Learning Acceleration and Academic Support

The Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) supports educators to proactively design an inclusive ecosystem that removes barriers and foster belonging, ensuring equally high outcomes for all students. Guided by our vision of Empowered Students, Thriving Communities, we place students at the center of every decision while advancing wellbeing, building strong partnerships, strengthening communication, and pursuing operational excellence.

The Learning Acceleration and Academic Support (LAAS) unit supports educators (LEA/site leaders, coaches, classroom teachers and paraprofessionals) to implement a system-wide, whole child approach through evidence-based professional learning that sustains improved access to inclusive, equitable, high quality education for all students.

“Learning acceleration is a system-wide approach that strategically tackles unfinished learning using a whole-child approach. This includes using formative data, a deep understanding of learning progressions and a relational approach to accelerate learning. Students engaged in acceleration access a laser-focused, high-quality, and rich learning experience by moving students forward and setting them up for success with just-in-time training on required foundational skills. An acceleration approach, in essence, is about building bridges rather than filling holes.”-CCEE’s Playbook for Accelerating Learning.

Access the CCEE’s Playbook for Accelerating Learning Here

Goals of the Learning Acceleration System Grant

ACCESS

Develop a robust statewide infrastructure to ensure educators anywhere in the state have access to high quality learning.

IMPACT/EVIDENCE

Show the impact of evidence-based accelerated learning strategies for students with high needs, English Learners, students with disabilities, and low-income students.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Create or expand existing evidence-based professional development opportunities or guidance for educators (LEA/site leaders, teachers, and paraprofessionals) to address students' learning acceleration.

(Click HERE for LAAS professional development opportunities.)

Leading for Improvement

We will build the capacity of district/site leaders to lead the work
Network across sites/districts
Develop a clear understanding of acceleration

Support the work of the network

Network Convening

Learning about acceleration
How does it apply to math and literacy?
What does acceleration look like in the classroom or intervention?
Learn together and network across sites

Graph showing circle and five components of the California Collaborative for Learning Acceleration

Inclusive Learning by Design

The Learning Acceleration and Academic Support Unit leverages the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework embedded within the California multi-tiered system of support (CA MTSS) to integrate social-emotional learning (SEL), culturally sustaining pedagogy, priority content, and evidence-based strategies.

The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework supports educators in universally designing learning experiences that are inclusive and promote student agency - all while maintaining rigor and grade-level expectations.

By applying the UDL framework in practical and intentional ways, educators who partner with us create the conditions for equitable instruction for all learners, including students with high needs, English Learners, students with disabilities, and students from low-income backgrounds.

Our approach is grounded in the California State Standards and the evidence-based practices developed by CAST, Inc., the originators of the UDL framework.