An Interview with Rachel Solis

In this interview, get to know Rachel Solis, who serves as Collaborative Classroom’s Senior Manager of Educational Partnerships for Southern California.

As a mission-driven nonprofit organization, Collaborative Classroom is committed to impact, bringing our research-based curricula and professional learning to as many educators and students as possible. 

Our Managers of Educational Partnerships play a vital role in growing our impact, working in service of teaching and learning for school, district, and community partners nationwide.  

Managers of Educational Partnerships bring a wealth of expertise and wide-ranging experiences to their work. Educators themselves, they have served as classroom teachers, interventionists, literacy coaches, principals, and district leaders. Many have taught at the college level, presented at state and national conferences, and authored professional books. All of them share a deep commitment to serving educators and students.

Meet Rachel

Tell us a little about your background as an educator. What did you do before you joined Collaborative Classroom?

Before joining Collaborative Classroom, I dedicated 15 years to education, fueled by a deep passion for teaching and a drive to make a difference. My journey began with a challenging path through college, where I lived in California without family support and worked three jobs while pursuing my degree. I couldn’t wait to teach! 

My first assignment was in an inner-city school, teaching a 4th/5th grade combination class at a year-round school. I moved classrooms every month. The diverse backgrounds of my students and the challenging systems in place inspired me to build an inclusive and supportive environment. 

It also opened my eyes more widely to the inequities that exist. I quickly realized that fostering a strong sense of community was just as vital as academics. It was bonding, and I was on to something! 

My first ten years in the classroom included a pause while I started a family and added two little humans to the world. This changed me! I grew personally and professionally. I transitioned into a reading specialist role, and later a coaching role. 

My experiences sparked my passion for continued learning, leading me to earn a master’s degree in instructional leadership, a National Board Certification (NBC), and an administrative credential. Divine timing and my desire to create a broader impact ultimately led me to Collaborative Classroom, where I could further my commitment to improving education for all students. 

Joining Collaborative Classroom was Serendipity

How did you find out about Collaborative Classroom and the Manager of Educational Partnerships role?

I first encountered Collaborative Classroom back when it was still known as the Developmental Studies Center. At the time, I was completing my NBC capstone project and interviewing for a Literacy Coach position at a school that deeply prioritized social-emotional learning—truly teaching to both the head and the heart. It was there that I discovered Being a Writer™ and Making Meaning®, our two programs that weaved social development into every part of the learning experience.

Years later, the opportunity to join Collaborative Classroom’s mission driven organization presented itself. By that time, I was very familiar with their curriculum. I had firsthand knowledge of how it helped develop the mind; changing the way teachers taught and students thought.

Joining Collaborative Classroom felt serendipitous—a reminder that what is meant for us will find its way to us. As I walked down the path to becoming an administrator, I found myself taking a different fork in the road.

Driven by Curiosity and a Desire to Help Others

Collaborative Classroom is a mission-driven nonprofit. What about our mission drew you to the organization? What’s your “why” for joining Collaborative Classroom?

Hands down my “why” is to drive meaningful change and foster inclusive, transformative learning environments. 

I imagine this drive was determined in the way I grew up. Grounded by the things I lacked, which were many, but also the things that I had, privileges if you will. Growing up in a small Midwestern town, I spent my early years on a farm, in a sheltered rural community. My perspective began to shift in high school when I was bussed to an inner-city school in a predominantly Black neighborhood. Those experiences planted the seeds for my lifelong commitment to equity.

I moved to California the day after graduating high school. As a first-generation college student, I entered higher education somewhat by chance, quite frankly from boredom. 

I was driven by an intense curiosity of human behavior and a desire to help others. Sitting in philosophy classes, I recognized my aptitude for learning about topics I’m passionate about. I loved engaging in deep, thoughtful reflection. 

