Anderson Union High Will Maintain Community Schools Grant Despite Challenge from School Board Members
Over 100 Anderson Union High School families have benefited from the grant so far.
On the evening of November 19, the tension was palpable in the library of a local high school as the Anderson Union High School District (AUHSD) Board held its regularly scheduled meeting. For the second time this year, the Board was discussing the possibility of severing the District’s ties with a California Department of Education program known as the Community Schools grant.
The grant program benefits Anderson Union High School by providing a dedicated Community Connect Coordinator who helps families access needed extracurricular services, like medical care, dental care, parenting support and therapy. As a Community School, Anderson also receives an additional pot of annual funds, that can be used as the school chooses, to support the needs of the student body as a whole.
Since 2021, the state has invested $4.1 billion in Community School grants to counties across the state. In Shasta County, the Shasta County Office of Education (SCOE) administers those funds to 30 schools that opted in to becoming part of the SCOE Community Schools Consortium. AUHS is the only school under the AUHSD Board’s jurisdiction that’s part of the Consortium. The high school began receiving grant services and funding in 2023 and is currently slated to continue receiving them through 2028.
During last week’s AUHSD Board meeting, two Board members–Darin Hale and Jackie LaBarbera–pushed to withdraw AUHSD from the Community Schools program. The other three Board members resisted, for now, saying they haven’t received enough information about the grant program to justify making an irrevocable decision to end AUHS’s involvement.
The Board’s discussion of the grant program was made with little relevant information at hand. No general information about the program, reports on services provided, or documentation of the grant agreement were reviewed by the Board, which looked instead only at the California Education Code regarding Community Schools.
Staff from SCOE, which administers the program, were not invited to speak or submit reports to the Board as part of the presentation on the topic. But April Matthews, SCOE’s Program Director of Community Schools, used open public comment time to provide basic information about the Community Schools grant. The program provides AUHS with three dedicated Community Connect Coordinators, who work onsite at the high school developing and implementing funding and program strategy specifically tailored to the local environment. These three staffers are paid and supervised by SCOE – all at no cost to the school.
“Your three Community Connect Coordinators funded through this grant,” Matthews said, “have built relationships with your staff and families, and have helped over 100 families and 140 children during this time . . . in areas such as housing, basic needs, parenting, education and so much more.”
AUHS principal Tom Safford also spoke, endorsing the helpfulness of Anderson’s Community Connect Coordinators and their willingness to work to provide whatever AUHS needs.
During Board discussion AUHSD Board member Joe Gibson took a strong stance against LaBarbera and Hale’s position, saying he’d heard nothing but good about what the Community Schools program has done for Anderson families so far. Board members Dustin Gurney and Staci Adams took a more moderate line, saying they were open to concerns about the grant program but hadn’t yet been given enough information to justify withdrawing AUHS.
Public opposition to the program came from Leslie Sawyer and Katie Gorman, Chair and Vice Chair of the local branch of Moms for Liberty. Jill McWilliams, a counselor from another AUHSD school, Anderson New Tech Academy, also expressed concern, saying she thinks that communication between SCOE and AUHS counselors needs to be stronger.
As for LaBarbera and Hale, their concerns about the grant program ranged from ideological to academic. Board member Hale specifically objected to statements in the law that say Community Schools will use restorative justice principles, provide services to help support the success of undocumented students, and implement school surveys – all of which he finds potentially problematic.
Hale also claimed the grant would leave AUHSD on the hook for the ongoing cost of grant services, something he estimated could run into “millions of dollars.” LaBarbera did not allow Mathews from SCOE respond to Hale’s claim during the meeting, but SCOE’s Wendy Hall clarified for Shasta Scout later that the law does not require schools to continue services once the grant ends.
“Schools have zero liability or zero expectation [to continue services] once their grant is over,” Hall explained to Shasta Scout. “I don’t know if any of us would have signed up for that.”
LaBarbera’s biggest concern, she told her fellow Board members, is that she hasn’t been provided with evidence that the Community Schools grant provides any direct benefit to education. She called the grant program “a very slippery slope moving (schools) further away from academic excellence into territory not appropriate for public education’s goal of strictly educating.”
Hall, from SCOE, told Shasta Scout she believes “it’s kind of the opposite.” The Community Schools’ objective, Hall said, is intended to provide an “added layer of support” that improves attendance and morale in direct service of a healthier and more productive learning environment.
“We’re not asking teachers to do anything in addition to teaching,” Hall said. “This is all additional outside support that we are hoping will help them with ripple impact into the school system.”
LaBarbera also told the public that AUHS students wouldn’t lose any services by leaving the Community Schools Consortium. SCOE staffer Hall disagreed on that point as well, saying that while community resources are always available, the process of accessing them is what often creates a barrier to learning for students and families.
