Communities In Schools of Los Angeles 2020 Annual Report by CISLosAngeles

2020 Annual Report

Table of Contents Board Chair and Executive Director’s Message

About Us

Our Impact

Our History

CISLA’s COVID-19 Response

Thank You to Our Stakeholders

Financial Data

Meet the Team

Support CISLA

Board Chair & Executive Director’s Message Dear Friends, We are living through unprecedented times that require greater collaboration across multiple sectors, stronger public and private partnerships, and deeper relationships with families. The pandemic has become an accelerant to the pre-existing inequities in our children’s education. Communities In Schools of Los Angeles (CISLA) has stepped up to the challenge and we are proud to call you our ally in serving schools and families at a time when they need it the most. We are excited to present to you CISLA’s very first Annual Report! The profound impact reflected in this report is made possible by your generous investment and strategic partnerships. CISLA is focused on growing to serve more schools to address the enormous need for our services at the same time as we deepen our effectiveness. We are proud to highlight several donors whose investments are helping us move to a greater scale. Your backing has empowered CISLA to welcome a new Executive Director, build a robust COVID-19 response, and most importantly, celebrate our 2020 graduates. This past year, we said goodbye to our former Executive Director, Deborah Marcus, who dedicated nearly a decade of service to advancing this organization. Under Deborah’s leadership, CISLA grew from three schools in one community to 11 schools across five communities and an operating budget of $3 million. We are thankful for her years of service and her continued support as our extended CISLA family. In our new chapter, CISLA is serving 13 schools, continuing to advance our mission, advocating for systemic and sustainable change, and elevating CISLA’s rich connections with families, schools, communities, education, philanthropy, and business leaders.

We invite you to celebrate the hard work of our students, who remain committed to achieving their academic goals, despite the virtual learning environment and economic challenges that so abruptly interrupted this past school year. CISLA’s dedicated team of staff and board members deserve accolades for approaching this difficult period in our country’s history with energy, enthusiasm, and unwavering dedication to meeting the needs of our students and families. We hope that this report inspires you to expand your investment in CISLA’s critical work. Please keep in touch with us by following our social media, signing up for our newsletter, increasing your financial support, volunteering, and joining our events. In solidarity,

Mary-Jane Wagle Board Chair

Elmer G. Roldan Executive Director

About

CISLA

Who We Are CISLA is an affiliate of Communities In Schools, the nation’s leading dropout prevention organization proven to keep students in school and on the path to graduation. Working directly in more than 2,300 low-income schools in 25 states and the District of Columbia, Communities In Schools serves 1.5 million students who are at risk of dropping out and successfully helps 99% of our case-managed students stay in school.

What We Do Our mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

Why We Do It Our vision is that every student in Los Angeles public schools receives the support they need to develop the emotional, social, and learning skills to graduate high school ready for meaningful employment or higher education.

A Proven Model Communities In Schools of Los Angeles is part of a network of more than 150 affiliates that transform the lives of kids and their families. Our efforts decrease dropout rates and increase the graduation rate of students across the country.

Site Directors & Coordinators

COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF LOS ANGELES and Directors

NEEDS ASSESsMENT

2 PLANNING

We understand that students have unique academic and non-academic needs, and we work with them and their families to help address their circumstances. Our holistic approach ensures that we create conditions that allow students to show up healthy, safe, and prepared to learn.

INTEGRATED

MONITORING & ADJUSTING

PROVEN SUCCESS

por

EVALUATION

It all begins with our site coordinator, who builds strong relationships inside the school and coordinates integrated student support.

tie r2 tie : sc 1 tier

r s : ta 3: in d iv i d a l i z e d u ho r g e t e s d gram olwide p r o services

3 STUDENT

SUPPORTS

Collaborative Partners Site coordinators also collaborate with community partners and businesses to meet the needs of our students. Our partners recruit volunteers for tutoring programs, make donations to help students in need of clothing, and connect them to healthcare services.

Integrated Student Support The CIS site coordinator works with volunteers, partners and the local community to provide students with the supports they need to succeed both inside and outside the classroom. We provide these supports in three different tiers. By differentiating our supports, we are able to serve most students in a school and also focus attention on targeted students that have significant needs. Tier 1: School-wide services Tier 2: Targeted programs (small group programming) Tier 3: Individualized support (one-on-on case management)

Student Demographics

CISLA Case-Managed Students vs All LAUSD*

Race/Ethnicity CISLA

LAUSD

Black/ African American 19.7%

Hispanic/Latino 74.8%

Multi-Racial 2.4% Other 1.7% White 1.2% Asian/Pacific Islander 0.1%

White 10.3%

Black/African American 7.7% 5.7%

Hispanic/Latino 74.1%

American Indian/ Alaska Native 0.1%

Students Served % Students

88%

75%

25%

Multi-Racial 1.6% Other 0.4% American Indian/ Alaska Native 0.2%

CISLA

100%

50%

Asian/Pacific Islander

LAUSD

77.4%

55.4%

20.3%

12.9% 13.9%

English Language Special Education Learners

3.8% 3.3% Experiencing Homelessness

Free & Reduced Lunch Qualified

Demographics *Source: CA Department of Education website. LAUSD comparison data is for the 2019 school year.

