California’s bold investment in community schools are boosting success. As grantees deepen their understanding, commitment and implement their vision, the California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP) is delivering promising early results. Schools across the state are reducing absenteeism, increasing graduation rates, innovating, and building strong, inclusive partnerships with families and communities. Schools with two years to implement are demonstrating the greatest gains, especially in student attendance and engagement.
Among the 450 Cohort 1 schools that received CCSPP implementation funding beginning in 2022-23, chronic absenteeism dropped by over 8 percentage points, a steeper decline than in Cohort 2 (5.2 points) or the state overall (5 points). A closer look reveals the power behind these results: grantees that deepened their family engagement efforts saw a sharper decrease. On average, for every level increase in family engagement (as rated by schools), chronic absenteeism dropped by 1.4 percentage points. Similarly, schools that expanded their whole-child supports (such as mental health services, tutoring, etc.) saw measurable improvements. Just one additional support predicted a 0.25 percentage point drop in absenteeism. These gains are the result of intentional planning, cross-sector partnerships, and a commitment to meeting students and families where they are. Below is an example of how this transformational work is taking shape on the ground.
Wheatland Union: A Rural High School Goes from 79% to 100% Graduation
Nestled between a pumpkin farm and a two-lane road in Yuba County, Wheatland Union High School District serves approximately 1,100 students across a comprehensive high school, a continuation school, and a community day school. Since implementing the CCSPP, the district has reduced chronic absenteeism by 25% and increased graduation rates from 78.6% to 100% in one year. Their multi-tiered, student-centered approach includes 18 career technical education pathways, dual enrollment opportunities, and after-school programs with guaranteed transportation home at 6 p.m. Tier 1 supports are reinforced with classroom-based mental health strategies, including restorative practices and staff anti-bias training Tier 2 offerings include a campus “Zen Den” for wellness breaks and a Safe Harbor Program tailored for foster, homeless, and newcomer students. At Tier 3, students receive one-on-one case management and access to essential resources such as dental care, prom attire, and items from a community resource closet. Wheatland is also transforming its systems, reimagining its School Attendance Review Board to focus on student strengths and family engagement rather than punitive measures. Through this holistic and community-connected model, Wheatland is building a district where students are more likely to graduate and reach their full potential.
From Data to Action: What’s Driving These Results?
Analysis of Cohort 1 schools shows that implementation matters. Schools that made gains in collaborative leadership, strategic partnerships, and student/family engagement also expanded their supports and saw better student outcomes. Grantees that increased family engagement saw sharper declines in absenteeism, for example. And those that expanded whole-child supports showed better attendance trends. These findings were corroborated by both state-level data and local implementation metrics submitted through Annual Progress Reports. An impact study, conducted and released by the Learning Policy Institute, found similar results. Comparing changes in outcomes over time, between implementation grantees and a matched group of schools revealed consistent positive impacts across multiple domains including absenteeism. Combined, these findings paint a clear picture: the more deeply a school enacts the community school approach, the more students benefit.
Looking Ahead: Sustaining Progress, Scaling Equity
As CCSPP moves into its 4th year of implementation, sustaining momentum will require continued investment in technical assistance, aligned funding strategies, and innovative practices. Fortunately, many schools are already blending CCSPP funds with other sources (like Expanded Learning Opportunities Program) to maintain and grow their supports. In addition, many schools are rethinking their curriculum and instruction, reimagining the classroom and how best to holistically support their students. Schools are implementing redesign practices that align with the principles of equity-centered thriving highlighted in the CCSPP, including performance-based graduation portfolios, community capstones, youth-led research, and advisory systems that foster belonging and purpose.
There is still much to learn, but early results are encouraging. Community schools are a strategy for long-term educational equity and transformation, far more than a temporary or blanket intervention. And as stories like Wheatland show, when schools center relationships, community, and student needs, powerful things happen.
