California Makes History: Annual $1 Billion Won for Life-Changing Community Schools
Over 6,000 high-need schools now have access to one of the boldest equity investments in public education in the country
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Katy Nuñez-Adler, Statewide Coordinator, California Partnership for the Future of Learning, 510.967.5137; katy@futureoflearningca.org
Day Son, Senior Manager of K-12 Policy, Catalyst California, 512.925.6844, dson@catalystcalifornia.org
Vea la traducción en español aquí.
SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Today, the California Partnership for the Future of Learning (CA PFL) celebrates a historic victory for California students, families, and communities. With Governor Newsom’s signature on the 2026-27 state budget, $1 billion in annual funding to sustain and expand the transformative community schools approach is now official policy in California—one of the boldest investments in public education of any state in the country, and one that couldn’t come at a more critical moment. CA PFL applauds Governor Newsom and the legislature for their leadership in securing this investment, and recognizes the broader coalition of community, labor, and policy partners across the state whose sustained organizing and advocacy made this win possible.
“This is a once-in-a-generation win for California students,” said Katy Núñez-Adler, Statewide Coordinator for CA PFL. “An ongoing $1 billion investment signals a deep commitment to transforming education for California students. The community schools approach supports every student to be seen, known and have agency, leading to improved educational outcomes, and closing equity gaps. Right now, families are facing unprecedented threats to their basic needs, and this funding ensures the schools they turn to will be there for them. Every child deserves a school where they can learn and grow—no matter where they live, what language they speak, or how they identify.”
This victory didn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of years of listening, organizing, and building power across California. Starting in 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic shut down schools and cut millions of families off from their communities and safety nets, CA PFL listened to 600 low-income students and families across the state and heard a clear call to action: a need for mental health supports, belonging and relationships, equitable learning opportunities, and schools that engage students and families as authentic partners. That campaign sparked the advocacy that won $45 million for community schools in 2020, the historic $3 billion investment in 2021, and an additional $1.1 billion in 2022. Then, in 2025, CA PFL’s California Youth & Families Speak listening campaign gathered voices from 1,840 Californians across 12 counties—and found that 92% believed California should continue investing in the community schools approach. More than 128 education, community, labor, and policy advocacy organizations and networks joined CA PFL in urging the legislature to act.
The data backed up their voices. According to a 2025 Learning Policy Institute report, California's community schools have cut chronic absenteeism by 30% compared to similar schools, reduced suspensions by 15%—with the greatest gains for Black students, English learners, and socioeconomically disadvantaged students—and delivered learning gains in English equivalent to 151 extra days of instruction for Black students.
As Congress moves forward with legislation that would cut billions from Medicaid, food assistance, and other essential supports that California families depend on, community schools are positioned to be a critical anchor. When families lose access to the resources they rely on, they turn to schools and community organizations for help. Community schools create hubs where schools, families, community partners, and educators build relationships and make decisions together—practicing the kind of democratic decision-making that is itself under attack. At a time when our multiracial, multilingual democracy is being tested, California is doubling down on its commitment to the next generation of leaders who will sustain it. This funding ensures those hubs are there when people need them most.
With this annual $1 billion secured, California will expand the community schools model to 3,700 additional schools, building on the nearly 2,500 high-need school communities already being served. Additional one-time funds will support the integration and alignment of secondary school redesign with the community schools strategy. The CA Partnership will continue to push for full implementation of the California Community Schools Framework—including shared decision-making, culturally and linguistically affirming learning environments, and integrated student wellness supports—to ensure this investment delivers on its transformative promise. We will continue to review the education trailer bill and related budget bills to better understand how the state budget is protecting our communities and provide updates as appropriate.
Californians for Justice | Noah Chavez-Bonilla, Long Beach Organizer: "Community schools are built on a simple truth that organizers have always known: when parents, staff, and community members are part of the work, young people show up as their whole selves and rise to their full potential. For too long, schools tried to do it alone. This historic investment changes that, because when we trust communities to help raise their own children, everyone wins."
Catalyst California | JunHee Doh, Policy Director: “This ongoing funding for community schools will transform lives, especially in the face of federal cuts to critical public services California families rely on. Many community schools across the state provide families with mental health supports, health clinics, and grocery pantries to meet the needs of their community. When families lose access to essential programs like Medi-Cal and CalFresh, they will turn to their schools to ask for help. With this funding, community schools will be better equipped to meet their students' growing needs and connect families with essential resources while creating the conditions for stronger academic outcomes, deeper belonging, and meaningful participation in school and community life.”
Inland Congregations United for Change (ICUC) | Ozzie Dolan, Student Organizer at Pacific High School: “Ongoing funding for community schools will transform lives because it helps create schools where students are treated as partners—where our education is done with us instead of to us.. At Pacific High, I’ve seen how shared leadership, career pathways, and strong community partnerships make learning more relevant and meaningful. Students want opportunities that connect school to college, careers, and the needs of our communities. This investment will help more schools expand those opportunities so students can develop as leaders, contribute to our communities, and build successful futures.”
