Written by Jocelyn Escobar

For many students, success in the classroom has little to do with what happens inside it.

Across San Bernardino County, families are navigating challenges that make it difficult for students to consistently show up ready to learn. Some of these challenges include food insecurity, unmet health needs and other everyday stressors that come with economic instability. For the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (SBCSS) Student Services team, addressing these barriers isn’t secondary to education, it’s essential to it.

Guided by a mission to transform lives through education, SBCSS Student Services works across the county to ensure that students have the support they need beyond the classroom. SBCSS is committed to providing leadership, advocacy and services to ensure innovative, inspiring educational practices.

“At the heart of this work is a simple truth: when families have what they need, students can focus on learning, and that’s how we begin transforming lives through education,” Cecilia Holguin, Parent & Family/Community Engagement Content Manager.

Through its Family Empowerment Team, SBCSS partners with schools, families, and community organizations to remove these barriers and create more stable learning environments. This work includes parent education, resource coordination, and direct collaboration with school leaders to address attendance and behavioral challenges before they escalate.

A key component of this effort is the partnership with IEHP. On-site Health Navigators help families enroll in Medi-Cal, connect to care, and access preventive services such as dental and vision screenings, which can be difficult to navigate without guidance.

At the same time, SBCSS is meeting immediate, everyday needs that often go overlooked. School-based food pantries, clothing closets, hygiene kits, and even laundry services help stabilize home routine, making it more possible for students to attend school consistently and focus on learning rather than the difficulties they face at home.

The impact of this work is already visible across the county. Since 2021, Family Empowerment initiatives have supported thousands of families, with continued growth in the number of students served each year. As of December 2025, nearly 2,900 students have been reached, with projections exceeding 3,200 by May 2026. This is not only a reflection of increasing need but also of expanding access to services.

Most importantly, this growth represents more than numbers. It signals stronger connections between families and schools, improved access to essential services, and a more coordinated system of support that allows students to show up ready to learn. At its core, this work is about meeting families where they are.

“We are really focused on connecting families to basic needs and preventive care, so schools can focus on teaching, and students can focus on learning,” explains Holguin.

With support from the IEHP Foundation, SBCSS is continuing to expand its impact. In 2025, the organization received a responsive grant to install industrial refrigeration at multiple school sites, allowing the program to reliably store and distribute fresh food. This investment alone is expected to support approximately 400 families each month, which helps ensure that access to food is no longer a barrier to student success.

While challenges remain, particularly in maintaining consistent food supply, the organization continues to build new partnerships and solutions to meet the evolving needs of the communities they serve.

At its core, SBCSS Student Services is reshaping what it means to support student success. By addressing the conditions outside the classroom, they are making it possible for more students across San Bernardino County to thrive inside it.