Centralia Elementary School District has a practice called Linked Learning. This practice is held across the district to work more closely with parents and involve them in their students' learning. Through hosting events, workshops, and programs for parents, the district works to educate, inform, and build relationships within the schools. These workshops help parents learn how to work alongside teachers, administrators, and schools to support their child overall. 

The Centralia Elementary School District is overall a rather diverse district serving approximately 4,000-4,500 students across grades K-6. Specifically, the district includes elementary schools located in cities: Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, and La Palma, with a primarily Hispanic and Asian population. In terms of what kind of community exists in the Centralia Elementary School District, the district fosters a community-oriented education, which creates a nurturing, safe, and comfortable environment equipped for learning.

The best practice of linked to Learning programs matters in the particular setting of the Centralia district schools for a number of reasons. The schools included in the district are often underfunded and undersourced. The linked-to-learning program is a free program designed for the learning of both children and parents. The option to attend a free learning program is extremely beneficial to these families as it will allow them to become empowered and knowledgeable about their children’s education at no cost to them whatsoever. 

Linked to Learning presents a framework for facilitating relationships between families and schools, providing clear expectations of each party's responsibilities regarding student success. Specific workshops, which consist of topics like attendance, English learning, and home resources, include parents in the students' education to help keep them on track and thriving. The program provides non-academic-focused workshops as well, which cater to the well-being of families, such as their “know your rights” workshop. Resources like catered meals, extra school supplies, and educational books for parents, incentivize parents to participate and connect them to the students' learning. 

The community liaisons and directors, such as Olga Rios, are incredibly dedicated to this school readiness program. The Link to Learning is free of charge and has something for every family, allowing all to easily register. Parent workshops have been the best way to show information and get families engaged. The process of actually reaching out and making the effort to get to know families is one of the most valuable ways to boost engagement, building trust across the school. The Learning Link focuses on the whole well-being of the child, not just on academics. The Centralia school district has found that supporting students in all aspects yields the best engagement and results. They offer health screenings, workshops, home visits, and school events to foster an engaged community. The success of the program can be explained by how it reflects the community's needs and is personalized to what the students and their families need. For example, one of the schools was struggling greatly with attendance. After implementing home visits and going out of their way to create relationships with families, the school saw an immense boost in attendance numbers. Other districts could benefit from implementing these practices. 

This practice promotes life-long learning and does its best to break down barriers and prepare students for their future endeavors. The ultimate goal is to ensure that each and every student will leave elementary school with the necessary tools to be successful throughout their schooling experiences. Success is not just measured in academics, but in all aspects of a student's development.

Summary written by Juliana Boutros, Lily Hoff, and Willow Turkyilmaz (April 2026)