Supporting Community Schools Act of 2013 - Amends part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to authorize local educational agencies (LEAs) to use school improvement funds to transform schools identified as needing improvement, corrective action, or restructuring into community schools. (Schools are identified as needing improvement, corrective action, or restructuring when they fail to make adequate yearly progress [AYP] toward state academic performance standards.)
Defines a "community school" as a public elementary or secondary school that partners with community-based entities, both public and private, to address students' academic, health, and developmental needs while also serving as a community center that provides or hosts relevant community services.
Requires such schools to be based on research into successful practices in: (1) improving student achievement or growth, (2) closing achievement gaps between groups of students, and (3) increasing student attendance and graduation rates.
Authorizes LEAs to use funds under part D (Prevention and Intervention Programs for Children and Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk) of title I of the ESEA to fund a community school coordinator who will support their community schools.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3873 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 3873
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 in order to
support the community schools model.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 14, 2014
Mr. Honda (for himself, Mr. Grijalva, and Mr. Cartwright) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education
and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 in order to
support the community schools model.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Community Schools Act of
2013''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The community school model effectively leverages
multiple education funding streams, which results in greater
resources for a school. Community schools increase and sustain
capacity through diversified financial support and leverage, on
average, 3 dollars from private and other sources for every 1
dollar of State funding provided to the schools. According to
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, for every dollar spent on
community schools, the United States is getting back 5, 6, or 7
dollars from the business community, nonprofit organizations,
social service agencies, and State and Federal governments.
(2) According to Linda Darling-Hammond, the Charles
DuCommon Professor of Education at Stanford University,
community schools, which make local schools the hub of
education and health services for children and families, have
proven to be highly successful and are cost effective and
replicable. Community schools are a force for development and
stability that strengthens families and communities, and such
schools offer childcare and early learning, family literacy and
job-training, tutoring and enrichment before and after school,
and on-site health clinics.
(3) The bulk of community school resources go directly to
assist schools in meeting the schools' core instructional
missions, while also strengthening the health and well-being of
students, families, and neighborhoods. Community schools
dedicate approximately 57 percent of expenditures to support
learning through academic enrichment and after school
activities, summer learning programs, early childhood
education, service learning and civic engagement, life skills,
sports, and recreation. The second largest expenditure, 19
percent, is directed towards health and mental health services,
which ensure that children are physically able to learn and
that health-related barriers are identified and addressed. On
average, 12 percent of the resources are spent on supporting
families, adult education, and immigrant services. Twelve
percent is spent on staff sites, including the costs of a
coordinator, tutors, interns, mentors, and volunteers, working
on the alignment of activities for the community school.
(4) The Tulsa Area Community Schools Initiative (TACSI) in
Tulsa, Oklahoma, operates 18 community schools that serve as
centers of community life, offering comprehensive programs,
services, and opportunities to students, families, and the
neighboring community. Researchers compared 18 TACSI schools to
18 non-TACSI schools and found that students in TACSI schools
that had deeply embedded the community school model scored
significantly higher than comparable students in non-TACSI
schools on mathematics achievement tests. Further, the 18 TACSI
schools had higher ratings of instructional leadership and
effective supervisory practices, a stronger culture of faculty
trust, and higher levels of student trust of teachers, school
identification among students, parent trust in school, and
school outreach, than the comparison schools.
(5) In Multnomah County, Oregon, Schools Uniting
Neighborhoods (SUN) transforms schools into community schools.
SUN is a partnership of Multnomah County, the City of Portland,
including Children's Investment Fund, local school districts,
the Oregon Department of Human Services, a Business Leader's
Roundtable, and nonprofit organizations. Data shows that
students who regularly participated in SUN activities showed
strong gains in academics, attendance, and behavioral areas.
There was a 76 percent increase in State benchmark scores in
reading and mathematics for such students, the average daily
school attendance at such schools was 95 percent, and 74
percent of the students had a more positive attitude toward
schools.
(6) All Cincinnati, Ohio, public schools are using some
level of the community school strategy. Cincinnati Public
Schools have been the most improved urban district in Ohio.
Cincinnati, Ohio, is the first urban district in the State to
receive an ``effective'' rating. The district had a rating of
``academic emergency'' when the districtwide community learning
center program first began. Oyler Elementary School, where 92
percent of the students receive free or reduced lunch under the
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et
seq.), was once threatened with closure. Oyler Elementary
School has achieved more than its expected level of growth for
more than 2 consecutive years. The school's performance index
has improved by 6 percent in the last 2 years alone.
(7) In Providence, Rhode Island, results from Bailey
Elementary School, the first full-service community school in
the State, are positive. In 2009, Bailey Elementary School made
adequate yearly progress in both mathematics and reading for
the first time in 4 years. In reading, students in grade 3 went
from scoring 27 percent proficiency in 2007 to 41 percent in
2009, scores for students in grade 4 jumped from 28 percent
proficiency to 59 percent during the same period, and students
in grade 5 moved from 12 percent proficiency to 39 percent.
