California is moving Community Schools toward a more sustainable funding model. Signed into law on July 9, 2026, Assembly Bill 126 established $1 billion in annual funding through the California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP) to support existing Community Schools and new eligible school sites. The shift from time-limited grants to ongoing annual funding creates an important opportunity for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to think strategically about how these resources can sustain and strengthen its Community Schools Initiative (CSI), including the district’s 70 existing CSI schools.

This new funding model follows sustained advocacy for a long-term approach as the original $4.1 billion CCSPP investment reached the end of its initial funding period. In spring 2026, the Community Schools Steering Committee (CSSC) worked alongside LAUSD’s Office of Government Relations to advocate for continued state investment and emphasize the importance of sustaining the progress made through the Community Schools Initiative. The new funding creates an important opportunity to build on that work, with ongoing support for existing Community Schools and expanded eligibility for additional sites. In LAUSD, approximately 600 schools could be eligible under the new funding model.

The shift from time-limited grants to ongoing annual funding also raises important questions about how LAUSD can use these resources to sustain staffing, school-site collaboration, community partnerships, and other key elements of the Community Schools approach. As state guidance continues to take shape, the CSSC will help stakeholders assess needs, identify priorities, and consider how the new funding can support the long-term sustainability of Community Schools across the district.

For more information, please reach out to Jenny Vu, Senior Director, Postsecondary Access Strategy & Initiatives, at [email protected].