Report & Recommendations of the California Advisory Task Force on Alternative Schools
“By diving deep into practice, we will be able to see how these new metrics are taking root at the school and district level. We can improve outcomes for a student population that has been invisible for too long.”

- Jorge Ruiz de Velasco
The California Advisory Task Force on Alternative Schools is a public service project of the Gardner Center in collaboration with the California Department of Education. A new report summarizes their recommendations to improve education outcomes for the more than 350,000 youth enrolled in California’s public alternative schools. The report is being formally presented to the State Board of Education for consideration at their regular meeting on November 5, 2020.
Full-Service Community Schools in the Oakland Unified School District
New briefs from the Gardner Center’s study of Oakland Unified’s community schools offer lessons learned from Bridges Academy, Elmhurst United Middle School, New Highland RISE Elementary, and REACH Academy. Drawing on interviews with principals, community school managers, and district leaders, the briefs are the latest in a series from a longitudinal study that has informed OUSD’s long-term ambition to become the nation’s first full service community schools district.
Impacts of the Aim High Summer Learning Program on Student Engagement & Achievement
Aim High emphasizes team-teaching, the recruitment of diverse educators, and a multi-year program design aimed at building community and long-term success. A recently published technical report and executive summary details the findings of a study of the impact of Aim High participation on students in the San Francisco Unified School District. 
Jorge Ruiz de Velasco Receives 2020 Vision Award
Congratulations to our Deputy Director, Jorge Ruiz de Velasco, recipient of the 2020 Vision Award from RAPSA, the Reaching At-Promise Students Association. This award recognizes Jorge’s leadership in pursuing creative policies to attract and retain students who would otherwise be left out by traditional school programs. We’re proud of you, Jorge! 
2020 Stanford Maternal & Child Health Research Institute Symposium: November 6
This annual symposium brings together faculty, students, and postdocs from Stanford and beyond to explore the latest developments and innovations in maternal and child health research. Gardner Center Executive Director Amy Gerstein participates in this year’s virtual event on a panel discussing the COVID-19 Pandemic and Innovations in School-Age Learning. Free and open to the public; registration required.