. Effective communication about student learning supports educators in creating learning experiences that are tailored to the needs of each student.
With the support of leadership, a culture of collaboration enables
educators to engage in professional learning groups with common
planning time focused on performance assessment design. These
opportunities support the creation of school-wide performance
assessment systems with interdisciplinary connections.
Performance assessments create the opportunity for relevant learning experiences and deeper understanding. In order to take advantage of these opportunities, a new vision of instruction, based in clear competencies, personalization, and student-centered practices is necessary.
CCE provides technical support and coaching to schools and districts that are committed to moving beyond a one-size-fits-all model of schooling.
CCE’s coaching engages teachers in designing assessments and student learning. Through equity driven scorecards, we provide tools for schools and communities to identify their strengths and challenges to build better solutions.
In addition to assessments and coaching, CCE provides a wide variety of documentation and facilitation services, providing schools and communities with supports to build sustainable capacity and ownership for this work.
Download a PDF of the Quality Performance Assessment (QPA) model.
Request and download a free copy of the Quality Performance Assessment Guide.
In 1994, Boston was the nation’s first school district to create Autonomous Schools. The belief was that if the schools closest to students made decisions all, involved would have the best chance to become high performing. From its inception, CCE has been committed to these schools – Boston’s Pilot Schools (created in 1997), Innovation Schools and the Horace Mann Charter School.
Autonomous Schools enhance student learning through innovation based on six distinct autonomies:
In 2019, CCE’s 25-year report drew on interviews with 20 educational leaders and focus groups of teachers from 11 of Boston’s Autonomous Schools. The report showed success in many key areas including being highly sought after by families and performing better than traditional schools in key metrics like advanced course taking, grade 10 MCAS performance, high school graduation and college enrollment. Autonomous Schools also have fewer disparities based on race/ethnicity and student income background.
Autonomous Schools have enjoyed substantial growth: by the time of CCE’s report, Boston had 33 such schools educating roughly 14,000 students (26% of the district’s total enrollment). CCE also helped the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and United Teachers Los Angeles enter into a landmark agreement to create Pilot High Schools in LAUSD, of which there are now more than 50. In addition, certain budget and staffing autonomies first incubated in Autonomous Schools have been adopted by the broader Boston school district.
Autonomous Schools have not come without challenges, including some lack of district support, state testing requirements and the limitations imposed by student busing schedules. As a result, CCE has initiated Autonomies 2.0 to sustain the schools’ successes while addressing remaining challenges. These innovations will continue to update and replace outdated as communities reimagine education.
Launched in 2017, Massachusetts’ Innovation Pathways are designed to connect student learning to broadly-defined industry sectors that are in demand in the regional and state economy. With the help of Connecting Activities, a critical strategy to support high quality pathways, students are exposed to career development education throughout high school. Participation in this kind of pathway will help students gain awareness of future employment opportunities, fully prepare them academically, and help support informed decision-making related to post-secondary pathways in the industry of their interest.
As CCE continues its mission we’ve partnered with the Massachusetts Department of Education (DESE) and with schools throughout the Commonwealth to provide resources that support the Innovation Pathways.
Learn more about Massachusetts Innovation Career Pathways Community of Practice (MAICP).
Access and download the Innovation Pathways:
Evaluation of Technical Assistance 2019-2022 report.
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