City Year Los Angeles announced Thursday it has received an AmeriCorps grant to support members serving as student success coaches at 26 under-resourced schools in the Los Angeles area.
The funding will support City Year Los Angeles AmeriCorps members working with students in the Compton Unified School District, Equitas Charter Schools and the Los Angeles Unified School District, according to the organization. The amount of the grant was not disclosed.
The funds are administered locally by GO-Serve, the California Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement, which oversees state service and volunteer programs, officials said.
Last year, 150 City Year Los Angeles AmeriCorps members served 5,499 students at 24 schools, according to the organization.
“City Year Los Angeles is grateful to Congress, AmeriCorps and GO-Serve for recognizing AmeriCorps members as indispensable resources to our schools in Los Angeles where we partner with teachers to help students succeed,” said Bill Thompson, executive director of City Year Los Angeles.
Tanya Ortiz Franklin, an LAUSD board member, said City Year members bring valuable connections to the communities they serve.
“City Year brings something special to our schools: AmeriCorps members who often have deep ties to the communities they serve and understand the students, families, and educators they support,” Ortiz Franklin said. “They provide critical support to students and teachers while developing as leaders themselves. I’m proud to support this investment in our Los Angeles community.”
City Year AmeriCorps members serve full time in schools as student success coaches, working as tutors, mentors and role models. The program works with students in third through ninth grades, including transition periods when students are considered at greater risk of falling off track academically.
Last year, nearly half of City Year Los Angeles students receiving math support improved their math grades or met their growth goal on the i-Ready assessment and achieved expected growth in interpersonal skills, according to the organization.
City Year said research has found that students who spend more time with a student success coach have better academic, interpersonal and attendance outcomes.
AmeriCorps members who complete 1,700 hours of service are eligible for a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, currently valued at $7,395. The award can be used to pay for college or vocational training or repay student loans.
City Year partners with schools in 29 U.S. communities, with AmeriCorps members providing school-based academic and mentoring support intended to help students remain on track for high school graduation and prepare for college and careers.