About the SPBCSI The City of San Pablo (City) supports effective coordination and implementation of the SPBCSI at six San Pablo schools (Bayview Elementary, Dover Elementary, E.M. Downer Elementary, Helms Middle, Lake Elementary, and Riverside Elementary) and funds services and programs that address violence prevention, intervention, and mental health at Richmond High School. (See Figure 3.) About the Evaluation Beginning in 2015, the City commissioned Public Profit to serve as the SPBCSI independent external evaluator. For 10 years, the evaluation has holistically examined the alignment between initiative implementation, site-specific goals, and the City’s youth outcome goals.
Key Findings
The City of San Pablo, in collaboration with West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD), community-based organizations, and local service providers ensured that students and families were connected to critical academic, social, and emotional programs and supports.
1 See Figure 2.
6 San Pablo School Sites 3,712 Youth served in SPBCSI schools 11,878 Community members benefited.1 SAN PABLO BEACON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS INITIATIVE 2024-25 Citywide Summary San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative (SPBCSI) Vision Statement: With great schools at the center, the children and families of San Pablo thrive in a safe, diverse, and inclusive community.
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 2 Community Schools in San Pablo On November 21, 2011, the San Pablo City Council passed a resolution to develop a San Pablo Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) initiative. (See Figure 1). By establishing full-service community schools throughout San Pablo, the City intended to create the conditions for Contra Costa County (CCC), West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD), community-based organizations, local businesses, families, and community leaders to form a strong partnership to jointly address the needs of students, families, and the community in a comprehensive, integrated, and accountable way. In February 2015, the Council approved a resolution that redirected the Team for Youth grant program to serve as the funding arm of the Community Schools Initiative (formerly FSCS). Two years later, six community schools in San Pablo became part of the Beacon National Network, a nationwide model for community and school partnership. That same year, the City’s Youth, School, and Community Partnership pivoted from a grant strategy to a lead agency model, to ensure that each community school had a dedicated Beacon Director to oversee the coordination and implementation of the newly renamed San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative (SPBCSI). In 2024, the Council approved the merger of TFY and Childhood Obesity Prevention (COP) into one grant program.2 2 During this transitional year, the childhood obesity prevention grant is discussed in a separate report. In the future, it will be embedded in the full evaluation report.
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 3
Figure 1
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 4 San Pablo Residents Served The primary intent of SPBCSI is to have a positive impact on students by enhancing past and current priority areas, such as health and wellness, culture and climate, family engagement, and youth voice and leadership. Since services to youth likely benefit their families and households, we expect that the reach of the San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative goes beyond the young people enrolled in the schools. Benefits have the potential to ripple out to an estimated 11,878 community members who are or live with youth in San Pablo schools, and ultimately to all 31,771 residents of San Pablo.3 Figure 2: San Pablo programs benefited 11,878 community members.
Beacon Directors Over the past 10 years, Beacon Directors have provided consistent and comprehensive guidance and leadership for community schools in San Pablo (See Figure 3). They promote a whole-child approach to ensure the success of all children and youth in the City. Beacon Directors work closely with school personnel, such as administrators, teachers, and school staff; city and community partners; and families and caregivers to effectively implement and coordinate the SPBCSI. Despite unprecedented staff transitions across the six school sites since the COVID-19 pandemic, Beacon Directors have prioritized and advanced the initiative’s priority areas of focus: Coordination of Community Schools, Youth Voice and Leadership, Violence Prevention and Intervention/Mental Health, Family and Caregiver Engagement, and College and Career Supports. 3 We calculated 11,878 community members by multiplying the number of youths in San Pablo schools (3,712) by the average household size in San Pablo (3.2 individuals per family). Data limitations include: the average household size might be different for families with children; youth may share households with other youth; and youth may live in multiple households.
