Educational Studies alumna Aida Molina appointed director for the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence

Claremont Graduate University (CGU) School of Educational Studies alumna Aida L. Molina (PhD, ’12) has been appointed as a director of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE), a recently-launched state agency that advises public school districts on issues related to student success and funding.

Molina is one of four new directors named to the agency at its December meeting. Her responsibilities will include the vetting of all technical assistance providers that will work on behalf of the agency.

The appointment reunites Molina with CGU Educational Studies Professor Carl Cohn who was named executive director of the CCEE in August. Cohn and Molina served together as members of the California State Board of Education from 2011 to 2015.

Since 2013 Molina has worked as assistant superintendent of academic improvement and accountability for the Bakersfield City School District. Prior to that she served as a commissioner for the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Her career in education began as a bilingual teacher at Fairsite Elementary School in the Galt Joint Union Elementary School District in Galt California.

The CCEE was established by the California State Legislature and governor in 2013 as part of Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) legislation which redesigned California’s school funding mechanisms to give local districts more flexibility in designing programs to improve student performance.

Under the new rules local educational agencies must develop Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAP) that explain how they are meeting student needs and justify how their spending is improving student outcomes.

The agency works collaboratively with the 58 county superintendents across the state in supporting and advising school districts as they work towards accomplishing the goals identified in their LCAPs.”