Partnership Recognized As Exemplary

Partnership Recognized As Exemplary

The University of La Verne's LaFetra College of Education and Pomona Unified School District are this year's awarded the prestigious Exemplary School-University Partnership Award by the California Association of School-University Partnerships. This recognition highlights a community-centered collaboration between the university and PUSD aimed at making impactful educational resources and experiences accessible to families in the region.

Partnership roots stem from when Marga Madhuri, a faculty member in the Teacher Education Program, launched the Family Learning Conference in 2005. The annual event, offered at no cost to the community, initially focused on engaging families in a college campus environment with activities designed to promote literacy and lifelong learning. In 2014, Pomona formally joined the initiative thanks to the dedication of PUSD's leadership, grant funding from the Webb Family Foundation, and the support of ULV Board of Trustee Member Emmett Terrell, PUSD's former now retired deputy superintendent. Through the partnership, PUSD helped transform the conference into a large-scale event that brings hundreds of local families to campus each year.

The first year of this joint effort saw the number of participants soar from 250 to 720 when four PUSD elementary schools joined. Since then, attendance and enthusiasm have continued to grow, with over 3,000 attendees from more than ten schools participating across a decade. Children and their families have the opportunity to engage in interactive, hands-on sessions led by local authors, education program candidates, and district leaders, with offerings in Spanish to ensure accessibility for Spanish-speaking families.

"Our partnership with K-12 schools and districts like PUSD is a long-term commitment to elevating both teachers and leaders, driving meaningful improvements in student success and educational excellence, " said MD Haque, dean of LaFetra College.

Beyond the Family Learning Conference, the university deepened its support of PUSD through the Dyslexia Teacher Training Program launched in 2020. Created to address the critical shortage of structured literacy experts in the region, the program provides comprehensive Orton-Gillingham-based training to literacy coaches. The program has earned accreditation from the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC), establishing it as a gold standard for dyslexia intervention training in California.

By the end of the 2024-25 school year, all 24 literacy coaches in PUSD will complete the dyslexia rigorous curriculum and be able to provide targeted support to students in need. The program's hands-on practicum, which takes place at Allison Elementary in Pomona, allows literacy coaches to implement strategies in real time, maximizing their training's impact in local classrooms.

The award marks an exciting chapter for both institutions as they continue to elevate educational excellence across the region.

"LaFetra College of Education at the University of La Verne is proud to continue its impactful collaboration with Pomona Unified School District, supporting family learning through accessible, inclusive educational experiences," said Shana Matamala, LaFetra assistant dean and professor. "Our partnership, built on a commitment to community enrichment and educational equity, highlights what school-university collaborations can achieve."