In 2014, the California Education Policy Fund (CEPF), with support from the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, awarded EPIC a 2-year contract to work with Orange County and Silicon Valley schools to improve college and career readiness and support the development of Deeper Learning. EPIC’s role involves supporting implementation of a school success model to align Local School Accountability Plans (LCAPs) with building-level practices. Drawing on the Four Keys to College and Career Readiness developed by its founder, Dr. David Conley, EPIC aims to:
- document and analyze LCAPs in relationship to college and career readiness (CCR);
- develop school-level strategic planning processes supporting LCAPs, CCR, and Deeper Learning;
- develop locally designed systems of assessment in support of CCR and Deeper Learning;
- scale processes and practices to other California districts and schools;
- and use results of grant activities to offer a different perspective on accountability, one that encompasses a broader notion of CCR.
As part of this work, EPIC prepared a series of three policy briefs.
Defining a New North Star: Aligning LCAPs to College and Career Readiness
CEPF_NS_Epic-Policy-Brief-style_0714_small.pdf (3132 downloads)In this policy brief, EPIC recommends that college and career readiness serve as the “North Star” in California’s recently reformed accountability system.
From Accountability to Actionability: Making Sense of Multiple Measures in Local Control Accountability Plans
From_Accountability_to_Actionability.pdf (3186 downloads)This policy brief is focused on accountability systems that use multiple measures of different constructs (school climate, student engagement, English proficiency, etc.) to assess and report on school quality.
More Than One C: Educating Students to Be Ready for Careers and College
More_Than_One_C_2016.pdf (2851 downloads)This policy brief discusses the U.S. bias toward college and how to counteract it. We recommend that district leaders use LCAPs to broaden their definitions of success and to prevent students’ aspirations from being left behind. We endorse an integrated pathway within which all students receive options and support for career and college readiness.