A program that supports students and teachers deserves continued funding | Opinion

In schools across Sacramento and throughout our state, we know that students are more likely to stay engaged when someone notices they are struggling and helps them reconnect. That is why California should continue funding the Student Success Coach Learning Network in the 2026-27 state budget.

Supported in part by state funding, this statewide effort helps schools provide students with consistent, hands-on support during the school day. But without action from the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom, schools could lose a valuable support system at a time when many students are still struggling with chronic absenteeism, academic disengagement and emotional stress.

I have seen the value of this work firsthand in Sacramento. Sometimes, the most important thing an adult can do is notice early — when a student is absent, has stopped participating, seems overwhelmed or is starting to believe they do not belong.

That is the role student success coaches play.

These individuals are trained AmeriCorps members and community-based adults, typically ages 18 to 26, who serve in schools alongside teachers, counselors and administrators. They are not replacing educators. They are an added layer of support for students.

Their work is practical and personal: They greet students in the morning, notice who is missing and check in with students who have been absent or are falling behind. They help students organize assignments, participate in small-group learning, build confidence after setbacks and connect with teachers, counselors or other school resources when they need additional help.

For students, this means that they have one more adult at school who knows their name, notices when they are gone and believes they can succeed.

That kind of support is not extra — it’s essential.

The Student Success Coach Learning Network helps schools bring coaches onto campuses where they can provide consistent support before challenges become more serious. Today, more than 1,100 Student Success Coaches serve nearly 76,000 students at more than 215 sites across more than 30 communities in California, including Sacramento, Elk Grove, Modesto and Fresno.

Those numbers matter because they show this is not a small idea or an untested pilot. It is a statewide support system already reaching students, schools and communities that need it.

We see its value every day: Students start showing up again because someone noticed they were missing; they gain confidence because someone took time to listen; stay connected to school because there is finally an adult who sees beyond their struggles and recognizes their potential.

Teachers and school staff benefit, too. When students have an added layer of support, schools are better able to respond early to attendance, academic and social-emotional needs before they become more serious.

This is especially important in schools and communities that have long-faced limited resources.

This is the kind of investment California should be protecting — not putting at risk.

California should continue funding the Student Success Coach Learning Network in the 2026-27 budget. Our students need it, and our schools are stronger because of it.

Macey Amissah-McKinney is senior vice president and executive director of City Year Sacramento.

This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 8:58 AM with the headline "A program that supports students and teachers deserves continued funding | Opinion."