A Step-by-Step Approach

Modesto City Schools Superintendent Sara Noguchi says “To ask a group of teachers, principals, central office staff, to do something new, that was a hard sell, but I just said, trust me. Trust me in this. And, if it’s really too much and it’s not hitting the mark at the end of the year, then we can walk away. Now we’re opening up our third cohort. So they’ve seen the benefit. Teachers see the benefit, principals see the benefit, and central sees the benefit.”

Since joining the On Track Collaborative three years ago, Modesto City Schools has engaged in a step-by-step approach to expand opportunities for 8th and 9th grade students to graduate with multiple post-secondary opportunities. Modesto’s improvement team has developed common practices and aligned curriculum as well as pacing and grading –– all in service of improved student outcomes.