Fixing the Pipeline Failures discusses addressing leaks in the K-12 to college and career pipeline that negatively impact students and communities. It describes how the Local Control Funding Formula and Local Control and Accountability Plans are helping districts focus funds on high-needs student groups. The San Diego County Achievement Gap Task Force, made up of district superintendents and community leaders, is working to close achievement gaps through data analysis, sharing best practices, and developing teacher leadership. The county is analyzing student transcripts to identify barriers to access for University of California/California State University courses and uncover unintended practices that contribute to opportunity gaps. By engaging in intentional, methodical actions addressing individual students, schools at all levels can work together to

1. Fixing the Pipeline Failures
It is undisputed that too many students are falling through the cracks due to a lack
of equitable opportunities in our schools. There are leaks in our K-12 to college and
career pipeline that cause negative repercussions not only now, but in the future,
and not only to the students who are currently enrolled. These leaks in the pipeline
impact our entire community, now and for decades to come.
We are at a pivotal moment in education. With the Local Control Funding Formula
driving the distribution of school dollars and a model that allows for flexibility in
district decision-making through Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs),
districts are able to address the immediate needs of students with funds focused on
our most troubled student populations, such as foster youth and English language
learners.
At the same time, California’s new standards are shifting the way instruction is
delivered and revealing additional opportunities to address student engagement
through rigorous learning. Relationships, school connectedness, parent
involvement, and leadership are front-and-center in LCAPs. Higher education is
listening to the voices of students and understanding that they, too, need to shift
their approach.
How do we now move from talking about achievement and opportunity gaps to
accelerating their closure? For the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE), a
key part of the equation is the San Diego County Achievement Gap Task Force, made
up of the county’s 42 school district superintendents and college, business, and
community leaders.
The Achievement Gap Task Force’s bi-annual forums are drawing educators and
community leaders from other counties, local universities, and industry—as well as
local superintendents, principals, board members, and teacher leaders. There are
pockets of excellence in our county school districts and one of the highlights of the
forums is giving a platform to those districts and schools that are having proven
success, so that they can share what they’re doing with peers from across the
county. SDCOE staff and Task Force members are constantly combing for best
practices to provide concrete next steps for our schools.
Registration at our March forum is approaching 600, and now includes teachers,
counselors, social workers, intervention specialists, and college students. These
attendees represent another pipeline—the pipeline of educators who are going to
take our efforts to the next level.
Another key step to close the achievement gap is to do a deep analysis of the data
we have at-hand. The state’s accountability system is in flux, but our efforts to
establish meaningful benchmarks are not.

2. SDCOE’s Equity and Access Team has been hard at work analyzing student
transcripts through state-of-the-art software designed to break down coursework
data and reveal the gaps in access to University of California/California State
University-approved classes. With the team’s help, schools and districts can drill
down to the individual student level, easily identifying barriers and intervening so
that every student graduates college- or career-ready.
The team is also analyzing student transcripts from several county districts (with
more on the waiting list) and uncovering different, unintended practices that
contribute to opportunity gaps for students. The team is working with district
leaders, counselors, and teachers to develop systems, build common understanding,
and support teaching and counseling practices that is opening doors for students
and repairing a pipeline leak.
In the end, closing achievement and opportunity gaps is about schools at all levels
engaging in intentional, methodical, and purposeful actions that address individual
students. School districts can’t do this work alone, and luckily they don’t have to. As
a county, we have committed staff, strong leadership, and communities of partners.
Together, our education leaders are willing to stand up, put egos aside, and work
with one another to truly make a difference for all children and become a model for
other educators and communities.