Reflection Drives Impact for School Leaders

As charter schools expand, support often falls out of sync, focusing on either schools or authorizers, but rarely both. In New Hampshire, state leaders worked with WestEd to strengthen both sides and better align support across the system.

How does a district build trust between school and central office staff? Dr. Kathy Hinz, Superintendent of Crystal Lake Elementary District 47, and Lauryn Fullerton, Professional Learning Designer and Coach at WestEd, reflect on the structured activities that enriched leaders’ understanding of one another.

A recent analysis reveals that nearly half of California’s new administrative credentials are now earned through alternative routes rather than through traditional university-based preparation programs. This brief, written by Heather Mattson, Reino Makkonen, Rebecca Cheung, and Michelle Young, explores what this shift means for leadership preparation quality and support.

In this brief, WestEd’s Natalie Walrond shares practical strategies for strengthening coordination within your agency; between state and local levels; and across sectors like education, health, and social services and offers real-world examples of what alignment looks like in action.

WestEd’s virtual federal finance training provides participants with step-by-step guidance on complex federal finance topics, including allowable costs and federal requirements. Attendees will leave ready to make informed decisions about budgeting and compliance for programs such as ESSA and IDEA.

Join your peers at the Western Educational Equity Assistance Center's Thriving Schools Attendance Lab. This no-cost coaching series is designed for LEA teams ready to dig into data, uncover root causes, and build practical, lasting attendance solutions that strengthen student engagement and school climate.