L.A. Compact Connection | November 2019

L.A. Unified kicks off school year with community schools pilot

FEATURE STORY

L.A. Unified kicks off school year with community schools pilot

On November 2, L.A. Unified hosted its second convening at Panorama High School of 18 schools participating in the Community Schools pilot. The teams dove into the process of developing a community needs and assets assessment as a critical step in adopting the Community Schools model, a strategy aimed to increase parent engagement, broaden curriculum and implement wraparound services. Read more!

OUR IMPACT

Using data and research to improve teacher preparation

At its September meeting, the Los Angeles Educator Pathways Partnership (LAEPP) discussed a set of additional research questions to deepen the analysis of teacher preparation pathways and L.A. Unified outcomes for new STEM teachers in comparison to teachers in other school districts. Read more!

UNITE-LA & CSUN Connections staff present on reverse transfer

In September, CSUN Connections team members representing CSUN, LACCD and UNITE-LA attended a Lumina Communities of Practice Convening in Los Angeles. Groups from across the country conducting similar work came together to share their progress on ongoing initiatives and ideas for the future of higher education attainment. Read more!

Addressing the opportunity gap with transition-age foster youth

Opportunity Youth Collaborative (OYC) representatives from the Alliance for Children’s Rights, UNITE-LA, L.A. County DCFS, L.A. County WDACS and iFoster headed to Aspen, Colorado in October for the annual convening of 28 Opportunity Youth Forum communities, focused on deepening education and employment pathways for young people ages 16-24 who are disconnected from school and work.

County partners set goal of increasing FAFSA completion rate to 65%

The FAFSA completion rate for foster youth high school seniors in L.A. County increased from 33% in 2018 to 61% in 2019. The L.A. County Office of Child Protection recently reported back to the County Board of Supervisors highlighting this progress of the foster youth FAFSA Challenge, led in partnership by John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) of the OYC Foster Youth College Advancement Project (FYCAP). Read more!

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

OUR PARTNERS

“Putting the District's youngest learners on a highway to success”

LAUSD released its first Birth to Eight Roadmap, outlining how the district will position its youngest learners on the road to success. UNITE-LA and First 5 LA, among other partners, were a part of the steering committee that helped build the roadmap. According to Superintendent Austin Beutner, “Understanding that no single organization can achieve success without support, the Roadmap leverages private and public partnerships with an understanding that it is our collective efforts that will bring success for families and young children in the District, city, and state.”

USC inaugurates new president

On September 20, Carol L. Folt was inaugurated as USC’s 12th President. The event brought together USC students, alumni, faculty members, administrators and community members to celebrate Dr. Folt and her vision for the storied university. An advocate for higher education accessibility, Dr. Folt committed to expanding affordability, reducing student debt and leveraging USC’s stature to advance the college-going culture.

OUR CORNER

L.A. Compact attends conference for collective impact leaders

In October, the L.A. Compact’s Julian Lucas, Talent Development Coordinator, and Adam Gottlieb, Higher Education Manager, represented the Compact and UNITE-LA at the Collective Impact Forum’s Champions for Change 2019. Read more!

NEWS & RESOURCES

BUILDING CALIFORNIA’S FUTURE: Tackling the Facilities Challenge for Our Youngest Learners [Advancement Project]

Early Childhood Essentials: A Framework for Aligning Child Skills and Educator Competencies [Learning Policy Institute]

LMU Welcomes Democratic Presidential Debate to Los Angeles [LMU Newsroom]

First 5 LA Board has unanimously approved Strategic Plan for 2020-2028 [First 5 LA]

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.