Communities and Schools for Career Success (CS²) works with school districts throughout California to reshape the relationships between schools and their communities, improve academic achievement, and connect student learning more directly to the world of work and the broader community. New Ways is the managing partner of the California initiative, operating in four communities.

Since 1999, New Ways has supported the CS² Entrepreneurs, individuals who support and work with teachers, counselors, school administrators, and leaders to create new learning environments that help young people make successful transitions from middle school to high school and on into postsecondary training and careers. During Program Year 2004, the Entrepreneurs implemented plans to broaden the base of support for education by building small learning communities, preparing a skilled workforce, assisting students in transitioning from middle to high school and beyond, and addressing the student achievement gap.

New Ways delivered technical assistance to and facilitated strategic planning for the Entrepreneurs as they initiated efforts that served 42,065 students at 31 middle and high schools. These efforts included more than 30,000 career development activities and 91 career pathways for students. Evaluation results indicated that CS² Schools are achieving long-term success, consistently performing as well as or better than California secondary schools at meeting Academic Performance Index (API) goals with steady increases in the State's "similar schools" ranking. In 2004, CS² teams generated over 11 million dollars in new and leveraged funds for local school improvement initiatives.

The CS² Strategy

The CS² strategy has five primary components:

• Builds broad-based community partnerships that guide CS² efforts and set the agenda for local strategies and action.

• Teams of "Community/School Entrepreneurs" dedicated entirely to work on behalf of the community partnerships, further CS² goals, and guide the initiative.

• CS² Teams are supported by technical assistance, training, and peer-learning opportunities through a state-level intermediary organization, New Ways to Work, which supports the state-wide network.

• Through New Ways, the four CS² communities are connected to state education and workforce development policy agencies including the California Department of Education and the California Workforce Investment Board.

• Each CS² community tailors their CS² strategy to address issues specific to their schools and young people. CS² leverages existing resources and improves the quality for programs and services.

The CS² Approach

• Focuses on a systemic approach to change by promoting balance between Academic Rigor, Career Preparation, Youth Development and Support, and System Building activities.

• Strengthens the education system so that all children and youth can be academically, socially, and emotionally successful.

• Builds broad-based community partnerships that strengthen the way a community supports families and children. Local leaders guide CS 2 work and set the agenda for local activities and strategies.

• Deploys a team of "school-community entrepreneurs" who work as change-agents on behalf of the schools and community organizations.

• Utilizes a state-level capacity building organization (in California, New Ways to Work) to provide on-site coaches, leadership, access to resources, technical assistance, training, networking opportunities and strategic planning support. New Ways also collects and disseminates best practices.

• Is an investment strategy that leverages resources from the California Department of Education, California Workforce Investment Board, foundations, and local communities.

• Measures impact and maintains accountability with support from a third-party evaluator who helps refine the CS 2 accountability system, measures progress and improves the ways in which schools and community partners use data to make good decisions for children and youth.

• Is in full operation in four California communities : Petaluma, Sacramento, and Yolo County since Spring 2000. San Diego joined the network during the summer of 2002.

CS² Impacts

• Broadens the base of support for education

• Builds district-wide capacity for small learning communities

• Prepares a skilled workforce

• Addresses the student achievement gap

• Focuses on results through ongoing evaluation

Total New and Leveraged Funds 1999-2004: $15,123,952

Site teams in these cities have leveraged a variety of funding sources, including the ROP, Gates Foundation, the Carnegie Corp., the Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, and No Child Left Behind to support their initiatives and Entrepreneurs. Local investment in CS² is often multiplied many times over through other funding resources dedicated to similar goals.

The CS² Impact Brochure (PDF 9.4 mb) provides a quick glance at the initiative and it includes CS² impacts and strategies. A comprehensive review of CS²'s impact across the state and in local communities is available online in the CS² Year Three Evaluation Report (PDF 2.3 mb).

The CS² Implementation Manual (PDF 1.8 mb) describes in detail the CS² initiative strategies, framework, and community criteria.