Professional Development

For schools to be empowered learning communities that foster access and liberation, educators must have social, emotional, and professional support.

LAEP provides equity-centered professional development – workshops, coaching, and communities of practice – to help educators manage the demands of school environments and enhance their craft. We honor the voices of educators in the planning and facilitation of all professional development and customize our offerings to meet your unique needs.  

LAEP’s district, site, and team-specific professional development offerings include: 

  • Cultivating Equity-Mindedness in Leading School Transformation
  • Community of Practice—Equity-Mindedness
  • CORE Leadership Coaching
  • CORE “What If We…” (liberatory design)
  • Negotiating Obstacles to Equity in the Classroom, School, and Community
  • Restore with CORE: Educating and Thriving Through It All!
  • CORE Equity: Racial Healing and Well-Being in Schools
  • CORE Resilience
  • CORE Relationships
  • CORE Boundaries
  • CORE Sustainability
  • Instructional Leadership Team Development
  • Professional Learning Communities 
  • Instructional Rounds 
  • Lesson Study 
  • Humanitas: Interdisciplinary Curriculum Development 
  • Adaptive Schools Foundation Seminar 
  • Cognitive Coaching Foundations 
  • Community Schools Development & Coherence
  • Family Engagement & Community Outreach
  • College & Career Pathways

LAEP also provides technical assistance for those looking to learn from our decades of experience in the community schools space.

CORE (Cultivating Organizational Resilience & Empowerment)

Pioneering professional development workshops and coaching help educators center healing and build resilience so they can build equitable environments that are safe, inclusive, and equitable. Staff walk away with strategies, policies, and practices that support resilience, reduce stigma for mental health, and promote emotional wellness to build trusting school climates that foster staff and student well-being. 

Community Schools

LAEP supports schools to create strategies, goals, and objectives that lead to increased student and school improvement outcomes. LAEP works directly with school  leaders to:

  • Develop infrastructure for integrated student support
  • Expand learning time and opportunities
  • Engage with family and community members
  • Develop collaborative leadership and practices

Teaching and Learning

We act as thought partners that collaborate to maximize a school’s potential. We prioritize leadership coaching, the development of rigorous, engaging curriculum, and the implementation of relevant assessments focused on trust building and school climate.

Ready2Teach

An early childhood teacher program acts as a career on-ramp for people facing obstacles to starting careers in early childhood education. The year-long program combines college coursework, a paid internship, and coaching and professional development from experienced LAEP staff. Internship sites also receive continuing education and coaching around staff mentoring, staff management, and business administration.

Looking to invest in professional development for your school, district, or early childhood center staff? Contact us.

PARTNER WITH US

LAEP can come alongside your community, as thought partners and collaborators, empowering you to drive transformation and liberation.

Eric Barela, Ph.D.

Senior Consultant, Raya Cooper Impact Consulting

Dr. Eric Barela has worked as a measurement & evaluation professional for over 2 decades, helping organizations to better understand and act on their social impact. He’s currently a Senior Consultant with Raya Cooper Impact Consulting and previously worked at Salesforce, where he led efforts to measure the social impact of the company’s work with nonprofits and educational institutions across the globe. He began his career working with the Los Angeles Unified School District and with the nonprofit, Partners in School Innovation. Eric previously served on the Board of the American Evaluation Association and currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the American Journal of Evaluation.

Eric grew up in East LA and was educated in the Montebello Unified School District. He holds a Ph.D. in education from UCLA. He loves a good road trip, with his husband serving as trusty navigator.