School, district, and state education decision makers play a critical role in creating meaningful, lasting change within education systems. By working collaboratively and leveraging evidence-based strategies, the education community can drive improvements that promote positive outcomes for all students—especially when their efforts are supported by community-based partners. However, leading systemic change requires both strategic planning and practical tools to ensure that efforts are effective and sustainable.
This resource library is a collection of practical resources (e.g., guides, briefs, instruments, toolkits, information sheets, multimedia) to support decision makers in their PreK-12 education systems change endeavors. The included resources can help education decision makers assess needs, build collaborative partnerships, and implement data-driven interventions that respond to the unique opportunities and challenges within their communities. Whether an education system has newly identified an improvement effort or is refining ongoing efforts, the library offers adaptable resources that meet a variety of local contexts.
The library begins with an overview of its development process. It then defines and operationalizes the Child Trends Guiding Principles for Leading PreK-12 Education Systems Change that structure its organization. Next, it offers specialized resources created by Child Trends experts, alongside curated materials from partners, to help decision makers advance education systems change. The resources are organized by the guiding principles. The library concludes with a comprehensive glossary to help users navigate the collection with clarity and ease.
This resource library from Child Trends showcases resources that support state, district, and school decision makers in their efforts to transform PreK-12 school systems to better meet the needs of students, families, and communities.
Notes: All authors contributed equally to developing and refining this toolkit.
Holquist, S. E., Schanfield, M., Aceves, L., Cronkright, B., Guros, C., Jones, R. M., Scott, A., Ball, J., Angeles-Figueroa, J., Reyes, O., & Widstrand, J. (2025). Comprehensive resource library for leading PreK-12 education systems change. Child Trends. DOI: 10.56417/3271w5897y
