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Take 5 Bright Spots & Promising Practices

Take 5! is a monthly spotlight of promising practices happening at county offices of education throughout the state, rotating the five that are featured and the focus areas covered. The map coordinates with the location of the stories featured this month from across our state. You can view past bright spots by clicking the issues below.

 

2025 Issues

June 2025 Take 5 (Graduation Edition)
  1. Juvenile Court and Community School (Shasta)
  2. Adult Come Back Diploma Recovery (Butte)
  3. Adult Education (Lake)
  4. Fire Academy Cadets (Colusa)
  5. Students with Disabilities (Kings)
  6. New Award Shines Light on Unsung Student Achievement (Kern)
  7. Alternative Education National Guard Cadets (Orange)
May 2025 Take 5
  1. 10th Annual Olympiad Celebrates Strength, Joy, and Resilience of Students (Glenn)
  2. Pioneering Initiative Dedicated to Supporting the Mental and Emotional Well-Being of our Earliest Learners (Placer)
  3. Mono County Champions Community Schools in Mammoth Lakes (Mono)
  4. Terrific Teachers in Fresno County (Fresno)
  5. LACOE Coordinates ‘Psychological First Aid’ for Students Impacted by the Eaton Fire (Los Angeles)
April 2025 Take 5
  1. Free CNA Program Offered to Expand Local Medical Career Pathways (Mendocino)
  2. Environmental Education Center a “Regional Treasure” (Sacramento)
  3. Alternative Ed Program Hosts Inaugural Art Show (San Joaquin)
  4. Pathways Program Earns State Recognition in California’s Career Education Master Plan (Orange)
  5. New Initiative Launches to Expand Child Care Options for Military Families in San Diego (San Diego)
March 2025 Take 5
  1. Multi-Agency Safe Schools Collaborative to Improve the Safety and Welfare of Youth (Trinity)
  2. Launch of New Center for Language and Literacy to Address Critical Literacy Gaps Countywide (Yolo)
  3. Black History Month Student Oratorical Contest to Showcase Skills and Celebrate the Contributions of Black Americans (Napa)
  4. Alternative Education Offers Robust CTE Offering, Providing a Unique Opportunity for Growth and a Transformative Journey for Students (Kern)
  5. Arts Month Feature: Artists in Residence, Court and Community Schools (Riverside)
February 2025 Take 5
  1. Siskiyou Uses Podcast as a Way to Connect with Community (Siskiyou)
  2. Back 2 Work Puts Yciano on a Hero’s Redemption Arc (Butte)
  3. Free Workshop Strengthens Support for Students with Disabilities (Sacramento)
  4. Breaking Barriers: DHH Wrestling Team Makes Mark at National Deaf Wrestling Tournament (Orange)
  5. Automotive Technology Students Jump-Start Their Careers (Riverside)
January 2025 Take 5
  1. Creative Writing Used to Amplify Local Youth Perspectives From Juvenile Justice Center (Sonoma)
  2. Captivating Artwork Promotes 2025 Academic Decathlon (Sacramento)
  3. Community Partnership to Show Unified Support for Immigrant Families (Santa Cruz)
  4. Students Use AI to Help Farmers Maximize Crop Yields (Ventura)
  5. Black History Month: Supporting Black Students in Public Schools (San Diego)

2024 Issues

September 2024 Take 5 (Awards Edition)
  1. Small County Office of the Year (San Benito)
  2. Medium County Office of the Year (Humboldt)
  3. Large County Office of the Year (Santa Clara)
  4. Legacy (Merced)
  5. Educational Partner of the Year (Assemblywoman Megan Dahle (AD 01))
May 2024 Take 5
  1. California Multi-Tiered System of Support (Orange & Butte)
  2. Preparing Students for Growing Cybersecurity Field (Lake)
  3. Foster Youth (Placer)
  4. Equity and Wellbeing (Los Angeles)
  5. Alternative Education/Social Emotional Learning (Riverside)
April 2024 Take 5
  1. Student Success (Shasta)
  2. Preparing Students for Growing Cybersecurity Field (Sacramento)
  3. Youth Suicide Prevention (San Joaquin)
  4. Student Scholarships/University Community (Merced)
  5. Resource Library for Challenging Topics (San Diego)
March 2024 Take 5