She called the dedicated Community Connect Coordinators onsite, AUHS’s “dedicated speedway” to getting services. Without the Community Schools grant, Hall emphasized, AUHS students would have to seek support through the broader SCOE Community Connect referral system–which is less personalized, and deals with a larger pool of families.
After a lengthy discussion, the Board narrowly voted down LaBarbera and Hale’s request to terminate Community Schools funding within AUHSD. The 3–2 vote was to table the issue for later discussion, possibly in February.
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And to Ms. LaBarbera who, momentarily has her foot in both AUHS Bd of Trustees and SCOE, will have to choose one of those entities, as you can’t do both according to the CA Atty General and the CA Election Code……so which one are you going to choose ? You simply spew the outdated rhetoric of the so-called Moms For Liberty, located in Florida, spokesperson’s who have been removed from their post for unspeakable acts.
This is true. She will not be able to be sworn in to her position on the SCOE board if she has not officially resigned from the Anderson one.
Christian, Is it possible for you to communicate without using derogatory language toward those who might hold more conservative and traditional family values? It really is a much healthier society when we can openly discuss our differences and concerns without the shroud of judgemental labeling and name-calling. I, for one, like to hear opposing points of view. I take in all the information from all sides, and then I can make an informed decision. Who knows? Listening without prejudice and preformed misconceptions might actually teach you something new. We just had an election, and most folks in this country voted for a more unified political environment. That is one of the reasons our newly formed cabinet will have not just Republicans but Independents and Democrats. If we can reach across the table on the national level, then it seems obvious we should also do so at the local level. That begins with the kind of discourse we utter toward one another, would you agree?
“What a shame that a free helpful program”—Nothing the government gives you is free. The government took this money from someone else and gave it to AUHS. The government does not earn money, it takes it from people who earn it and gives it to other people and programs like this.
You aren’t wrong about that, Nick, but if Anderson High School doesn’t put that money to use, it’s not as if the California Legislature will give it back.
It is a fair question whether the schools are drifting from their core mission, but all the world’s problems do show up at public schools.
Hi Nick, Will you please return your Social Security check henceforth ? And tear up your Medicare card, and any other supportive assistance you receive ! You need to have a realistic back up for some of your ‘fly’ comments.
Egads. The government used my tax dollars for many, many things that do not make happy. But I do not whine about it or try to get other helpful programs canceled.
What a shame that a free helpful program assisting students and families might be rejected for spurious and grossly erroneous concerns!
Mr. Kappepalli. Thank you for the detailed report!
Many, not all, people standing in opposition to the Community Schools Grant are well known far-right extremists connected to a white nationalist local neo confederate militia, and a hate group who’s mission is to establish a Christo-fascist, anti LGBTQ discrimination in not only public schools, but throughout government and society at large. Additionally, many are anti government insurrectionists, seeking to establish a New California/State of Jefferson. In fact, many, in reality, are seeking to gut, or kill the public school system, and establish a taxpayer funded private segregated school system. But, being cowards, they won’t and don’t tell the complete truth about their Steve Bannon – tRumpian objectives.
Thank God we have enough Safe and Sane community members to stand off the tide of authoritarian, sexist white nationalism, and thank goodness we live in California!
Christian, Is it possible for you to communicate without using derogatory language toward those who might hold more conservative and traditional family values? It really is a much healthier society when we can openly discuss our differences and concerns without the shroud of judgemental labeling and name-calling. I, for one, like to hear opposing points of view. I take in all the information from all sides, and then I can make an informed decision. Who knows? Listening without prejudice and preformed misconceptions might actually teach you something new. We just had an election the majority of folks in this country voted for a more unified political environment. That is one of the reasons our newly formed cabinet will have not just Republicans but Independents and Democrats. If we can reach across the table on the national level then it seems obvious we should do so at the local level as well. That begins with the kind of discourse we utter toward one another, would you agree?
I would agree to open dialog, and happy to do so anywhere or time, I I’ll by the coffee.
Under the First Amendment, we have the right to express our opinions. But I hardly agree that the trump ( a adjudicated rapist and 34 count conflicted felon) and his cabinet is bipartisan in any way shape or form and would like you to show me facts that say otherwise. Additionally, I m not an election denier or conspiracy freak, I agree that the last election was free and fair, just like the ones before that. And yes, unfortunately trump is going to be president. Locally, I can show you the links to the people in opposition to the educational services and the militia and the hate group I wrote about above.
Barb, no it isn’t. As someone who actually sides with Christian ideologically, I do cringe at the damage his copy-pasted kindergarten insult rants do to the platform. If you look at historical comments, you’ll find there’s indeed very little originality, but usually a variation on the same rant over and over. It’s unproductive, but he has the freedom to be so.
Mr. Scott Anonymous, thank you for acknowledging I have First Amendment rights. I’m actually a financial supporter and member of both the First Amendment Coalition and ACLU, and believe that both nazis and antifa (a mythical org made up by MAGA) have the 1st Amendment rights you, Barb Lynn (who has at least the common courtesy of using a real name), and I have.
