Giving Compass' Take:

• A new report called "Lessons from Three California Communities on Strengthening Early Education" tracks the improvements in education that California districts have seen in recent years. Specifically in engaging families, improving teacher practice, collecting and using data, and building cultures that support early learning.

• How can other schools learn from this report and these effective models? 

• Read about more good news for California schools: declining rates of suspension and expulsion with the implementation of restorative justice practices. 

In 2014 I was tasked by New America to keep a close eye on reforms in early care and education that were just beginning to take shape in three communities in California: Oakland, Fresno and San Jose.

Since that time, my team and I have interviewed over 80 people in these communities: teachers, school district administrators, community workers, parents, and advocates, blogging along the way. We work closely with New America policy analysts to better understand what we are observing.

And despite struggles in our state: poverty, insecure housing, anxiety about federal immigration policy, and a less than strong commitment from our governor, what we are finding is a hopeful story.

In Fresno, Oakland and San Jose, with philanthropic support, local leaders are not waiting for Sacramento to take action.

Instead, they are organizing. Networks of school leaders, county administrators, teachers, caregivers, librarians, and social workers are working together to improve access to and quality of early learning programs for young children, building on years of efforts at the local level.

Their work is the subject of our new report: Lessons from Three California Communities on Strengthening Early Education.

The report finds that despite impediments at the state level, these three communities have made important strides in engaging families, improving teacher practice, collecting and using data, and building cultures that support early learning.

Read the full article about California education by Sarah Jackson at New America