As part of a commitment to "Continuous Learning and Improvement," outlined in the Community Schools Steering Committee (CSSC) bylaws, members recognized the importance of gaining deeper insights into the experiences and challenges of Community School Coordinators (CSCs) in implementing the community schools model at their respective schools. To address this need, the CSSC decided to conduct empathy interviews. Using a one-on-one, open-ended questioning format proved successful, encouraging participants to candidly share stories and specific experiences, thereby fostering a more inclusive and human-centered approach to improving school systems.

In May, UNITE-LA participated in the National Skills Coalition's (NSC) Skills Summit, the organization's premier annual event held in Washington, D.C., which gathers workforce and business advocates from across the nation. The Summit provided a platform to delve into crucial federal skills policy issues linked to racial equity, job quality and people-centered infrastructure.

UNITE-LA, convener of the L.A. Region K-16 Collaborative, is excited to announce significant progress toward collaborative objectives this quarter. The Collaborative successfully launched a permanent Stewardship Group, formalized a strategic partnership with Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) to strengthen employer engagement efforts, and facilitated two communities of practice, focused on dual enrollment and work-based learning for subregional and local partners.

The Los Angeles Digital Equity Action League (LA DEAL) launched an Advisory Group on July 11 with elected officials, municipal staff and community advocates. The group convened to advocate for a robust public broadband network, posing solutions such as joint projects and funding applications, shared information and assets, and community input, among other functions.

This spring, the L.A. Opportunity Youth Collaborative joined key public and private partners in the final meeting of an 18-month strategic planning process, which aims to reduce the number of disconnected youth by 32,000 over the next four years. Building from the successes of the L.A. Performance Partnership Pilot (LAP3) strategic plan, the new Horizons 32K plan will facilitate the connection of an additional 32,000 young people annually to sustainable education and employment pathways.

At the L.A. Valley College Family Resource Center on May 7, Dr. Lisa Catanzarite, UNITE-LA’s Vice President of Research and Evaluation, presented findings from our Empowering L.A. Students for College Success research report. Sonia Campos-Rivera, UNITE-LA’s Senior Vice President of Public Policy, discussed policy opportunities to support parenting students.

UNITE-LA recently filmed two videos highlighting dual enrollment partnerships within the L.A. Region K-16 Collaborative. UNITE-LA chose partners with successful and impactful dual enrollment programs, showcasing student-centered programming and institutional support systems critical for academic success.

In February 2024, the L.A. Unified Community Schools Steering Committee (CSSC) finalized the selection and designation of eight schools to join the fifth Community Schools Initiative (CSI) cohort, including 24th Street Elementary School, Charnock Elementary School, Cheremoya Elementary School, Coliseum Elementary School, Hancock Park Elementary School, Woodland Hills Academy Middle School, Public Service Community School at Diego Rivera Learning Center, and Lexington Primary Center. The designation supports collective efforts to achieve L.A. Unified's expansion goal of 70 community schools by 2025.

In February, the Systems and Research & Evaluation Teams welcomed Ana Delgado as our new Research and Evaluation Analyst. In this role, Ana will advance the work of the Systems Team, managing the L.A. Compact Charting Progress Dashboard, planning for our new Foster Youth Dashboard, and supporting the Learning Aligned Employment Program, and conducting research and evaluation for UNITE-LA's Policy and Programs work.

The Systems (L.A. Compact) Team is excited to have Jenny Vu as our new Director, Education Systems Strategy, who joined the team in November 2023. In this role, Jenny is supporting multiple education initiatives of the Systems Team, including Community Schools, the L.A. Compact and the L.A. Region K-16 Collaborative.