I also support local press because, in true fascist tradition, local and national MAGA and their leader, Trump, call the press the “Enemy Of The People” and vows to use his government to censor and even jail members of the press and politicians he doesn’t like. I believe him…Do you?
Mr. Scott Anonymous, you and Barb Lynn may find my language disturbing and damaging. On the other hand, I find people not able to label fascism, white nationalism, racism, and sexism, all open and profusely well-documented attributes of Trump and tRumpian MAGA, damaging and very disturbing.
I find Barb’s falsehood that Trump’s election equates to “a more unified political environment. That is one of the reasons our newly formed cabinet will have not just Republicans but Independents and Democrats” a disturbing and damaging lie in an attempt to normalize Trumpian MAGA fascism. Do you? Barb Lynn, perhaps because of listening too much to Fox News, may actually believe the lie, but propagating lies, intentionally or not, makes one a liar. I think telling lies in service to fascism is very dangerous. Do you, Mr. Scott Anonymous, think so too?
I find people who don’t have the guts to at least stand up and call it what it is: disturbing, dangerous and cowardly, if not unpatriotic. When democracy does not take a stand, the vacuum ushers in fascism. It reminds me of the neo-liberals of the South during the civil rights movement that said loud and disrupting uppity negros were damaging the cause.
Mr. Scott Anonymous, you say you are one “ who actually sides with Christian ideologically.” Really? I’m really interested, how? Can you give examples? Ideologically, do you believe, like I do, that the United States under Trumpian MAGA governance is as close to fascism?
Perhaps, Mr. Scott Anonymous, you should examine the anxiety you feel when someone is reality-based. Maybe you are worried that being an online liberal who believes Kumbha with fascists might not save our country?
Oh Barb Lynn, Tra ta la la la and on and on…I bet you have a strong political direction when speaking in person. So, please don’t give me this KumBahYa gibberish; especially since you and your political power folks are in control of Shasta Co. politics. If it were the other way around, you’d be coming on with a much more stronger voice. Good try at this Let’s All Just Get Along, as long as it’s your version.
Ms. Jones, please look up the definition for “restorative justice”. Then think about the conclusion you just made, which in error.
restorative justice principles, provide services to help support the success of undocumented students.
I see this as another way to justify people who illegally entered our country to fit in and take benefits away from our own people. It’s a foot in the door.
And your head in your ass…
Getting off the government dole is imperative! Too many strings attached! This should be a local initiative. The state has proven time and again how destructive they can be! Proof is in the overall test scores! OPPOSE
Jon: Public education is by definition, publicly-funded.
Dodi, most people in Shasta County — including most educators — share your frustration about illegal immigration.
It’s still the law that public schools have to educate all comers, even if they showed up last week speaking six words of English and their family has no papers. Might as well make sure the schools affected actually have the resources to do the job, or else all the other kids suffer too.
Of course, Dodi can’t tell us how much of any of this money for the education of our children goes to “undocumented students,” if any. Mr. 34 Count Felon Criminal – Sex Convict, has made a ton of cash off taxpayers and junk made in China. Trump Org Made $1.7 Billion While he was President, Much of It From Taxpayers. And, Mr. Criminal – Sex Convict’s vice president, who entered the US, dropped out of school, and worked illegally as an immigrant in violation of his status, made a whole lot more.
Much of Musk’s wealth comes from tax dollars and government help. In fact, virtually all of his net worth can be pinned to government help. Tesla and SpaceX got started – and survived their early days – with assistance from state and federal policies, government contracts, and loans.
Unfortunately, the racist-fascist arm of MAGA spews lies and misinformation, and many have no idea about what is reality or an illusion crafted by Fox News and, locally, media like Carl Bott work to foster hate towards people who don’t look like them or people that have a different sexual orientation than they do, all in service to their cult leader. Meanwhile, the children are too often their victims. This MAGA-fueled hate and discrimination is right out of the book of Nazis, which brought much of the world to its knees in WW2. Remember, MAGA, like our local neo-confederate militia M4L and Supervisors Jones, Crye, and Kilstorm, was a huge political movement in the US right before WW2 but diminished a bit after Democery prevailed thanks to F.D.R, and our grandmothers and grandfathers gave their lives to defend.
Dodi, Your ancestors are likely people of color; do a DNA test and I bet you’ll see this fact. You are speaking with selective selfishness for the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’. Get a little compassion for those who came here to pick your fruit and vegetables. Adopt a local family for the Holidays and you might have and an epiphany.
It is not like a pie and there are only a certain number of pieces. I find it incredible how so-called Christians are so unempathetic to those with extra melanin. So if the grant services take care of 130 citizens and 10 “illegals” (no one is illegal so I dread that word), you think that the whole programs should be scrapped for everyone? Sad that you think that. “It a food in the door”? No- doesn’t work that way.