Linked Learning Pioneers Offer Insights for Unlocking the Potential of GSPP

As school communities begin to deploy $700 million in Golden State Pathways Program and Dual Enrollment Expansion investments across California, it’s critical to maintain our shared focus on what matters and what works, made clear over a decade of on-the-ground practice, research, and policy-building.

In early May, dozens of education leaders joined the Linked Learning Alliance and our colleagues at ConnectED in an inspiring, deeply informative conversation with pioneers of the Linked Learning framework at the heart of the GSPP.

In a 90-minute webinar, Cynthia Garcia Brown, director of student pathways at Porterville Unified School District; Rebecca Lacocque, director of Linked Learning at Oakland Unified School District; and Al Love, director of college and career readiness at the San Diego County Office of Education (a GSPP Regional Technical Assistance Center) shared lessons from the benchmark student pathways they lead and guide—and how they’re scaling success with sizeable, yet time-limited GSPP dollars.

Top tips from these powerful leaders include:

• Define graduate profiles to guide planning, decisions and measures of success.
• Ensure quality and integration of the Linked Learning components of rigorous academic, career technical education, work-based learning, and student supports.
• Engage students and partners across postsecondary and industry to ensure relevance and community ownership.
• Track student outcomes data and storiesto guide continual improvements, demonstrate impact, and expand support.
• Break down conventional walls between roles and departments, institutions, and the community to create broad-based coalitions of support and collective progress toward a shared vision.
• Build capacity of staff and partners, especially through coaching and communities of practice.
• Braid funding sources to elevate total support and sustainability.

Learn details from their lived experiences in this recording of the webinar.

The Alliance and partners will continue this conversation at the Linked Learning Conference in Oakland, October 7– 9, which will further delve into the magic that happens when communities work together to give young people the very best. We hope you’ll join us!