Stronger Connections Peer Network for Local Education Agencies

Join a cohort of peers working to improve school climate through participatory data use practices.

The California Stronger Connections Technical Assistance Center invites Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to apply for participation in a no-cost, 5-part virtual Peer Network during the 2025–26 school year.

The Stronger Connections Peer Network is designed for LEA teams to enhance their capacity for engaging in participatory data use practices.  Together, we aim to:

• Explore effective approaches for collecting and analyzing school climate data in partnership with community members.
• Identify meaningful metrics that effectively capture the essence of belonging, connection, and engagement within the school community.
• Build capacity for facilitating collaborative data reviews that ensure diverse perspectives are integrated, yielding richer insights.

Participating LEAs will identify a team of 2-3 committed individuals to engage in five virtual sessions throughout the 2025-26 school year. Through these interactive and collaborative sessions, LEAs will benefit from:

• Engaging in networked learning to improve participatory school climate practices
• Connecting and collaborating with fellow LEAs
• Receiving support and guidance from Stronger Connections staff and content experts

This network is open to any California LEAs, regardless of where they are on their participatory practice journey. Applications are due Friday, November 7, 2025.

APPLY TODAY

The application will ask for your contact information and the contact information of at least one other team member who would participate, basic information about your LEA, and 1-3 paragraph responses to three prompts. Download the application narrative questions.

Key Components

• Core Team: LEAs are asked to participate in teams of 2-3. This Core Team, with coaching from the Stronger Connections Technical Assistance team, will identify assets and opportunities for collaborative, data-informed school climate improvement. The Core Team will make connections to LCAP and other improvement plans that support existing LEA school climate initiatives (e.g., multi-tiered systems of support, social-emotional learning).
• Pre-Series Check-In Call: The WestEd team will meet with each LEA team or team lead to explore the strengths and needs identified in the application and to collaboratively determine an area of focus.
• Kick-Off Session: This 60-minute virtual session will provide an overview of the Peer Network, an opportunity for participants to meet and share a bit about their focus areas, and an opportunity to ask questions related to the Peer Network.
• Virtual Group Sessions: Four 90-minute virtual sessions. Each session will include time for:
  • Learning: Short presentations on key topics
  • Sharing: Hear from a participating LEA about work they are doing related to the session topic
  • Processing: Time with peers in other LEAs to discuss
  • Planning: Time with colleagues/team members or solo to plan how to apply learning
• Resources: In between sessions, 1-2 resources will be provided for pre-reading or further learning
• Timing: November 2025-May 2026; with virtual group sessions beginning in January 2026