The Communities We Serve

Schools

913

Case-Managed Students

12,800

Schoolwide Supported Students

CISLA School Sites Watts

Pico Union/Westlake

• Grape St. Elementary School • 107th St. Elementary School • 99th St. Elementary School • Edwin Markham Middle School • Jordan High School

• John Liechty Middle School

West LA • Mark Twain Middle School • Daniel Webster Middle School • Alexander Hamilton High School

Boyle Heights • Hollenbeck Middle School • Felicitas & Gonzalo Mendez High School

South LA • William Jefferson Clinton Middle School • Santee Education Complex (High School)

: CISLA School Site 8

Our Impact

Graduation Data

CISLA Case-Managed Students vs All LAUSD*

Graduation Rate

100% 75%

100%

96%

99%

LAUSD

78%

76.6%

CISLA

50% 25% 2018

2019

2020

*LAUSD Data for the 2020 School Year is not yet available.

School Year

CISLA College Attendance Rate Class of 2020

10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 99% of our case-managed Class of 2020 seniors graduated 78% plan to attend college

35% will attend 4-year College/University

43% will attend a 2-year Community College *Source: CA Department of Education website. LAUSD comparison data is for the 2019 school year.

Student Surveys

“Being part of CIS has brought new opportunities to explore interests. My favorite part about CIS is the feeling of belonging in a welcoming community.”

“Whenever you need any type of support, whether it’s financial or educational, they do everything they can in order for you to be stable.”

“My favorite thing about being part of CIS is the togetherness. When I am with the CIS members I feel like we have known each other for so long.”

92% say CISLA helped them face challenges after COVID-19

93% say CISLA helped them face challenges before COVID-19

93% say CISLA motivated them to complete school this year

95% say CISLA has supported in their success

98% say they had an overall positive experience with CISLA this year

“I have a million good things to say about CIS. Thanks to them, one of my children achieved his dream of going to a university and my other child is improving at school.”

“The truth is that CIS helped me so much during this pandemic. I no longer have to worry about how I will feed my family.”

98% 93%

93%

say CISLA helped lower their stress levels

say CISLA played a major role in child’s socialemotional development

say CISLA played a major role in child’s academic success

100% 98% say that support from CISLA improved their current family situation

say they had an overall positive experience with CISLA this year

Parent Surveys

12 10

Student Spotlight: Keith graduated, “virtually,” from Santee Education Complex with the resilient class of 2020. His story highlights how the life-changing power of additional in-school support systems unlocks student potential.

Meet Keith Wallick Keith is a resilient, talented, and accomplished student from Watts. Keith was recognized and featured on Don Lemon’s “Stand Out Senior” series on CNN, as well as in the Los Angeles Times. During these interviews, Keith shared his story of dealing with homelessness and needing lots of support. When Keith arrived at Santee Education Complex, he became a CISLA student where he received mentorship and support for 4 years. If you watch the CNN video, you’ll learn that when Keith got to Santee, his art teacher noticed that he had an eye for art and nurtured his talent. It turns out that his art teacher was right! Upon graduating, Keith walked away from his high school in South LA with a scholarship to the Art Academy of Cincinnati. And thanks to many community supporters, he was able to raise the full amount to cover his transportation, room, and board!

Art by Keith Wallick

We recognize that it takes a village to support students, and that’s why we are grateful. You, and many community members like you, helped change the trajectory of Keith’s life. Thank you. #allinforkids

Our

History

The Story of How We Came to Be

The CISLA story starts with three letters…CAA. You may know that Creative Artists Agency (CAA) is a major supporter of CISLA, but do you know where that support began?

Under Kydd Lee’s direction, CAA provided seed funding along with space and logistical support in CAA’s offices. Says Kydd Lee, “CISLA from the start was like a department of CAA, just like any other department. It was intentionally designed that way to make sure it was an extension of what CAA does.” Her vision was a powerful integration of social mission with corporate culture. To this day, CAA continues to help build CISLA’s brand recognition and deepen its support by hosting its annual Young Holiday Party, supporting Lunch with a Leader, offering Career Shadowing, Camp CAA (founded by CISLA Board member Shannon Shapiro), professional development, field trips, internships and more.

Communities In Schools™ (CIS) was founded as a movement for comprehensive support for young people in the 1970s by Bill Milliken. Bill is famous for recognizing that, “It’s relationships with caring adults, not programs, that change kids’ lives.” In the 1990s and 2000s, several CAA senior executives, including Richard Lovett, Kevin Huvane, and Rob Light, served on the National Board of CIS, helping guide its work to close the achievement gap while transforming the lives of young people across the country. CAA Foundation founder Michelle Kydd Lee, a passionate education advocate herself, often joined CIS National Board meetings to learn about this movement.

CISLA’s founding executive director, Bud Jacobs, had been principal at Venice High School, where Richard Lovett had long volunteered, and thereafter an LAUSD administrator; Donna Weiss, an LA-based CIS National Board member, served as founding Board Chair. Jacobs deftly navigated the complexities of the LAUSD school system to build the foundation of trust that CISLA still enjoys with our communities and launched CISLA’s program in its first two schools: Venice High School and Alexander Hamilton High School. Jacobs had an eye for talent and prioritized hiring staff from the neighborhoods we serve, many of whom are still part of CISLA’s family and in leadership roles with CIS National.

In the early 2000s, longitudinal studies confirmed that when the CIS model was implemented with fidelity, graduation rates increased and dropout rates decreased. In 2006, building on these findings, CIS National released its Total Quality System – a set of comprehensive initiatives, policies and protocols that guide the operations of CIS’s network of affiliates to ensure that CIS makes the biggest difference possible for kids. Given the work’s demonstrated effectiveness, Kydd Lee felt an obligation to bring CIS to Los Angeles to make a difference for the many underserved kids in our community. And so, in 2007, the CISLA seed was planted, with a potent mix of local credibility and nationally tested best practices.

