History

The UFT, Partnership for NYC, Trinity Church and New York City Council officially form the NYC Community Learning Schools Initiative (eventually to become United Community Schools) with $600,000 in seed funding. Headed by UFT Vice President Karen Alford, the organization announces its first cohort of six community schools—three elementary schools and three high schools across four New York City boroughs.

The NYC Community Learning Schools Initiative finds its first anchor partners: PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Food Bank for NYC, and Lutheran Hospital.

Based on feedback from educators, the NYC Community Learning Schools Initiative works with the UFT to place social workers in schools for the first time. The impact is immediate, and embedded social workers become core to United Community Schools’ model.

The NYC Community Learning Schools Initiative, now a recognized leader in community school best practices, facilitates a panel at the Community School National Forum in Albuquerque, NM.

NYC Community Learning Schools Initiative joins the UFT political action effort helping to successfully lobby for a record $175,000,000 to support community school initiatives statewide.

United Community Schools receives a prestigious $2.3 million five-year federal grant to provide mental health services, restorative practices and after-school programming at three of its Bronx schools.

In this time of increased need, United Community Schools doubles down on its efforts, helping to feed more families than ever and adding to its services and supports virtual counseling and wellness check-ins, remote academic and enrichment programs, access to technology and internet connectivity, and much more.