Merced board approves mentoring, tutoring and cultural programming; hears DLI and LCAP updates

At its Feb. 11 meeting the Merced City School District board approved a series of programs and contracts aimed at student support and enrichment and received reports on a new dual-language immersion framework and the district's midyear Local Control Accountability Plan.

The board unanimously approved a contract with Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) to deliver mentorship, academic support and college-prep programming at Rivera and Hoover middle schools through June 2026. IYT representatives described an on-site model with program managers and mentor fellows (typically college students) embedded at campuses and providing daily programming and after-school activities. Trustees asked about scope, background checks, data-sharing and success metrics; the IYT presenters said the organization does fingerprinting, provides monthly and end-of-year reports, and tracks long-range outcomes including college-going rates and a‑through‑G course completion.

The board also approved contracts for Schoolyard Rap performances (assemblies and a public event tied to Black History Month) and for Treehouse Tutoring to provide up to 48 hours of after-school tutoring per enrolled student through the end of the current school year. Each contract was presented with program goals and a recommended funding source; trustees asked for ongoing progress reports.

Separately, the board received a presentation of the Dual Language Immersion (DLI) framework (Spanish), which describes a K-start 90/10 model shifting toward a 50/50 balance by grade 4, family engagement requirements and priority for in-boundary applicants. Director Aaron Alexander said Title III funds will be used to cover initial startup costs and that the program will be integrated into the district's LCAP and budget planning for future adoption cycles. Trustees pressed the administration for clearer long-term funding plans and inclusion of DLI in LCAP and the EL master plan.

Director Alexander also presented the LCAP midyear review, reporting approximately 41.6% of planned expenditures to date and noting modest assessment gains; he flagged persistent gaps for long-term English learners, African-American students, foster youth and students with disabilities and outlined community forums and follow-up steps.

What the board approved (selection)

- Improve Your Tomorrow contract for Rivera and Hoover middle schools (approved unanimously). - Schoolyard Rap performances and one community event (approved unanimously). - Treehouse Tutoring after-school tutoring contract (approved unanimously). - Comprehensive school safety plans (approved unanimously). - Consent items and PIP provisional intern permits for staffing (approved unanimously).

Next steps

District staff will finalize contracts and execute service-level agreements with providers, establish data-sharing for program evaluation, integrate DLI planning into the next LCAP cycle, and post program progress and metrics in regular reports to the board.

Representative quotes

"We want to build that sense of belonging — that Brotherhood — because kids want to belong," said an Improve Your Tomorrow representative describing the program's mentorship model. Director Aaron Alexander said the DLI framework is "a living document" that will be refined with parent and community input and integrated into LCAP planning.