Golden State Today

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond has announced that the California State Board of Education (SBE) has approved $1.3 billion in community schools implementation grants. This approval, proposed by the California Department of Education (CDE), marks the ongoing expansion and third cohort of the California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP).

Thurmond highlighted that this initiative is fundamentally about breaking down barriers to unlock every child's potential. The grantees build strategic partnerships with service providers in their area, which leads to a significant return on investment for students and families.

The CCSPP, with a total investment of $4.1 billion, is the nation’s largest investment in the community schools model and represents a comprehensive rethinking of schooling's role since the Cold War's end. Community schools partner with education, county, and other nonprofit entities to provide integrated health, mental health, and social services alongside high-quality instruction with a strong focus on community, family, and student engagement.

In Fresno Unified, CCSPP funds have supported food and clothing pantries, family resource fairs, and Community School Coordinators for each site alongside innovative transportation solutions for students who are late for school buses. These efforts have resulted in increased average daily attendance, enhanced family engagement, and elevation of parent and teacher voice.

With today’s SBE vote, the CDE is awarding community schools grants totaling more than $1.3 billion. This allocation is in addition to over $1.3 billion in implementation grants in 2021 and 2022 to 204 local educational agencies and 1,028 school sites.

Thurmond sponsored community schools legislation in 2019. Since then, following the passage of the Community Schools Partnership Act, the CDE has continued pioneering efforts supporting whole-child development and transforming public education.

SBE President Linda Darling-Hammond stated: “We know children learn best when they are healthy, happy, and in a learning environment where they are surrounded by knowledgeable and caring adults attuned to their needs. Well-resourced community schools have been proven to transform students’ lives and improve the well-being of families, thus uplifting entire communities."

Governor Newsom stated: “California is transforming education to make schools a place where every family and student can succeed. Today, we are expanding community schools across the state, offering everything from free meals twice a day to mental health counseling to before, after, and summer school programs to thousands more students.”

Community schools form a critical part of Thurmond’s Transforming California Schools Initiative. For more information, please see the CDE Community Schools web page.