San Diego Unified School District

The Four Pillars of Community Schools:

• Expanded & Enriched Learning Time and Opportunities
• After-school, weekend, and summer programs
• Integrated Student Supports
• Mental/physical health supports and social services
• Collaborative Leadership and Practices
• A culture of professional learning, trust, and continuous improvement
• Active Family and Community Engagement
• Parents/caregivers in the school as partners, leaders, and learners

Together, the four pillars result in stronger:

• Relationships
• Whole-Child Focus
• Staffing and Partnerships
• Teaching and Learning
• Teams and Systems

View or download the Community Schools flyer (English). To view or download this information in another language, select from the provided list.

• Arabic
• Somali
• Spanish
• Swahili
• Tagalog
• Vietnamese

In San Diego Unified, Community Schools represent the whole-child, whole-school evidence-based model for achieving equitable outcomes for school improvement. We believe that strong collaborative leadership practices, and deep family engagement systems build the foundations for true transformational change within our schools and communities.

Watch the “What is a Community School?” video to learn more.

San Diego Unified Community School Facts

Every designated Community School will receive a full-time coordinator to support collaborative leadership and creating a community informed vision for the school. In the first year of designation, schools engage in a deep visioning practice to gather educational partner voice to create transformational change in their school community, while being supplemented with annual grant funding for five years. Our current cohorts of Community Schools support approximately 11,275 students in the highest-need school communities.

What's Next?

San Diego Unified has developed a Community School Cohort model that will include new cohorts on an annual basis. Using a sustainable on-boarding plan will allow new Community Schools to receive focused supports to ensure practices and structures are aligned; necessary resources are provided to schools; and school teams have full support launching this great opportunity.

San Diego Unified Community Schools

Watch the “Hoover Market | A Feeding San Diego School Pantry In Action” video to learn more about what's happening at San Diego Unified's Community School, Hoover High.