This document discusses barriers to academic success such as absenteeism and proposes solutions implemented through LINC. It addresses challenges related to place, people, and partnerships. LINC takes a holistic approach to connect communities to opportunities through programs in economic development, education, housing, and resident services. This involves partnerships across organizations to produce real impact such as increased parent involvement in schools and measurable gains in student attendance.

2. Monica testimonial (2m35s)

3. What are the barriers to
academic success?

4. What are the causes of
absenteeism?

7. PEOPLE ARE THE HEART OF HEALTHY COMMUNITIES.
People.
People
Places LINCages

8. Economic
Development
 Business incubation
 Cowork space
 Job creation/
retention
 Access to capital
 Commercial space
 Trainings
 Commercial and
residential property
rehabilitation
 Quality homes for sale
or rent
 Affordable housing
development
 Construction training
Real Estate
Development
 Workforce
development
Financial education
and coaching
Public benefits
access
Homebuyer education
Foreclosure prevention
Neighborhood
Services
 Community
engagement
 Leadership
development
 Capacity building
 Neighborhood news
bureau
 Civic engagement
 Educational
engagement
Resident
Services
C o n n e c t i n g p e o p l e t o o p p o r t u n i t y

9. The holistic approach.
Community
engagement
Economic
development
Asset
building
Personal
coaching
Affordable
housing
Education
Leadership
development
Place making
activities
Health &
Wellness

10. Baby Scholars
Strategic alignment of
vacant GRPS buildings
for use as Early
Childhood Centers
Parent Capacity and Asset Building.
Children Savings Accounts.
Community and Parental Engagement.
Increasing literacy
through partnership
with United Way
Early Learning
Neighborhood
Collaborative
LINC Opportunity
Center
CFED Amway
Foundation
United
Way
Believe 2
Become
Increasing entrepreneurial
development through
partnership with Amway
Foundation
Connecting for collective impact.

11. … and it works for Academic Achievement too
Community
engagement
Economic
development
Asset
building
Personal
coaching
Affordable
housing
Education
Leadership
development
Place making
activities
Health &
Wellness
Academic
Achievement

12. Absenteeism is not the result of one factor
but many

13. LINCing Best Practices to combat absenteeism
Academic
Achievement

14. Example of how it works
LINC
Neighborhood
Engagement
GRPS
ELNC
DHS

15. Place.
Illiteracy
unstable housing
poor transport
lack of safe paths to school
blight
economically depressed neighborhoods
“When a large percentage of children are
affected by chronic early absence, it is likely
indicative of systemic issues related to
schools or communities.”
- Chang, “Present, Engaged, and Accounted For”
Hedy Chang, “Reducing the Gap in Achievement & Graduation: Start With Monitoring Chronic Absence” 9/12
Barriers

16. LINCing PLACE.
• Development of quality housing (mixed use,
affordable housing, quality rental)
• Creation of safe paths to school (corridor
development, street beautification)
• Blight elimination (grants to eliminate blight,
commercial development, neighborhood
enhancements like parks)
• Holistic community revitalization (place-based
strategy)

17. People.
Illiteracy
unstable housing
lack of programming
lack of safe paths to school
chaotic schools
poverty
Hedy Chang, “Reducing the Gap in Achievement & Graduation: Start With Monitoring Chronic Absence” 9/12
Barriers
“Improving student attendance at school
requires a holistic approach that
addresses school and classroom factors,
as well as factors outside of school.”
—Sheldon & Epstein, “Getting students to school”

18. LINCing PEOPLE.
• Parent engagement = increased involvement (B2B,
parent groups, leadership training through L.A.S.T.,
LOC coaching)
• Increase programming for students (parent
engagement, recruiting to programs like Baby
Scholars, action groups)
• Create safe environments & paths to school (Stop
the Violence, community engagement, partnerships,
WATCH Dogs & parent volunteers)
• Lift families out of poverty (personal coaching
through the LOC)
• Address housing issues (foreclosure counseling,
quality affordable housing & rental development)

19. Stop the Violence pledge (30s)

20. Partnerships.
Illiteracy
“Results indicate that school, family, and
community partnership practices can significantly
decrease chronic absenteeism, even after school
level and prior rates of absenteeism are taken
into account.”
—Sheldon, Epstein, “Getting students to school”
isolation
lack of authentic engagement
lack of investment (time, $) in the
community
poverty
other systemic issues
Barriers

21. Social change is transformational,
not transactional.
• Connect communities to opportunity & resources
• Lift the community voice through authentic engagement
• Use a holistic approach
• Measure and track results over time
• Maximize partnerships
LINCages.

22. Real impact.
More than 200 parent involved in schools
Average 48.1% saturation rate in each zone
Hope Zone schools and students participating in
attendance challenge
Measurable increase in monthly perfect
attendance

23. LOCAL. STATE. NATIONAL.
Many local organizations…

24. LOCAL. STATE. NATIONAL.
Connecting for Collective Impact
Revitalization
Financial
Counseling
Accessto
Public
Benefits
CommunityBuilding
CapacityBuilding
Community
Organizing
LeadershipDevelopment
Business Incubation
Career Training
S.E.C.A
.

25. Azizi video (TBD)