UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools

10/1 Webinar | Scaling Equity: Research and Evaluation Strategies for Stronger Community Schools & Whole System Strategies

This webinar hosted by the UCLA CTS Community Schools research team will explore how to integrate research and evaluation to strengthen implementation, support continuous improvement, demonstrate impact, and turn data and community insights into actionable information.

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10/6 Webinar | Beyond One-Size-Fits-All Education: Rethinking California’s Alternative Education System

This webinar will explore new research on California’s alternative education system, centering student experiences and highlighting policy recommendations to better support students.

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State of Crisis 2026: A Deepening Crisis of Students Experiencing Homelessness Across California

Student homelessness is at an all-time high in California. The 2026 State of Crisis report shows where the need is greatest, and what to do next.

Read the Report
An elementary teacher delivers a lesson in Spanish in a dual-language immersion class.

Building a Robust Bilingual Teacher Workforce for California: Teacher Preparation for Dual Language Immersion Programs

California’s bilingual teacher shortage is geographic, not statewide. Our new brief maps what it will take to meet Global California 2030 goals.

Read the Brief

California Educator Workforce Data Briefs

This two-part series analyzes newly released statewide data from the California Department of Education (SY 2019–20 through 2023–24) to examine post-pandemic trends across California’s educator workforce, including teachers and administrators. Together, the briefs provide a timely look at how representation, experience, and leadership pathways are evolving across California’s education system and what these shifts mean for strengthening and diversifying the educator pipeline.

Explore both briefs under "Publications"

CTS Podcast on the Foster Care System: Among Us

UCLA researchers unpack the foster care system through conversations with young people, practitioners, scholars, advocates and philanthropy to better understand how youth and families are facing barriers to thrive–and what we can do about it.

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Our Children Can’t Wait: The Urgency of Reinventing Education Policy in America

A new book and accompanying podcast from CTS Executive Director Dr. Joseph Bishop, available from Teachers College Press and Amazon. Listen to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

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Mission & Vision

We partner with the education ecosystem to change school systems through Humanizing Research, Validating Practices, and Transformative Policies with key stakeholders to support equitable educational outcomes for students.

Our vision is for learning communities to boldly nurture and protect the dignity, wellbeing, and full potential of students.

Our Approach

Our Work

System-involved youth. Equitable school funding. Diversity among educators.

These are some of the topics we engage with to produce research that impacts both practice and policy. Our work informs some of the most pressing challenges our society faces today.

Explore Our Work
Prioritizing Historically Marginalized Students
State of Crisis 2026: A Deepening Crisis of Students Experiencing Homelessness Across California
An elementary teacher delivers a lesson in Spanish in a dual-language immersion class.
Positive, Healthy Learning Climates & CommunitiesPrioritizing Historically Marginalized Students
Building a Robust Bilingual Teacher Workforce for California: Teacher Preparation for Dual Language Immersion Programs
Group of diverse students seated in a classroom or library; a young man with curly hair and glasses in a maroon jacket is in the foreground, looking attentive.
Equitable School SystemsPrioritizing Historically Marginalized Students
Beyond One-Size-Fits-All Education Approaches: Rethinking California’s Alternative Education System
Equitable School SystemsPrioritizing Historically Marginalized Students
Rising Numbers, Fading Resources: Students Experiencing Homelessness in Los Angeles County
Equitable School SystemsPrioritizing Historically Marginalized Students
Hidden in Plain Sight: Fear, Underidentification, and Funding Gaps for Housing-Insecure Students in Los Angeles County

The UCLA
Black Male Institute

The UCLA Black Male Institute, founded by Dr. Tyrone Howard, addresses concerns around issues concerning equity and access for Black male life in education.

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Investigators.
Collaborators.
Changemakers.
Advocates.

We are a team of passionate experts applying our lived experiences as administrators, educators, parents, students and activists to transform public education systems.

Meet the TeamAbout the Center

Recent news, press, & events

Blog CTS at AERA 2026 Annual Meeting

We hope to see you in Los Angeles for...
News Does another education bond stand a chance with voters? California colleges hope so

Despite California’s generous financial aid programs, Kevin Cook from...
News Who Are Dual-Language Immersion Programs Really For?

Schools were “highlighting the enrichment part of it, the...
Go to the Newsroom

Upcoming Events

6 October 2026 • 12:00 PM-1:15 PM Beyond One-Size-Fits-All Education: Rethinking California’s Alternative Education System

California’s alternative education system serves more than 150,000 students every year — and too often, they are the last ones policymakers think about. Those students are disproportionately Black, Latine, and

1 October 2026 • 11:00 AM-11:30 AM Scaling Equity: Research and Evaluation Strategies for Stronger Community Schools & Whole System Strategies

Scaling Equity: Research and Evaluation Strategies for Stronger Community Schools & Whole System Strategies Effective community schools require a clear understanding of what’s working, for whom, and why. In this

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