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 5 Figure 3
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 6 School Success & Community Wellbeing The City of San Pablo uses school- and population-level data as indicators of the community’s well-being.4 These data are used to provide context, inform resource allocation decisions, and monitor the trajectory of the community. The San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative, along with other initiatives, is designed to have a positive impact on the following indicators over time. Chronic Absenteeism Chronic absenteeism in San Pablo schools has continued to improve. However, it has remained higher than County and District rates. Chronic absenteeism can negatively impact student learning and school climate. Students are considered chronically absent if they are absent for at least 10% of the instructional days for which they were enrolled. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, chronic absenteeism skyrocketed both nationally and state-wide. In California, chronic absenteeism reached a high of 30%, three times higher than before the pandemic (Gee, Hough, Chavez, 2023).5 In a root cause analysis for each city within WCCUSD, the district found that “[d]ue to economic disparities, families are not able to work and pay for childcare. This leaves students to take on additional responsibilities, including jobs, that will support their family, and puts siblings in the position of caring for their siblings, which in turn leads to lowered school attendance.”6 All six Beacon Community Schools implemented various campaigns to promote regular school attendance during the past school year. Beacon Directors led ongoing reward initiatives, recognition ceremonies, and family communication and outreach. They collaborated with their site’s Student Success Team (SST) and staff, including school community outreach workers (SCOW), case managers, and counselors to reach out to individual students and families. Some Beacon Directors also worked with students to organize special events, create posters and flyers, and manage Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS) stores. For the 2023-24 school year, chronic absenteeism rates continued to decrease at all school sites, ranging from a percent point difference of 2% to 10%. Between 2022-23 and 2023-24, three 4 Almost all publicly available school data from the California Department of Education (CDE) is delayed by one year on its DataQuest website. As a result, most of the school data in this report, unless otherwise noted, is from the 2023-24 school year or earlier. For more information, see Lambert, D. (2024) Lack of reliable education data hamstrings California lawmakers and the public: State agency blames understaffing and promises changes. EdSource. https://edsource.org/2024/lack-of-reliable-education-data-hamstrings-california-lawmakers-and-the-public/714096 5 Gee, K., Hough, H. & Chavez, B. (2023). Chronic absenteeism post-pandemic: Let’s not make this our “new normal” [Commentary]. Policy Analysis for California Education. https://edpolicyinca.org/newsroom/chronic-absenteeism-post-pandemic 6 West Contra Costa Unified School District. (2023). Attendance data: Identifying root causes of chronic absenteeism.
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 7 schools in particular, Helms, Dover, and Lake consistently lowered their rates of chronic absenteeism. Among these schools, Helms’ chronic absenteeism (28%) was comparable to WCCUSD. Overall, E.M. Downer experienced the greatest decrease in percentage points (21%) since 2021. In comparison, Bayview continued to rank highest for chronic absenteeism in San Pablo Beacon Community Schools. Figure 4: Between 2021-22 and 2023-24, chronic absenteeism rates have decreased across all San Pablo schools.
Suspension Rates Suspension rates at San Pablo Beacon Community Schools have remained comparable to District rates, with some schools more consistent with County rates. Over the past 12 years, the City has worked to support WCCUSD’s Positive School Climate Policy, which includes efforts to reduce suspension rates. Similar to chronic absenteeism, Helms has reduced its suspension rates considerably. Beginning in 2011, suspension rates for Helms and other middle schools in WCCUSD were the same at 26%. For the next three years, suspensions increased at Helms compared to the District. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the suspension rate at Helms surpassed the District’s. However, in recent years, suspensions have decreased at Helms, signaling a return to lower rates that are more aligned to the County’s than the District’s.
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 8 Figure 5: Since 2011-12, Helms’ suspension rate has dropped lower than other WCCUSD middle schools.
Since 2011-12, suspension rates at Richmond High have fluctuated from a high of 16% in 2014-15 to 5% in 2019-20 before the COVID-19 pandemic. When students returned to the campus after a year and a half of distance learning, the suspension rate almost doubled to 9% in 2021-22 and increased to 12% in 2022-2023, which is comparable to previous school years. However, for WCCUSD, suspension rates have steadily decreased over time and remained lower than Richmond High but higher than Contra Costa County (CCC). Figure 6: Richmond High’s suspension rate has corresponded with WCCUSD high schools.
Suspension rates at San Pablo elementary schools have fluctuated over time compared to WCCUSD and CCC, which have steadily decreased. Of the five elementary schools, Bayview had experienced the highest suspension rate at 10% in 2018-19. Most recently Lake had a slightly higher suspension rate at 4% than WCCUSD, Bayview has mirrored WCCUSD’s suspension rates for elementary schools at 3% in 2023-24, and Dover, E.M. Downer, and Riverside have maintained suspension rates similar to CCC at 2% (Figure 7 see next page).
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 9 Figure 7: San Pablo Elementary School’s suspension rates have aligned with WCCUSD and CCC elementary schools.
