What we do

Create hubs of innovation: A guiding principle in our work is to create synergies in order to maximize educators’ ability to respond to students’ needs and interests in creative, rigorous, and differentiated ways. The vast intellectual resources of the university and the numerous professionals that we prepare for the region provide us with unique leverage to provide interdisciplinary, research-based responses to the region’s teaching and learning issues and challenges.

Conduct research to inform program development and instruction in our educator preparation programs: Research associates affiliated with CapEd, including a Pathways Research Fellow, conducts a range of research on effective practice for preparing future educators. This research informs the curriculum and instruction in our programs preparing future teachers, special educators, school counselors, school psychologists, school nurses, and school social workers.

A sampling of our research:

CapEd sponsors research that marshals faculty expertise, provides students with research experiences, and addresses issues of concern to the region’s educational community. Current research efforts are focused on school climate at a local school, school violence and factors shaping violence prevention and mitigation, and interventions that effectively support English learners with academic writing in high school.

Enhance in-service educator professional learning: Faculty associated with our educator preparation programs routinely engage with in-service educators to share current research, use this research to collaboratively develop applications to pressing problems of practice, and hone skills and expertise so that students are better served and professionals increase their knowledge base and their connection to their fields.

A sampling of our professional learning offerings:

An interprofessional faculty team with expertise in educational leadership, school counseling, and inclusive educational practices is working with a large, comprehensive high school to identify key educational equity issues that will be the focus of their 2019-2020 WASC self-study. Working collaboratively with the school’s Equity Leadership Team, we are surveying students, conducting document analysis, and engaging focus groups.

A faculty team with experts in child/adolescent development, school counseling, and special education is implementing a professional learning series on inclusive practices, particularly related to SB 48, for teachers, parents and school board members associated with a specific charter school district.

A faculty team with expertise in mathematics, science, computer science, and Universal Design for Learning is offering a 5 day summer institute to elementary school teachers interested in best practices for NGSS-aligned, inclusive instruction.
School counseling experts delivered professional learning sessions to high school counselors in a local district to increase their capacity to advise for college/career pathways and to mitigate the summer slump.

Contribute to effective and equitable systems: We partner closely with school districts and agencies serving students and families throughout our region. This vantage point allows us to understand the systemic issues facing our educational partners. Using research and inquiry techniques, we support our partners to develop solutions that can transform systems.

Some of our systems work includes:

Using a nationally-validated survey instrument, we are conducting an exit survey for a partner district to assist them with better understanding patterns of teacher attrition and retention.

With tools from the Society for Human Resource Management, we are working with a local district to better align its new teacher on-boarding practices and protocols as a way to improve teacher retention and efficacy.

As part of a long-term partnership, we are working with local district staff to bring standardization and rigor to its support of schools as they develop their annual Single Plan for Student Achievement.

Questions that guide our work

1. How can we use our expertise to maximize the opportunities provided to students in our educational community?
2. What organizational features are needed to support high quality policy and program implementation and build the capacity of all educators?
3. How can we create bridges across pockets of innovation and effectiveness so the broadest array of students is positively impacted?
4. How can we marshal inter-organizational and intra-professional resources to remove barriers to educational opportunities?
5. What are the features of professional growth and learning that enhance retention and effectiveness?

Why partner with Capital Education Institute-CapEd?

1. We are deeply invested in the Sacramento region, professionally and personally. We prepare educators with various specializations to shape the next generation of leaders, professionals, citizens, and parents. Many of them will teach our own children and grandchildren and will be the professionals we interact with as we live our lives in the Sacramento region. High quality educator preparation is not just about doing our jobs – it’s about improving the quality of life for everyone in our region.
2. We have the commitment and capacity to collaborate in sustained ways, ensuring that implementation and on-going quality monitoring are a central part of our work together.
3. We understand the adult, professional learner and are skilled at creating supportive and rigorous learning experiences for this population.
4. As the region’s comprehensive 4-year university, we can access vast intellectual resources and the creativity and innovative perspective of our student population.

Contact

Dr. Pia Wong, CapEd Director