Search

Community Schools Collaboration 

Description

A failing student turns it around and graduates on time.  A college bound young woman credits a site manager who has known her since 3rd grade for never giving up on her.  These are two of many triumphs that occur at Community Schools Collaboration (CSC), which builds partnerships with schools, families and community organizations to help all students thrive.  CSC serves students in K-12 from the Tukwila and Highline School Districts, of which more than 87% are students of color, 40% are refugees or immigrants, and more than 70% are low-income.

Mission Statement
CSC exists to provide children and youth with opportunities to succeed in school, to develop high aspirations, and to create a better world. Our vision is that all children and youth reach their full potential and realize their dreams.
Donate Now
Community Schools Collaboration
16256 Military Rd S Ste 102 
Seatac 
WA
98188-3049 
(206) 901-2503 

Deborah P. Salas 
Executive Director 

Programs

Community Schools Collaboration Programs

CSC offers its “full-service” community school model at 20 schools in South King County’s Tukwila and Highline School Districts, enabling them to be more effective at their most important mission: educating children. CSC serves elementary, middle, and high schools to offer students a pipeline of support from kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Our team works with school staff to develop targeted outcomes and identify students needing support.  We also reach out to parents/caregivers to encourage family involvement in the schools, develop parent leadership, and provide referrals to community resources as needed.  We provide students with the following:

  • Expanded Learning:  CSC coordinates with community partners to provide academic support, promote college readiness, encourage youth development, and offer enrichment activities that include cultural groups, community service, visual and performing arts, sports and more.
  • Transition Support:  CSC provides students with support for the transition from elementary to middle school and middle to high school, so that at-risk youth succeed in the upper grades. Through this work, CSC is a lead partner in The Seattle Foundation’s school/community partnerships initiative.
  • Health Services:  In partnership with local health providers, CSC offers health services in the schools so that students are healthy and ready to learn. Services include physicals, immunizations, dental and vision care, and health education on nutrition, fitness, and the prevention of high-risk behaviors.

Recent Successes and Current Challenges

"Summer slide" refers to the loss of academic skills many kids experience over the summer. Students from low-income families often lose two months of reading and math skills. By 5th grade, some children are 2 ½ years behind their higher income peers because of summer slide.

CSC is changing this equation. With the support of many funders, donors and program partners, more than than 200 CSC children and youth were able to take part in learning opportunities during summer 2011.  CSC's summer programs gave youth a chance to have fun and a jumpstart on the new school year. We reached kids from whom this jumpstart is crucial: newly arrived refugees, and youth entering middle school.

With the new school year underway, our need is to continue supporting students' academic and personal development at a time in which resources are diminishing. At all 20 of our school sites, we have waiting lists of students who are seeking after school learning opportunities. We are developing strategies to dramatically increase support and investment in our programs, so that many more youth can succeed in school and prepare for a promising future.

Evaluation


The Community Schools Collaboration is grounded in the research-based “full-service community schools” model, which builds partnerships within public schools to create conditions in which all students can thrive. Many efforts to serve public school students and families struggle to have lasting impact due to the lack of coordination and to “siloed” public funding streams that narrowly define program eligibility. Through a site-based, collaborative approach that is supported by local cities and school districts, CSC is able to effectively address need, design and broker programming that responds to the needs of students and their families.

Proven Success
Evaluations of CSC’s work have demonstrated reduced mobility (i.e., if families feel connected to their local school they’re less likely to move), improved academic performance and graduation rates, and enhanced parent engagement and school culture.

In 2009-2010, teachers at partner-schools reported that 72% improved their performance in class, while 90% of participating students reported that CSC helped them to improve their grades.

Collaboration
Because of the dearth of services for youth in South King County, CSC plays a critical role in both delivering and coordinating services with complimentary organizations. As the lead nonprofit partner for the Tukwila and Highline school districts, CSC serves as the liaison between schools and more than 40 community-based organizations that provide services to local students. This not only helps the districts manage a wide range of external partnerships, but also ensures that services are non-duplicative and targeted to the students who need them the most.

CSC site-based staff participates in professional development programs with teachers from partner schools to build stronger connections between school-day and out-of-school time programming.

Sustainability
CSC has a history of diverse revenue streams due to its support from government (state, county, city, and school district), foundations, corporate funders and individuals. As two major multi-year foundation grants wind down, pressure will increase on the organization to expand its base of individual and corporate support. CSC has increased its investments in development and marketing in response to shifts in revenue streams.

Grant History with The Seattle Foundation:

Grants Awarded through The Seattle Foundation Grantmaking Program:

DateAmountPurpose
6/10/2011 $20,000.00support general operating expenses.
12/10/2008 $25,000.00support general operating expenses.
12/12/2007 $150,000.00to support the replication of the Community School model at Chinook Middle School and Tyee High School complex.
10/5/2006 $20,000.00support general operating expenses.
3/18/2004 $21,500.00support general operating expenses.

Financials

Similar Organizations

Give broadly to Education
If boosting student achievement and aspirations, teaching skills for success in college and career, and increasing the quality of public schools is important to you, then make a difference by giving to the Grantmaking Program.
Questions or comments about this organization?
Contact us to learn more.