California Greenlights $618 Million to Transform 458 Community Schools

On May 7, 2025, California’s State Board of Education greenlit $618 million to support 458 schools, advancing the state’s groundbreaking community schools program. With nearly 2,500 schools now funded, this initiative weaves together health care, mental health services, and academic support to create environments where students can excel. It targets deep-rooted challenges like poverty and absenteeism that often derail success in high-need communities.

The California Community Schools Partnership Program, launched in 2021 with a $4.1 billion commitment, leads the nation in tackling these barriers. Funded schools serve as community hubs, offering free meals, counseling, and after-school programs. The approach aims to ensure students and families have the resources to thrive, addressing needs that go far beyond traditional classroom learning.

This model has deep roots, drawing from early 20th-century settlement schools and evolving through decades of efforts to make schools community anchors. California’s program builds on this history, focusing on equity and comprehensive support for a diverse student population facing complex social and economic realities.

The latest funding round marks a milestone, but it also raises questions about how to sustain such an ambitious effort. As schools transform into multifaceted support systems, the state must balance innovation with practical challenges, ensuring every dollar translates into real-world impact for students.

At their core, community schools prioritize student well-being to unlock academic potential. They provide on-site health clinics, mental health counseling, and social services alongside quality instruction. By partnering with local nonprofits, health systems, and agencies, these schools create a seamless network of support tailored to local needs.

Elk Hills Elementary in Kern County, a 2021 grant recipient, illustrates the model’s impact. By focusing on early education, expanded learning, and mental health, the school has boosted math and reading scores while significantly cutting chronic absenteeism, according to California School Dashboard data. Family engagement and student-centered activities have fostered stronger connections, driving these gains.

In San Francisco, Buena Vista Horace Mann, a Spanish dual-immersion school, used its funding to provide on-site therapy and a stay-over program for families experiencing homelessness. These efforts have slashed absenteeism rates and strengthened community bonds, showing how addressing practical challenges can pave the way for academic progress.

Evidence supports the community schools model. Research from programs like Chicago’s Ambitious Elementary Schools shows that integrating data-driven instruction with comprehensive services can narrow achievement gaps in high-poverty areas. Students with access to mental health support report reduced stress and better grades, while long-term studies link these services to improved attendance and lower dropout rates.

In California, Folsom Cordova Unified School District’s Coordination of Services Teams have driven reading gains for underserved student groups, such as English Learners and socioeconomically disadvantaged students. These successes highlight the potential to address systemic inequities, though scaling the model across diverse districts poses logistical challenges.

Not all stakeholders view the program the same way. Some policymakers emphasize local control and parental choice, advocating for accountability measures like transparent curricula or scholarship programs to ensure funds directly benefit students. These perspectives stress the importance of clear metrics to evaluate the program’s effectiveness over time.

Building community schools comes with real challenges. Coordinating partnerships across schools, health providers, and nonprofits demands expertise and resources. Sustaining $4.1 billion in funding amid competing priorities, like post-pandemic mental health needs and teacher shortages, will test the state’s commitment.

Despite these hurdles, the program shows promise. Proven strategies, like personalized family outreach and data-driven attendance tracking, have already curbed chronic absenteeism, a nationwide issue. California’s investment positions its schools as potential models for others, provided it can maintain momentum and adapt to local contexts.

Diverse viewpoints on community schools—from enthusiasm for their equity focus to calls for greater flexibility—highlight the complexity of transforming education. Bridging these perspectives will be key to ensuring the program delivers lasting benefits while respecting varied priorities.

California’s community schools initiative reflects a bold vision for education, one that tackles the interconnected challenges facing students and families. Early successes at schools like Elk Hills and Buena Vista suggest that addressing health, economic, and social barriers can unlock academic potential and foster stronger communities.

Moving forward, the state must focus on sustainability and scale. Maintaining high-quality services across 2,500 schools requires consistent funding, robust training, and community engagement. Policymakers will also need to address differing views on how to best support students, balancing comprehensive services with calls for alternative approaches like school choice.

For students and families, the impact is tangible. Schools once grappling with absenteeism or low achievement are becoming hubs of opportunity, where kids get the support they need to succeed. California’s effort could redefine how we approach education, proving that schools can be more than places to learn—they can be lifelines for entire communities.