English Language Arts/Literacy Reading performance in San Pablo schools has increased. However, it has remained lower than the County and District. On the 2023-24 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CASPP), 78% of CCC and over half (64%) of WCCUSD students tested “near” or “above” grade-level standards for reading (Figure 9). While reading performance has improved since 2017-18, most San Pablo schools have not maintained gains, with the exception of Bayview. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the City identified improving literacy as a citywide priority. In response, Beacon Directors held read-ins, facilitated book giveaways, and coordinated spell-a-thons. However, many Beacon Directors and site leadership stressed the importance of more intensive and ongoing literacy support to ensure that students meet or exceed reading literacy benchmarks year over year. Given the large share of English Language Learners (ELLs) in San Pablo community schools, these services and interventions should also support this population, which include Newcomer students, a subgroup of those classified as English learners (Figure 8). However, California does not yet have a consistent definition for this student population. Instead, educators and researchers have adopted the federal definition for “immigrant” students: K–12 students who were born outside the United States and who have been in U.S. schools for fewer than 3 full academic years.7 7 Umansky, I., Thompson, K., Soland, J. & Kibler, A. (2022). Understanding newcomer English learner students’ English language development: Comparisons and Predictors. (Ed Working Paper: 22-538). Retrieved from Annenberg Institute at Brown University: https://doi.org/10.26300/m6c7-1r38.
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 10 Figure 8: Reading performance in all San Pablo schools has improved since 2017-18.
Figure 9. Compared to CCC and WCCUSD, San Pablo community schools have served a larger share of ELLs.
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 11 High School Graduation Graduation rates at Richmond High have continued to align with the District. San Pablo elementary and middle schools feed into Richmond High School. Since 2016-17, students have graduated from Richmond High at a similar rate as the WCCUSD. Since returning to school after the COVID-19 pandemic, however, Richmond High’s graduation rates have slightly decreased in comparison but remain steady. Figure 10: Richmond High graduation rates have reflected WCCUSD.
Crime Rates Violent crime offenses in San Pablo have decreased over time. The City’s Violence Prevention and Intervention strategy has focused on decreasing crime in San Pablo. Data provided by the San Pablo Police Department showed that violent crime offenses have decreased over time, from 241 offenses in 2014 to 192 in 2024. Between 2022 and 2023, offenses decreased from 240 to a low of 160 with a slight increase to 192 in 2024. Figure 11: Since 2014, the number of violent crimes has decreased in San Pablo.
Source: San Pablo Police Department, July 2025.
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San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 12 Juvenile felony arrests have followed a similar trend over time. After a drop to only four arrests in 2021, the number climbed to 27 in two years. However, in 2024, there was a decrease to 11. In 2021, the San Pablo Police Department switched to the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS), which is a more comprehensive reporting system that tracks multiple crimes per incident instead of one case and crime at a time. Due to this change, there were some fluctuations in violent crime reporting between the years 2022 and 2023. Figure 12: Since 2014, the number of juvenile felony arrests have decreased in San Pablo.
Source: San Pablo Police Department, July 2025.
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San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 13 Youth Leadership and Voice For the 2024-27 SPBCSI grant cycle, YSCP expanded its priority focus to include Youth Leadership and Voice. Programs directly funded by SPBCSI, including those at Richmond High, directly served 281 youth.8 This included leadership-focused programs, afterschool sports and clubs, and affinity groups that support young people’s social, emotional, behavioral, and academic needs. (See Appendix A for a complete list of programs.) Beacon Directors and the City of San Pablo organized 48 events throughout the school year to oversee the implementation of the SPBCSI, to engage with students, caregivers, and families, and sustain school culture and climate. All SPBCSI schools reported hosting at least two events this year.9 Beacon Directors also noted that at their sites students participated in District-wide efforts, such as the Action Collaborative Team and empathy interview facilitation. 48 Total Number of Events 200 Average Student Attendance
43 Average Family Attendance Table 1: Sample of Youth Leadership and Voice Events and Programs Multicultural Day Performance (Bayview Elementary) Multicultural Day celebrated the rich diversity of Bayview through music, dance, food, and traditions from around the world. Students proudly shared their heritage and learned about others—promoting cultural understanding and appreciation. Dover Leaders (Dover Elementary) Dover Leaders is a program that teaches 5th and 6th graders what it takes to be a leader. They take on the responsibilities of supporting schoolwide activities and presenting to their younger classmates on topics such as respect, responsibility, and decision-making. Dover leaders are students who take initiative, ownership, and speak up for themselves and their classmates. Youth Leadership Group (E.M. Downer Elementary) E.M. Downer 's Youth Leadership Group (YLD) is a cohort of dedicated students who aim to enhance the school atmosphere for students. YLD understands that in order to create an inclusive environment, students need to take charge. Our students work on projects such as planning events and holding space for ways to improve the school. Reading Carnival (Helms Middle) Students who logged 300+ minutes of reading in April celebrated at the Reading Carnival, supported by the San Pablo Rotary Club and City volunteers. The event featured a DJ, games, face painting, water activities, and a book giveaway. Leadership Club students helped run booths and activities. 8 Count of youth enrolled in San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Programs. Due to data limitations, there could be duplication if students attend multiple programs. 9 Averages calculated across events. Source: CitySpan, Events data, August 2025.
