CLSBA Unity Conference

We proudly present a joint workshop proposal representing a collaboration between Eastside Education Initiative and Mt.Pleasant Elementary School District for the CLSBA Unity 2023 Conference. Our workshop aims to showcase the importance of coalition building through a collective impact approach with the support of strong relationships between schools, families, and community organizations to support the education and growth of underrepresented students and their communities.

The Eastside Education Initiative (EEI) vision is to increase the economic mobility of residents in East San José. To realize this vision, EEI’s mission is twofold: (1) to advocate for equal funding for East San Jose schools and (2) to provide supplemental educational services to promote a college and career readiness culture.

The workshop will share how EEI has leveraged the collective impact model for systems change by highlighting the process, its implementation of services, and its long-term advocacy plan through its engagement and collaboration with the Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District.

Collective Impact is a purposeful way of working with other partners by sharing information to solve complex situations. Instead of having a single nonprofit approach the same problem on their own, EEI’s coalition is led by experienced educational organizations, each represented by their CEOs: President & CEO Dr. Lisa Andrew from the Silicon Valley Education Foundation, President Ed Alvarez from the Latino Education Advancement Foundation, President & CEO Ron Gonzales from the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley, and County Superintendent Dr. Mary Ann Dewan. In addition, the workshop will discuss the alliance with the school district to highlight the importance of the partnership formed between our organizations and the school district to provide supplemental educational resources, parent education, and advocacy.

EEI is shifting the conditions that currently hold the educational problems in place for East San Jose schools. Thus, the workshop will include the main components of the collective impact model, like the coordination by the “backbone” organization, leadership committee, mutually reinforced common agenda, open and continuous communication, and shared measurable goals.