Continuous improvement is the ongoing process of analyzing performance, identifying opportunities, and making incremental changes. The goal is to constantly drive efficiency and improve quality through ongoing feedback, collaboration, and data review. Education agencies in California plan and implement their continuous improvement efforts through the System of Support (dedicated to providing resources and tools to schools) and Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAP) for school funding.
Free Training Opportunities for Education Leaders
To help leaders from schools and districts develop and monitor their strategic plans, the Planning and Improvement Department at the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) is offering a series of four courses during the 2023–24 school year:
10/11/23: Building an Effective Needs Assessment—Needs assessments are a key part of developing a plan for School Plans for Student Achievement (SPSAs), LCAPs, or Community Schools grants. Learn the best ways to utilize quantitative and qualitative data to understand trends and patterns that should be addressed. Gain tools and resources to help ensure an effective planning process.
- Register for In-Person Session (10/11/23, 9–11 a.m.)
- Register for Online/Zoom Session (10/11/23, 1–3 p.m.)
- Printable Training Flyer
10/16/23: Improvement Science 101—Learn the basics of Improvement Science as a framework for continuous improvement. This training will walk you through the process of solving problems collaboratively—from understanding the problem, to developing ideas for change, and monitoring progress along the way.
11/29/23: Monitoring Effectiveness in the LCAP—Learn a variety of ways to monitor and evaluate actions for effectiveness. Learn the difference between short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes, as well as process measures. Build structures and processes into your daily schedule to monitor actions through short learning cycles, including embedded feedback loops.
- Register for In-Person Session (11/29/23, 9–11 a.m.)
- Register for Online/Zoom Session (11/29/23, 1–3 p.m.)
- Printable Training Flyer
1/11/24: Diving Deep on Empathy Interviews—Empathy interviews are an effective way to strategically gather input from students, families, teachers and administrators. Learn key information that will help guide your planning and implementation for empathy gathering.