The Fresno–Long Beach Learning Partnership

As California faces growing numbers of districts identified for improvement with shrinking resources to support them, policymakers are eager to identify effective alternatives to the usual external assistance models, given their uneven results. In addition, the state and other districts are interested in learning more about the ways districts are leveraging their resources in this difficult state budget climate and the one-time influx of federal dollars.

Since 2008, Fresno Unified School District and and Long Beach Unified School District have been engaged in a formal district partnership designed to help the districts achieve a common a set of goals. With the generous support of the Hewlett Foundation and Stuart Foundation, the American Institutes for Research, in collaboration with Pivot Learning Partners, has been documenting the districts’ work together.

This panel features the leaders of Fresno and Long Beach Unified School Districts who will discuss their Partnership and its implications for policy and practice.

Panelists include:

• Mike Hanson, Superintendent, Fresno Unified School District
• Vincent Harris, Executive Officer of District Accountability and Improvement, Fresno Unified School District
• Chris Steinhauser, Superintendent, Long Beach Unified School District
• Robert Tagorda, Assistant to the Superintendent, Long Beach Unified School District
• Jim Brown, Senior Advisor, Pivot Learning Partners
• Helen Duffy, Senior Research Analyst, American Institutes for Research

Moderated by David N. Plank, Executive Director, PACE

For more information on the Fresno-Long Beach Learning Partnership see Special Series on the Fresno Long Beach Learning Partnership: Perspectives of District Leaders, from the American Institutes for Research.