Putting Communities, Students, and Families at the Center of Decision-Making

CEI reimagines how education systems listen to, learn from, and act with the communities they serve.

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Our Purpose

Why CEI Exists

For too long, educational decisions have been made without meaningful community input. CEI exists to fundamentally change that dynamic.

We believe that the people closest to the impacts of decisions made—students, families, and community members—hold essential knowledge that must shape education policy and practice.

The Problem

Traditional engagement is often performative—checking boxes rather than building trust and shared power.

Our Solution

CEI creates structures and practices that embed community voice throughout the decision-making process.

Our Approach

How CEI Changes Decision Making

CEI creates tangible shifts in how decisions are made, who makes them, and what priorities drive them.

1

Centering Community, Family, and Student Voice

Decisions start with community input, not end with it. Leaders actively seek and incorporate diverse perspectives before finalizing plans.

2

Building Trust & Relationships

Long-term relationships replace transactional interactions. Trust is earned through consistent follow-through and transparency.

3

Sharing Power

Community members gain real influence over policy priorities and program design—not just advisory roles.

 
4

Creating Accountability

Systems establish clear mechanisms for reporting back to communities about how their input shaped decisions and outcomes

5

Addressing Inequity

CEI prioritizes voices historically excluded from decision-making, actively working to dismantle systemic barriers.

 

6

Measuring Impact

Success is measured not just by outputs but by changed relationships, shifted power dynamics, and improved outcomes for students.

Defining CEI

What CEI Is (and Is Not)

Understanding CEI requires clarity about what makes it different from traditional engagement approaches.

CEI IS

  • A systematic approach to integrating community wisdom into decision-making
  • Focused on sharing power and building authentic relationships
  • Committed to sustained engagement, not one-time events
  • Designed to shift systems and culture, not just individual practices
  • Accountable to the communities most impacted by educational decisions

CEI IS NOT

  • A compliance exercise or checkbox requirement
  • A communications strategy or public relations campaign
  • Limited to occasional surveys or town halls
  • A one-size-fits-all program with rigid requirements
  • About maintaining existing power structures

CEI For You

How CEI Supports you and your role

CEI offers tailored support and resources for different  interest holders in the education ecosystem.

For Students

CEI is here to make sure your voice is hear and that your ideas help improve schools in California. When you participate, you help make schools better for everyone.

Your Voice Creates Change

Your ideas don’t just stay in the room. CEI helps turn student feedback into real change across California schools.

The Student Experience

  • Build and strengthen your leadership skills
  • Speak up for yourself and your fellow students
  • Meet and work with students from all across California
  • Learn how decisions about schools are made — and how you can influence them

Speaking Truth to Power

You have the right to understand how decisions are made, to have your input genuinely considered, and to receive feedback about how your voice influenced outcomes.

For Families & Caregivers

CEI exists to make sure your voice is heard. Your experiences matter and can help improve decisions about your child’s education. When families and schools work together, students do better.

Your Voice Matters

You know your child best. You see what is working and what needs to change. CEI creates safe spaces where families can shar ideas, ask questions, and help guide school decisions.

The Family/Caregiver Experience

  • Build skills to support and speak up for your child

  • Connect with other families across California

  • Learn how education systems and decisions work

  • Partner with educators and leaders to strengthen schools

Partnership in Action

Strong schools are built on trust between families and educators. When we work together with shared goals, students do better. CEI helps families and school build that trust and take action that makes a difference.

For Community Partners

CEI helps you hold your local schools and school districts accountable. The goals of community partners and schools and school districts are often align and represent opportunities for robust partnerships that support students. 

Partnerships Matter

Libraries, small businesses, youth organizations, and local groups play a vital role in supporting students beyond the classroom. Your programs, mentorship, and resources help create safe, enriching environments where young people can learn and grow. CEI values the role you play in strengthening the broader ecosystem around schools.

CEI For Community Partners

  • Join school, district, student, and family leaders as equal partners

  • Work together to solve challenges facing students and families

  • Take part in shared learning and decision-making spaces

  • Align your organization’s work with local education goals

  • Turn community insight into action that supports student success

Stronger Communities, Stronger Schools

When schools and local partners work together, students benefit from a more connected and supportive network. CEI helps foster partnerships that align community strengths with educational goals to create lasting impact for students and families.

For LEA & COE Leaders

Local education agencies and county offices of education are where engagement becomes real. CEI provides practical tools and frameworks for local leaders.

Community Engagement From the Bottom Up

CEI helps you build strong community engagement systems in partnership with those you serve. Through a continuous improvement approach, CEI supports decision-making that leads to sustainable, long-term success.

Built for Success

CEI is intended to strengthen your LEA’s Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and process. We accomplish this by giving you:

  • Actionable protocols and strategies to help accomplish your local goals
  • Mentorship by teams who have been through this work before
  • Dedicated time and space to accomplish this work hand-in-hand with your students, families, and community partners

For System Partners

Technical assistance providers, research organizations, and advocacy groups play a vital role in supporting CEI. Here’s how partners can contribute.

Technical Assistance

Support districts in designing and implementing effective community engagement strategies aligned with CEI principles.

Research & Evaluation

Document what works, share learning across contexts, and help build the evidence base for community engagement.

Advocacy & Policy

Champion policies and funding that support authentic community engagement at local, state, and federal levels.

For State Leaders

State education agencies play a critical role in setting policy direction and allocating resources. CEI helps state leaders build systems that authentically engage communities.

Policy Integration

Embed community engagement requirements into state plans, accountability systems, and funding formulas.

Capacity Building

Access training, technical assistance, and peer learning networks to support local implementation.

Measurement & Learning

Use data and evidence to track progress and continuously improve engagement practices statewide.

Get Involved

How to get involved

Join us in transforming how education systems engage with the communities they serve.

Join Peer Leading & Learning Network

LEAs can apply to join CEI’s two-year Peer Leading & Learning Networks (PLLNs) to get the full deep experience of the initiative. LEAs form teams who convene virtually and in-person with other LEAs from across the state to learn from and with each other.

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Join a Community of Practice

CEI offers specialized learning pathways in form of Communities of Practice (CoP). CoPs cover a variety of content for those interested in deeper dives into community engagement on topics such as data, or as it relates to a particular role. 

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Follow CEI on Social Media

Follow CEI on Instagram for the latest updates and  a behind the scenes look at the initiative.

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CEI Lead Agencies

The Community Engagement Initiative
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