Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators:

New Funding Opportunity: The California Community Schools Partnership Program

Disruptions due to the COVID-19 emergency have forced districts and schools to focus on the direct connection between schools and families and to examine the link between school and community services.

Community school strategies are an effective approach to mitigate the academic and social impacts of the pandemic, improve school responsiveness to student and family needs, and organize school and community resources to address barriers to learning.

This “whole child” school improvement strategy, where the district and school work closely with teachers, students, and families, focuses on partnerships with community agencies and local government to align resources to improve student outcomes.

California-based school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools, excluding non-classroom-based charter schools, are eligible to apply for the California Community Schools Partnership Program. $45 million have been appropriated from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund.

Grant funding may be used for any of the following purposes:

• Expanding and sustaining existing community schools
• Coordinating and providing health, mental health, and pupil support services to pupils and families at community schools
• Providing training and support to local educational agencies (LEAs) personnel to help develop best practices for integrating pupil supports

The Request for Applications will be released on October 30, 2020. The CDE will hold a series of webinars to assist LEAs with applying for these funds and provide a Frequently Asked Questions web page. Applications are due December 4, 2020, by 11:59 p.m.

Please direct all questions to the California Community Schools Partnership Program’s email address at CCSPP@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond
State Superintendent of Public Instruction