CISLA’s site coordinators began to make an impact on students’ lives by forming supportive relationships, connecting them with adult mentors, bringing resources previously unavailable onto campus, increasing parent engagement in school activities and student life, and ensuring that basic needs and social, emotional and mental health needs were met. Students began staying in school and graduating at higher rates. A third party evaluation of CISLA’s work in the 2009-2010 school year conducted by EMSI concluded that $1 invested in CISLA’s work yielded $38.40 in private and public benefit. The high need in Los Angeles made it imperative that CISLA expand to serve more kids with its highly effective work.

“A man doesn’t plant a tree for himself. He plants it for posterity.” — Alexander Smith

It started with a seed...

Growth Deborah Marcus joined the team as development director in 2010 to help raise the funds to permit expansion, and in 2012 succeeded Jacobs as Executive Director. New and significant support from several foundations – the Windsong Foundation, the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, the Annenberg Foundation and others – and a Diplomas NOW partnership with City Year LA and Johns Hopkins University propelled CISLA to expand into middle and high schools in West LA, Pico Union, South LA, and Boyle Heights over the succeeding years. To sustain its growing portfolio of school programs in the context of fluctuating levels of foundation and individual support, CISLA needed a strong operating reserve. Once again, CAA’s Richard Lovett stepped up in 2016 with a generous gift to establish the necessary reserve.

2020 CISLA continues to grow and make an impact

CISLA expands to Watts

2011 CISLA received grants for expansion

2007

Roots CISLA’s roots are strong and have been nourished by generous individuals both within and beyond CAA. Countless others have made a significant impact on this organization. In addition to the leaders highlighted above, CISLA is grateful for the contributions of Brian Loucks, Risa Gertner, Bill Courtney, Michael Keithley, Zac Guevara, Jeremy Plager, Dan Unger, Mary-Jane Wagle, Elaine Wynn, and CIS Founder and Vice Chairman, Bill Milliken and many, many more. As we grow, we look forward to sharing the stories of students, families, schools, and you in future years.

2019

Communities in Schools of Los Angeles (CISLA) was established and opened its first schools

1970s Communities In Schools (CIS) was founded as a movement

Organization Transition Even before the pandemic, 2019-20 was a pivotal year for CISLA. Here’s how we are transforming:

New Executive Director In November 2019, CISLA welcomed Elmer G. Roldan as our new Executive Director. Elmer is a community organizer and education leader who has dedicated his career to the communities CISLA serves. His leadership brings expertise that immediately proved powerful in supporting our communities during the pandemic.

Board Diversity (DEI) In concert with CIS National’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts, CISLA is focusing on making sure that an equity lens is central to our work within the organization and our work with students, families and communities. The board has committed to continue to diversify its membership and sharpen its understanding and focus on promoting equity through our work. Our board now comprises 42% men, 58% women, and 47% people of color. We launched our first Board and Staff DEI committees and look forward to sharing more as we progress in these efforts.

Board Demographics

Full Development Department Shortly after Elmer’s start, CISLA welcomed our first Chief Development Director, Yami Villanueva, a seasoned non-profit development professional. The rest of the team soon filled the key roles, including an Engagement Manager, Donor Relations Manager, and Grants Manager. For the first time in our organization’s history, we have a full development team.

Watts Expansion Thanks to our relationship with the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools along with seed donations from Richard Lovett and Jaime and Andrew Schwartzberg, we were able to start operating in the Watts community. To measure long-term impact, we needed to establish a feeder pattern by opening an elementary, middle, and high school. We continued our expansion through additional support from the Leonard Hill Charitable Trust and the Ballmer Group, allowing us to open in two additional Watts elementary schools this school year.

Men 41.2%

Women 58.8%

White 52.9%

Latinx 29.4% Asian 5.9% Black 11.8%

Led by a staff that is 97% Persons of Color, CISLA reflects the students and communities we serve and today serves as a model for diversity for our nonprofit partners.

Staff vs. Student Demographics Staff

Latinx 62.5%

Student

Black 25%

Asian White 5.9% 3.1%

Latinx 74.7%

Black 19.7% Other 5.6%

The Greatest Challenge of the Year:

CISLA’s COVID-19 Response

LAUSD-Closed, CISLA-Open Since school closures, our social workers and youth development professionals have been working around the clock assessing the needs of over 1,200 CISLA families. Because of the crisis, we had to shift how we support our families from afar. Upon learning that schools may be closed, CISLA proactively sprang into action creating a plan to support families with basic needs and ramping up our emergency fundraising. By anticipating the needs of our families, once schools closed, we were able to stand in the gap and provide emergency support. Read on to see how.

Providing Information and Resources Our staff continually verifies the resources and services available to our families so that we can better support them during this pandemic. For months, CISLA was the only education-based organization to directly reach out to families. This allowed us to establish deeper relationships and provide individualized support. This is an important note because establishing trust with families takes years. Thanks to years of working with and living in the communities we serve, we have been able to become a reliable friend, especially in times like these. We have spoken with families over 12,500 times via phone, text, email, and video chat to ensure learning, social-emotional, and basic needs are being met.

