Sacramento, California

Sacramento, California

Since the adoption of the Strategic Plan 2010–2014: Putting Children First in the spring of 2010, SCUSD has launched several initiatives to meet commitments to the community in three focus areas: (1) career-and-college-ready students, (2) family and community engagement, and (3) organizational transformation.

According to the plan, “the same characteristics that make students appealing to top universities – the ability to think, problem solve, work well with others and communicate – make them ideal job candidates as well.” This commitment guides the district’s plans to integrate Common Core Standards with social and emotional learning standards and to engage district employees, community representatives and families in its SEL efforts. To encourage participation, the district has provided meals and child care for parents and community members who attend SEL work sessions. Over 400 district staff leaders, school board members, school teams, central office staff and community-based organization leaders have participated in professional learning on SEL. In addition, a districwide inventory of SEL programs and practices was conducted to provide a baseline for adopting and expanding currently used evidence-based SEL programs throughout the district.

As SCUSD rolls out implementation in a pilot cluster of schools, the focus is on providing professional learning for staff and community members, developing districtwide standards for SEL, building a districtwide SEL communications plan, and integrating SEL with the Common Core State Standards and other district initiatives and establishing districtwide SEL informational website links and online learning opportunities. District leaders are also identifying a second cohort of schools for further SEL implementation. In an effort to support shared learning experiences, SCUSD leaders also work with district and CASEL teams to form a regional network with two other collaborating districts, Oakland Unified School District in California and Washoe County School District in Nevada.

Superintendent: Jonathan Raymond was appointed superintendent of the SCUSD in July 2009. Prior to his appointment, he served as chief accountability officer for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. In fields beyond education he has served as president and CEO of the nonprofit, Boston-based Commonwealth Corporation; deputy director in the Massachusetts Department of Labor and Workforce Development; and as a private practice attorney specializing in business and labor law.

Learn more about the Sacramento City Unified School District at http://www.scusd.edu/.

District Stats                                                                   

Joined Collaborating Districts Initiative: 2012

Total Student Enrollment: 47,896

  • Largest Racial/Ethnic Student Groups: Hispanic (35.9 percent) and Asian/Pacific Islander (20.1 percent)
  • Economically Disadvantaged Students: 71 percent
  • Students with Limited English Proficiency: 25 percent
  • Students with Disabilities (Individualized Education Programs): 11.3 percent

Total Number of Schools: 74

  • Elementary Schools: 52
  • Middle Schools: 9
  • High Schools: 13

SEL District Leads: Koua Franz, Chief of Staff, and Carrie Rose, Acting SEL Director

CASEL Team: Hector Montenegro and Sue Keister