City Council, School District to hold historic joint meeting
The Sacramento City Council and Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Education will hold an historic joint meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 28, at 6:30 p.m. at Luther Burbank High School (3500 Florin Road), in an effort to strengthen their partnership and better serve Sacramento-area students and families.
At the meeting, members of the two bodies are expected to approve moving forward with a joint resolution that would create a Sacramento College Promise program to make sure all area students get the training and education needed to be ready for the jobs of the future. Additional K-12 and community college districts have been invited to join in signing the resolution, along with California State University and the University of California.
Mayor Darrell Steinberg said the goal of the program is to nurture Sacramento’s children “from cradle to career.”
“Breaking down barriers for young people is critical to our success as a city as we try to address generational poverty and historical inequality,” said Mayor Steinberg.
Sacramento City Unified Board of Education President Jessie Ryan said the meeting is a critical step in strengthening collaboration between the district, the City and other entities such as community colleges. She noted that a new state law adopted in 2017 guarantees a free year of community college to students in community college districts that have partnered with K-12 districts.
“Partnering to create a gold standard regional College Promise has the potential to leverage more funding opportunities and programs so that all students can reach their full potential, ” said President Ryan. “I am excited that our district and the city have made a commitment to collaborate more strategically on issues that impact the city’s youth and families.”
The district and city are currently collaborating on Mayor Steinberg’s Thousand Strong internship program. Thousand Strong has placed hundreds of City high schoolers in paid internships with private companies and public agencies in the Sacramento region, including internships within the Sacramento City Unified School District.
Members of the two bodies will also explore how to encourage more joint use of school facilities. Joint use is currently handled on a case by case basis.
“Thinking more creatively about opening up our school sites for the benefit of neighborhoods that often lack green space has tremendous benefit to the community and our families,” said President Ryan.
She cited several successful examples of joint use, including the E. Clare Raley Studios for the Performing Arts (CLARA) and the Leataata Floyd Farms Project, a 2.5-acre urban farm run by the Food Literacy Center at Leataata Floyd Elementary School.
Ryan said the goal is to hold another joint meeting with the City Council in the next year.
Contact: Mary Lynne Vellinga, mlvellinga@cityofsacramento.org, 916-599-3724