Whatever It Takes Whether it is delivering food, educational items, or emergency financial support, CISLA is on the front lines, ensuring that all of our students and families are supported with whatever they need. Thanks to our generous supporters, even though schools are closed, our support remains uninterrupted. We will continue to do everything in our power to help our families feel safe during this crisis.

Great Public Schools Now (GPSN) Partnership At the start of the pandemic, CISLA was one of the first organizations selected as a part of the One Family LA fund initiated by Great Public Schools Now. In combination with the One Family LA grant and donations from supporters, we distributed nearly $208,000 in emergency funds directly to 482 of our families. This emergency financial support helped families pay for food, health care, medication, bills, and rent.

Basic Needs Distribution In times like these, our families look to us for support. Because of lack of, or loss of, transportation, a majority of our families don’t have access to LAUSD’s Grab & Go food distribution centers. It is important to us that none of our families go without essentials during this time. Thanks to our generous donors, we distributed 527 basic needs care packages to our case-managed families. These packages included food, water, toilet-

ries, hygiene products, headphones, and more. Over 20,000 lbs of food were distributed to CISLA families across Los Angeles.

In-Kind Donations CISLA was the recipient of over 2,000 pairs of headphones from Corsair, Sony and Apple combined. Thanks to the generosity of these amazing companies, we were able to provide every CISLA student, and their siblings, with a pair of noise-canceling headphones enabling them to better focus on learning. We received $123,807 worth of in-kind donations of items including 2,000 headphones, 5,650 face masks, 588 bottles of hand sanitizer food, over 100 cases of water, toiletries, and much more.

Virtual Graduation This year we hosted our first ever Virtual Graduation for all of our CISLA Class of 2020 graduates. Speakers included LAUSD Board Member Mónica García, and Commencement Speaker, Founder, and CEO of Fubu and investor on Shark Tank, Daymond John, who encouraged, inspired, and surprised our students. Daymond John gave all of our graduates and staff free tuition to his online entrepreneurship program, called “Daymond on Demand”. We were so proud to celebrate our 77 graduating seniors!

CISLA’s Covid-19 Response By The Numbers

1,238

Students Served

12,494

Touchpoints Made

527

Care Packages Delivered

482

Families Received Emergency Funds

$207,958

In Emergency Funds Given To Families

$431

Given Per Family On Average

Student Story:

When A Mother and A Teacher Needed A Helping Hand Last year, CISLA added the first elementary school to our portfolio: Grape Street Elementary School in Watts. CISLA Site Director Paula Frenkiel, MSW, made sure the school community knew that CISLA was there to do #whateverittakes to support our students and their families. Ms. Frenkiel soon met Emmanuel, a friendly and energetic 2nd grader who —try as he might— just couldn’t focus in class. Emmanuel’s 2nd-grade teacher reached out to Ms. Frenkiel because she knew young Emmanuel needed an ally and an expert in the field to help him succeed. Together, they approached Emmanuel’s mom, who was happy to have extra support for her sweet youngest son. She took Emmanuel to the doctor. But the doctor dismissed her concerns and refused to evaluate him. Without a diagnosis, the school couldn’t refer Emmanuel to the programs his teacher knew he needed. Mother, teacher, and Ms. Frenkiel persisted. Ms. Frenkiel referred Emmanuel to the Department of Mental Health and prepared for a lengthier process to get him the appropriate evaluation. Then, COVID-19 hit. Emmanuel’s appointments got canceled. His parents’ small catering business suddenly shut down. In the early weeks of

bewilderment, Emmanuel’s parents assured Ms. Frenkiel that they were doing okay. They focused on getting Emmanuel connected to his newly online classes. As the pandemic continued, Emmanuel’s mom confessed the family had run through their savings and did not know what to do. By that time, CISLA —with the support of many partners— had pivoted to emergency response for families acutely affected by the pandemic. So, Ms. Frenkiel was prepared. She delivered care packages and money for rent to help support Emmanuel’s entire family. Today, Ms. Frenkiel gets calls from Emmanuel just because he misses her. They talk about what books he’s reading for 3rd grade. Ms. Frenkiel checks on how his mom is coping. Together, they continue to advocate for Emmanuel’s case through the queue at the Department of Mental Health. We know the road to college is long and filled with obstacles. Because supporters like you helped CISLA invest in our youngest students, Ms. Frenkiel can be there to do #whateverittakes— answering Emmanuel’s calls when he just wants to talk, meeting his family as a true partner, and making sure we are turning obstacles into victories.

Student Story:

Jorge holding words of support from Ms. Luna

He Pushed Through to Reach His Goal By the time Jorge started his senior year at Mendez High in Boyle Heights, he and his single dad had spent several months looking for a stable home. Site Director Xochitl Cervantes-Luna, MSW, had been through thick and thin with Jorge. He was a great kid who respected his dad and was well-liked by all. Through highs and lows, Jorge stayed on track: meeting graduation requirements, college applications, and financial aid. Then, COVID-19 hit. Jorge did not log onto his classes. Worried, Ms. Luna called all numbers she had. One day, Jorge called with good news. He and his dad finally found a small studio apartment. But they did not have running water, electricity, a laptop or WiFi. CISLA sprung into action and delivered a hotspot and laptop (supplied by the school), and a care package with food, toiletries, and water (supplied by CISLA). Ms. Luna made sure that Jorge’s father was able to set up utilities, which he did. In the weeks after, Jorge told Ms. Luna that he was having trouble keeping up with schoolwork. With new bills to pay, his dad expected him to work full-time. Ms. Luna understood these pressures. Working to support the family was just a way of life for many of her students. And Jorge rolled up his sleeves. This year, these pressures compounded just as Jorge was reaching his goal. The teen with the big smile was facing adult decisions during a pandemic. Ms. Luna did all she could. She encouraged him to stay focused, referred him to programs that could help, kept showing she cared and delivered food and supplies. The rest was up to Jorge. He logged on to his classes. He turned in his work. He met his requirements. In May, Jorge didn’t have a cap and gown. But, we are proud to share that this motivated young man graduated with his class.

