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The California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP)

The California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP) is a state grant program administered by the California Department of Education. The CCSPP aims to support schools’ efforts to partner with community agencies and local governments to align community resources to improve student outcomes. These partnerships provide an integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development, and community engagement. Use this page to find answers to common questions about the grant application, peruse our resources and events, and more.

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So you got a CCSPP grant! Now what?

In May, the California State Board of Education unanimously approved the Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP) Implementation Grants (Cohort 3). If you’re reading this and your application was funded, a big congratulations! You might be wondering what comes next, especially if this is your first implementation grant. But don’t worry – with decades of work in and with schools, districts, and LEAs, we’ve learned a thing or two and we have a number of “pro tips” we’ve compiled just for you.

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The Basics of CS Development
Designing your Needs Assessment
The Community School Coordinator Role
Building your Advisory Council
Frequently Asked Questions

The California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP) is a state grant program administered by the California Department of Education. The CCSPP aims to support schools’ efforts to partner with community agencies and local governments to align community resources to improve student outcomes. These partnerships provide an integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development, and community engagement. The CCSPP’s latest application for another round of implementation grants was recently released. Have questions? Send us a note.


LEAs (school districts, charter schools, or county offices of education), consortiums of LEAs and/or LEAs with cooperating agencies, and/or school sites that meet the California Department of Education’s "Qualifying Entity" definition should apply for the grant. Note: Their school district would still be the technical "applicant” that 1) understands the Community Schools (CS) Framework as a school transformation approach, 2) has done foundational collaborative planning work to prepare for the implementation of the Community School Framework at their sites/district, and 3) has the commitment and buy-in to use the CCSPP Implementation Grant funding to collaboratively and strategically rollout the CS framework over the next five years.


For the CCSPP Implementation Grant, an applicant must be a/an: (1) LEA, defined as a school district, charter school, or county office of education, (2) consortium of two or more LEAs, or (3) consortium of one or more LEAs that partners with one or more cooperating agencies (a federal, state, or local agency, or public or private nonprofit entity).

To be meet the CCSPP Implementation Grant eligibility requirements, the California Department of Education (CDE) defines a "Qualifying Entity" as:

  1. An LEA or a consortium that meets any of the following 4 criteria, as applied to the entire population of students enrolled in the LEA or consortium:

    1. Fifty percent or more of the enrolled pupils at the LEA or the consortium are unduplicated pupils.

    2. The LEA or the consortium has higher than state average dropout rates.

    3. The LEA or the consortium has higher than state average rates of suspension and expulsion.

    4. The LEA or the consortium has higher than state average rates of child homelessness, foster youth, or justice-involved youth.

  2. An LEA or consortium, on behalf of one or more schools within the LEA or consortium that satisfy any of the criteria listed above (note that the LEA is still the technical applicant for the qualifying schools).

The LEA has to meet eligibility criteria. Once they do, note that the sites named in the application must meet site-level requirements. If you’re including a school under the 50% threshold, spell out in the narrative which other requirement your school meets and why you’re including that school. You may still apply for a school that’s eligible (even if the LEA is not) but you should pose this question to the CDE.

Yes, you can use the needs assessment from your planning grant…but this is also a great opportunity to revisit that process. Did you capture the breadth of voices and views you wanted to? Are there people you might engage now? Get resources to support your needs assessment and asset mapping process.

Awards are based on school site enrollment numbers.

So you didn't get (or never applied for) a CCSPP grant–now what?

When the California Board of Education approved the CCSPP Implementation Grant Cohort 3 recipients, many LEAs and their schools were on the list…and many were not. Whether you applied and weren’t funded or never even applied, you can (and should!) still move forward with your plans for community school development. Here's how.

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CCSPP Application Materials

CSLX Author

CCSPP Implementation Grant Cohort Three Applications: Some Questions, Some Answers

Team CSLX|Jan 19, 2024

Through the course of our work with clients, participants in CSLX’s CCSPP Grant Cohort Series, and our own conversations with practitioners, CSLX has collected a set of questions and answers about the CCSPP implementation grant application requirements, components and processes.

