Ed Partners Perspectives

January 6, 2026

Let Me Count The Ways: The Importance of Early Math

Third-grade proficiency starts in preschool. Districts often don’t realize how far behind some of their students are in math until third grade, when standardized tests kick in. The solution is not to put the best teachers in third grade to get children caught up. The solution is to begin early to make sure they don’t […]

October 30, 2025

Collaboration, Curiosity, and Student Thinking Take Center Stage in Ukiah

The Ukiah PK-3 Coherence Collaboration (P3CC) is leading an exciting shift in how math is taught and experienced across their schools. Their goal is to make math a subject students celebrate and enjoy, where every learner feels confident sharing their reasoning and engaging in meaningful mathematical conversations. This transformation began with teachers’ willingness to try […]

October 30, 2025

Building Systems for Coherence and Rigor: The On Track Program Journey

One of the big gaps that we see over and over again is that students are not consistently exposed to grade-level appropriate material nor are they expected to perform at grade level. This not only compounds their chances of failure throughout high school, it also dramatically reduces their opportunities after they leave.  Students who do […]

October 1, 2025

From Common Sense to Common Practice

I’ve been working with and in public school districts for a long time, 55 years to be exact, and I get to speak with dozens of superintendents every month. When I can support a district leader in staying focused on student learning, it is the best part of my day. I often find myself saying […]

October 1, 2025

Modesto City Schools on a Mission

Casey Peterson recognized a concerning trend when he began working in Modesto as an intervention specialist with struggling students.  When ninth graders struggled at the beginning of their high school career, their challenges continued and compounded in subsequent years. Now,  as a participant in Modesto’s California Education Partners On Track Improvement Team, Peterson has time […]

August 29, 2025

Lamont Leverages Improvement Teams to Learn and Scale

The Lamont Improvement Team is celebrating two years of powerful collaboration, learning, and growth that is shaping the future of math teaching and learning across their district. Their district’s Framework for the Future and their participation in Ed Partner’s PreK-3 Coherence Collaborative (P3CC)  are guiding their strategy. From the very beginning, the team committed to […]

August 29, 2025

The Wisdom of District Improvement Teams

At California Education Partners,  we’ve found that lasting improvement happens when solutions are designed collaboratively—bringing together the perspectives and experiences of educators, administrators, and district leaders. That’s why we structure our collaborations around cross-organizational district teams. By bringing together teachers, coaches, school site leaders, and district leaders, we ensure that multiple levels of the system […]

August 5, 2025

Great Ideas Need Great Systems

Let’s begin by acknowledging a simple truth: working at and running a school district in California today is one of the most challenging jobs, period. People say to me all the time, “If a school district would just do this or just do that, everything would come out great.” It’s not simple; many elements need […]

May 28, 2025

El Dorado County Districts Increase Performance Tasks

In 2023, Ed Partners and the El Dorado County Office of Education began a partnership to support districts through an 8-9 On Track Collaboration with a focus on increasing the number of students who are prepared and able to seek college as an option after high school.  Part of this work is providing students a […]

May 5, 2025

Meet Program Manager Ashley Cheung Dooley

Q: What is something you do a lot in your job? A key aspect of my role involves developing colleagues, cultivating strong relationships, and managing collaborative efforts to expand opportunities. I frequently pose reflective questions to gain a deeper understanding of individuals’ practices and organizational systems before offering recommendations or direction. This approach ensures that my […]