Orange County Congregation Community Organization (OCCCO) | Maria Gonzalez, Parent Organizer in Anaheim Union High School District: “Nuestras escuelas no necesitan policías dentro de ellas, donde se están formando nuestros estudiantes - nuestros futuros líderes. La verdadera seguridad escolar no se logra con la presencia de policías, se logra construyendo escuelas donde cada estudiante se sienta seguro, respetado y apoyado. Impulsar las escuelas libres de policías es promover dignidad y comunidades más fuertes. Tenemos la oportunidad de fomentar este tipo de escuelas mediante esta inversión histórica en el modelo de escuelas comunitarias. ”
“Our schools do not need police inside them, where our students - our future leaders - are developing. True school safety is not achieved through the presence of police, it is achieved by building schools where every student feels safe, respected, and supported. Advocating for police-free schools means promoting dignity and stronger communities. We have the opportunity to nurture these kinds of schools through this historic investment in the community schools approach.”
Public Advocates | Rachel Murphy, Senior Legislative Counsel, K-12 Education Equity: “The community schools strategy is closing long-standing opportunity gaps by delivering the strongest gains for students who have been historically underserved, including Black students, English learners, and students from low-income communities. With this historic, ongoing investment centered on whole-child supports and shared leadership with students and families, California maintains its momentum as a leader in educational equity.”
Sacramento ACT | Nora Barraza, Parent Leader at Luther Burbank High School: “Las escuelas comunitarias trabajan para fortalecer las relaciones y liderazgo de familias, estudiantes y comunidad. Yo regresé a ser líder en mi escuela a través de las escuelas comunitarias. ¡Tenemos poder para construir escuelas fuertes basadas en relaciones y compartir decisiones!”
“Community schools work to strengthen relationships and leadership among families, students, and the community. Through community schools, I became a leader at my school once again. We have the power to build strong schools based on building relationships and shared decision making!”
True North Organizing Network | Ronda Evans, Director of Community Schools at Eureka City Schools: “Community schools funds have allowed the district to launch wellness spaces, expand mental health and social-emotional supports, strengthen attendance and engagement efforts, and establish the Parent Leadership Academy as a powerful vehicle for family voice and shared decision-making. The state’s $1 billion investment will be hugely impactful in scaling these efforts districtwide, deepening family leadership, and ensuring every student has access to the relationships, resources, and opportunities they need to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Through this continued commitment, our schools can serve as hubs of wellness, belonging, and opportunity where students, families, educators, and community partners work together to support the success of every child.”
Building Healthy Communities Kern | Reyna Olaguez, Chief Executive Office: “We are incredibly grateful for this investment coming to our communities. Our hope now is that schools ensure the implementation process remains truly community-centered. Families and residents must have a real voice in the budget decision-making process because that is exactly how the community school model is supposed to work. We are thrilled to see our Kern County neighborhoods gaining more direct control over how this funding is spent.”
Building Healthy Communities Monterey County | Carmen Lopez, Parent Leader in Soledad Unified School District: “Las escuelas comunitarias: hacen algo más que educar y enseñar a nuestros hijos. También los preparan a tener una visión clara de su rol como estudiante en su clase y escuela. Una escuela comunitaria para mí, provee más apoyo de diferentes maneras para mejorar las necesidades educativas de todos los estudiantes y familias de la comunidad, el participar activamente en las escuelas comunitarias de nuestros hijos tiene por resultado un impacto positivo. Las escuelas comunitarias ayudan a mejorar las necesidades de cada uno de nuestros estudiantes.”
“Community schools do more than just educate and teach our children; they also prepare them to have a clear vision of their role as students within their classrooms and schools. To me, a community school provides diverse forms of support to address the educational needs of all students and families in the community; actively participating in our children's community schools results in a positive impact. Community schools help meet the needs of each of our students.”
Community Coalition | Christian Flagg, Director of Youth Organizing: “Community empowerment and shared decision making are critical pillars of the education transformation needed to most effectively support historically underserved Black and Brown communities across California. Ongoing funding to maintain and expand the community schools model is a crucial step further in the right direction, particularly in a period of massive local cuts to equity initiatives like the Student Equity Needs Index and the Black Student Achievement Plan in Los Angeles Unified.”
InnerCity Struggle | Daniela Hernandez Toc, Associate Director: “As LAUSD students and families continue to face the deep impacts of the federal cuts to education and the social safety net, it is imperative that local and state leaders take bold steps to further invest in Black and Brown high needs communities. The $1 billion investment to expand community schools is an important step to providing the wrap-around supports students and families need and deserve.”
The California Partnership for the Future of Learning is a statewide alliance led by Californians for Justice, Catalyst California, PICO California, and Public Advocates, with the support of Building Healthy Communities - Kern, Building Healthy Communities-Monterey County, Community Coalition, InnerCity Struggle, and over thirty grassroots, research and philanthropic partners committed to transforming public education to create a more just, equitable, and student-centered system.