Introducing UNITE-LA’s Systems Change Spotlight

A subcommittee of the LAUSD Community Schools Steering Committee (CSSC) has been making steady progress on implementing the Meaningful Teaching and Learning (MTL) Resolution within the Community Schools Initiative (CSI), passed by the LAUSD school board in September 2024. This resolution promotes a social justice framework in education and calls for a more holistic approach to measuring student success. It provides up to 10 community schools the opportunity to pilot meaningful project-based learning (PBL) and develop their own alternative assessments. As part of a three-year pilot program, participating schools will be exempt from all standardized tests except those required by state and federal mandates.

UNITE-LA conducted empathy interviews with LAUSD community school coordinators (CSCs) and principals to better understand their experiences, culminating in a comprehensive 100-page report in 2024 that highlighted key themes and recommendations. Since then, a subcommittee of the Community Schools Steering Committee (CSSC) has been working actively to refine and implement select recommendations to strengthen and advocate for the Community Schools Initiative (CSI).

The Horizons 32K Stewardship Board kicked off the year by building alignment, identifying priorities and laying the foundation for long-term system coordination impact to mitigate youth disconnection in education and the workforce. As the Stewardship Board transitions to a quarterly meeting cadence, attention is shifting to building out workgroups, assigning leadership roles and co-designing actionable strategies with partners across sectors. Horizons 32K is also gaining visibility through regional convenings, where it continues to highlight youth-driven solutions and elevate promising practices to advance equity and opportunity for disconnected youth.

In partnership with LAUNCH LA and the Southern California Apprenticeship Network, UNITE-LA led a four-part webinar series on apprenticeships. The webinars were designed to support small nonprofit organizations looking to engage in apprenticeships by providing them with necessary resources and tools.

The L.A. Opportunity Youth Collaborative (L.A. OYC), in partnership with the Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF), is thrilled to announce the launch of a much-anticipated report, Uncovering the Full Cost of L.A. Youth Workforce Development Programs. Over the past year, we've worked diligently to assess the comprehensive needs of youth workforce programs in Los Angeles.

Last month, the Los Angeles Digital Equity Action League (LA DEAL), convened by UNITE-LA and the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC), hosted a Broadband Leaders convening for 10 municipal leaders from across L.A. County, providing a technical training session on permitting through the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) Learning Community. This three-hour session was designed for municipal officials—including assistant city managers, directors of public works and directors of community development—to develop best practices for broadband permitting.

In his January budget draft, Governor Newsom called for a multi-year extension of the Regional K-16 Education Collaborative Grant Program—a move that would sustain and strengthen the work of 13 collaboratives across California, including the L.A. Region K-16 Collaborative. This proposed extension not only reflects the growing impact of the program but also opens the door for deeper alignment with statewide workforce and economic development efforts.

In February 2025, the L.A. Unified School District's (LAUSD’s) Community Schools Steering Committee (CSSC) finalized the selection and designation of seven schools to join Cohort 6 of the Community Schools Initiative (CSI). These seven schools will join the 63 existing community schools, reaching the LAUSD CSI expansion goal of 70 community schools by the 2025-26 year!

UNITE-LA is proud to have contributed to the development of the Dual Enrollment Toolkit, a resource designed to help high school students and families—particularly those historically underrepresented—understand and access dual enrollment opportunities across L.A. County.