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 14 Special Olympics (Riverside Elementary) The purpose of the event was to promote inclusion, acceptance, and empowerment through sports. Students participated in sports training and competition to build confidence, skills, and friendships.
Youth Survey Results Every year, students who participated in youth leadership and voice programs and activities at their school sites completed a survey. Results from the 2024-25 youth survey suggested that programs funded by SPBCSI helped them build leadership skills, social competencies, and a sense of connection to their schools. Below are key findings and student feedback.10 Figure 13: Youth felt empowered and supported.
Source: 2024-25 Youth Survey (N=144). Surveys are for programs directly funded by the SPBCSI or led by a Beacon Director. This represents a subset of the total programs offered at a school. 10 A total of 144 students completed the 2024-25 Youth Survey. Quotes have been edited for clarity and length. 99%
88%
87%
98%
I feel safe in this program.
This program has helped me to stay awayfrom fights.
This program has helped me to try harder inschool.
I like this program
The fact that we can help the whole school and even San Pablo as well. It’s a very good program.
One thing I like about this program is that students from grades 5-6 can be independent in lots of different ways like helping make the spirit week flyer and we can also share our opinions and get feedback. positively.
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 15 Figure 14: Youth developed social competencies.
Source: 2024-25 Youth Survey (N=144). Surveys are for programs directly funded by the SPBCSI or led by a Beacon Director. This represents a subset of the total programs offered at a school. 97%
92%
85%
94%
In this program the adults care about me.
I can go to an adult for advice.
I learn how to work out my problems.
This program has helped me to say “no” to things I know are wrong.
This program helped me be more extraverted and make new friends. This program helps me set goals for my own future.
It helps me want to participate in more school activities and things at school in general.
I learn how to control my emotions and be more nice with other people. It also helped me be a better leader.
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 16 Figure 15: Youth demonstrated commitment to learning.
Source: 2024-25 Youth Survey (N=144). Surveys are for programs directly funded by the SPBCSI or led by a Beacon Director. This represents a subset of the total programs offered at a school. 95%
80%
78%
64%
In this program I learn how to make goals.
This program has helped me to care more aboutschool.
This program has helped me to pay attention inclass more.
This program has helped me to like school more.
I have an opportunity to learn a lot and have field trips to learn about college/university. I help the little kids make great choices and to learn how to share and act.
I'm able to help the school while also having fun with friends. I like setting goals and doing physical activity.
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 17 Youth Focus Groups For the second year in a row, Public Profit conducted a focus group with 11 students from the Leadership Club at Helms Middle School. During the focus group, students said planning school events and coordinating efforts was meaningful and increased their sense of connection to their school. Many of them expressed appreciation for the Beacon Director who created a welcoming and safe environment. One student stated, “They should add more people like [the Beacon Director] to the school. Having nice teachers and leaders…helps [students] a lot.” Another student noted that the program helped them “be more involved in their school community.” All of them reflected that other students would benefit from participating in the Leadership Club, helping organize schoolwide events, and collaborating with the Beacon Director. As part of the focus group, students drew pictures, which depicted the friendships they made, sense of connection they experienced, and leadership skills they developed.
Family and Caregiver Engagement Family Engagement is a vital pillar of the California Community Schools Framework.11 Research has shown that students benefit when parents and caregivers are involved in their education and schooling. Students with engaged family members, regardless of their income or background, are more likely to attend school regularly, earn higher grades and test scores, graduate high school, and experience greater self-empowerment. Greater family engagement strengthens mutual trust and understanding between the school and home and further promotes student growth and learning.12 Ever since the first community school was established in 2011, all six San Pablo schools have focused on family outreach and partnership. Beacon Directors have recognized the importance of connecting with parents and caregivers to implement and sustain community schools in San Pablo. Moreover, the asset-based approach to youth development adopted and advanced by YSCP has ensured that students’ families are valued as equal partners by Beacon Directors. Every year, Beacon Directors have coordinated gatherings to connect families with other parents and caregivers, help them understand how to better support their students, and feel part of a broader school community. Beacon Directors at all six sites have organized community-building activities, including game nights and movie screenings, and created and maintained dedicated spaces like a Family Resource Space to facilitate stronger participation. Beacon Directors have also sought to increase African American family engagement at their sites by initiating parent advisory councils and groups. In the past, Beacon Directors have conducted family walkthroughs and surveys to collect data to track and improve outcomes for Black students. They have worked with African American parents, caregivers, and community members to organize assemblies and events for Black History Month. This past school year, Beacon Directors collaborated for the first time to organize a citywide Kwanzaa event attended by families and students from all six community schools. In collaboration with their site’s SCOW, Beacon Directors have maintained consistent communication between families, students, and administrators through the use of flyers, ParentSquare, phone calls, and emails. They have also partnered with the City to manage special events and giveaways, including backpack drives and holiday celebrations. 11 California Department of Education. (2022). California community schools framework. https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/hs/documents/ccsppframework.docx 12 Henderson, A. T., & Mapp, K. L. (2002). A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family, and community connections on student achievement. Annual synthesis 2002. National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schools.
