A Schools Pittsburghs Community Alliance For Public Education

TO FOCUS OUR COMMUNITY'S ENERGY ON IMPROVING STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN THE PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

4A. ENGAGEMENT: A+ SCHOOLS, THROUGH PROJECT +US, SERVES AS A BACKBONE ORGANIZATION FOR A COMMUNITY-WIDE NETWORK OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS (THE PITTSBURGH LEARNING COLLABORATIVE), PARENTS (PARENT NATION), STUDENTS (TEENBLOC), AND EDUCATORS (PERRY HIGH SCHOOL REDESIGN). THESE NETWORKS ARE INTEGRAL TO WORKING FOR EQUITABLE AND EXCELLENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.PROJECT +US HAS EVOLVED IN THE PAST YEAR TO FOCUS OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY ON 4 KEY AREAS THAT RESEARCH SHOWS SUPPORT STUDENT ACADEMIC SUCCESS. WE ARE IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES AND REMOVING BARRIERS TO EVERY CHILD BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE FOLLOWING FOUR THINGS:1. EVERY STUDENT PARTICIPATES IN SCHOOL AND IN AN OUT OF SCHOOL TIME PROGRAM. A. TARGETS: 0% CHRONICALLY ABSENT AND 100% PARTICIPATING IN OUT OF SCHOOL TIME PROGRAMS.B. CURRENT BASELINE: 41.7% OF PPS STUDENTS CHRONICALLY ABSENT IN 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR AND 23,383 STUDENTS WERE NOT PARTICIPATING IN AN OUT OF SCHOOL TIME PROGRAM IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY IN 2020.2. EVERY STUDENT READS AT GRADE LEVELA. TARGET: 100% READING PROFICIENCY B. CURRENT BASELINE: APPROXIMATELY 33% OF PITTSBURGH'S STUDENTS READING PROFICIENTLY IN 20213. EVERY STUDENT THAT NEEDS A TUTOR HAS ONEA. TARGET: 100% OF STUDENTS THAT SCORE BASIC OR BELOW BASIC ON STATE TESTS HAVE A TUTORB. CURRENT STATE: WORKING TO TRACK THE DATA IN THIS FOCUS AREA4. EVERY STUDENT HAS THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO LEARNA. TARGET: 100% OF ELIGIBLE STUDENTS ARE VACCINATEDB. CURRENT STATE: 43% OF 10-19 YEAR-OLDS AND 21% OF 5-9 YEAR-OLDS VACCINATED AS OF 11/20/21.4A-A. PITTSBURGH LEARNING COLLABORATIVE: AS A RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 CRISIS, A+ SCHOOLS BEGAN A SERIES OF WEEKLY CALLS TO LEVERAGE THE COLLABORATIVE AND INDIVIDUAL WORK OF PARTNERS TO SERVE AS A COORDINATED ASSET TO PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS STUDENTS AND FAMILIES TO ENSURE EQUITABLE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES FOR EVERY STUDENT. SINCE APRIL OF 2020 MEMBERS OF THE PITTSBURGH LEARNING COLLABORATIVE HAVE:- ESTABLISHED A MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS GUIDE FOR THE PITTSBURGH LEARNING COLLABORATIVE AND CREATED 5 WORKING GROUPS THAT MEET MONTHLY RELATED TO OUR KEY FOCUS AREAS WITH REPRESENTATION FROM APPROXIMATELY 90 ORGANIZATIONS.- WE CONNECTED DIRECTLY WITH OVER 31,000 HOUSEHOLDS THROUGH CALLS, MAILINGS, AND DOOR KNOCKING TO DO EVERYTHING FROM INFORM THEM ABOUT THE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION THROUGH OUR VOTE SCHOOL BOARD FIRST CAMPAIGN TO PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT SUMMER RESOURCES.- ADVOCATED FOR GREATER INVESTMENTS IN COMMUNITY SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS, TUTORING, AND IMPROVING OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN THE DISTRICT THAT TOTALED $15.1 MILLION IN COMMITMENTS OF FEDERAL DOLLARS BY THE SCHOOL BOARD FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN. THESE INVESTMENTS WILL HELP GET NEEDED PROGRAMMING FOR STUDENTS AND PROVIDE THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS NEEDED TO IMPROVE OUR SCHOOLS. - HELD WORKSHOPS ON TOPICS RANGING FROM HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR CHILD'S LEARNING IN AN AT HOME ENVIRONMENT TO THE STATE OF THE DISTRICT'S FINANCES WHICH WERE ATTENDED VIRTUALLY BY OVER 600 PEOPLE. - WORKED WITH THE STAFF AT PERRY HIGH SCHOOL TO SUPPORT A CHANGE IN THE SCHEDULE THAT ALLOWED FOR LONGER CLASS BLOCKS AND A LATER START TIME LEADING TO 80 MORE HOURS OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. BOTH OF THESE CHANGES WON THE SUPPORT OF OVER 70% OF THE TEACHING STAFF.4A-B: PARENT ENGAGEMENT: WE HAVE THREE TIERS OF ENGAGEMENT WITH PARENTS TO SUPPORT THEM AS THEY ATTEMPT TO SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE THE EDUCATIONAL LANDSCAPE IN PITTSBURGH. PARENT NATION: A CITYWIDE NETWORK OF PUBLIC SCHOOL PARENTS WHO ARE ENGAGED THROUGH ONGOING WORKSHOPS AND TRAININGS TO SUPPORT THEIR KNOWLEDGE ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS FROM SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES TO HOW TO APPLY FOR THE MAGNET PROGRAMS IN THE CITY. COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS CAMPAIGN: A COORDINATOR PROVIDES DIRECT OUTREACH TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE LEARNING NEEDS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND BARRIERS TO LEARNING AND PROVIDE DIRECT CONNECTIONS TO EXISTING RESOURCES OF SUPPORT. COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS WILL ALSO SERVE AS A RECRUITMENT TOOL FOR HIGH NEEDS FAMILIES TO JOIN THE FAMILY CARE COHORT.FAMILY CARE COHORT: A TEAM OF THREE CARE COORDINATORS WORK TOGETHER WITH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE WRAP-AROUND LEARNING SUPPORT TO 5-10 FAMILIES PER SCHOOL LEVEL, PER COHORT (PRE-K, ELEM., MIDDLE, HS). THE TEAM WORKS CLOSELY WITH FAMILIES TO BUILD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS TO UNDERSTAND LEARNING NEEDS AND REMOVE BARRIERS. OUR GOAL IS 100% OF STUDENTS MEET THE TARGETS IN THE FOCUS AREAS ABOVE. THIS PROJECT IS MEANT TO BE A DEEP DIVE WHERE WE LEARN FROM FAMILIES ABOUT THEIR CHALLENGES, AND SEE WHAT WORKS TO HELP THEM GET THEIR CHILD THE SUPPORTS THAT WE KNOW ARE CRITICAL TO STUDENT SUCCESS. 4A-C: STUDENT ENGAGEMENT: OUR PRIMARY VEHICLE FOR ENGAGING STUDENTS IS THROUGH TEEN BLOC, A YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND ORGANIZING PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS A CORE GROUP OF LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE CITY AND AT PERRY HIGH SCHOOL. THE YOUTH PROGRAM WORKS WITH OTHER AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND ACROSS MULTIPLE SCHOOLS TO DEVELOP YOUNG LEADERS THROUGH A SUMMER TIME YOUTH ORGANIZING ACADEMY AND YEAR-ROUND EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS.

