San Luis Coastal Education Foundation

08/21/2026

Our TK students started their first day of school ever this week!

At the Foundation, we're supporting our teachers from TK through 12th grade as they help children discover new things.

Teachers are full of ideas, but often short on the budget to try them. Foundation teacher grants help bring ideas to life that wouldn't happen without a little extra help. High schoolers learn screenprinting, sixth graders learn business basics, and TK students practice being paleontologists and play dress-up to imagine future careers.

For a TK student who’s going to school for the first time, a fun day with dinosaurs or playing as firefighters could give them the confidence and curiosity they need to keep growing, learning, and discovering for the rest of their school journey.

It’s truly incredible what our teachers can bring to life when they have a little extra funds for their ideas. Thank you for helping us encourage our youngest and oldest students by supporting our tireless educators.

08/06/2026

Back to school comes with many feelings, but the best is the hum of possibility inside every classroom. Every student walks through the door with unique potential just waiting to be discovered.

Yet not every child starts from the same place. Here on the Central Coast, 44% of our students are considered socioeconomically disadvantaged. That's nearly half the children in our district facing challenges that reach far beyond the classroom.

That number doesn't fully capture it, though. Because alongside students dealing with material hardship, there are also kids who just haven't found their place yet. Who haven't had the experience that made them think, “I'm good at this. I belong here.”

This number, these students–this is why the San Luis Coastal Education Foundation exists. Together with community partners like you, we strengthen local schools so every student can thrive.

07/31/2026

How do you prepare a kindergartener for a career in healthcare?

Through our iINNOVATE Regional Skills Lab, we show students the skills required for high-demand jobs available in seven of the region’s key industries – including healthcare, one of the fastest-growing industries on the Central Coast.

In our partner Adventist Health’s Kindergarten-level video featuring nurse Ish Howze, students see how local healthcare professionals with different backgrounds, experiences and jobs all work together toward a common purpose: caring for others.

07/16/2026

See how Central Coast employers are helping students connect today's classroom with tomorrow's careers!

When we created the iINNOVATE Regional Skills Lab, we didn't want students to simply learn about science and engineering. We wanted them to see local people and the stories behind those careers. We wanted them to see that opportunities exist for them right here at home.

That's why we partnered with 35 employers representing the region's highest-opportunity industries to create 42 short, grade-appropriate videos that accompany each lesson.

This video from BMA Mechanical is from our Building Design & Construction unit. Israel Maravilla explains how his job as a mechanical and plumbing designer supports buildings that students use every day at school. He also shares his inspiring story of moving from Mexico to the US when he was a boy, and how he succeeded with support from his community.

Visit k12skillslab.org/videos to see all the videos from the skills lab!

07/09/2026

Have you heard about the Regional Skills Lab?

Thanks in part to support from the Uplift Central Coast Coalition, we expanded STEM learning to more than 13,000 elementary students across 35 schools in Monterey, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara counties.

Each month, every K-6 class receives a colorful activity box filled with hands-on lessons that introduce students to STEM concepts and careers. The lessons are made to spur curiosity, encourage problem-solving, and make it easy for teachers to bring engaging experiences into the classroom.

From healthcare and engineering to agriculture, advanced manufacturing, and aerospace, we're helping students discover what's possible.

Watch the video to see the Regional Skills Lab in action.

The iINNOVATE Regional Skills Lab is a new career-connected STEM initiative for the Central Coast that empowers all students, regardless of background, to explore regional careers and build confidence early.

06/23/2026

We did it!

Thanks to partners like you, we didn't just reach our end-of-the-year $100,000 goal…we surpassed it by more than 20%.

That means expanded sports offerings at our elementary and middle schools through Athletics for Achievement. A new cohort of students starting NextGen. More hands-on learning embedded right into the school day through iINNOVATE. Double the students in the apprenticeship program. And more grants getting teachers the tools they need.

The Foundation exists because people on the Central Coast decide our students matter—and once again, you proved it. Thank you.

06/09/2026

We're in the last few days of planning for our next school year budget, and June 12th is when we close the books on our $100,000 goal.

Programs like iINNOVATE, NextGen Scholars, Athletics for Achievement, and our Regional Skills Lab aren’t funded by the district. They exist because partners like you choose to invest in students.

If you've been considering a gift, now is the time. Every dollar given before June 12 helps us plan with confidence and say "yes" to more opportunities for students in the year ahead.

Visit slcef.org/donate to give now!

05/28/2026

Every donation to the Foundation right now directly shapes what we're able to do next year: how many students participate in Athletics for Achievement, how many classrooms receive Teacher Grants, how many young kids get their first real hands-on STEM experience.

This is something we do together. No single gift makes or breaks it, but together they add up to real decisions about real programs. Will you join us?

Give today at https://www.slcef.org/donate

05/20/2026

How did STEM enrollment jump from 2% to 70% among students facing economic barriers? Partners like you made it possible.

Hands-on learning requires spaces and materials that exceed school budgets. So a few years ago, the Foundation introduced iINNOVATE, a program to connect all students with hands-on lessons in science, engineering, and design.

In our district, the impact for students facing economic barriers has been transformative: since introducing iINNOVATE, enrollment in middle school STEM electives has grown from 2% to an astounding 70%.

That's not a coincidence. Early experiences shape what kids believe is available to them.

These are just one example of the real, transformative change that you make possible when you give to the Foundation. Visit slcef.org/donate to donate today.

05/13/2026

She almost didn't get to keep playing.

Jasmine discovered volleyball in fifth grade through the Foundation’s Athletics for Achievement program. It was the first time she'd ever been on a team that competed against other schools.

By the time she reached middle school, though, Jasmine was at a crossroads. Teams get more competitive, roster spots get tighter. For families who can afford it, club sports become the path forward. And for kids who can't, the door quietly closes.

"I would've been really bummed if I couldn't continue," she said. "I want to grow in the sport and get better."

Thanks to generous Foundation partners, the program expanded to include middle school this past year, and Jasmine did get to continue playing volleyball. Now, as an eighth grader, she finds herself helping younger players learn the basics.

"We're all growing together," she said.

Research consistently shows that students involved in sports stay more engaged in school and build habits that extend well beyond the court or field. Your support for the Foundation today means kids like Jasmine have a chance to play, learn, and grow.

Will you consider giving to support programs like Athletics for Achievement and kids like Jasmine today? Visit slcef.org/donate to give today.