From Classroom to Community: Investing in Whole-Child Support Systems from Cradle to Career

In this week’s GLR Learning Tuesdays rebroadcast webinar, From Classroom to Community: Investing in Whole-Child Support Systems From Cradle to Career, we continued our series of sessions that follow up on our recent exploration of state and district spending from the $190 billion Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) federal fund. During this week’s session, co-sponsored by Whiteboard Advisors, we discussed effective ESSER investments supporting comprehensive, cradle-to-career, place-based supports for students and families. While reflecting on why investments in these kinds of integrated support services are an effective way to support learning recovery, Geoffrey Canada, founder and president of Harlem Children’s Zone, outlined why school districts must prioritize cradle-to career investments that support all aspects of student well-being:

“This is not a question of resources. It is a question of strategy. We need a more comprehensive strategy, where we address everything a child needs to thrive and build a successful future. They need safe and healthy environments to grow up in, including their neighborhoods. They need quality instruction. They need healthy foods. They need continued support not only during school, but also after school, during weekends and [in] the summer….With the right strategy, we can do something in this country that we’ve never done before: end intergenerational poverty in this country. It is possible — we are close.”

Canada engaged with moderator Anna Edwards of Whiteboard Advisors and Roberto Rodriguez of The U.S. Department of Education in a fireside chat about the current impact of ESSER and other federal funds supporting the needs of the whole child. Edwards then turned to a panel of district and nonprofit leaders who are providing wraparound services to students across the cradle-to-career spectrum. Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell of Oakland Unified School District shared how the district is working to fulfill its mission of providing full-service community schools to all students through initiatives in early literacy and mental health. Superintendent Marty Pollio of Jefferson County Public Schools in Kentucky highlighted the district’s innovative partnership with local community partner Evolve 502 to create community hubs that help make after-school and summer learning fun in Louisville:

“The kids go to [our community hubs] every day after school and in the summer time because they love getting to play basketball, make art and practice music….We also provide hubs with teachers and they give us one hour of math and one hour of reading every single day. We have also created a data sharing agreement with all of our community hubs. So they have data on how the kids did on their assessments with us, so that they can tailor their work toward them.” 

Along with the superintendents, Rey Saldaña of Communities In Schools and Christian Rhodes of the William Julius Wilson Institute at Harlem Children’s Zone shared their perspectives on how to leverage multiple funding sources to ensure long-term program sustainability and successful community school initiatives nationally.