Programs

CAP-Ed provides a broad range of services to both state policy makers and local school and district educators. CAP-Ed helps schools and other education organizations synthesize current research, conduct research, evaluate programs, develop reform and school improvement strategies and implement them.

State Policy Development and Support

The California Department of Education, with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s P-16 Council asked the University of California (UC) to call upon researchers and experts from throughout the UC system and beyond to produce a set of 10 papers providing research information that can help guide policy for closing the achievement gap. The first paper in this series, Narrowing the Multiple Achievement Gaps in California: Ten Goals for the Long Haul was written by Norton Grubb of UC Berkeley as an overview piece. The remaining papers were completed in March 2008. See our publications page to download the papers.

District Level Support

CAP-Ed provides direct support to both school districts and to education leaders. For example, at the district level, CAP-Ed is assisting the Davis Joint Unified School District with improving its program of English learner (EL) education. The work, funded by the district and UC Davis, began as an in-depth study of EL achievement, services, and instruction, continued with assistance in developing a pilot program based on study recommendations, and continues as a rigorous evaluation of the implementation and results of the pilot.

Superintendent Executive Leadership Forum (SELF)

CAP-Ed began its Superintendent Executive Leadership Forum (SELF) in 2009 to help district and county superintendents meet over time to work together and to engage with prominent educators, thinkers, scholars and researchers on how they can support and enhance effective leadership and instruction at school sites. The first cohort met over a series of sessions in 2009 and are continuing to meet. With funding from the Stuart Foundation, CAP-Ed has launched a new series of sessions with a second cohort.