Continuous Improvement
According to Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), continuous improvement is a disciplined and ongoing approach to improving student outcomes and sustaining “persistently higher levels of performance." It provides a structure for educators to identify problems, design interventions specific to those problems, learn from trying them out in context, and evaluate their effectiveness before scaling up the intervention.
This approach engages multiple stakeholders (e.g., teachers, administrators, operational staff,
parents, students) in disciplined problem-solving to discover, implement, and spread evidenced-based
changes that work locally to improve student outcomes.
Continuous Improvement in California
Continuous improvement is part of a statewide shift toward a more intentional approach to school district progress and accountability that is focused on long-term, system-wide improvement rather than short-term, unsustainable gains. The focus has shifted away from compliance and toward collaboration with the goal of improving learning so that every student can be successful in school, college, work, and life. The state is monitoring this progress through the California School Dashboard and fostering it through a framework known as the System of Support. In this System of Support, county offices play a key role in assisting and collaborating with districts in their efforts to improve outcomes for students.
Continuous Improvement in Sonoma County
SCOE’s Educational Support Services Department works closely with Business Services and other SCOE departments in order to holistically support school districts in their efforts to improve outcomes for all students. SCOE teams work closely along district and school leadership to help them identify the root causes of problems and make system-wide adjustments designed to create long-term improvement for students.
These services are available to all Sonoma County school districts. An intensive form of support is available to districts identified as being eligible for differentiated assistance under the California School Dashboard.