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 19 Table 2: Sample of Family and Caregiver Engagement Events Family Literacy Night (Bayview Elementary) Family Literacy Night brought families together to explore literacy activities, games, and resources—strengthening bonds and helping them support their children’s reading journey. Parent Workshop: How to Manage Stress (Dover Elementary) This workshop taught families how to manage stress. Parents practiced breathing techniques and learned about activities they can do at home, either alone or with their families, to cope with stress. Family Math Night (E.M. Downer Elementary) Scientific Adventures hosted a 1.5-hour Family Math Night with hands-on activity stations, food, and raffles to make math fun for students and families. Several parents and caregivers volunteered their time to promote the event, run stations, and help other families feel engaged throughout the evening. African American Parent Advisory Committee (AAPC) Family Night (Helms Middle) AAPC hosted a Kwanzaa Family Night at Helms. This was a joint event organized by Beacon Directors to celebrate Kwanzaa and raise awareness about AAPC. The evening featured guest speakers from the African American Male Leadership Program from Contra Costa College, a catered soul food dinner, and Kwanzaa and Christmas holiday craftmaking. Harvest Festival (Riverside Elementary) The school established its first Community School Leadership Team, which was led by the Beacon Director. This team included administrators, teachers, family members, community partners, and students. The team met monthly and conducted a Community Needs and Hopes Assessment. The assessment helped to identify families who needed resources and connected many of them to rapid relief funds and other supports.
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 20 Family and Caregiver Focus Groups For the first time, Public Profit conducted two focus groups to hear from families about their experiences and reflections about community schools in San Pablo. We spoke with a total of 23 parents at two schools, Helms Middle and E.M. Downer Elementary. Focus group participants described their community school as “welcoming” and noted that the Beacon Director supported families by organizing “programs for parents,” such as principal coffee chats and parent education meetings. Many caregivers highlighted the attendance improvement campaigns that both Beacon Directors, in collaboration with other school staff, initiated and managed. They noted that Positive Behavior Intervention Systems (PBIS) strategies, such as the Dragon Store, where students could select rewards for improved or perfect attendance, greatly motivated their children to go to school daily. They also shared that after the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to other schools in the District, San Pablo community schools kept families informed about important changes in policies related to safety and access. During the past school year, community schools continued to provide families with timely and relevant information by offering sessions on important topics, such as social media, sex education, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and parent-child communication. At both sites, families and caregivers requested continued outreach, school-home communication, and new opportunities, such as in-person English as a Second Language classes and carpool support for working families.
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 21 College and Career Supports In addition to Youth Leadership and Voice, YSCP expanded the 2024-27 SPBCSI priority focus to include College and Career Supports. Beacon Directors had the opportunity to implement this priority at their sites in a variety of ways. One Beacon Director hosted a “Black Excellence Professional Panel” for professionals to speak with students about career pathways. Another Beacon Director collaborated with a kindergarten teacher to organize a “San Pablo’s Next Top Chef” program. Other Beacon Directors continued to organize college campus visits. However, as a more recent priority, some Beacon Directors stated that they planned to arrange college and career-focused events and activities the following school year when they felt more prepared and better informed about this newer area of focus. Table 3: Sample of College and Career Support Events San Francisco State University Field Trip (Bayview Elementary) Students visited San Francisco State University to explore campus life, academics, and extracurriculars. The trip inspired interest in higher education and broadened their horizons. Additional funding was provided through the San Pablo Youth Commission’s Student-Led Unity Grant (SLUG). University of California, Berkeley Field Trip (Helms Middle) Students visited UC Berkeley to learn about college and the campus experience. They toured the campus and visited to learn about college, activities, and extracurricular activities. Additional funding was provided through the San Pablo Youth Commission’s Student-Led Unity Grant (SLUG). San Pablo’s Next Top Chef (Lake Elementary School) Through this program, students learned about nutrition, food preparation, and cultural awareness. At the end of the program, students “opened” their own restaurant attended by family members and caregivers. Black Excellence Professional Panel (Riverside Elementary) The Beacon Director invited local Black professionals to share their experiences and career development journey to inspire students interested in business, medicine, and law. As the only SPBCSI middle school, student clubs at Helms focused extensively on College and Career Supports. Beginning the previous school year, Helms launched the Contra Costa College (CCC) Mentorship Program. Every week, African American male students at Helms met with CCC students who shared a similar background to learn more about college. They received mentorship, engaged in group discussions on a wide range of topics, and participated in a sports activity. Helms students greatly appreciated the program. All of the students shared that they were able to set goals, prepare for college, and interact with caring and engaged adults. Many of them also enjoyed the chance to play different sports with their peers and mentors.
