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.

Dear Partners,

We’re excited to introduce Systems Change Spotlight, an evolution of the L.A. Compact Connection newsletter that reflects the expansion of our work rooted in the L.A. Compact. What began as a bold commitment to address LAUSD’s dropout crisis and strengthen pathways between K-12 schools and careers has evolved to grow into a powerful catalyst for collective action towards systems change.

Guided by five goals supporting school readiness, high school graduation, postsecondary attainment, career success, and social and emotional well-being, the L.A. Compact has advanced numerous initiatives over the years inclusive of K-12 educator training; financial aid and dual enrollment; free two-year college; remedial education reform; reverse and traditional transfer; digital equity; career readiness for transition-age foster youth; student-centered community schools; and more. Today, UNITE-LA is doubling down on our commitment to systems change that focuses on shifting the underlying conditions that hold inequitable outcomes in place for young people in the L.A. region.

The LA DEAL team was thrilled to secure a technical assistance award from Local Initiatives Support Corporation's (LISC's) Broadband Help Hub to aid in the development of the Community Broadband Network in Los Angeles County.

Last month, the City of Los Angeles Economic & Workforce Development Department (EWDD) and the L.A. Opportunity Youth Collaborative (OYC) held the third Horizons 32K Stewardship Board meeting.

The Los Angeles Digital Equity Action League (LA DEAL), convened by UNITE-LA and the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC), team members recently collaborated with 15 organizations from throughout Los Angeles County at the Jackie Robinson Community Center to help more than 400 residents affected by the recent wildfires by distributing free laptops and internet access as part of a major relief effort.

UNITE-LA, in partnership with LAUNCH LA and the Southern California Apprenticeship Network, recently concluded a four-part webinar series on apprenticeships. The series was designed to support small, nonprofit organizations looking to engage in apprenticeships by providing all the information they need to successfully enter this space. Looking ahead, we will launch a community-based organization (CBO) bootcamp in May, which will provide technical support to all who sign up to establish their own apprenticeship programs. Register here to get signed up! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Amber Chatman.

In March, the Los Angeles Digital Equity Action League (LA DEAL) team led a breakout session during the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation's (LAEDC's) 88 Cities Summit, "Empowering the Workforce of Tomorrow and Creating Digital Opportunities: Youth, Broadband and the Digital Economy in Los Angeles County." The panel featured two catalytic projects, Gateway Cities Council of Governments 25 Cities Fiber Connect Project and Destination Crenshaw, a project empowering broadband in the Crenshaw Corridor, led by Jason Foster, a UNITE-LA board member. Destination Crenshaw received $25 million from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Federal Funding Award to build out a network to serve community businesses and residents.

In early March, UNITE-LA supported the L.A. Region K-16 Collaborative's South Bay Subregion in hosting a summit at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), which brought together education, workforce and community leaders. The two-day event offered partners an opportunity to tackle systemic barriers in college and career pathways in the region. To start the summit, Dr. Thomas Parham, CSUDH president, and UNITE-LA's president, Alysia Bell, echoed the goals and strategies of the L.A. Region K-16 Collaborative by highlighting the need for institutions to close disconnections among families, schools and employers to support student success. Discussions centered on expanding work-based learning (WBL), increasing dual enrollment access and addressing equity gaps in health care and technical fields.