Bellevue, school district mark 20 years of wraparound services that serve thousands of students and families

City and school-district staff on March 25 highlighted 20 years of Bellevue’s wraparound services program, which places program coordinators at neighborhood schools to connect students and families to social services, tutoring and enrichment programs.

City Manager Diane Carlson introduced the delegation from Parks and Community Services and the Bellevue School District. Tony Esparza, assistant director in the Human Services Division, said the program began in 2005 and focuses on partnering with neighborhood schools to address barriers to student success. Liliana Godinez, community-services program director, described an annual cycle of needs assessment, collaborative implementation and service delivery that targets academic supports, health services and family stabilization.

Dr. Ricardo Macias, director of community outreach for the Bellevue School District, said the district partners with the city to broaden family supports and cited examples: Spanish-language family classes delivered through a partnership with Instituto Cervantes and on-site tutoring and after-school programming at Stevenson and Lake Hills elementaries. Staff said the program has directly served more than 20,000 students and their families at the two highlighted schools over the program’s history.

Why it matters: Staff said wraparound coordinators increase school attendance, help students access mental-health and dental services, recruit volunteers, and support families experiencing housing instability or other crises. The program aims to make schools a hub where families can access multiple services in one place.

Staff closed by thanking council and presenting commemorative items; no council action was required.