Jefferson Elementary School District Awarded State Grant to Support Whole-Child Success

The Jefferson Elementary School District has been selected as one of only two school districts in the Bay Area—and just 27 across California—to receive the state’s Learning Communities for School Success Program (LCSSP) grant for 2025–28. The district will receive $743,400 over three years to expand evidence-based, non-punitive programs that keep students engaged, reduce chronic absenteeism, and strengthen school communities.

Serving nearly 5,000 students across Daly City, Colma, Broadmoor Village, and parts of Pacifica, Jefferson Elementary is one of the most diverse elementary districts in Northern San Mateo County. More than 20 languages are spoken across its 14 schools, with 63% of students identified as English learners, foster youth, or from low-income families. Like many urban-adjacent communities, the district faces challenges related to housing instability, poverty, and exposure to trauma—all of which impact school attendance and engagement.

Jefferson Elementary learned about the grant through the County Office’s College, Career, and Community Partnerships department, which helps school districts blend and braid funding to sustain services critical to student success. Guided by a needs assessment led by Jefferson Elementary staff, the County Office shared the opportunity and supported administrators in crafting their application.

“Our team works with school districts to find funding opportunities that best meet their individual needs,” said Marcela Miranda, Executive Director of the department. “Jefferson was well-positioned for this grant, and we were confident they could build a strong proposal. We are excited to support them with grants that will allow them to expand programs that truly make a difference for students and families.”

With support from the LCSSP grant, Jefferson Elementary will expand an LCAP-aligned (Local Control Accountability Plan), equity-centered strategy grounded in the Multi-Tiered System of Supports to keep students connected to school. This includes a Family Liaison program, which provides Tier 2 and 3 supports such as home visits, interpretation, and culturally responsive workshops; strategic community partnerships that offer wraparound services; and other trauma-informed and culturally responsive strategies to reduce absenteeism, increase student engagement, and build inclusive school communities. 

The grant funding will help Jefferson Elementary reduce truancy, address chronic absenteeism, and support students at risk of dropping out or impacted by crime. The district will expand programs that keep students engaged, strengthen school communities, and address students’ social and emotional needs. This includes establishing strategic community partnerships that offer wraparound services. Two of the community organizations Jefferson Elementary is excited to soon partner with to advance this work are the Kapwa Kultural Center and Cafe and the PARTI Program:

• The Kapwa Kultural Center and Cafe (KKC) is a Daly City-based social enterprise and non-profit organization that provides culturally relevant and responsive services, with a focus on youth mental health and cultural identity for the Filipina/x/o community in North San Mateo County. Its mission is to create a welcoming space that supports cultural identity and strengthens community connections, offering programs that include mental well-being services, leadership skills, job preparedness, and ethnic studies.
• The P.A.R.T.I. (Positive Alternative Recreation Teambuilding Impact) Program is a non-profit that promotes education around healthy lifestyles and decision-making for youth. Operating in several California counties, including San Mateo, the program works to change the lives of youth affected by bullying, depression, and unstable families by providing support activities, leadership opportunities, and programs that build racial equity, safety, culture, and wellness.

The LCSSP grant will support these partnerships and other trauma-informed, student-centered strategies to reduce absenteeism, increase student engagement, and build inclusive school communities. By the end of the three-year grant, the district aims to significantly improve student outcomes, including reducing chronic absenteeism and increasing engagement and belonging across its schools.