4B. RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY4B-A. REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY: THE ORGANIZATION PUBLISHES AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY ON PUBLIC SCHOOL PROGRESS THAT DETAILS PROGRESS ON KEY INDICATORS OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE FOR THE PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS A WHOLE AS WELL AS INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS WITHIN THE DISTRICT. COPIES OF THE REPORT ARE DISTRIBUTED TO MORE THAN 25,000 PEOPLE, INCLUDING 15,000 MAILED DIRECTLY TO PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOL HOUSEHOLDS. THE ORGANIZATION'S STAFF PRESENTS WORKSHOPS ON USING THE REPORT TO SCHOOLS, PARENT GROUPS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS WITH OVER 400 PEOPLE PRESENTED TO IN THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR. THE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY HAS BECOME A TRUSTED SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR PARENTS, SCHOOL STAFF AND POLICY MAKERS. 4B-B: PUBLICATIONS: IN 2021 WE RELEASE PUBLICATIONS RELATED TO SUMMER LEARNING AND HOW OUT OF SCHOOL TIME AND OTHER PROVIDERS CAN PARTNER WITH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO SUPPORT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. THESE PUBLICATIONS WERE USED TO ADVOCATE WITH LOCAL LEADERS FOR BETTER LEAD TIME FOR GRANT MAKING FOR SUMMER PROGRAMS, HIRING AND TRAINING OF STAFF, AND FOR THE INCLUSION OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN BUDGET ALLOCATIONS BY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR FEDERAL FUNDING.

