Impact Stories
How do we know we’re making an impact? The CCNetwork’s Impact Stories illustrate the results of our work by celebrating ingenuity and collaboration and highlighting moments that sparked change in education. Written by National Comprehensive Center and Regional Comprehensive Center staff, these stories detail key strategies, important lessons, and promising solutions emerging from the CCNetwork's work with SEAs and LEAs across the country. We also share success stories of CCSSO members here as well to elevate additional examples of ways states and jurisdictions are making an impact in education. Filter by topic, Center, or state/jurisdiction to gain new ideas and to cheer for the great work happening in your area.
Featured Impact Stories
National Center Forms Communities of Practice to Tackle Education’s Biggest Post-Pandemic Challenges
The National Comprehensive Center brought together state education agency teams to function as Communities of Practice to focus on critical educational issues related to equity, out-of-school time programming, and use of American Rescue Plan funds.
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Flexibility with Relief Funds Allows Washington Districts to Succeed
Thanks to financial flexibility, districts have been able to address unique needs like food insecurity and Wi-Fi hotspots, which has led to higher attendance rates and learning recovery.
Recovery Money Allows North Dakota to Train, Tutor, and Advance
North Dakota is using the recovery money to train school board members, hire math specialists, and offer more advanced placement classes to high school students.
North Carolina Leads the Nation in K–3 Literacy
The end of the year reading diagnostic data revealed North Carolina K–3 students were outpacing the rest of the nation thanks to efforts made with COVID relief funds.
Communication and Data Use Transform School Culture in Palau
Districts and schools in Palau are seeing positive changes in teaching and learning from implementing the "Circles of Success" model, created in partnership with the Palau Ministry of Education and the Region 18 Comprehensive Center. The model focuses on student-centered instruction, data-driven teaching and decisionmaking, and improving organizational structures and practices.
Guam’s Social-Emotional Learning Program for PreK Students Inspires a Ripple Effect
The Region 18 Comprehensive Center (R18CC) partnered with the Guam Department of Education to institute a pre-kindergarten program focused on social-emotional learning. So far, the technical assistance being provided by R18CC has benefited students, teachers, the community, and curriculum.
West Virginia Boosts Teacher Numbers with Fast Track to Teaching
Like many states across the nation, West Virginia had to identify ways to increase their teacher pipeline to meet both short and long-term staffing needs. A collaboration between the Region 5 Comprehensive Center, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, and the West Virginia Department of Education has resulted in the implementation of the “Educator Preparation Taskforce.” One successful first step of that work has been the addition of teacher candidates from their high schools through their “Grow Your Own Pathway” program.
Consistent Coaching Benefits Alabama’s Teachers and Students
The ability for teachers to receive support from a well-trained coach is not something the Alabama State Department of Education (ASDE) wanted to leave to chance. Through support from the Region 7 Comprehensive Center, ASDE created a consistent coaching framework that included a common vision and language for coaching called the “Alabama Coaching Framework.”
Kentucky Community Joins Forces to Become Virtual Problem Solvers
Districts and schools must constantly address complex challenges that require answering tough questions like, "What is the root cause of the problem?" and "How do we begin to tackle it?" The Kentucky Department of Education, through the support of the Region 5 Comprehensive Center, has adopted a collaborative and systemic continuous improvement approach that leverages the expertise of educators and experts, called the "Networked Improvement Community.”
Redesigning the Educator Workforce in Montana
Across Montana, students are experiencing a shortage of highly qualified, effective teachers. To address this complex issue, Montana’s Office of Public Instruction (OPI) partnered with the Region 17 Comprehensive Center to explore a teacher residency project that would redesign how people are prepared to join the educator workforce. The program is designed to help prospective teachers earn their degrees, develop instructional skills, and create lasting connections in communities across the state.
Michigan Paves High School Path to Careers in Education
Faced with a shortage of educators and youth workers, Michigan has created a Grow Your Own initiative in which high school students complete credentials that lead to higher education or immediate employment. The Region 8 Comprehensive Center played a critical role in convening partners and planning the initiative in 2020 during the pandemic. Through the initiative, the Michigan Department of Education increased its capacity to support districts implementing the initiative, enhanced the pathway, and built stakeholder capability.
New Foundation for Multilingualism Gives a “Voice” to Every Student in Hawaii
The World Languages Program in Hawaii is helping districts and schools improve language learning, promote biliteracy, and improve outcomes for all students. With the support of Region 19 Comprehensive Center, the World Languages Program has supported the implementation of the Hawaii Department of Education’s revised multilingualism policy by aligning its new language standards to national ones, developing a resource guide and professional development plan, hosting a summit to introduce statewide educators to the new multilingualism framework, and building a coalition with other state programs to generate support for the initiative.
Idaho Ensures Literacy Leaders Are on the Same Page
To improve K–3 literacy, the Idaho State Department of Education worked with the Region 17 Comprehensive Center to develop The Idaho Reading Coach Academy. The Reading Coach Academy is designed to advance teacher knowledge and implementation of the science for teaching reading through consistently trained coaches.
Evaluation System for RMI Educators Leads to School Improvement
The Republic of Marshall Islands Public School System’s (RMI) Educator Effectiveness System includes improved processes for licensing procedures, standards, and evaluation processes designed to grow and support effective educators. The new system, created through support by the Region 19 Comprehensive Center and the RMI, has been touted by RMI leaders and educators as an adaptable evaluation system focused on results and evaluation tools better suited to the daily work of teachers and schools leaders.
Grant Offers Flexibility for Maine Districts, Sparking Innovation
Districts in Maine had the opportunity to creatively meet their ongoing educational challenges through the Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures grant but needed help to do it strategically. With the support of the Region 1 Comprehensive Center, the Maine Department of Education has established the necessary infrastructure to implement the grant, developed resources to support districts in successfully applying for grant funds, and designed and facilitated professional development support for innovation coaches charged with supporting district implementation.
Communication Builds Connection, Collaboration, and Capacity for the Rhode Island Department of Education
By establishing and enhancing systems and structures of communication, and creating norms for sharing project work across offices, the Rhode Island Department of Education, with support from the Region 2 Comprehensive Center, is priming project teams to successfully implement critical agencywide initiatives that will serve students and their families far into the future.