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 22 For the past few years, members of the Helms Leadership Club have worked with the Beacon Director to organize a College and Career Fair. Students who attended the event valued the opportunity to meet with adults, ask questions, and learn more about careers that interest them. During the fair, the Beacon Director collected the following feedback from seventh and eighth grade Helms students. Figure 16: Nearly all SPBCSI youth were familiar with college and expressed interest in attending.
Source: 2024-25 Youth Survey (N=144). Surveys are for programs directly funded by the SPBCSI or led by a Beacon Director. This represents a subset of the total programs offered at a school. 92%
89%
I know what college is.
I want to go to college.
I like interacting with all the different people especially the police and culinary [school].
It was really fun and interesting. I liked learning about being a police officer, it helps me because I want to be a crime investigator.
Music is a passion of mine. 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 I want to take.
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 23 Violence Prevention and Intervention/ Mental Health Crisis Assessment and Referral Evaluation (CARE) Teams In 2007, WCCUSD launched the establishment of community schools in San Pablo with the introduction of school-based health centers at six comprehensive high schools. This connection between community schools and health and wellness has continued through the SPBCSI. Beacon Directors at all six community schools have coordinated the CARE team, as initially outlined by WCCUSD, for almost two decades. Beginning in the 2015-16 school year, as part of its evaluation, Public Profit observed that the successful management of CARE teams contributed to a rise in support for student mental health needs. Each school’s CARE team, led by a community school director and composed of a mix of therapists, counselors, case managers, and teachers, met on a regular basis to develop and monitor plans for students experiencing mental health or behavioral issues. Over the past nine years, San Pablo community schools have assisted in hiring more mental health providers, negotiated more space on campuses devoted to mental health services, updated the CARE referral process, and increased awareness about community-based health and wellness resources to better address the needs of San Pablo students. In spite of budget cuts, staff turnover, and other challenges, Beacon Directors have managed to secure additional support for students every year, overseeing a constantly shifting collection of providers and partners, who often have partial or reduced availability, to ensure as much coverage for students as possible. Beacon Directors at San Pablo Beacon Community Schools coordinated critical services for youth through their school’s Crisis Assessment and Referral Evaluation (CARE) teams. For the 2024-25 school year, 317 youth were referred to services, about nine percent of the total San Pablo school population. Figure 17: CARE referrals 317 youth referred across all San Pablo Schools 9% youth referred across all San Pablo Schools Sources: Crisis Assessment Referral and Evaluation (CARE) data, N=317, August 2025; CDE, DataQuest 2024-25 Enrollment Data, accessed August 2025. The percentage of youth referred was calculated by dividing the number of total referrals (317) by the total San Pablo school population (3,712 students).