Girls Revolution Team with School Board Member Mónica García

Student Story:

Young Leaders Making an Impact Today At Clinton Middle School in South LA, CISLA’s Ladies First leadership club declared itself “Girls Revolution.” Site Director (and Girls Revolution mentor) Vanessa Luna-Delgadillo, MSW, knew this team was special. In Spring 2019, Girls Revolution won the citywide Girls Build LA Civic Award, which recognized their advocacy for their homeless and housing-insecure neighbors. That Fall, a tragedy closer to home lit a new fire in this team. Two of their Clinton classmates were killed in a car accident. The students were walking to school; they were just blocks from campus. Without hesitation, this team researched and advocated on complex issues of community and pedestrian safety. They found over 65% of parents in their community were not comfortable voicing their concerns to local authorities. They launched a “Love your Community” initiative

and confronted negative reactions with words like ‘resilient’ and ‘joyful.’ In early March 2020, they hosted a Community-Police Advisory Board meeting, drawing over 200 students and parents to Clinton’s cafeteria to voice concerns and show support. Then, COVID-19 hit. Issues of safety suddenly looked very different. Girls Revolution pivoted like leaders around the world. They reassessed their mission concerning the new needs exposed by the pandemic. Drawing from their housing-rights and pedestrian-safety experience, they launched a delivery service of essential food and supplies to neighbors who lost jobs and who could not safely access grocery stores. “We’re showing people…that we can do it. That we have the potential and courage to tell them ‘Oh, you need to also step up for your community to help.’” – Rebecca, 8th Grade In a year that rocked the nation, these resilient leaders of the Girls Revolution continuously stepped up for their community. They are the leaders of tomorrow. We are proud to be helping them make an impact today. 24

Thank You

to Our Stakeholders

Ballmer Group “Together, we all go farther.” —Connie Ballmer, Co-Founder

In November 2019, Ballmer Group made a $1.2M three-year investment, which included a $600,000 match challenge, in CISLA that marked the beginning of a new phase in our organization’s longterm sustainability and growth. Rooted in our shared values and commitment toward breaking systemic cycles of poverty, this partnership has been an essential pillar to CISLA’s strength, growth, and community responsiveness over the past year. When the COVID-19 crisis hit, we were forced to cancel our Annual Gala scheduled in April 2020. Like many organizations, this was anticipated to be our biggest fundraiser of the year and its success was crucial to our organizational sustainability. It was at this time that Ballmer Group doubled down on its commitment to CISLA. Ballmer Group allowed us to match all donations received during our COVID-19 virtual fundraising efforts, resulting in a successful campaign that raised $230,000 in one month! As a result of Ballmer Group’s support, CISLA is now in a better position to magnify its fundraising efforts, facilitate growth in a measured, streamlined manner, and enhance the programmatic design, structure, and measurable outcomes. Ballmer Group is one of the nation’s philanthropic leaders and voices on economic and racial injustice. Their partnership has been one of the pillars of sustainability, building the capacity for our team to meet the new and long-standing challenges in our current and new communities. We at CISLA are proud to be a Ballmer Group lever of change, bringing our community-led energy and expertise to the momentum of Ballmer Group’s national movement.

During the first year of Ballmer Group’s partnership, CISLA has been able to: • Hire a new Program Manager to oversee the Watts expansion and train and supervise MSW interns supporting our school sites. • Invest in a new Senior Manager of Program Quality & Evaluation to provide a seniorlevel lens to data collection & analysis and organizational impact. • Build a full Development Team by hiring our first-ever Chief Development Director and Donor Relations Manager. • Strengthen Operations by investing in Human Resources software and improved financial systems, including bringing on a seasoned nonprofit accounting manager to steward our finances toward growth and expansion. 26

Jaime & Andrew Schwartzberg “We feel so fortunate to have partnered with an organization that shares our same goals of providing programs and services to the affordable housing communities we are committed to.” —The Schwartzbergs

How do you transform a home, a neighborhood, a life? In July 2019, CISLA and Foundation Housing joined forces in the Watts community through a three-year investment of $531,000 from philanthropists Jaime and Andrew Schwartzberg to answer this question. As stewards of affordable housing across the nation, Foundation Housing is a nonprofit that invests in communities where low-income residents can live with dignity in decent, safe, and well-managed affordable housing. With their commitment, Jaime and Andrew Schwartzberg demonstrated how the work of Foundation Housing and CISLA are deeply connected. In year one, the grant allowed CISLA to implement our Integrated Student Supports programming at Markham Middle School and Jordan High School during the 2019/20 school year. During the first semester, CISLA identified, recruited, and engaged more than 50 high-need students in 1:1 case management and small group programming at both schools. CISLA launched the XY-Zone (CISLA’s gender-based group focused on leadership skills for boys) and supported school-wide initiatives such as the Girls Build LA Lunchtime Club (a group to promote self-care and coping skills on a schoolwide level), parent engagement activities, and a special field trip to the Grammy Museum.

