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Background

The California Statewide System of Support (SSOS) was established to build local capacity to ensure that districts are equipped to develop, implement, and evaluate strategies to ensure that each student has the resources needed to succeed. The SSOS includes the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE), the California Department of Education, county offices of education, as well as many other entities that serve as “Leads” in particular areas. The Community Engagement Initiative was added to the Statewide System of Support through an important investment made through the Budget Act of 2018. The Community Engagement Initiative was established for the purpose of:

Building capacity in communities and school districts to have difficult conversations with each other and build trust, with a focus on improving outcomes for pupils.
Identifying effective models of community engagement and metrics to evaluate those models.
Developing effective peer-to-peer partnerships between school districts and county offices of education to deepen community engagement.
Improve community engagement statewide and incorporate practices that prove effective toward school district and county office of education continuous improvement efforts.

Theory of Action

Achieving success for the Community Engagement Initiative begins with state agencies and the lead agencies collaborating to engage district participants in a Peer Leading and Learning Network (PLLN) informed by research and policy that is responsive to the racial, cultural, linguistic and experiential assets of the communities.

By facilitating a learning network, building peer-to-peer relationships and deepening an understanding of engagement desired by diverse communities, districts across the state will increase their ability and capacity to implement effective, equitable and culturally responsive community engagement practices. This enhanced community engagement will strengthen the capacity of families, community members, school and district staff to create authentic partnerships and initiating difficult conversations necessary to support student success.

What is the Community Engagement Initiative?

What Are we accomplishing?

A statewide Community Engagement Initiative that:

builds capacity:

Comprises a network of family members, students, school and district leaders, teachers and community partners learning and leading together

is responsive to and values the racial, cultural, linguistic, and experiential assets of the community

…of county offices of education and school districts across the state, to implement equitable and culturally responsive community engagement

…of families, community members, schools, and district staff, to create authentic school-community partnerships that influence student success.

MISSION & VISION

The mission and vision of the statewide Community Engagement Initiative (CEI) is designed to:

Build capacity in communities and school districts to facilitate difficult conversations that focus on improving outcomes for students;
Identify effective models of community engagement and metrics to evaluate those models;
Develop effective peer-to-peer partnerships between school districts and county offices of education (COEs) to deepen community engagement;
Expand successful community engagement practices statewide.
Serve as a facilitator, resource connector, capacity builder, and relationship builder concerning school districts’ efforts to develop community engagement.

Statute

The Legislature created the Community Engagement Initiative in 2018, pursuant to Section 140 of Assembly Bill 1808, to take the lead with respect to community engagement.

Assembly Bill 1808 appropriated $13,274,000 through June of 2024 to establish the Initiative and convene professional learning networks for purposes of improving local pupil outcomes and community engagement. The Initiative, now known as CEI 1.0 is co-administered by the CCEE, the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, the California Association for Bilingual Education, and Families in Schools.

In May 2022 the Governor’s budget included language and funding to expand the work, deliverables, and scope of the Community Engagement Initiative, as well extending it’s operational timeline until the end of the 26-27 school year. This expansion of the initiative, now known as CEI 2.0, is co-administered by the CCEE, the San Diego County Office of Education, the University of San Diego, and Eskolta School Research & Design.

Local Education Agency (LEA) Partners

CEI convenes groups of partner schools and school districts/charter schools/county offices of education to build statewide capacity in community engagement.

Part of a Larger Picture

Participants in the Community Engagement Initiative will play an important role not only helping those within their individual communities, but also in school districts across California.

Additionally, district partners will enjoy the opportunity to learn effective practices already seeing success improving outcomes for English learners, low-income students, foster youth, and students from other underserved groups. This includes opportunities to engage in an open dialogue on issues related to improving local pupil outcomes.