Model and Strategy
Founded in 1973, the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) is a longtime anchor in San Francisco’s Mission District, working to build Latino prosperity through community-rooted economic and educational strategies. Since 2012, MEDA has served as the lead agency for the Mission Promise Neighborhood (MPN)—a cradle-to-career initiative designed to improve academic outcomes and close opportunity gaps for students and families in the Mission. Inspired by the Harlem Children’s Zone, MPN aligns educational, health, housing, and economic services across a network of over 15 cross-sector partners.
At the core of MPN's educational strategy is a two-generation, whole-child/whole-family approach grounded in community hubs and school-based support. An example of one program is MPN's bilingual, culturally responsive Family Success Coaches (FSCs), who are embedded in nine schools and early learning centers, serving as navigators for families and connectors between home, school, and community. FSCs work closely with principals, teachers, counselors, and school staff to identify students facing barriers to success and provide tailored support, whether addressing chronic absenteeism, supporting academic progress, or helping families engage meaningfully with their child's education.
This school-centered model focuses on creating conditions for learning by coordinating academic case management, wraparound services, and targeted family engagement. FSCs regularly participate in student support teams, track attendance and academic progress, and connect students to in-school tutoring, behavioral health services, and enrichment programs. Across the network of partners, families have the opportunity to participate in parent leadership programs such as Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors, equipping caregivers with the tools to support learning at home and navigate the school system with confidence.
MPN’s model has demonstrated that when families are supported and schools are resourced to meet students’ holistic needs, academic achievement rises. Looking ahead, MEDA is intensifying its focus on school attendance and student engagement—key drivers of long-term success. In partnership with SFUSD, John O’Connell High School, and Harvard’s EdRedesign Lab, MPN is launching personalized Student Success Plans to ensure every student has access to a caring adult, a coordinated set of supports, and a clear pathway through school and beyond.
As it expands the model to new neighborhoods—including Chinatown, District 11, and HOPE SF sites—MEDA aims to make San Francisco the nation’s first “Promise City,” where every student, regardless of background, has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.
Impact
In 2024, MEDA and partners across the network served 19,504 students and their family members through a comprehensive prenatal-to-career strategy aimed at improving academic outcomes and family well-being. MPN's results demonstrate the power of aligned, cross-sector interventions-particularly when centered in schools and tailored to the needs of English Learners, immigrant families, and students living in poverty.
Over the last decade, MPN’s model has contributed to measurable gains in student achievement. Among key results:
- At John O’Connell High School—MPN’s anchor high school—graduation rates have risen from 68% in 2012 to 90% in 2022.
- Chronic absenteeism at MPN schools has been significantly lower than citywide averages, and new Student Success Plans are helping schools identify and re-engage chronically absent students with targeted support.
- Kindergarten readiness among MPN children has improvedthrough deeper family engagement and strengthened early learning pathways, including increasing access to high-quality birth-to-five programs.
Family Success Coaches (FSCs), embedded on school campuses, play a central role in this success. In 2022–23, FSCs conducted over 4,000 school-based case management sessions, offering individualized plans that linked students and caregivers to everything from housing assistance to academic tutoring and behavioral health services. Their work has been especially critical in reestablishing attendance and engagement post-COVID, helping reduce barriers to school participation for students navigating complex challenges outside the classroom.
Beyond school walls, MEDA tracks long-term academic indicators, including grade-level reading and math performance, reclassification of English Learners, and postsecondary enrollment. A partnership with Harvard’s EdRedesign Lab is now enhancing this work by piloting a system of Success Planning—ensuring every student has access to a caring adult navigator and a personalized academic roadmap.
As MPN scales to new neighborhoods, MEDA is positioned to replicate this school-centered, equity-driven approach citywide. By combining community-rooted engagement with a strong focus on student achievement, MEDA is helping ensure that all children—regardless of zip code—have the opportunity to thrive in school and beyond.
Leadership
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Luis Granados
CEO
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Jillian Spindle
Chief Strategy and Advancement Officer