Framework: Essentials for Community School Transformation

Community Schools Forward|Jan 11, 2024|Tool

The community schools strategy transforms a school into a place where educators, local community members, families, and students work together to strengthen conditions for student learning and healthy development.

Theory of Action for Community School Transformation

Community Schools Forward|Jan 23, 2024
CSLX Author

Community Schools: A Journey for Collective Success

Curtiss Sarikey|Dec 12, 2022

An excellent explanation of the community schools visioning and planning process from seasoned community school deputy superintendent.

Community School Basics

Framework: Essentials for Community School Transformation

Community Schools Forward|Jan 11, 2024|Tool

The community schools strategy transforms a school into a place where educators, local community members, families, and students work together to strengthen conditions for student learning and healthy development.
CSLX Author

A Case for Coherence. Fulfilling California’s Community Schools Promise

Hayin Kimner, CSLX and Joel Knudson, American Institutes for Research|Jun 23, 2022|Book, article, report or brief

A $3B investment in the CCSPP provides resources that can promote the transformation of education & child-serving systems. The potential for progress is huge, but so are the prospects for unintended consequences. This brief outlines considerations for ensuring that the CCSPP achieves its potential.

Culturally Responsive Community Schools in New Mexico (Video)

Cuba Independent School District|Mar 27, 2022|Multimedia

This video showcases the community schools work in Cuba Independent School District, New Mexico, highlighting culturally responsive practices and instructional innovation.
CSLX in the News

California ready to launch $3 billion, multiyear transition to community schools

John Festerwald, EdSource|Mar 21, 2022

In coming weeks, California will embark on a massive undertaking to convert several thousand schools in low-income neighborhoods into centers of community life and providers of vital services for families as well as students.

The Role of the Community School Coordinator

Leading with Purpose and Passion: A Guide for Community School Directors

National Center for Community Schools|Mar 27, 2022|Tool

This guide provides a thorough overview of the community school director's roles, responsibilities, practice, and value-added in community school implementation.

Return on Investment (ROI) of a Community School Coordinator

Michelle R. Bloodworth, Anna C. Horner|Mar 27, 2022|Case study

This case study, commissioned by ABC Community School Partnership in Albuquerque, New Mexico, calculates the ROI for the Community School Coordinator over a the five-year period. Each $1 invested in the coordinator returned approximately $7.11 net benefits.
CSLX Author

The Role of the Community School Manager

Nicole Tognozzi & Kendra Fehrer|Jun 9, 2022

This brief describes the critical role of the community school manager in community school implementation in Oakland Unified School District, including highlighting essential functions and job areas.
CSLX Author

The Basics: Community School Coordinator

Team CSLX|Nov 20, 2023|The Basics

The Community School Coordinator (CSC) is a site leader, strategic thinker, and connector who can hold the meaning-making and engagement of CS development; they are NOT the one "in charge" of managing new programs.

Needs Assessment

The Basics: Designing your Needs Assessment

Team CSLX|Dec 4, 2023|The Basics

A needs assessment is a systematic process of collecting focused information to better understand the priorities and challenges of students, their families, and the community.

Creative Ways to Solicit Stakeholder Feedback

Public Profit|Apr 1, 2022|Tool

A collection of non-traditional ways to solicit input from stakeholders, like selfie stations, candy surveys, and collages. These approaches allow for more substantive back-and-forth between you and your stakeholders, and are designed for settings where traditional approaches aren't the right fit.

Needs Assessment Data Sources

Public Profit|Mar 21, 2022|Tool

Fabulous dashboard of potential needs assessment data courses, at a variety of levels.

NCCS Needs Assessment Toolkit

National Center for Community Schools|Mar 15, 2022|Tool

Needs Assessment Tool developed by the NCCS, in partnership with The Children's Aid Society, Chicago Public Schools Community Schools Initiative, and ActKnowledge. This tool includes a simple checklist to guide you through an inclusive needs assessment process.

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