4C-A. PERRY RE-DESIGN: BEGINNING IN 2015, THOUSANDS OF NORTHSIDE RESIDENTS, LED BY THE BUHL FOUNDATION, PARTICIPATED IN A COMPREHENSIVE RESIDENT-DRIVEN PLANNING INITIATIVE ACROSS ALL 18 NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE NORTHSIDE FOCUSING ON IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF SAFETY, HEALTH, EMPLOYMENT, PLACE, AND EDUCATION FOR ALL NORTHSIDE RESIDENTS. THE PROCESS INCLUDED A RESIDENT-LED COMMUNITY CENSUS, IN WHICH RESIDENTS IDENTIFIED HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOLS IN THE NORTHSIDE AS ONE OF THEIR TOP PRIORITIES AND LED TO WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS THE ONE NORTHSIDE COMMUNITY PLAN.STARTING IN 2017, A+ SCHOOLS BEGAN ENGAGING WITH PERRY HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS TO DISCUSS CURRENT ISSUES FACING THE SCHOOL AND ITS FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY. THE SCHOOL WAS FACING ITS THIRD LEADERSHIP CHANGE IN FOUR YEARS AND LESS THAN A QUARTER OF NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WERE CHOOSING PERRY. WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE BUHL FOUNDATION, A+ SCHOOLS AND ITS CONSULTING PARTNER, JACKSON CLARK PARTNERS, BEGAN IN 2018 TO WORK ON CRAFTING A VISION AND PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENT AT THE SCHOOL THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY BE FOLDED INTO THE DISTRICT'S STRATEGIC PLAN, IMAGINE PPS. THIS HAS LED TO THE CREATION OF A VISION AND A SET OF FOCUS AREAS FOR THE SCHOOL THAT A+ SCHOOLS CONTINUES TO SUPPORT TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND THE ADMINISTRATORS TO PLAN AND IMPLEMENT. STUDENTS AND FAMILIES HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO THRIVE. STAFF AND TEACHERS HAVE TOOLS AND SUPPORTS TO DO THEIR BEST WORK. STUDENTS ARE PREPARED FOR FUTURE CAREERS. STUDENTS ARE CHALLENGED, ENGAGED, AND SUPPORTED IN THEIR CHOSEN PATHWAYS. REGARDLESS OF ACADEMIC, RACIAL, OR SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUND, ALL STUDENTS WILL BE CONNECTED TO A ROBUST NETWORK OF ACADEMIC, SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL, AND FAMILY RESOURCES, ATTAIN AN INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION WITH THE OPTION TO EARN AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE, AND LEAVE HIGH SCHOOL CONNECTED TO THEIR NEXT PROFESSIONAL OR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY, SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE A SKILLS AND PROJECT-BASED CURRICULAR PATHWAY CONNECTED TO THEIR INTEREST AND A WORKFORCE OR SERVICE-RELATED NEED, FINISH AN INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE WITH AN ORGANIZATION OR COMPANY WITHIN THEIR CHOSEN PATHWAY, AND MEET STATE STANDARDS IN MATH, SCIENCE, ENGLISH, AND SOCIAL STUDIES BEFORE GRADUATION. IN 2021, PERRY TEACHERS VOTED, AS PART OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PLAN, TO CHANGE THEIR SCHEDULE TO A BLOCK SCHEDULE, ADDING THIRTY MINUTES OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME TO EACH DAY, AND TO MOVE THE STARTING TIME OF THE SCHOOL BACK BY HALF AN HOUR TO BE MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS IS BEST PRACTICE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. A+ SCHOOLS' MAJOR INVESTMENT IN THIS WORK IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO ITS MISSION TO ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD IN PITTSBURGH, AND ESPECIALLY BLACK AND BROWN CHILDREN, HAVE ACCESS TO A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION.

4D. PROGRAMOTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDE COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLICATIONS WITH TOTAL EXPENSES OF $116,661, AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS WITH TOTAL EXPENSES OF $90,357. 4D-A. COMMUNICATIONS: TO SHARE THE GOOD INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS, A+ SCHOOLS' DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORTS THE ORGANIZATION'S EFFORTS TO COMMUNICATE VIA MULTIPLE CHANNELS AND THROUGH EARNED MEDIA.4D-B. PUBLIC AFFAIRS/MOBILIZATION (ADVOCACY): IN 2021, THE ORGANIZATION'S PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND MOBILIZATION PRIORITIES INCLUDED THE PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOLS WORK, A STATEWIDE CAMPAIGN FOR FAIR SCHOOL FUNDING, AND DIRECT ADVOCACY TO THE SCHOOL BOARD ABOUT: (1) IMPROVING ACCESS TO GIFTED AND TALENTED EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS, (2) REOPENING SCHOOLS SAFELY, AND (3) CREATING GREATER EQUITY IN THE PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUDGET.