News

As described in an earlier post, the Center has launched two peer-to-peer collaborative opportunities for state educational agencies (SEAs). The collaboratives serve 10 states that are working together to address their most urgent and important needs related to alignment and coherence of SEL and other whole person strategies and initiatives.

Following an in-person kick-off convening in February, the state teams have been working with Center technical assistance (TA) staff to address their state-specific problems of practice. This August 25-26, teams from all 10 states were invited to reconvene — this time, virtually — to collaborate and learn together.

The virtual convening will focus on two big topics.  First, participants will explore the opportunity to pilot a new alignment and coherence protocol for SEAs developed by WestEd. Center staff will provide the states with technical assistance as they adapt and adopt the protocol.  We will also gather and incorporate their feedback, to create a new “road-tested” version that WestEd will make available to all states.

Additionally, states will work deeply on strategic communications; that is, how to most effectively communicate the coherence and alignment of SEL and other whole person initiatives both within state agencies and, in particular, to the field. The strategic communications sessions at the convening will be led by Be Clear, a communications and strategy firm with expertise in government and nonprofit work.

Finally, participating state teams will have the opportunity to share the focus of their work thus far and connect with colleagues in other states.