(8) The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation (EVSC) in
Evansville, Indiana, is a districtwide community school system
that serves over 22,000 students in 38 schools. Students are
connected to their schools and to helping institutions like
churches and community organizations, libraries and health
clinics, recreation centers and volunteer agencies, all of
which allow students to explore and participate in the larger
community.
SEC. 3. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to provide State educational agencies
and local educational agencies with the funding, flexibility, and
support necessary to implement a research and evidence based community
school model, in order to--
(1) enable local educational agencies and community
partners, including public and private agencies, community-
based organizations, local government, institutions of higher
education, families, family advocacy organizations, after
school program providers, summer program providers, museums,
libraries, and other cultural institutions and civic
organizations, to leverage their resources to prepare students
for institutions of higher education, careers, and citizenship,
through the creation and establishment of community schools;
and
(2) to provide funding for the creation, continuation, or
expansion of results-driven partnerships that align numerous
funding streams, including public and private funding, and
leverage existing funding.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
Section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 7801) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (39), by striking ``State.--The'' and
inserting the following:
``(40) State.--The'';
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (7) through (36),
paragraphs (37) through (39), and paragraphs (40) through (43)
as paragraphs (8) through (37), paragraphs (39) through (41),
and paragraphs (44) through (47), respectively;
(3) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following:
``(7) Community school.--The term `community school' means
a public elementary school or secondary school that--
``(A) provides a coordinated and responsive set of
programs and integrated student supports that focus on
academics, mental and physical health and social
services, youth and community development, early care
and education programs and services, expanded learning
time (including summer learning), and community
engagement that leads to improved student learning and
development, stronger families, and healthier
communities;
``(B) is supported by a set of partnerships between
such school or local educational agency and other
community resources, such as community-based
organizations, nonprofit organizations, and other
public or private entities with a demonstrated record
of successfully meeting student and family needs,
consistent with the purpose of a community school
model, as described in section 3 of the Supporting
Community Schools Act of 2013;
``(C) in addition to serving as an elementary
school or secondary school, also operates as a center
of the community that is open to the community and
provides or hosts relevant services for the community,
to the greatest extent practicable;
``(D) allows for the coordination of the assets of
the school and communities to more efficiently and
effectively meet the needs of all students;
``(E) provides opportunities for collaboration
between the specialized instructional support personnel
who are employed by a school or a local educational
agency and are responsible for providing specialized
instructional support services, school nurses, and
other staff to offer a comprehensive range of services
and opportunities to children, families, and
communities;
``(F) identifies a site coordinator (who may be
provided through a partnership with a nonprofit
organization) to serve as a liaison with partner
organizations in order to assist the community school
in providing children and families with the integrated
services and comprehensive supports that are needed to
improve the learning of children and the ability of
children to plan for postsecondary educational
opportunities, such as services and supports related
to--
``(i) health;
``(ii) employment;
``(iii) mentoring or tutoring services, and
other human services;
``(iv) enrichment and accelerated learning
opportunities;
``(v) before school and after school
programs;
``(vi) recreation programs; and
``(vii) summer programs; and
``(G) implements the following:
``(i) The strengthening of the
instructional program of the school for core
academic subjects, by--
``(I) providing challenging
curricula, raising standards and
expectations, and developing highly
effective teachers who are skilled in
content area knowledge, pedagogy, and
socio-emotional development;
``(II) strengthening parent,
family, and community engagement; and
``(III) establishing practices that
address all aspects of student
achievement and development, including
cognitive, social, emotional, physical,
and civic development.
``(ii) The provision of effective
professional development to assist teachers and
administrators, specialized instructional
support personnel, other staff, and families in
identifying and meeting the comprehensive needs
of students.
``(iii) Strategies to increase student
motivation and engagement in learning in school
and community settings, before, during, and
after school, and during the summer (in order
to prevent summer learning loss).
``(iv) The establishment of partnerships
with organizations that volunteer to support
enrichment and development activities,
including organizations such as youth sports
leagues, and activities such as family
counseling, housing fairs, or financial fairs,
designed to meet student, family, and community
needs.
``(v) The creation of a school climate that
is safe and supportive.
``(vi) Improvement of the coordination,
availability, delivery, and effectiveness of
integrated services and comprehensive supports
for children and families.
``(vii) The integration of academic
enrichment and social services to support the
development of the whole child, including the
child's intellectual, social, emotional, and
physical development.
``(viii) The promotion of mutual respect
and collaboration.
``(ix) The enhancement of parent, family,
caregiver, and community engagement by--
``(I) using consistent, diverse,
and culturally competent outreach
strategies; and
``(II) supporting family
engagement, including adult education
and family literacy activities, family
volunteering, and family input in
school policies, in order to support
children's learning.