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 24 Richmond High School Through the support of Team for Youth’s Youth Matters Program, which focuses on Violence Prevention and Intervention/Mental Health, students at Richmond High had access to a Familias Unidas clinical director and therapist in the school’s Wellness Center. The Familias Unidas staff provided individual counseling, group therapy, crisis intervention, and case management. They also facilitated a support circle, Grupo de Mujeres, which offered a space for peer relationship building and conflict resolution. For the 2024-25 school year, in response to the threat of immigration enforcement and the changing political context, Familias Unidas directed more attention and assistance to family engagement. They delivered more family-centered counseling, support service linkages, and case management to better support students to address concerns about safety, stress, uncertainty, and isolation at home and at school. We're seeing a lot of crises [and] disconnect between parents and children. This is because there are a lot of parental stressors… Everything that comes with this new administration and the fear that this community feels, the children are feeling it at home. – Familias Unidas staff The political climate has a lot to do with the stress that the students are expressing. They are given an opportunity to express their anxieties during therapy sessions and also during group [sessions]. – Familias Unidas staff On the youth survey, 100% of all students (n=22) agreed that they felt safe as a result of their participation in either Grupo de Mujeres (n=15) or individualized therapy (n=7). Moreover, 88% noted that because of this program they are better at taking care of problems without violence or fighting. [The Familias Unidas counselors] help me improve my mental health. They listen to me. They've improved things in my home. – Richmond High student It makes me feel satisfied and calm and above all confident that nothing we talk about gets out of here. - Richmond High student
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 25 Lead Agency and Youth, School, and Community Partnerships (YSCP) Supports The formation of the YSCP division in 2020 advanced the City of San Pablo’s shift away from a deficit-based approach to youth development to one that values and emphasizes youth’s strengths. Through YSCP, the City has provided comprehensive services to the youth and families of San Pablo. As part of this work, YSCP has partnered with many community-based organizations that promote and engage in a similar understanding and appreciation of young people. Since 2017, YSCP has worked closely with the Bay Area Community Resources (BACR), as the main nonprofit partner supporting the San Pablo Community Schools Initiative. Beacon Directors have consistently reported that BACR has facilitated their work in San Pablo community schools and promoted their professional development. All of them have noted in interviews that they have received consistent and comprehensive supervision and technical assistance over the years. Similar to previous school years, the Beacon Directors continued to meet regularly with the BACR Community School Director who helped them navigate multiple systems related to implementation, compliance, funding, and reporting for various agencies, institutions, and interest holders in San Pablo. I am able to reach out to [the BACR Director] and…get answers and support…[She’s] always making sure I know what's happening. She’s my go-to person. - Beacon Director When a Beacon Director was on leave, the BACR Director ensured that the school continued to meet the SPBCSI priorities and address the community school needs of students, families, and staff. [The BACR Director] actually had to keep it going for me when I was on leave, so that was great…I made sure that that was put in place. - Beacon Director As a previous community school director in San Pablo, the BACR Director was aware of the many challenges Beacon Directors encountered given their unique position working with multiple partners, including WCCUSD, the City of San Pablo, BACR, and other community-based organizations. Based on their previous experience and longtime role as the BACR Director, they regularly considered ways to deliver more timely and systemic support. We're trying to get ahead of the work [for Beacon Directors]…So this year was 2.0, and we made progress. But for next year…we're working on a manual…[and] we're going to do a two-day retreat…[T]he other plan is to work with…principals…All six San Pablo principals could use some more coaching around community schools and what the partnership could look like. - Lead Agency Director
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 26 The BACR Director further noted that they planned to work with CitySpan, the data reporting system used by Beacon Directors, to improve its training to better address the specific needs of Beacon Directors. In addition to BACR, Beacon Directors reflected positively on the guidance they received from YSCP. They met individually and as a group with the YSCP Community Services Manager for regular professional development trainings, thought partnership, and assistance on community school implementation. YSCP staff also frequently visited community schools to check in with Beacon Directors and address any questions or concerns. I love the way they set up [the bimonthly meetings]…as San Pablo schools and go over things that we've just heard from the District and ask [the YSCP Manager] for help with things…[The YSCP Manager] definitely makes herself available. Especially last year…as a new person, she makes sure that new people really get onboarded and she sets up time for us to check in on things. – Beacon Director I feel super supported by the City. And I feel super supported by [the YSCP Manager]…It’s been great. I feel very lucky to be with the City of San Pablo. – Beacon Director I get lots of support from [YSCP] and [BACR]…[I]t's not so much that I don't get support from the District, just their deliverables are a lot…[I]t wouldn't be [so] hard to do a budget if I knew all the codes and knew which area to put it in. – Beacon Director San Pablo community school administrators also appreciated the support YSCP provided for San Pablo community schools. I feel extremely supported through the City…The [community school] funding…has been extremely helpful…[T]hat has just been a game changer. I'm extremely, extremely grateful for that. That is something that is very, very needed in my role. – School Administrator
