A student’s day begins long before the first bell, shaped by experiences, responsibilities, questions and pressures that follow them into the classroom. Educators must be well-trained and ready to listen, adapt and build meaningful relationships. Meanwhile, education is changing quickly as new technologies, shifting student needs, workforce pressures and evolving policies reshape classrooms and school leadership. Meeting both realities requires regional coordination across educator and administrator preparation, support and continued learning.
“Our greatest impact for students comes through the relationships nurtured by the people who support them every day. Together with our team and partners, we prepare teachers, school leaders and school-based mental health professionals to build responsive, equitable and human-centered schools.”— Shanine Coats, Executive Director, School of Education
Anticipating these shifts more than a decade ago, former Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools David W. Gordon and longtime educator Dr. Steven L. Winlock built SCOE’s School of Education (SOE) on the premise that leadership must be cultivated and that every school deserves exceptional educators and leaders equipped to help every student thrive. That legacy continues with the SOE team and their new Executive Director, Shanine Coats, grounded in the belief that schools are communities sustained by relationships among students, educators, families and administrators.
SCOE’s School of Education focuses on developing teachers and leaders who can navigate change with greater confidence, clearer purpose and less disruption.
“Our greatest impact for students comes through the relationships nurtured by the people who support them every day,” Coats says. “Together with our team and partners, we prepare teachers, school leaders and school-based mental health professionals to build responsive, equitable, and human-centered schools.”
Its capacity also extends beyond Sacramento County through SCOE’s role as a 21CSLA regional lead and a Statewide Residency Technical Assistance Center hub supporting teacher and administrator preparation.
A new offering is the Equity Coaching Fellowship, which provides coaches with additional training and support to mentor educators more effectively. The investment begins with professionals but is designed to ripple outward. Its foundational theory of action is clear: Better-prepared coaches support stronger teachers, and stronger teachers are better equipped to teach the students in front of them. The SOE team understands that professional learning strengthens educator practice and, in turn, student success. Its work reflects a straightforward belief: meaningful progress is built through sustained attention, shared responsibility and school systems willing to adapt so every student can belong, grow and thrive.
