L.A. Compact Connection | September 2019

Using data to advocate for a better future for our kids

FEATURE STORY

Using data to advocate for a better future for our kids

Data is a powerful tool for improving equity of opportunity for our youngest learners. That was the key message on Sept. 18 when hundreds of education and community leaders gathered in Long Beach to learn about the groundbreaking Early Development Instrument (EDI), a comprehensive measure of school readiness and child well-being. First 5 LA and First 5 Orange County co-hosted the 2019 Learners Today, Leaders Tomorrow Summit, where Giannina Perez, Governor Newsom’s Senior Policy Advisor for Early Childhood, began the day by elevating the important role that the first five years has in shaping a child’s readiness for school and future well-being and economic success. Read more!

OUR IMPACT

Ensuring students get the degrees they deserve

Our work to ensure that adults in Los Angeles get the credentials they deserve is well underway! The CSUN Connections planning team met in August and September to focus on the development of our data outcomes template, identification of first-time freshmen who qualify for the Reroute to Success pathway, and initiating outreach to these students. Select representatives will participate in a national Learning Lab facilitated by the Lumina Foundation in Los Angeles from Sept. 25-27.

Highlights from Sacramento

The L.A. Compact has developed a summary of some of the significant bills and budget items approved by the state legislature in 2019 that will impact our cradle to career education systems. The Governor has until Oct. 13 to sign or veto bills. Check out our 2019 CA Legislative recap.

Check out what’s happening across all of the L.A. Compact workgroups!

OUR PARTNERS

L.A. County champions Community Schools model

On September 4, the L.A. County Office of Education celebrated the launch of its new Community Schools Initiative, which will co-locate county resources at 15 high schools this year. Check out the county's fact sheet on community schools.

School Nurse Interview Day

The LAUSD School Nurse Interview Day successfully resulted in 19 signed contracts from the 65 interviews conducted. On July 9, LAUSD, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and L.A. City partnered to address the need for school nurses. LAUSD’s HR and Nurse Hiring team were invited to join the L.A. Compact Health Sector Collaborative meeting to further discuss solutions to support the immediate need and how to create a better-aligned system long-term for the school nurse pipeline.

OUR CORNER

Ariana Oliva joins Child Care Planning Committee

Ariana Oliva, the Compact’s Early Childhood Manager, is now serving a three-year term as a member of the Los Angeles CountyChild Care Planning Committee, which engages in collaborative planning efforts to improve the overall child care infrastructure in the county. Read more!

Gov. Gavin Newsom names Alma Salazar to the Board of Governors

The L.A. Compact applauds Alma Salazar, Ed.D., on her recent gubernatorial appointment to serve on the California Community Colleges (CCC) Board of Governors, which sets policy and provides guidance for the 73 districts and 115 colleges within the system. Read more!

NEWS & RESOURCES

Can Businesses Benefit From Helping Parents Balance Family and Workplace Responsibilities? [First 5 LA]

California finally to move ahead with 'cradle to career' data system [EdSource]

L.A. County Will Explore Possibility of Separating Youth from Probation [The Chronicle of Social Change]

California community colleges work to solve housing for foster youths [EdSource]

California college students’ biggest struggle is juggling jobs to pay for food and housing, survey finds [LA Times]

To get into CSU, you may soon have to take an extra math or science class. Here’s why [Sacramento Bee]

The L.A. Compact is convened primarily by UNITE-LA, an education affiliate of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. Select workgroups are convened by other partner agencies.