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 27 Looking Ahead Since 2015, Public Profit has proposed considerations for YSCP aligned to its commitment to continuous improvement for the SPBCSI based on evaluation findings. Below are some suggestions as YSCP plans for the second year of its 2024-27 funding cycle. ● Continue to provide funding opportunities and implementation guidance. For 10 years, YSCP has advanced multiple citywide efforts to improve the lives of San Pablo residents and their families. YSCP has financially supported important initiatives to address vital issues, such as mental health, childhood obesity prevention, and chronic absenteeism. As highlighted throughout this report, school administrators, families, students, and other interest holders have described YSCP’s sponsorship as transformational. Responsible for much of the allocation of funds, Beacon Directors have played a key role by hiring much-needed staff, such as recess coaches, case managers, attendance clerks, and counselors; purchasing supplies to promote Positive Behavioral Intervention Systems (PBIS); and implementing programs focused on SPBCSI priorities, including Family and Caregiver Engagement and Youth Leadership and Voice. While most Beacon Directors were able to facilitate College and Career Supports for the first year of the new grant cycle, others struggled to coordinate relevant activities and programs. As a newer priority for the SPBCSI, YSCP can continue to share impactful strategies, interventions, and assistance for Beacon Directors for this and other crucial priorities, such as Family and Caregiver Engagement. ● Facilitate and sustain collaborations with community partners. In addition to offering economic assistance, YSCP has facilitated partnerships between youth, schools, and community-based organizations that promote engagement of families, caregivers, and community members and advancement of mental and physical health enrichment for young people in San Pablo. Over the past several years, students and families have experienced greater opportunities to engage in activities and events that celebrate their cultural heritage and history, improve attendance, increase family literacy and math skills, and address social and emotional learning as a result of these connections. YSCP can further strengthen these collaborations to build the capacity of San Pablo community schools to continue to grow and thrive. For example, YSCP can reinforce BACR’s efforts to provide more coaching to Principals and other school administrators on community schools and effective partnerships in the following school year and beyond. ● Elevate youth voice. Student empowerment is a critical focus area for the new SPBCSI grant cycle. Given the importance of positive youth development for YSCP, it can work with Beacon
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 28 Directors to further promote student leadership, self-efficacy, and sense of belonging at school. Moving forward, YSCP can continue to encourage Beacon Directors to collaborate regularly with student leaders to explore and implement ways to increase student engagement at their cites. YSCP can also leverage the work of its community partners to offer targeted capacity building for Beacon Directors on effective strategies and best practices for fostering youth advocacy and outreach in community schools. For their part, Beacon Directors can begin building on the success of last year’s city-wide Kwanzaa celebration and work together this time to incorporate student participation and center their voices. As noted in this and previous reports, Beacon Directors, school administrators and staff, families, caregivers, and students have consistently described YSCP’s grant opportunities and assistance as essential for improving outcomes for youth in San Pablo. All of them have maintained that without YSCP’s collaboration and guidance, schools in San Pablo could not be places of growth, learning, and opportunities for students. Heading into year two of the SPBCSI grant cycle for 2024-27, the City’s continued support of YSCP and its programs is even more crucial for sustaining progress in terms of greater access to health and wellness resources for youth and their families, more comprehensive support for unique populations, such as English Learners and Newcomers, and other improved outcomes related to youth development. As schools nationwide deal with the chronic absenteeism and student mental health crises, the City of San Pablo, with its multiple partners, can continue to prioritize and address concerns raised by community members to ensure a comprehensive continuum of supports and resources to help the children, youth, and families of San Pablo thrive.
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 29 Appendix A: City of San Pablo Investments Strategy Agency Program/Role School Youth Served Description Coordination of Community Schools
Bay Area Community Resources (BACR) Beacon Director*
Bayview 335
Beacon Directors provided leadership and implementation of the SPBCSI.
Dover 458 E.M. Downer 388 Helms 558 Lake 350 Riverside 343 Violence Prevention and Intervention
Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
Case Manager Dover 530 Case Managers served on CARE Teams and connected students and families with community resources. Student Support Specialists worked with many Newcomer students on life skills and SEL support.
Helms 579
Student Support Specialist Bayview 335
Familias Unidas Counseling and Case Management Richmond 20 Familias Unidas provided bilingual (Spanish)/bicultural individual counseling, family counseling, case management services, and crisis intervention to RHS students.
Youth Development and Leadership
Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
Leadership Club or Student Council
Bayview 14 Student leadership groups organized school-wide activities and campaigns to build a positive school culture.
Dover 44 E.M. Downer 3 Helms 10 Lake 18 Riverside 22
Safety Patrol Bayview 7
The Safety Patrol taught students about personal and collective safety, empowering them to create innovative solutions for campus safety.
San Pablo Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | October 2025 Page 30 6th Grade Girls Circle Dover 14
Girls Circle was a safe, supportive space for students to discuss important topics, build skills, and take pride in their personal growth and relationships.
Student Sports Council Lake 25
These students assisted the Recess Coach with planning activities for younger grades, setting up equipment, and practicing conflict resolution skills.
Contra Costa College (CCC) Mentorship Program Helms 10
Helms students met weekly at CCC for mentorship, fellowship, and sports. They engaged in discussions about life topics followed by group activities.
Flag Football Sports Riverside Flag Football Sports
At Riverside, the Recess Coach led activities like flag football to keep students active, engaged, and building teamwork skills during their breaks.
Source: Cityspan, City of San Pablo Attendance Records, and CDE’s Dataquest, accessed July 2024. *Number of Youth Served for Beacon Director and Case Manager reflect the total number of students enrolled at that school.