Prepared for the City of San Pablo
Community Services Department
Youth, School, and Community Partnerships Division
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative
2024-25 Evaluation Findings
About
SPBCSI
About the
Evaluation
Key
Findings Questions
Overview
• Welcome
• Today’s Presentation
Welcome!
About the Initiative
About the Initiative: San Pablo Beacon Directors
Sharmala McCoy
Lake ES
Natasha Hancock
E.M. Downer ES
Karina Cordova
Bayview ES
Mi’Shaye Venerable
Riverside ES
Sheila Ramirez
Dover ES
Tana Monteiro
Helms MS
The Evaluation
Purpose
• Inform the City and the
public about the quality
and benefits of San Pablo
Beacon Community
Schools Initiative
• Support continuous
quality improvement
Data Sources
• Participation, Referral,
and Event Data
• Youth Surveys
• Beacon Director,
Principal, Lead Agency,
and District Partner
Interviews
• Youth and Family Focus
Groups
• Document Review
Deliverables
• School Profiles
• Citywide Summary
• Citywide Infographic
• Beacon Director slide
template
About the Evaluation
Participation
3,712 youth served by Beacon Directors at 6 San
Pablo schools
281 students served through direct programming
On average 200 students and 43 families attended
almost 50 events
About the Evaluation
School Success and Community
Wellbeing
Youth Leadership and Voice
Family and Caregiver
Engagement
College and Career Supports
About the Evaluation
Priorities
School Success & Community Well-Being
Suspension rates at San Pablo elementary schools have
decreased since 2011-12 and have reached comparable rates of both the County’s and District’s. Helm MS’s suspension rate has dropped lower than other District middle schools.
Chronic absenteeism has continued to decrease in San Pablo schools since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, all but one school (Helms MS) have remained higher than the District’s chronic absenteeism rate.
Key Findings
Reading performance has continued to improve in San Pablo schools since 2017-18 but has remained lower than the
District’s.
SPBCSI benefits the whole community.
Key Findings
Youth Leadership and Voice
95%
know how to
make goals
99%
feel safe in their
program
Key Findings
97%
know an adult
who cares about
them
“One thing I like about this program is that students from Grades 5-6 can be independent in lots of different ways…and we can also share our opinions and get feedback positively.”
“I learn how to control my emotions and be more nice with other people. It also helped me be a better leader.”
“I like the fact that we can help the whole school and even San Pablo as well. It’s a very good program.”
Key Findings
Youth Leadership and Voice
Key Findings
Youth Leadership and Voice
“I've been very appreciative of [the BD] and how she's been able to cast a wide net and be able to, provide resources, not just to the kiddos, but to the parents.” – School Leader
“Our school is a really special place. I feel like our community really cares about our families and we're invested in making a difference. ” – Beacon Director
“She held a night for newcomer families to get access about some of the resources that we offer. We realized we would need to do it…multiple times a year.” – School Leader
Key Findings
Family and Caregiver Engagement
More than half of families shared that after the COVID-19 pandemic, San Pablo community schools regularly
communicated important changes in policies and practices related to safety and access.
Many family members and caregivers appreciated the
attendance improvement campaigns that Beacon Directors
and school staff organized and managed.
Key Findings
Almost all families described community schools in San Pablo as “welcoming” and appreciated the diverse activities and opportunities focused on supporting their students and
increasing their engagement.
Family and Caregiver Engagement
Key Findings
College and Career Supports
College Tours
San Pablo's
Next Top
Chef
College and
Career Fair
Black
Excellence
Professionals
Panel
Contra Costa
Community
College
Mentorship
I liked interacting with all the
different people especially the
police and culinary [school].
I liked talking to the entertainment
lawyer and the musician. I liked
being able to ask them questions
about their jobs…Now I know what
classes to take.
Key Findings
College and Career Supports
92%
know what
college is
87%
want to go to
college
CARE: Crisis Assessment & Referral Evaluation
161 students or 6% of the
total student population
received CARE support
Key Findings
2023-2024 School Year 2024-2025 School Year
• Due to feedback from SPBCSI administrators and Beacon Directors, for the 2024- 2025 SPBCSI evaluation, Public Profit collected and analyzed CARE referral data directly provided by Beacon Directors.
• For the 2025-2026 SY, WCCUSD has developed a standardized CARE referral form. 327 students or 9% of the
total student population
received CARE support
Reflections and Looking Ahead
Continue to offer funding opportunities to support citywide efforts that improve the lives of San Pablo residents and their families Provide ongoing guidance and support to meaningfully engage families and elevate youth voice and leadership in community schools Facilitate partnerships between the City of San Pablo, the District, and community-based organizations to support important data sharing to ensure accurate and current data to measure change.
Key Findings
Questions & Answers
Thank you
Sylvia Kwon
Senior Consultant
[email protected]
Helen Blom
Senior Associate
[email protected]
Corey Newhouse
Founder and Principal
[email protected]