Special Edition: Arts Education Month

  1. Art and Environment Education Camp (Mariposa)
  2. Trauma-Informed Arts Educators (Butte)
  3. Counties on the Move 2024: Expanding Access to Arts Education for All Students
February 2024 Take 5
  1. Schools as Centers of Wellness (Del Norte)
  2. Youth Climate Ambassadors (San Mateo)
  3. Love for Literacy (San Bernardino)
  4. Job Skills for Students with Disabilities (Ventura)
  5. Administrators of AI and Innovation (Orange)
January 2024 Take 5
  1. Schools as Centers of Wellness
  2. Supporting Mental Health Services in Schools
  3. Vocational Training to Integrate
    Students with Disabilities into Careers and Society
  4. College and Career Ready: OC Sophomore Pursues AI-powered Solution to Wildfires
  5. Understanding COE Role in Juvenile Court and County Office-Operated Community Schools

A Year in Review (2023 & 2024)

Special Edition: 2024 Year in Review

This is a special edition* of “Take 5” in case you missed some of the
top stories that we featured in 2024, highlighting the amazing work our
county offices of education are doing across the state. Or, the stories
were so good, you may just want to read them again!

Special Edition: 2023 Year in Review

This is a special edition* of “Take 5” in case you missed some of the top stories that we featured in 2023, highlighting the amazing work our county offices of education are doing across the state. Or, the stories were so good, you may just want to read them again!

 

*For this version, stories are organized by our top categories for the year listed below in the key in alphabetical order. In order for the links to work, you will need to click the link below for the interactive version. Once the interactive version pops us, click a yellow number to select stories categorized by topic and location in the state.

 

To interact with the map, click here.

2023 Issues

November 2023 Take 5
  1. Early Literacy
  2. Severe Multiple Disabilities Program
  3. Student Mural Unveiled
  4. Overnight Coding Event for Students
  5. What’s in the DNA of a STEM School?
October 2023 Take 5
  1. Multi-Agency Community Task Force Introduces Fentanyl Awareness
    Campaigns
  2. Student Paid to Learn in First-of-its-Kind Apprentice Program
  3. Preparing Students for the World Ahead Through Paid Internships
  4. Equity and Inclusion
  5. Drug-Prevention Education Video Series
September 2023 Take 5
  1. Addressing Chronic Absenteeism
  2. Helping Parents Navigate Substance Abuse & Mental Health Concerns in Teens
  3. Addressing Lack of Housing as a Barrier to Solving the Teacher Shortage
  4. STEAM Show Designed To Help Students Apply School Learning to Real Life
  5. Leading in Cybersecurity Efforts
August 2023 Take 5
  1. School Safety Training
  2. Foreign Exchange Program
  3. Civic Engagement
  4. Breaking Down Barriers to Help Parents Become Teachers
  5. Integrating AI into Teaching and Learning
June 2023 Take 5

This month is our special “Graduation Edition”, and focuses on the amazing variety of student graduates that were celebrated this last month at county offices of education across the state. Special bonus highlight at the bottom that you won’t want to miss!

  1. Graduation Focus: Operation Recognition Diplomas for U.S. Veterans and Japanese American Citizens
  2. Graduation Focus: Special Education Students, Preschool – 22 Years
  3. Graduation Focus: English Language Learner Special Education Students
  4. Graduation Focus: Students with Autism
  5. Graduate Focus: Juvenile Court and County Community School Students

Bonus: Celebrating Pride Month & Juneteenth

May 2023 Take 5
  1. Early Literacy, Digital Divide, Rural Education
  2. Student Leadership, School Governance
  3. Mental Health & Wellness
  4. Juvenile Court Schools, Parent and Community Engagement
  5. Multilingual Learners, Social Emotional Learning
April 2023 Take 5
  1. Staffing Shortage, Teacher Pipeline
  2. Arts Education, Proposition 28
  3. Arts, Inclusion, Neurodiversity
  4. Juvenile Court Schools, Arts, ELA, Social Emotional Wellbeing
  5. Student Wellbeing, Community and Family Engagement
March 2023 Take 5
  1. Native American Studies Model Curriculum
  2. Staffing Shortage/ Teacher Pipeline
  3. Fighting Fentanyl
  4. Equity
  5. Cradle to Career/College and Career Readiness

Bonus: March Literacy Month

February 2023 Take 5
  1. Early Childhood Education, Rural Schools
  2. Alternative Education, Arts, Social Emotional Learning
  3. Alternative Education, Career Technical Education
  4. COE In-house Credential Programs, Staffing Shortages
  5. College and Career Readiness, Equity, LCAP

Bonus: Take 5 for arts education

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