On my first day of college, I sat next to someone who would become a dear lifelong friend. She is Chinese but grew up in Vietnam. My assigned zoology partner ended up being my husband, my  ride or die partner in life. He is Costa Rican. Their cultures opened my eyes to the beauty of diversity in language, food, and traditions. My passion for learning was ignited as we all continued on our educational journeys together. My spark for learning kept burning. 

Challenging the Status Quo

What’s your favorite part of your role as a Manager of Educational Partnerships?

My favorite part of being a Manager of Educational Partnerships is the chance to grow as a person while serving as a thought partner to leaders who are shaping a better tomorrow. Working with those who challenge the status quo and are deeply committed to reaching all students is both inspiring and invigorating. I’m passionate about collaborating to find the right curriculum and building the right team to support these efforts.

Early in my career, I poured countless hours into creating an inclusive and engaging classroom, but I often felt that academics alone couldn’t address students’ deeper needs. As a young mother with two babies, I carried the heavy “heart work” of wanting to create a better world while channeling my passion for education. I didn’t initially see the connection between literacy and the fight for human rights, but once I did, it became my driving force.

In this role, I’ve come to see how reciprocal this work is. I believe in shining a light on the giants and their incredible contributions. I find healing and purpose for myself in lifting others up. It’s a beautiful cycle of connection and growth, where giving and receiving are intertwined. 

Life Experiences Shape Perspectives

What are some other projects or passions in your career?  

Community and advocacy without a doubt are the recurring theme. I often observe communities and look at access to resources. When I think back to my experience as a young parent who, like all parents, wanted the best for my children, I felt limited in what I could ensure for them. I realized early on, accessibility comes down to policy and geography. Where we live directly impacts the quality of education and the life experiences children have.

Then they grow up to be adults carrying on the same cycle. We all do. Lived life experiences shape our perspectives. Curiosity of others’ perspectives and experiences sparked my passion for advocacy, particularly in being a voice for marginalized and misunderstood communities. I am actively involved with SEL4CA, the Reading League California Chapter, IDA, and Free Mom Hugs. I am always seeking ways to connect with the community and advocate for human rights. 

Once a Teacher, Always a Teacher!

In your role, you get to spend time in lots of different classrooms. What is something exciting or inspiring that you’re seeing out there in schools right now?

Once a teacher, always a teacher! I always feel deep respect when I walk into any classroom. I remember the weight of the world teachers carry because students are the future. I’m inspired by educators today, who are informed consumers, researching best practices grounded in evidence. 

The days of isolated, unstructured teaching are over, and this shift empowers educators, and also parents, to better advocate for their students’ needs. In the classrooms I visit, I see a growing focus on creating safe, supportive environments that foster belonging, engagement, and risk-taking in learning, while being grounded in the research of what we know works best for learning.

I’m encouraged by the emphasis on literacy, especially through the science of reading, and an understanding of students’ individual needs. Despite challenges, educators’ commitment to students and their efforts to differentiate instruction and teach reading purposefully give me hope for a brighter future. It’s happening! 

Final Thoughts

One final question: Reflecting on your own lived experiences as a teacher or as a student, what was one experience that was particularly memorable or impactful for you? 

My own experience was likely the catalyst for my desire to do better for others. After my parents’ divorce, I felt invisible and alone, transferring to a new town and school in 1st grade. 

As an educator, I wanted to be the teacher who saw my students deeply and made them feel they mattered. I wanted them to enjoy coming to school and learning with their peers and me—I wanted COMMUNITY. I carry all of them with me to this day; each student has shaped who I am. Social media has given former students a space to reach out. I’ve been invited to birthday parties, for coffee, etc. One recently reached out to share they’ve completed their MS to now serve as a mental health counselor at the very school where I taught them. Each of their stories matters to me. They always did!  

They were catalysts for my journey to Collaborative Classroom, teaching me that the fight for rights is bigger than what I could do alone. There is strength in numbers. I found my community, and I want to be that for others. 

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Visit our Field Team page to meet our other Managers of Educational Partnerships.