The theme for RAPSA Forum 2024 is "Bridging Futures: Fostering Equity Through Innovation and Empowerment"
The annual RAPSA Forum provides a collaborative space for educational leaders, policymakers, and practitioners to learn and share leading-edge efforts to achieve equitable outcomes for At-Promise students and Opportunity Youth.
Join us to learn about innovative leadership practices, effective strategies, and positive interventions used in educational settings that can help At-Promise students succeed!
Join educators and educational advocates from across the country to learn and collaborate on issues related to educational accountability. It is not that schools don't want to be measured, it is that schools want measures to be appropriate and accurate.
LEADING EDUCATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR SCHOOLS AND AT-PROMISE YOUTH
Education Policy and Data
Last year, Public Policy Institute of California Researcher Paul Warren presented his findings on the ground breaking study - "Accountability for California's Alternative Schools.” About 12 percent of all California high school seniors attend an alternative school, but far fewer than half graduate. To improve outcomes and promote the success of at-risk students, the state needs a new approach to measuring alternative school performance. This PPIC report compares California's efforts with those of Colorado, Florida and Texas to provide useful directions for the next phase of alternative school accountability. One of his findings sure to resonate with alternative accountability advocates is that the "four year graduation rate ... does not work as intended in the alternative school context." Hear why Paul concludes, "To improve outcomes and promote the success of at-risk students, the state needs a new approach to measuring alternative school performance.”
A HIGHLY RATED EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE
Larry Bell can bring out that passion and provide strategies to keep the fire hot throughout the year. Uncertainty at higher levels should not mean low student performance! Teachers have to be reminded that what they expect of their students is exactly what they will get it. These teachers can get a lot, especially if Larry Bell gets to “light their fire!!"
- Larry Bell
Educational Motivational Speaker, Consultant & Author
Innovation and Empowerment
Our theme for RAPSA 2024 revolves around creating pathways from schools to the workforce through effective programs and services that meet the unique needs of At-Promise students. In today's rapidly evolving world, our ability to realize this goal as educators and successfully build bridges to brighter futures for At-Promise students hinges on equitable policies, effective leadership and transformative practices. To this end, this RAPSA Forum 2024 aims to explore innovative strategies, inclusive policies, and collaborative initiatives and inspire educators, policymakers, and community leaders to work collaboratively to create pathways that empower At-Promise students and provides them with skills and abilities that they will need to thrive in school, in the workforce - and beyond.
Changing from At-Risk to At-Promise
California has become the first state to recognize the importance of changing laws to recognize that all students are “At-promise” of success. Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 413 (Jones-Sawyer) on October 12, 2019. The bill eliminates the deficit laden “At-risk” term in the California Education and Penal Codes.
Since 2019 we have seen how the impacts of a global pandemic highlighted equity issues in At-Promise youth and provided the opportunity to meet their needs in new and exciting ways. Let's make sure that we continue to impact educational policy in a way that moves us towards innovation and access for all students.
