Monterey County schools receive nearly $40 million to implement community schools.

For the past couple of years, the state has pushed to transition K-12 campuses into community schools, designed to serve not only as a space to learn but a hub where parents and students can get support for needs like housing, mental health and more.

The goal is to break down the barriers for families so they can reach the services they need and students can focus on academic success. School districts aren’t starting from zero; most already provide similar services on campus or through family resource centers. But funding is helping drive the vision forward.

For the 2024-2025 school year, the California Community School partnership program distributed $1.3 billion. In Monterey County, Alisal Union, Salinas Union High School, Monterey Peninsula Unified and Soledad Unified school districts received five-year implementation grants for community schools.

AUSD received the largest sum, $17.1 million, and will convert all 12 of its elementary schools into community schools. (It has pilot programs now running at four, including Jesse G. Sanchez and Virginia Rocca Barton schools.)

“We understand that the biggest impact we will have is if we take the whole family on the adventure,” says Monica Anzo, associate superintendent of educational services at AUSD.

MPUSD received $8.7 million for its Seaside schools; SUHSD got $6.6 million for El Sausal Middle, Everett Alvarez and North Salinas high schools; and Soledad received $5.7 million for four elementary schools.

Each school will offer slightly different services based on local needs. Monterey County Office of Education implemented a community school framework last year.

While community schools may focus on services outside of a classroom setting, the goal is enabling students to thrive: “We hope to see lower chronic absenteeism rates, lower suspension/expulsion issues, and higher academic achievement,” says Ernesto Vela, assistant superintendent at MCOE.