#NYSCommunitySchools highlighted with state leaders
Event Materials - Community Schools: A Vehicle for Reimagining Education in New York
The New York State Community Schools Network hosted our virtual roundtable discussion, “Community Schools : A Vehicle for Reimagining Education in New York” on Monday. Community school practitioners and state legislators joined us to share valuable insights and perspective about the critical impact of community schools on New York’s children, families, schools, and communities. Over 150 participants took part in the roundtable.
The event recording is now available! Materials shared during the event can also be found here, and highlights are available on Twitter using #NYSCommunitySchools.
Deadline Approaching - Share your Community School Success Story!
We are collecting success stories from community school leaders to highlight your achievements. These success stories will help us express how vital community schools are to others while showcasing your schools and how they have aided your community. Having them on hand will help us communicate this to both media and elected officials this year. See examples below. You are also encouraged to include photos of your program to go along with your stories. To share your success story, please fill out this Google Form by November 13, 2020.
Examples of Success Stories
#NYSCommunitySchools
In addition to filling out the form linked above, you can also share these stories on your social media accounts with the hashtag #NYSCommunitySchools. This will allow us to bolster the visibility of the Community Schools Strategy and connect with one another.
Full-Service Community Schools Expansion Bill Introduced
Recently, a new Full-Service Community Schools Expansion Act of 2020 (S 4865) was introduced in the Senate. This legislation, co-sponsored by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Sherrod Brown (OH), and Chris Van Hollen (MD), was crafted with input from our partners at the Coalition for Community Schools, along with the NEA, AFT, and the Learning Policy Institute. Community school practitioners across the country were also engaged to inform this legislation.
This legislation builds on best practices of community schools and refines and updates practices that reflect what has been learned more recently through research and practice. New aspects of the bill include:
An investment that reflects both the level of need and demand seen now in the field: $500 million per year over 5 years (up from the $30 million that the program is currently funded at!)
Dividing grants into planning, implementation, and expansion grants to better meet the needs of applicants on a continuum of implementation
Language emphasizing and strengthening collaborative leadership at both the school and system/district levels, knowing that collaborative leadership is the foundation of effective community schools
Defining and incorporating the 4 pillars of community schools as required uses of funding: integrated student supports, active family and community engagement, expanded and enriched learning time and opportunities, and collaborative leadership practices
Funding for state departments of education who wish to grow community schools, to provide funding to local education agencies as well as to champion and align efforts at the state level and provide technical assistance for implementation
Read more about this bill and the Community Serving Schools Act (H.R. 8126) introduced in the House in August here. We will share updates as they become available.
Resources & Opportunities
For resources and guidance for NYS Community Schools during COVID-19, please visit the NYS Community Schools Technical Assistance Centers website at https://www.nyscommunityschools.org/. Click on "Virtual Events" for many upcoming opportunities.
Mission Statement The New York State Community Schools Network advocates to develop, promote, and sustain community schools in collaboration with government, local school districts, and community partners. Through a diverse coalition of community-based agencies, parents, teachers, and statewide advocates, we champion effective community school policies so that children and families can thrive. Steering Committee members of the New York State Community Schools Network Binghamton University Community Schools, Children’s Aid, Finger Lakes Community Schools, New York School-Based Health Alliance, New York State Network for Youth Success, New York State United Teachers, Rural Schools Association, United Federation of Teachers United Community Schools.
Know someone who would be interested in receiving updates from the New York State Community Schools Network? Please encourage them to sign up for this listserv here.
The New York State Community Schools Network hosted our virtual roundtable discussion, “Community Schools : A Vehicle for Reimagining Education in New York” on Monday. Community school practitioners and state legislators joined us to share valuable insights and perspective about the critical impact of community schools on New York’s children, families, schools, and communities. Over 150 participants took part in the roundtable.
