The Regional System of District and School Support (RSDSS) is a part of the statewide system of school support that was established to meet state and federal requirements. The support system, working within county offices of education (COEs), offers intensive and sustained assistance to local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools receiving Title I funds to increase the opportunity for all students to meet the state’s academic content standards. California uses a regional approach to address the needs of students because of the vast number of schools and districts in the state. This support system delivers and brokers resources to districts and schools in need of improvement.
Purpose of Work
Region 7 is an integral service provider of technical assistance and support to LEAs with schools subject to corrective action; LEAs with high percentages of schools identified as Program Improvement (PI); LEAs with schools identified as in need of improvement; and to other LEAs and schools that need support to reach higher levels of academic achievement in accordance with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001.
Regional Demographics
Region 7 consists of six counties located in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Fresno County and Tulare County include the largest urban school districts (Fresno Unified and Visalia Unified); Kings, Madera, and Merced are smaller counties with both suburban and rural settings; Mariposa County is a foothill rural community with schools in sparsely populated areas.
Context of Work
Region 7 provides assistance in the following areas:
- Regional capacity building includes eight regional trainings involving at least one liaison coach from each of the six COEs.
- Regional networks provide differentiated services based on the strengths of each network provider. They establish a network of districts and schools creating a forum for dialogue and research focused on reform to improve student achievement.
- Program improvement services provide Essential Program Components (EPCs) to build district capacity for instructional leadership, on monitoring implementation of EPCs, and on reform for the support of their school.
- Regional orientations, trainings, and meetings are held in collaboration with county offices and regional partners. Region 7 provides outreach to PI LEAs and LEAs with 50 percent or more of their schools identified as PI. Information is provided on accountability requirements, responsibility, and trainings to focus on support of schools in need of improvement.
- Alternative governance conducts professional development for district and school personnel making decisions regarding NCLB mandates specific to the Alternative Governance Board model and alternative governance options. Orientation and training for strategic selection of restructuring and corrective actions for schools in need of improvement and training for potential Alternative Governance Board members are provided.
- Customized services foster a culture of collaboration for all by focusing on significant subgroups of students in need of improvement. Other customized services include but are not limited to:
- District/School Liaison Team training
- Site leadership training
- Effective classroom instruction
- Resource allocation
- Data collection analysis
Contact Information
Region 7 offers technical assistance and support to districts receiving Title I funds through a variety of venues. The Region 7 office is located at the Madera COE, 1820 Howard Road, Madera, CA 93638. Contact Art Davis, Director, by phone at
559-662-3862 or by e-mail at adavis@maderacoe.k12.ca.us. To obtain a complete listing of current and future technical assistance activities, visit the Region 7 RSDSS Web site
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