Full Service Community Schools in the Oakland Unified School District, 2018-2019

One of three briefs prepared by Kendra Fehrer, Nicole Tognozzi, and Jorge Ruiz de Velasco.

Since 2014, we have partnered with Oakland Unified School District to support their efforts to assess, enhance, and scale their community schools work. In these three briefs, we present findings from the third and final year of the present study. These findings will guide district leaders in their efforts to become the nation's first full-service community school district. Read the Research Briefs

Fresh Faces at the Gardner Center A Q&A with New Research Staff

We are pleased to introduce three new members of the Gardner Center team, and re-introduce Kristin Geiser, a research associate who we are thrilled to welcome back. They each answered a few questions so that you can get to know them better.

Read the Q&A

Access to Black Male Achievement Program Lowered Student Dropout Rates

New research led by our faculty director, Thomas S. Dee, provides the first evidence of effectiveness for an initiative for Black male students in Oakland Unified. Taught by Black male instructors, the Manhood Development course emphasizes social-emotional learning, African and African American history, and academic mentoring. It draws on culturally relevant teaching methods to counter stereotypes and create a stronger sense of belonging in school. Read an Article Read the Working Paper

Welcoming Francis Alvin Pearman to our Faculty Advisory Committee

We are thrilled to welcome Francis A. Pearman as the newest member of our Faculty Advisory Committee. Dr. Pearman an Assistant Professor of Education in the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University. His research and policy interests concern social inequality, racial stratification, and educational disparities in the contemporary U.S. city. His current research examines connections to and consequences of gentrification with respect to modern schooling, including the impacts of school choice on urban redevelopment efforts and the effects of gentrification on school discipline and achievement patterns.

Family Engagement in Sanger Unified School District

Recently, Sanger Unified School District (SUSD) joined forces with the Sanger Family Resource Center, a program of Comprehensive Youth Services of Fresno, Inc. Their shared work is to create a new Family Engagement Multi-Tiered System of Support. In 2018, SUSD engaged the Gardner Center as a research partner to inform these efforts. This issue brief reports research findings from a qualitative study conducted during fall 2018, detailing the current family engagement landscape in Sanger schools and discussing considerations for practice.

Read the Issue Brief

Continuous Learning and Improvement: A Partner's Perspective

Pati Ortiz, Director of Redwood City School District's Community Schools, describes how the Gardner Center partners with the district to improve practice by collaborating, coordinating, and being data driven.

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