CALSA's Summer Institute 2026

In this session, participants will explore how leveraging student well-being data can support school districts in increasing attendance and promoting positive behavior in elementary (K–5) settings. By integrating gamification strategies with neuroscience-informed practices, this approach delivers targeted psychoeducation, equips students with practical self-regulation tools, and generates meaningful, real-time data to inform decision-making.
Attendees will learn how Calexico Unified School District partners with community-based organizations such as Me & Mine to collect and analyze daily well-being data. This collaborative effort allows the district to intentionally group students, tailor supports, and proactively respond to student needs.
Through the lens of Community Schools initiatives, this session will highlight how aligning data, partnerships, and whole-child practices leads to improved student outcomes, stronger engagement, and a more responsive system of support for all learners.

Latinas are highly represented across the educational workforce, yet remain strikingly underrepresented in the superintendency. This gap is often framed as a pipeline issue. This session challenges that narrative and invites a deeper examination of how leadership pathways are actually experienced.


Grounded in a narrative inquiry study of Latina superintendents in California, this session centers the lived experiences of leaders who have successfully navigated the path to executive leadership. Their stories reveal a more complex reality, one shaped not simply by preparation but by access, visibility, systemic barriers, and the critical role of mentorship, sponsorship, and community.


Through an interactive presentation grounded in research and real-world experiences, participants will engage in structured reflection and peer dialogue to examine how leadership pathways are constructed and who is positioned as “ready.” Attendees will be invited to reflect on their own leadership journeys while gaining practical, actionable strategies to build networks, expand influence, and intentionally create more equitable pathways for emerging leaders.


This session is both a mirror and a call to action. Participants will leave not only with a deeper understanding of the realities shaping leadership advancement but with concrete tools to disrupt inequitable systems and strengthen leadership pipelines. Together, we will explore how to ensure the next generation of leaders is not only prepared but seen, supported, and selected.

Multilingual Education for All is a statewide campaign designed to build the conditions, policy commitments, and public will needed to make multilingualism a defining feature of California’s P–12 education system. Rooted in a decade of progress and a growing body of research, this campaign calls for a systems shift: one where multilingualism is affirmed, developed, and integrated into the educational experience of every student.  
California is one of the most linguistically diverse places in the world. Nearly 200 languages are spoken in homes across the state, and this diversity is one of California’s greatest assets—socially, culturally, and economically. Yet our education system does not fully reflect or nurture that richness.
Over the past several decades, California has charted a clear shift toward an assets-based, research-aligned vision for language education, reflected in milestones such as the State Seal of Biliteracy, the passage of Proposition 58 repealing Proposition 227, and the adoption of the California English Learner Roadmap and Global California 2030.
Yet despite this progress, subtractive schooling patterns persist, and only a minority of English learners have access to strong multilingual education programs. Is this the moment to push for Multilingual Education for All? We say YES.
Participants will gain access to tools, resources, and a campaign framework to assess local readiness and spark action. Let’s explore how this statewide movement can inspire a push for multiliteracy as a right, not a privilege.

As Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs continue to expand across California, ensuring equitable access for multilingual learners with disabilities remains both an urgent challenge and a critical leadership responsibility. Too often, students are excluded from DLI due to misconceptions about disability, language development, or program design - limiting access to bilingualism, identity development, and rigorous learning opportunities.


This interactive session, grounded in IDEA, Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), and the California English Learner Roadmap, equips site and district leaders with the tools to make legally sound, equity-driven decisions at the intersection of DLI and Special Education. Participants will engage in real-world case studies, examine common leadership dilemmas, and confront deficit-based assumptions that impact student placement and program access.


Using the 4 Bridges Framework - Belief, Instruction, Systems, and Family Engagement - attendees will explore how to design inclusive programs where services follow the student, not the program. The session emphasizes actionable leadership moves that elevate family voice in IEP and DLI decisions.


Framed by the theme Somos el Puente entre Generaciones, this session challenges leaders to honor students’ linguistic and cultural assets while building systems that support success across all abilities. Participants will leave with practical strategies, a clear understanding of legal expectations, and a concrete action step to strengthen alignment between DLI and Special Education at their site ensuring more inclusive, sustainable pathways for the next generation of learners.