Lindsay Unified School District in California’s Central Valley reinvented its approach to education by launching a Performance Based System in 2007, following an extensive community engagement process. It’s an approach that fundamentally changed experiences for the community’s learners, families and educators -- and led to impressive outcomes that have been highlighted in multiple studies and reports.

Two dynamic leaders from Lindsey USD – Grant Schimelpfening, Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services, and Cheri Doria, Early Childhood Education Director – provide an “under the hood” look at  the systems and culture their district has built to help advance equity  through a personalized learning plan for each student.

We explore how Lindsay USD – whose 4,000-plus students are approximately 90% socio-economically disadvantaged and 37% English Learners – creates alignment and coherence to serve students with multiple needs, including early learners, multi-language learners, and students with disabilities. Grant and Cheri discuss how the district: 

• Uses data to weigh resource investment decisions;
• Gets to know students, even from the time they are born;
• Begin its program design process with an ambitious vision, versus building programs around currently available funding;
• Systematizes processes and practices to further support alignment with its overall strategic design.; and more.

Plus, Grant shares his top three list for Chief Business Officials for driving collaboration, alignment and coherence in their systems.

**Download the  COMPANION BRIEF to this episode here.

More Key Links:

• Lindsay USD’s Strategic Design 
• Articles and research about Lindsay’s USD’s work
• "Putting Students in Charge of Their Learning Transforms A Small Rural District," via EdSource 
• "Online Learning in Lindsay," via Inside California Education
• California Department of Education Updated Guidance on Identification of Early Education Dual Language Learners (and links to survey instruments)

 About Our Guests:

• Cheri Doria has served as Director of Preschools in Lindsay USD since 2014.  Prior to that she was an elementary school teacher in the district for 10 years.
•  Grant Schimelpfening has served as a school business executive for nearly 20 years, including for Lindsay USD as CBO and now Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services since January 2014. Previously he served in Modesto City Schools and Farmersville School District.

Budgeting for Educational Equity is presented by the California Association of School Business Official (CASBO) and WestEd. We are grateful to the Sobrato Family Foundation for additional support. 

Recorded: Spring, 2023