With LAUSD school closures in March 2020, CISLA’s relationships with the schools, students, and parents enabled us to implement a plan of action on day one. CISLA staff of social workers and youth development professionals pivoted to connecting with their caseload of students and their families from home. CISLA’s emergency response focused on providing additional wraparound support centered on students and families as they face new barriers.

Our Supports Include: • Connecting students with online classes, food, health care, and community partners and public programs that can help fill specific needs. • Providing weekly care packages with food and hygiene supplies to families in need. • Providing students the tools they need to succeed such as access to computers, WiFi, headphones, and school supplies. Today, our schools are inside homes. Our nation has seen what happens when schools close and homes are overcrowded and unaffordable. CISLA is now In Homes as much as we are In Schools. We are proud to be working on the frontlines of dignity for education and home with Jaime and Andrew Schwartzberg and Foundation Housing.

Leonard Hill Charitable Trust My late husband Len was passionate about leveling the playing field for students who are not currently given a fair shot to succeed. We are excited to help CISLA serve two new elementary schools in the Watts community, particularly at a time when school closures are further exacerbating the opportunity gaps in our city, to help build a stronger pipeline of powerful supports for all students.” — Dr. Patricia Gordon

In December 2019, the Leonard Hill Charitable Trust made a $600,000 commitment to support CISLA’s expansion into two new elementary schools in the Watts community over three years. This grant has come to meet the challenges of distance learning that our youngest learners now face. Going into the 2020/2021 school year, CISLA’s program staff was cognizant of the challenges that long-term distance learning would pose on the students and families we serve. In particular, our team in Watts identified the need to prioritize being more proactive in building relationships with parents at 99th Street Elementary, and 107th Street Elementary, our two newest schools. This proved to be paramount. While participating in a technology distribution day, the new CISLA Site Director at 107th Street Elementary School, Ms. Vanessa Luna-Delgadillo, MSW, was approached by a single father of two children. The father asked if she could teach his children everything they needed to know about logging in to the school’s online platform. He admitted to her that he did not know how to

use a computer or how to read. His first- and third-grade children would have to manage it themselves. Thanks to CISLA, they won’t have to do it alone. Even in the time of COVID, our staff provides students and families the support they need to be successful. Our dedicated site staff helps students and their families mitigate barriers to success in and out of the classroom. Our approach places student needs at the center and informs all of our initiatives and interventions. CISLA recognizes that countless families face similar barriers as this father at 107th Street Elementary. In addition to supporting every student on our caseload, CISLA staff is elevating these lessons to school and district leaders to advocate for improved academic support and instruction across the district. We know that while our services are having a significant impact in the lives of 1,000 students at a time when families need it most, this leaves hundreds of thousands more without the proper support and advocacy. CISLA’s partnership with the Leonard Hill Charitable Trust is enabling us to scale our impact!

Corporate Partnerships EPSON and Shaquille O’Neal Epson, Shaq and Keith Kratzenberg, President and CEO at Epson America, surprised CISLA and Webster Middle School with a meet and greet pep rally. Epson also donated over 20 eco tank printers, projectors, and whiteboards to CISLA and Webster staff.

sweetgreen sweetgreen is one of our newest partnerships. In fall 2019, CISLA and sweetgreen hosted a Real Food symposium at Hamilton High School where students were invited to learn about how the restaurant and tech industries intersect at sweetgreen. sweetgreen was generous enough to provide every student participant with one of their signature salads at the event!

2U Incorporated 2U Incorporated remains a dedicated partner of CISLA. We were happy to have multiple 2U employees volunteer this year during our College Essay Mentoring program in the fall. They also co-sponsored a speed networking event at Santee High School and public speaking workshop for our Ladies First group at Liechty Middle School.

Amazon and Zappos Amazon, Zappos, and Shaq visited Hamilton High School to ensure that all CISLA students across Los Angeles had new school supplies for the year. Hamilton High School students also received a pair of sneakers and wireless earbuds.

Virtual Career Day In partnership with CAA, CISLA hosted our very first virtual career day—“Career Conversations.” We had a panel of professionals across various industries discuss how they chose a career, working through the COVID-19 pandemic, and answer any questions students may have. All LAUSD high school students were welcome to participate. We had over 150 students sign up! And had very positive reviews from student participants and the panelists.

Donors

(July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020)

$1M+ Ballmer Group

$500K-$999,999 Leonard Hill Charitable Trust Jaime and Andrew Schwartzberg

$250K-$499,999 Windsong Trust

$100K-$249,999 CAA Foundation Great Public Schools Now/One Family LA United Way of Greater Los Angeles

$50K-$99,999 California Community Foundation Inara George and Jake Kasdan Richard Lovett Jeremy Plager Mary-Jane Wagle Wasserman Foundation

$25K-$49,999 Bad Robot The Carol and James Collins Foundation Communities In Schools™ David Kobrin L.A. Clippers Foundation Katie McGrath and JJ Abrams Donna and Jason Weiss

$10K-$24,999 2U, Inc. Anonymous Content Apple Inc.

