Pittsburg schools and students have seen impressive gains in literacy, math and science assessment scores following adoption of the community schools model. State Superintendent of Schools Tony Thurmond, school district officials and Pittsburg Education Association (PEA) leadership held a special press event in October to celebrate.

PEA President Celia Medina-Owens spoke at the event, crediting community schools’ shared decision-making model for student success. “We know that when educators and support staff are empowered to collaborate with school and district leadership, we can focus on the students and their individual needs and everyone thrives.”

“Lunch on the Lawn” at Martin Luther King Jr. Junior High with families and community partners; photo: Jose Rodriguez, Community School coordinator.

Statewide assessment results show that the number of Pittsburg Unified School District students who met or exceeded standard in English Language Arts increased by 4.6% since last year, while the rate of students who met or exceeded standard rose by 1.5% in math and 2.9% in science. In addition, students’ average scale score increased in every grade level and nearly every student demographic group for ELA and math.

“When educators and support staff are empowered to collaborate with school and district leadership, we can focus on the students and everyone thrives.”

—Pittsburg Education Assn. President Celia Medina-Owens

All 13 schools in Pittsburg district are community schools. Nine schools have grant money from the California Community Schools Partnership Program, which has seen a total investment of $4.1 billion statewide since its launch in 2021. Four schools are funded through their LCAPs.

Students vote for their representatives for the Community Schools Site-Based Steering Committee at Marina Vista Elementary; photo: Kelly Johnson, Community School coordinator.

California’s community schools address the whole child, where academics are intertwined with student well-being and social-emotional learning. The schools build partnerships with community organizations to provide resources, such as mental health services and family outreach including home visits, that engage both families and students. Visit Community Schools for more.