Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators:

California Community School Partnership Program Funding Opportunity: Opt in by November 1, 2026

California continues to make significant investments in community schools. The 2026 State Budget provides $1 billion in ongoing Proposition 98 General Fund funding to sustain and expand the community school model to additional school sites serving high-need student populations, including students from low-income families, English Learners, and youth in foster care. To date, approximately 2,500 schools across California have received community school grants through the California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP). This new, ongoing funding will provide continued resources to current grantees while expanding access to the community school model to additional eligible school sites.

Under the new CCSPP, a school site is eligible if, based on the previous year's fall census data, it has more than 65 percent unduplicated pupils and 10 or more enrolled students. Eligible school sites may receive annual funding ranging from $75,000 to $400,000 based on enrollment and must commit to implementing the community school model aligned with the California Community Schools Framework.

For the 2026–27 school year, local educational agencies (LEAs) must apply by opting in no later than November 1, 2026, for eligible school sites that are not currently receiving a community school grant as well as for LEAs that are not current CCSPP grantees. By submitting the CCSPP Opt-In Form, your LEA acknowledges its commitment to implementing and sustaining community schools in alignment with California law and the California Community Schools Framework. LEAs will have the opportunity to identify eligible school sites as either planning or implementation sites. Additional information regarding the opt-in requirements and process will be provided to LEAs prior to November 1, 2026.

Note: LEAs will have the opportunity by June 1 each year to opt-in to the next year’s funding opportunity.

By opting in, the LEA certifies that participating school sites meet the eligibility requirements established in California Education Code Sections 8901–03 and that community school funding will be used to:

• Implement the Community School Model
• Fiscal Responsibility
• Reporting and Continuous Improvement
  

Additional expectations include:

• Maintain an active shared decision-making team or council.
• Support a network of site-based community schools.
• Develop and annually update a community school implementation plan.
• Publicly present implementation plans to the governing board and community.
• Post implementation plans on district and school websites.
• Submit implementation plans to the California Department of Education.
• Maintain signed commitment letters from required educational partners and stakeholders.

Current CCSPP implementation grantees in cohorts 1–4 can transition to the new ongoing program in Year 5 of implementation and will opt-in to the ongoing program. Additional funding protections are available for Cohort 1 schools whose funding under the new formula would otherwise be lower than the 2026–27 funding amount.

We invite you to join the CCSPP Informational Webinar on September 23, 2026, from 3 to 5 p.m. The webinar will provide information about the ongoing program and help LEAs and school sites prepare for the upcoming opt-in process. To register for the CCSPP Informational Webinar, please visit https://scoe.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NWW1xXuKR-WwG9ebhU0ndg#/registration.

Please see the flyer for the CDE CCSPP Informational Webinar at https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/el/le/documents/yr26ltr0904attflyer.pdf for additional information, including eligibility, funding, preparation activities, and webinar registration.

We encourage you to share these resources with district and school leaders, community partners, caregivers, students, staff, and other members of your school communities. As LEAs and school sites prepare for this new funding opportunity, you are also encouraged to connect with your local Regional Transformational Assistance Center (R-TAC) for support in becoming a community school and connecting with other community school leaders and partners. You can find your RTAC on the CDE CCSPP web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/hs/ccspp.asp.

Thank you for your continued leadership and commitment to building strong community schools that support the success and well-being of California's students, families, and communities.

If you have questions, please contact the CDE Community Schools Office at CCSPP@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond
State Superintendent of Public Instruction