Paloma Bilson BLT Enterprises Suzanne Platt Bunzel Fund William Courtney Disney Risa Gertner Zac Guevara Home Box Office, Inc. The Mark Hughes Foundation Richard and Ruth Lavine Family Foundation Julia Meltzer and David Thorne PICTURESTART The G. Schoenfeld Family Foundation Karen Silagi Lauren Wooden Cole Zucker

$5K-$9,999 2500, LLC 3 Arts Entertainment Ariel Investments Dara Baker Bank of America BlackRock CBS Thierry Dubois and Kaman Fung Exelint International, Co. The Irene C. Finkelstein Foundation Charlie Kaplan Joyce Klein Paramount Pictures Jaime Perez

Red Green Blue Fund of the Liberty Hill Foundation

Untitled Entertainment Ernest and Annice Wooden

$1K-$4,999 Achieving America Family Foundation The A List Lisa Baker Doug Belgrad 30

Kate Brooks Liz Dean and David Schulner Ben Dey Elizabeth Dicconson Jennifer DiGrazia Epson Fun Club Fifth Generation Inc. Nikola Filby Arlene Ford Stacie Garlieb Christy Haubegger Ina Haugen Deycy Hernandez INTERMIX Meg and Lawrence Kasdan Carole Kinzel LA Promise Fund Ellen and Harry Levitt Laura Malik Margaret and Lucas Myers Network for Good Ama Nyamekye Areilly Partida Brenda Potter Audrey Prins Nena Rodrigue Thomas Safran Toni and Don Sherman Greg Silverman Fred Specktor Jeffrey Tamkin Joshua Touber Rina Mimoun and Scott Weinger Andrew Wexler The Wonderful Company Kevyn Wynn

$500-$999 Ken and Jane Anderson Jackson Browne Elizabeth George Trey Haley Richard Hess

John and Susan Humphreville Rachel Kurstin Deonte Lang Damian Mazzotta Heather McManus Elizabeth Meriwether James M. and Virgina W. Newmyer Family Fund Elmer G. Roldan Alicia Russo Phillip Sanchez Dana Sano Aron Schwartz Mick Sullivan Julie Waxman Cindy and Jake Weinbaum Michelle Weiner

$250-$499 Sasha Alexander-Ponti Alex Avant Barbara Benedek Rick and Karina Benfield Sarah DeVincentis Adam Fletcher Raymond Jimenez Benjamin Kramer Julie Liker Capri Maddox Dr. Cynthia Mosqueda Marie Peluso Jana Posalski Fredric and Beverly Reichel Janelle Reonal Andrea Rosales Lisa Rosen The Rosewood Foundation Yami Villanueva Dottie and Nikki Wagle Yan-Yee Emm Wang Irwin and Katherine Weiss Gabrielle Rivera Weissman Michelle White Pamela and Andrew Wright

$100-$249 David Aguila James Albarano Anna Anawalt Paige Appel Bryony Atkinson Peter Barranco Jacqui Biery Elizabeth Blenz-Clucas Naomi Johnson Booker Jody Brandt Daniel and La Mikia Castillo Xochitl Alicia Cervantes Siena Chang Gary Chapman Dira Creek Veronica Dagon Mary Elizabeth Day JD Dillard Mary Dobson Samantha Ford Bowdach Family Foundation Marlo Gaal Erika Gonzalez Taj Graham Barbara Gruska Julie Hawksworth Cindy Hernandez Lore Hilburg Nicole Jeong Suzanne Kraus Steve Lainer Mark Leibowitz Kristina Levy Joshua Lieberman Harlinah Lopez Andrew and Deborah Marcus Ashlee Margolis Milinda Martin Katie McGlynn Elizabeth Mejia Desiree Navarro-Silverman Crystal Nguyen Patricia Oliver

Patricia Padilla Lizette Patron Pledgeling Foundation Pamela Robinson Veronica Schenkelberg Paola Schenkelberg Shannon Shapiro Debra Silbar Steve Soboroff Vanessa Spencer Justin Stoltzfus Suzy Strutner Nicole Turner Marika Wagle Jacqueline Wagner Tiffany Wang Wendy Wang Talitha Watkins Danyelle Weaver Nina Weinstein Iwen Wu Nora Zamichow

$10-$99 Renee Allen Steve Almazan Vanessa Aramayo Spring Aspers Sherymaria Bacon Amy Barham Tess Bethune Nancy Blake Robert Blunt Carmelita Bouie Janet Brewer Genina Brigden Karen Broberg Trey Cannon Jasmine Chavez Violeta Coogan Elizabeth Dadanian Glauz Diego Jim Dorvak Susan Drew

Sandy Escobedo Daisy Esqueda Shana Feste Lauren Fischer Melissa Flores JB Fogel Wendy Fox Ana Godoy Jaslene Gonzalez Martha Guerrero Dan Hart Michael Huang Trang Huynh Bree Irvin Taylah Jones JustGiving Stephen Kaye James Kim Peter LaChance Erica Lancaster Alexia Landau Malinda Lewis Xiang Li Christina Mar Sarah Marks Maria Martinez S. Martinez Christopher Mencias Aires Miranda-Antonio Nicole Monaco Trung Nguyen Sara Nieves-Lucas Sovera Nourn Joyce Oliver Shirley Oliver Lidia Perez Ashley Preston Jason Preston Robin Raval Manish and Sage Raval Alexis Richards Stacy Scates Amanda Schwartz Megan Shih Kathryn Short

