Manchester Academic Charter School Manchester Youth Development Center

Manchester Academic Charter School & Manchester Youth Development Center: Community Needs Assessment Stephanie Mc. Carthy & Hilary Warner

Purpose • To inform the expansion plans with a comprehensive understanding of the community needs and opportunities for the general Manchester community

Definition of the Manchester Community

Methods of Data Collection • Community data: • Demographics of residents • Services in the community • Other community statistics • Teacher/staff survey (n = 37)

Methods of Data Collection (cont. ) • Focus groups: • Parents (n = 4) • Board members (n = 7) • Funders (n = 8) • Community leader interviews (n = 3) • Community surveys (n = 9)

Results: Demographic Information • Total population of 46, 698 ( > 4% Allegheny County population) • 9, 334 (20%) of Manchester residents are under 18 years of age – 2, 331 children 5 -9 years (~K-4 th) – 2, 520 children 10 -14 years (~5 th-9 th) – 2, 828 children 15 -19 years (~ 10 th-12 th)

Results: Demographic Information • 66% White, 35% Black/African American • 95% of residents speak English at home • 15% of residents over 25 years have bachelor’s degree or higher (29% in Pittsburgh, 35% in Allegheny County) • 23% live at or below poverty level (2000 Census) – 82% of 3 rd graders, 84% of 8 th graders, 73% of 11 th graders are eligible for free/reduced lunch

Results: Demographic Information 2011 Child, Youth, and Family Involvement Referrals Active Cases on 12/31/11 3 Zip Codes 667 229 Allegheny County 9, 326 2, 877

What did people tell us? • Strengths – – – – MACS/MYDC is an asset to the community High quality academics Tightly knit community Welcoming to families Safe and nurturing environment Strong leadership Positive reputation

What did people tell us? • Concerns – Lack of information in the community – Traffic and parking – Not accessible to all Machester kids – Tightly knit community may have tendencies to exclude others

What did people tell us? • Perceptions & Suggestions - Expansion is a good thing - Early strategic communication with community is important - More outreach and "in reach" with community - Use expansion to add community resources within the school - Financial feasibility and sustainability is crucial - Connect leaders in the area

Recommendations • Strategic communication plan – Announcing expansion – Ongoing communication with community • Expansion, feasibility study • Opportunities to be involved • Resources and events • Admissions process – Involve students and staff in community service

Recommendations • Focus on feasibility study and financial sustainability for the expansion • Connect with the leaders in the community, including other schools, to regularly share: • service models • lessons learned • resources

Recommendations Connect with the community • Community service projects with staff and students • Host community events in the building • Partner with community organizations • Communicate regularly with community residents and neighborhood schools • Explore additional resources offered within the building on off hours

Recommendations Valuable additional community resources • • • Family support services Adult education classes Recreational facilities for ALL neighborhood kids Youth employment opportunities Increased availability and access to quality child care