Proven Strategies. Real Results.

Explore a powerful collection of educator-tested strategies from across California—each tied to real, measurable improvement. These curated tools and strategies showcase what’s working in schools and systems, offering practical, proven ideas you can adapt and apply in your own context.

Improving IEP Goal Quality: IEP Goal Quality Rubric

This resource introduces the IEP Goal Quality Rubric, a practical tool designed to help educators write clearer, more effective IEP goals. Developed in partnership with Irvine Unified School District, through the SIL Innovating for Student Excellence Networked Improvement Community (NIC), the guide includes strategies and examples to support the creation of SMART goals that are meaningful, measurable, and aligned to student needs.

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Removing Barriers to Graduation: Student-Centered Scheduling and On Track to Graduate Monitoring

Learn how Anaheim Union High School District significantly improved graduation rates for students with disabilities by implementing targeted strategies. Through student-centered scheduling and consistent monitoring of graduation progress, the district achieved a 16% increase in graduation rates, surpassing their initial goal. The guide provides practical tools, including the Student Scheduling Fly-Up Form and the On Track to Graduate Monitoring Checklist, to assist other districts in replicating this success.

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Empowering Every Student to Graduate: Student On-Track Self-Monitoring

Find out what happened when seven districts joined the SIL Graduation Network through California’s Compliance and Improvement Monitoring (CIM) process in order to improve graduation rates for students with disabilities. One key strategy was implementing the “Am I On Track?” student self-monitoring form, which helped students take ownership of their progress. Through focused collaboration and monitoring, the network exceeded its goal, achieving a 10% increase in graduation rates in just one year.

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Empowering Families: Pre-IEP Parent Collaboration Protocol

Strengthening family engagement in the IEP process, this protocol equips educators with a clear, structured approach for holding meaningful conversations with parents before IEP meetings. Developed through SIL’s Innovating for Student Excellence (ISE) Networked Improvement Community, the tool addresses inconsistencies in how parent input is gathered and used. It guides case managers in building trust, asking purposeful questions, and personalizing IEP documents based on family insights. Districts that implemented the protocol, such as Clovis USD, saw significant increases in pre-IEP collaboration, with some reporting up to an 80% rise in these critical conversations, resulting in more student-centered and collaborative planning.

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Envisioning a Path to Graduation: Student Four Year Academic Plan

Envisioning a Path to Graduation: Student Four Year Academic Plan highlights Calexico Unified School District’s strategy to increase high school graduation rates among students with disabilities. It outlines the urgent challenge—only 56% of students with disabilities graduated in 2021—and presents the district's solution: a structured, collaborative four-year academic plan supported through California’s Compliance and Improvement Monitoring (CIM) process and guided by System Improvement Leads (SIL). The document details key implementation strategies, such as involving counselors, case managers, students, and families in annual reviews and adjustments, along with proactive credit monitoring. By adopting this strategy, Calexico USD increased graduation rates for students with disabilities by 31% in just two years.

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Laying the Foundation for Graduation Success: Transition IEP Meetings

Establishing a strong foundation for high school success, this tool supports districts in holding Transition IEP Meetings before students with disabilities enter 9th grade. Developed through the SIL Graduation Network as part of the Compliance and Improvement Monitoring process, the strategy ensures middle and high school teams collaborate early to align supports, review graduation requirements, and create a 9th grade schedule tailored to the student’s needs. By making transition meetings a structured, proactive step in the IEP process, participating districts saw measurable results, collectively increasing graduation rates for students with disabilities.

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Reducing Chronic Absenteeism: Parent Collaboration Protocol

The Parent Collaboration Process Implementation Tool was developed by Corning Union Elementary School District through California’s CIM process to address high chronic absenteeism rates among students with disabilities. With over half of these students chronically absent in 2022, the district joined SIL’s Attendance Network and created a structured, proactive communication process between schools and families. This tool outlines step-by-step strategies for building relationships, identifying attendance barriers, and collaboratively developing support plans. Emphasizing

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Reducing Chronic Absenteeism: Student Attendance Success Plan

To address high rates of chronic absenteeism among students with disabilities, Chowchilla Union High School District participated in California’s Compliance and Improvement Monitoring (CIM) process and joined the SIL Attendance Network. They implemented a personalized Student Success Plan, adapted from Attendance Works, which supports students in reflecting on attendance barriers, setting goals, and identifying trusted adults to help them stay engaged. As a result of these targeted efforts, the district achieved a 37% decrease in chronic absenteeism for students with disabilities within one year.

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Supporting Graduation Success: Special and General Education Collaboration

The Special Education and General Education Collaboration Implementation Tool was developed through the SIL Graduation Network as part of California’s CIM process. This tool supports districts in fostering effective collaboration between general and special education teachers, a key factor identified as limiting student success. It includes a step-by-step initiation process and a structured collaboration protocol to guide joint planning, problem-solving, and follow-up. By clarifying roles and establishing routines for meaningful collaboration, the tool helps teams align efforts to improve graduation outcomes for students with disabilities.

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Strategies That Work

Proven Strategies. Real Results.

Improving IEP Goal Quality: IEP Goal Quality Rubric

Removing Barriers to Graduation: Student-Centered Scheduling and On Track to Graduate Monitoring

Empowering Every Student to Graduate: Student On-Track Self-Monitoring

Empowering Families: Pre-IEP Parent Collaboration Protocol

Envisioning a Path to Graduation: Student Four Year Academic Plan

Laying the Foundation for Graduation Success: Transition IEP Meetings

Reducing Chronic Absenteeism: Parent Collaboration Protocol

Reducing Chronic Absenteeism: Student Attendance Success Plan

Supporting Graduation Success: Special and General Education Collaboration