Paula Sikking Audrey Viola Lori Werderitch Allison Winkler Alex Winter YourCause

In-Kind 71 Above Accenture AAERG Apple Inc. Beautytap Inc. Rebekah Brooks CAA Foundation Camp No Counselors Chameleon Beverage Company Corsair Dreamscape Immersive EPSON America, Inc. Fragrant Jewels Risa Gertner Just Float Kednra Scott, LLC Modern Woodmen of America Maren Nelson NoMad Los Angeles Hotel Lorrin Ortiz Kevin Parker Residence Inn by Marriott Pasadena/Old Town Sony Pictures Entertainment sweetgreen Theragun W&P

Volunteers Candace Allen Sasha Alvarenga Dr. Diana Azurdia Rebekah Brooks Layla Chatt Kim Dahlgren Todd Daugherty Vanessa Estrada Marcos Flores Daniel Frenkiel Carlos Garcia Alexandra Geller Brown Jon Gutwillig Cole Hammack Tayla Jones Amy Lewis Kate Martin-Soto Madison Martinez Ana Paula Mofarrej Tania Morales Maren Nelson Victor Olea Kyra Peckaitis Rebecca Prideaux Alexander Prince Trini Rios Hassan Saab Tatiana Sofia Setty Frank Simbala Andrew Thomas Kate Vogt Gabrielle Wooden-Carroll Lawrence Wooden-Carroll Jr. IV Tony Wu Joey Zhou

FY 2019-2020 Summary of Financial Data Operating Revenue and Support Contributions*

$ 3,116,000

Government Grants and Contracts

$ 389,500

In-Kind Contributions

$231,294

Special Events (Net)

$191,926

Investment Income

$1,666

Total Revenue and Support

$3,930,386

0.04%

10%

79%

*Contributions include several large, multi-year grant commitments to support our new and existing schools, providing vital sustainability as we expand.

10%

Operating Expenses Program Services

$2,384,060

General and Administrative

$295,586

Fundraising

$288,935

Total Expenses

10%

$2,968,581

80%

Community In Schools of Los Angeles’ consolidated financial statements are audited annually. The condensed Consolidated Statement of Activities was extracted from the audited consolidated financial statements. Complete audited consolidated financial statements are available upon request.

Meet The Team Meet the team of dedicated professionals working to serve more than 12,000 students across our city each year.

Board Members Mary-Jane Wagle Board Chairperson

Ama Nyamekye Member

Philip Sanchez Member

Damián Mazzotta Co-Vice Chairperson & Treasurer

Cole Zucker Member

Ray Jimenez Member

Dr. Cynthia Mosqueda Member

Shannon Silber Shapiro Member

Daisy Esqueda Member

Thierry Dubois Member

Deycy Hernandez Member

Virginia Lee Member

Donna Weiss Co-Vice Chairperson Jennifer DiGrazia Secretary

Bill Courtney Emeritus

Gary Schoenfeld Member

Zac Guevara Emeritus

Inara George Member

Michelle Kydd Lee Emeritus

Jeremy Plager Member

Brian Loucks Emeritus

Lori Werderitch Member

CISLA Staff

Elmer G. Roldan

Janelle Reonal

Patricia Oliver

Yami Villanueva

Executive Director

Chief Program Director

Chief Operations Director

Chief Development Director

Kenn Campa, MA NCRP

Amy Rivas, MSW

Paola Schenkelberg, MSW

Jacqwel “Q” Brown

Senior Manager of Program Quality & Evaluation

Lauren Wooden

Program Manager

Donor Relations Manager

Grants Manager

Lisa Tang

Natty Clucas

Dira Creek

Vanessa Luna-Delgadillo, MSW 107th Street Elementary School, Site Director

99th Street Elementary School, Site Director

Accounting Consultant

Data Manager

Ana Gomez, MSW

Engagement Manager

Katelyn To

Operations Associate

Deseray Rivas

William Jefferson Clinton Middle School, Site Director

Jennifer Flores

William Jefferson Clinton Middle School, Site Coordinator

Darnell Sapps

Paula Frenkiel, MSW

Grape Street Elementary School, Site Director

Michelle Guevara

Alexander Hamilton High School, Site Coordinator

Hollenbeck Middle School, Site Director

Fiona McEniry, LCSW

Susana Ponce, MSC, AMF

John Liechty Middle School, Site Director

Malinda Lewis, MA

Santee Educational Complex, Site Director

Andres Diaz

Shekinah Bell, MSW

Ruth Cruz, MSW

Jesus Perez, MSW

Wendy Olea, MSW

Xochitl Cervantes-Luna, MSW, PPS

Alexander Hamilton High School, Site Director

Hollenbeck Middle School, Site Coordinator

John Liechty Middle School, Site Coordinator

Edwin Markham Middle School, Site Director

Katherine Perez

Charmeka Dozier, MFT

Santee Educational Complex, Site Coordinator

Mark Twain Middle School, Site Director

Alexander Hamilton High School, Site Coordinator

Jordan High School, Site Director

Felicitas & Gonzalo Mendez High School, Site Director

Tylyn Fields, MSW

Daniel Webster Middle School, Site Director

Support CISLA

A Final Message Thank you for taking the time to read through our first-ever Annual Report! We are proud to share the work we do as well as elevate the voices of the communities we serve. We know that throughout the year, our students will continue to face challenges. With that knowledge, we want them to know that they are not alone. Here, at CISLA, we are committed to doing #whateverittakes to surround our students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. Thanks to generous donors like you, we can keep our promise and continue to be there to support our families through these unpredictable times.

If You’d Like to Continue Supporting Us, Here’s How: Donate Here:

Volunteer With Us:

Share With A Friend:

www.cislosangeles.org

10 40