As directed through the amended Code of Virginia section 22.1-211.1 in 2024, RCPS has established and is currently implementing the Community Builders Pilot Program in an effort to reduce youth involvement in behaviors that lead to gun violence and increase community engagement among public school students in our city.

RCPS has received two funding allocations totaling $604,469.60 to support programming, services, and resources during the two-year pilot program, beginning in the summer of 2024 and concluding in the summer of 2026. Funding has supported staffing, supplemental pay, enrichment activities, instructional materials, and community events, enabling mentorship, hands-on learning, and structured support. RCPS continues to implement targeted supports for rising 9th graders, including mentoring, counseling, peer support groups, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) programming, and safe spaces.

The RCPS Community Builders Pilot Program is guided by a set of eight SMART goals that direct implementation and target key student outcomes, including reductions in chronic absenteeism, out-of-school suspensions, failing grades, and the reduction of juvenile gun violence. This Nov. 1, 2025, report includes comprehensive data and information regarding the school division’s experience with the pilot program, with the following serving as key takeaways for division leaders and policymakers at all levels:

• Signs of Positive Impact: Data available as of Nov. 1, 2025, indicate improvements in the areas of chronic absenteeism, out-of-school suspensions, and academic performance, as well as a significant decrease in juvenile-involved gun violence as compared to the 2023-24 school year, prior to the implementation of the pilot program. While it is difficult to confidently identify the Community Builders program as the cause of these improvements, RCPS is encouraged by this data as a sign of success.

• VDOE Support for Implementation: Participation as a member of the Community Schools cohort, guided by the Virginia Department of Education’s (VDOE) Office of Behavioral Health and Student Safety, has been valuable to the RCPS team by providing a collaborative learning community that allows space for feedback and support.

• Commitment to the Process: Moving forward, through the remainder of the pilot program, RCPS will continue the process of planning, implementation, data collection, and reflection, and adjusting as appropriate in an effort to meet the established goals.

Upon completion of the pilot program, RCPS will provide a final report that includes detailed program information as well as a set of recommendations for consideration by legislators and policymakers.