``(x) Increased access to, and improved
quality of, early care and education programs,
when applicable.
``(xi) The creation of a cultural
environment that is supportive of postsecondary
education and career readiness.
``(xii) The employment of technology to
increase student engagement and student
achievement.'';
(4) by inserting after paragraph (37) (as redesignated by
paragraph (2)) the following:
``(38) Research and evidence based.--The term `research and
evidence based' means a model that is based on theoretical
considerations, reported practice, and prior research, and has
demonstrated success in--
``(A) improving student achievement or student
growth;
``(B) closing achievement gaps;
``(C) increasing attendance; and
``(D) in the case of a secondary school, increasing
secondary school graduation rates.''; and
(5) by inserting after paragraph (41) (as redesignated by
paragraph (2)) the following:
``(42) Specialized instructional support personnel.--The
term `specialized instructional support personnel' means school
counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and
other qualified professional personnel involved in providing
assessment, diagnosis, counseling, educational, therapeutic,
and other necessary corrective or supportive services
(including related services, as such term is defined in section
602 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20
U.S.C. 1401)) as part of a comprehensive program to meet
student needs.
``(43) Specialized instructional support services.--The
term `specialized instructional support services' means the
services provided by specialized instructional support
personnel, and any other corrective or supportive services, to
meet student needs.''.
SEC. 5. USE OF THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MODEL BY SCHOOLS IN NEED OF
IMPROVEMENT.
(a) School Improvement Grants.--Section 1003(g)(9) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6303(g)(9))
is amended--
(1) by striking ``Local awards.--Each'' and inserting the
following: ``Local awards.--
``(A) In general.--Each''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) Community schools model.--
``(i) In general.--A local educational
agency may use funds under this subsection to
transform a school identified for improvement,
corrective action, or restructuring under
section 1116 into a research and evidence based
community school, in order to--
``(I) improve student achievement
in the school; and
``(II) create incentives to grow
and sustain community partnerships so
that the school and the community work
together to improve student academic
achievement and social and emotional
well-being.
``(ii) Requirements.--A local educational
agency that uses funds under this subsection to
transform a school identified for improvement,
corrective action, or restructuring under
section 1116 into a research and evidence based
community school shall--
``(I) use rigorous, transparent,
and equitable evaluation systems to
assess the effectiveness of the
implementation of the community school
model;
``(II) provide ongoing, high-
quality professional development to
staff that--
``(aa) is aligned with the
school's instructional program;
``(bb) facilitates
effective teaching and
learning; and
``(cc) supports the
implementation of school reform
strategies; and
``(III) give the school sufficient
operational flexibility in programming,
staffing, budgeting, and scheduling so
that such school can fully implement a
comprehensive strategy that is designed
to substantially improve student
achievement, and, if applicable,
increase the graduation rate at such
school.
``(iii) Continuation of activities.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of this
subparagraph, in carrying out a community
school model, a local educational agency may
continue to build on, or complete, actions that
the local educational agency has taken in the 3
years before the school year in which the local
educational agency begins to fully implement
the community school model.''.
(b) School Improvement Plans.--Section 1116(b)(3)(A)(i) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
6316(b)(3)(A)(i)) is amended by inserting ``, or the implementation of
a research and evidence based community school model'' after ``part
F''.
(c) Corrective Action.--Section 1116(b)(7)(C)(iv) of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6316(b)(7)(C)(iv)) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(VII) Transform the school into a
research and evidence based community
school.''.
(d) Alternate Governance Arrangements.--Section 1116(b)(8)(B) of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
6316(b)(8)(B)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating clause (v) as clause (vi); and
(2) by inserting after clause (iv) the following:
``(v) Transforming the school into a
research and evidence based community
school.''.
SEC. 6. ENCOURAGING COMMUNITY-SCHOOL COORDINATION IN PREVENTION AND
INTERVENTION PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO ARE
NEGLECTED, DELINQUENT, OR AT-RISK.
Section 1424(3) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6454(3)) is amended by striking ``education'' and
inserting the following: ``education, which may include funding for a
community school coordinator who will support community schools
operating within the local educational agency by--
``(A) coordinating results-focused partnerships
that support the goals of community schools;
``(B) integrating school and community resources
based on individual student needs;
``(C) engaging families and community partners;
``(D) mobilizing partners, coordinating resources,
and managing site-level programming at a community
school, including working with a lead agency (such as a
community-based organization, institution of higher
education, or public agency) to provide additional site
coordination;
``(E) helping align and leverage resources and
integrate funding streams; and
``(F) demonstrating, through the use of performance
indicators, how the community school supports the
academic, social, emotional, physical, and civic
development of students and the community.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
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