Lead
Local leaders at the city, county and town levels have a great opportunity to advance community schools through supportive policy and funding. From leadership on city and county councils to school boards and mayoral initiatives, supportive local policies and funding for community schools is growing.
Review supportive local policies, funding and structures introduced or passed to support community schools in the Community Schools Playbook that the Coalition contributed to, along with other partners.
To learn more or connect on policy development and/or advocacy support for local policy, contact policy@iel.org
(2016): Las Cruces, NM: Las Cruces School District Community School Resolution
The Las Cruces District Public schools approved a resolution to allocate county resources to support the creation, development, and evolution of community schools in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The resolution creates a school family council, funds full-service Community Schools coordinators at each community school, and ensures that the school district will complete comprehensive needs assessments to improve essential functions of the strategy.
(2016): Pomona, CA: Pomona Community Schools Pilot Program
The Pomona, CA School Board passed a Community Schools pilot program June 8th, 2016 for implementation in two high schools.
(2018): Prince Georges’ County MD: PGCPS Community Schools Policy: The policy defines a Community School, puts in place the structures and functions of a coordinator, assets and needs assessment, school-based team, district-level community school director, and county-level Community School Steering Committee to oversee and support the initiative.
The policy also puts in place an application process for community schools, and enables any PGCPS school interested in becoming a community school to participate in relevant professional development.
(2016): Baltimore, MD: Baltimore Board of School Commissioners Community Schools Strategy
The Baltimore Board of School Commissioners approved a policy that defines a community schools strategy for the district. The policy defines key terms including a full-service community school, and outlines a community schools continuum that describes how schools can move toward becoming full-service community schools. In addition, the strategy designates a city-level Community School Steering Committee (CSSC) and outlines a process to involve parents/families through community forums, focus groups, and surveys.
(2016): Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh City School District Community Schools Policy
Pttisburgh City School District passed a Community Schools Policy on July 18, 2016. The School Board emphasized that the development and success of the child rely on the impact of the family and community. Therefore, support for families and communities through coordinated partnerships is the strategy they will use to implement a holistic approach to education. The schools that implement the community school model will be chosen through an application process headed by a District Community School Steering Committee. To read the full text of the policy click here.
(2008): Hartford, CT: Hartford Board of Education Policy on Community Schools
Members of the Hartford Community-School Partnership, which launched in July, 2008, are the Hartford Public Schools, the City of Hartford Mayor’s Office (including Hartford Office for Young Children and Office for Youth Services), and the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut. The partnership is an outgrowth of a plan developed by Superintendent Steven Adamowski to create a new system of high quality, high performing schools to close the urban-suburban achievement gap.
(2002): Cincinnati, OH: Cincinnati City School District Community School Policy
Cincinnati Public Schools is creating campuses that strengthen this link between schools and communities. CPS is garnering national recognition for its work to create these Community Learning Centers (CLC) district-wide, not just in isolated neighborhoods. The goal of Cincinnati’s Community Learning Centers is to support student achievement, revitalize neighborhoods and maximize the community’s return on their financial investment.
(2013): Hayward, CA: Hayward Unified School District Resolution Full Service Community Schools
Hayward’s framework for its community schools seeks to fulfill a common set of conditions for learning that ensures that students are engaged, safe, and healthy. Since the district’s new strategy was implemented, truancy rates have significantly declined, and the graduation rate rose from 68% to 93%. The Hayward Unified School District’s Board recognizes the importance of the community schools strategy, and articulated so in its resolution declaring the district a “Full Service Community School District”.
(2012): San Pablo, CA: Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of San Pablo Authorizing Support For Full Service Community Schools In San Pablo
Walter T. Helms Middle School, San Pablo’s first FSCS initiative, is now the hub and model for the city’s FSCS initiative. The district presented a co-written district-wide full service community schools resolution covering five cities to the West Contra Costa Unified School District Board of Education in November 2012. The board unanimously passed a resolution to implement community schools beginning with its high schools that have school based health centers and two elementary schools, one with a dental clinic in operation.
(2009): Multnomah County (Portland), OR: County’s Intergovernmental Agreement
The Schools Uniting Neighborhoods Initiative is a collaboration of city, county, state and school districts in Portland/Multnomah County, Oregon. Fifty-three SUN Schools work to extend the school day and strive to be a community “hub” by linking with other community institutions, such as the libraries, parks and community centers, neighborhood health clinics and area churches and businesses.
To learn more, contact policy@iel.org