A Schools Pittsburghs Community Alliance For Public Education

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

4A. CITY-WIDE: WE WORK AT A CITY-WIDE LEVEL TO CONVENE PARTNERS TO END CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM THROUGH THE PITTSBURGH LEARNING COLLABORATIVE (PLC), STAND UP INITIATIVES THAT ARE CO-DESIGNED WITH PLC MEMBERS TO ADDRESS KEY ISSUES, AND PROVIDE COORDINATED SUPPORTS FOR FUNDING, COMMUNICATIONS, AND DATA. THIS WORK LOOKS AT SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO SUCCESS AND ALLOWS US TO BRING OVER 70 ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TOGETHER TO ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE.PITTSBURGH LEARNING COLLABORATIVE (PLC): THE PLC CURRENTLY HAS 5 WORKING GROUPS THAT CONVENE ON A MONTHLY BASIS AND CONSISTS OF OVER 70 FUNDERS, SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, OUT OF SCHOOL TIME PROVIDERS AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WHO SHARE INFORMATION, RESOURCES, AND COORDINATE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE LEARNING OUTCOMES. A+ SCHOOLS CO-DESIGNS AND IMPLEMENTS INITIATIVES WITH PLC PARTNERS TO ELEVATE THE IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING, IDENTIFY AND RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT NEEDS, HELP FAMILIES NAVIGATE THE LEARNING SYSTEM, AND PROVIDE A SET OF SHARED PRIORITIES TO GUIDE SYSTEM PARTNERS. PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE FAMILY HOTLINE, PGHREADS.COM, VOTE SCHOOL BOARD FIRST, AND THE BUDGET BOOK PUBLICATION. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PROVIDES A COORDINATED SUPPORTS FOR FUNDING, COMMUNICATIONS, AND DATA: THESE SUPPORTS INCLUDE STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS WITH FOUNDATIONS, CORPORATIONS, AND PATRONS TO PROVIDE THE ON-GOING FINANCIAL SUPPORT NEEDED TO SUPPORT EQUITABLE LEARNING OUTCOMES; COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGNS AND MATERIALS TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT LEARNING NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES; DATA GATHERING AND REPORTING AROUND LEARNING NEEDS AND OUTCOMES INCLUDING A+ SCHOOLS' ANNUAL REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY ON PUBLIC SCHOOL PROGRESS IN PITTSBURGH.

4D. PROGRAMOTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDE FISCAL SPONSORSHIP WITH TOTAL EXPENSES OF $479,454.

4B. NEIGHBORHOODS AND SCHOOLS: WE KNOW THE POWER THAT ONE'S COMMUNITY CAN HAVE ON THE TRAJECTORY OF THEIR LIFE. WORKING TOGETHER WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, WE ARE STRIVING TO CREATE A BRIDGE BETWEEN SCHOOL AND NEIGHBORHOOD TO PROBLEM SOLVE IN WAYS THAT INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF STUDENT SUCCESS.A. COMMUNITY LEARNING: WE WORK CLOSELY IN THE NORTHSIDE SERVING AS THE EDUCATION ANCHOR FOR THE ONE NORTHSIDE INITIATIVE. IN THIS ROLE WE ARE PART OF A COMMUNITY OF STAKEHOLDERS WORKING TOGETHER TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT WORKS TO SUPPORT FAMILIES BE HEALTHY, SAFE, AND THRIVING. B. CIRCLE OUR SCHOOLS: WORKING WITH COLLABORATIVES OF SCHOOL-BASED STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING STUDENTS, FAMILIES, STAFF, ADMINISTRATORS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ADDRESS SCHOOL-RELATED NEEDS AND ISSUES VIA PLANNING, FACILITATION, AND IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT. CURRENTLY THIS WORK IS HAPPENING AT PERRY HIGH SCHOOL AND ARLINGTON PREK-8. OUR GOAL IS TO LEARN WHAT WORKS FROM THESE SCHOOLS AND CONTINUE EXPANDING A SET OF SUPPORTS TO OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE COMING YEAR WITH A FOCUS ON INCREASING DAILY ATTENDANCE AND ELIMINATING CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM.C. COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS CAMPAIGN: A COORDINATOR PROVIDES DIRECT OUTREACH TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AS A SUPPORT TO OUR SCHOOL PARTNERS. THE OUTREACH ADDS ADDITIONAL CAPACITY TO SCHOOLS WITH HIGH NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO REACH FAMILIES AND HELP THE SCHOOL BUILD STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS, WHILE ALSO CONNECTING FAMILIES THAT WANT TO BE MORE INVOLVED WITH SOLVING PROBLEMS FOR FAMILIES WITH OUR PARENT NATION TEAM.

4C. STUDENTS AND FAMILIES: THE ORGANIZATION'S STUDENTS AND FAMILIES STRATEGIES PROVIDE FAMILIES DIRECT SUPPORTS TO MAKE SURE THEIR LEARNERS ARE THRIVING.A. PARENT NATION: A TEAM OF TWO PARENT LEADERS WORK TOGETHER WITH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO CONNECT FAMILIES TO RESOURCES THAT WOULD HELP THEM GET THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY. THE TEAM WORKS CLOSELY WITH FAMILIES TO ENSURE 100% OF STUDENTS HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO ARRIVE AT SCHOOL READY TO LEARN EVERY DAY. TEENBLOC YOUTH COMMUNICATIONS INTERNSHIP: OUR FORMER TEEN ORGANIZING EFFORTS HAVE SHIFTED IN THE PAST YEARS TO BE FOCUSED ON INTEGRATING STUDENT VOICE AND OPINIONS INTO OUR TARGETED SUPPORTS EFFORTS. A SMALL GROUP OF 6-12 INTERNS (DEPENDING ON THE YEAR) WORK WITH US TO DEVELOP MESSAGES AROUND WHAT MOTIVATES STUDENTS TO GO TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY, AND WHAT BARRIERS STUDENTS FACE.