Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/740763
or local colleges. For example, the state allows campus clin- ics to accept Medi-Cal payments to provide health services for poor students. At CCPA, the Havenscourt Clinic is run by La Clínica de la Raza, a nonprofit center that offers medical and dental care, reproductive health care, STD testing, men- tal health counseling, and insurance enrollment. Grants are another income source, and United Way has been a generous donor to community schools nationwide. Some schools have found volunteers willing to donate services for free. The Every Student Succeeds Act, which replaced No Child Left Behind, contains provisions to sup- port community schools, and will provide nearly $6 million in grants. "LCFF played a substantial part in our school," says CCPA Principal Amy Carozza. "It allowed a shift in funding and a restructuring of how our money could be spent." It appears to be working, she adds, because the school has a 91.1 percent graduation rate, which is higher than other high schools in Oakland Unified School District. Becoming a community school isn't cheap, but it's an investment that saves money in the long run, says Niebuhr, because community schools help students overcome obsta- cles that might otherwise jeopardize their future. "I love it," says OEA member Perry Bellow-Handelman, an ethnic studies teacher who runs the social justice pathways program at CCPA. "The school feels like a family, with all the love and challenges of being a family. We are able to be very responsive to the specific needs of our students. Now we need to figure out how to duplicate this program across our district and state." For more information about community schools: • NEA has developed a six-part webinar series on the Community School Strategy to transform struggling schools, which leads to improved student learning, stron- ger families and healthier communities. The series, which ties in with the new Every Student Succeeds Act, looks at implementation methods, success stories and lessons learned from the field. See nea.org/communityschools for more. Also: • California Community Schools Network, cacommunityschools.org • Coalition for Community Schools, communityschools.org 21 October 2016 20062 School of Education apu.edu/explore/education Attend an information meeting on September 29 at 6 p.m. at any APU campus location. Register today at apu.edu/education/meetings/. Teachers See the Possibilities Whether studying cell membranes or the scientific method, students in Leslie Sandoval's seventh- grade class make connections—to the curriculum, with their teacher and peers, and to the world around them. Azusa Pacific's School of Education prepares educators like Leslie to see and cultivate the potential in every student. Graduates go on to make a lasting difference as creative, collaborative professionals and dedicated advocates for those they serve. Advance your calling with a master's or doctoral degree, credential, or certificate from a top Christian university and join a mentoring community of educators who will help you make an even greater impact. Programs available online and at locations throughout Southern California 6 Lone Hill Middle School, Third Period, Life Sciences, Teacher: Leslie Sandoval, M.A.Ed. '04