Community Engagement and Partnerships
At the Partnership, we recognize that the needs of our students and schools go beyond what we can directly provide, so we work with community organizations and partners to better serve our students. We work with school leaders and community partners to leverage collective expertise and resources to best serve Partnership schools and our network in transforming schools.
The Partnership’s approach to working with partners includes:
- Developing school-specific strategies and leveraging partner resources to meet school-wide goals
- Scaling community partnerships to deepen impact across the network
- Building community-level partnerships to increase alignment between school and community goals to maximize impact
- Cultivating relationships and convening partners to be strategic ambassadors for our mission and deepen our collective impact
- Serving as advisors for Partnership staff and school communities to engage with community leaders and partners
The Power of Partners
The historically underserved schools we manage need an array of supports that extend beyond our work, and we know we cannot achieve our mission on our own. Our success is built by creating strong partnerships and leveraging the expertise of partner organizations, community members, and dozens of funders. Our partners help serve the individual needs of our schools and students by providing socio-emotional supports, health and wellness care, academic interventions, after-school programming, and much more, ensuring success beyond what we alone can provide.
Our Most Critical Partner
The Los Angeles Unified School District serves over 600,000 students in grades K-12 at more than 1,000 schools, covering 720 square miles. Partnership schools are public LA Unified schools, and our 13,550 students make up a small portion of the district’s enrollment. We work closely with LA Unified administrators and our local districts to share best practices and influence education beyond our network.
City Year
City Year Los Angeles (CYLA) supports schools by helping students stay on track to graduate high school, including attendance monitoring and engagement, social-emotional support, academic support in classrooms, and after school tutoring. They provide these supports at 12 Partnership schools: 107th Street and STEAM Magnet; Grape Street Elementary; Florence Griffith Joyner Elementary; George Washington Carver Middle; Hollenbeck Middle; Edwin Markham Middle; Stevenson College and Career Preparatory; Jordan High; Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez; Roosevelt High; and Santee Education Complex.
The Mission Continues Provides a Fresh Look
The Mission Continues deploys veterans on new missions in their communities so that their actions will inspire future generations to serve. Across the Partnership’s network of schools, volunteers from The Mission Continues have performed days of service that provide schools with new murals and improved outdoor areas like green spaces, updated equipment, playground paintings, and more!
CIS Provides a Path to a Brighter Future
Communities in Schools (CIS) is dedicated to empowering at-risk students to stay in school and on a path to a brighter future. CIS works with six Partnership schools and most recently expanded to our Watts community. CIS connects children with caring adults and community resources designed to help them succeed. And, in partnership with local communities, CIS does whatever it takes to ensure that all children have what they need to realize their potential.
Supporting Fun, Safe, and Healthy Playing Habits
Playworks supports safe and healthy play at 13 Partnership schools. Playworks helps schools and districts make the most of recess through on-site staffing, consultative support, professional development, free resources, and more. Playworks provides coaching support at all Partnership elementary schools and three middle schools: Figueroa Street Elementary, Florence Griffith Joyner Elementary, Grape Street Elementary, 107th Street and STEAM Magnet, 99th Street Elementary, 20th Street Elementary, Dolores Huerta Elementary, Sunrise Elementary, Ritter Elementary, George Washington Carver Middle, Hollenbeck Middle, and Stevenson College and Career Preparatory. They receive Recess Reboot training, plus six coaching visits spread across the school year.
Children’s Institute, Inc. Launches New Neighborhood Schools Initiative
In 2019, the Children’s Institute (CII) launched its Neighborhood Schools initiative, which aims to support an entire school or preschool community with services for students, their families, teachers, and administrators. They launched the program at three schools, including Florence Griffith Joyner Elementary – a Partnership school. As part of this initiative, CII offers onsite clinical support and an after-school soccer program that includes social-emotional learning for students across all grades. CII also deployed a full-time Neighborhood Schools Director to support partnerships and increase programming and services at Joyner, including social-emotional supports and before- and after-school activities.
Lifting Community Voices in Boyle Heights
Promesa Boyle Heights is a collective of residents, youth, schools, and community organizations united in lifting community voices and working together to transform conditions and improve opportunities for students and families. Through their community school model, Promesa Boyle Heights partners with Hollenbeck Middle School, Roosevelt High School and Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez High School to provide whole-child and family support through collaborations with health and wellness organizations, and also provide academic support and college access activities.