A07225 Summary:

BILL NOA07225
 
SAME ASSAME AS S01933
 
SPONSORRobinson
 
COSPNSRNolan, Pichardo, Mosley, Titone, Fahy, Simon, Blake, Walker, Ortiz, Bichotte, Steck, Perry, Cook, Colton, Barrett, Arroyo, Joyner, Schimel, Crespo, Titus
 
MLTSPNSRBrennan, Glick, Solages
 
Add S3602-g, Ed L
 
Relates to establishing full-service community schools to improve student outcomes through a systematic effort designed to coordinate educational programs with essential health, mental health and enrichment services and facilitate parental involvement in their children's education.
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A07225 Actions:

BILL NOA07225
 
04/28/2015referred to education
01/06/2016referred to education
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A07225 Memo:

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A7225
 
SPONSOR: Robinson (MS)
  TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing full-service community schools   PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: This bill, the Full-Service Community Schools Act, supports the develop- ment, implementation and operation of full-service community schools.   SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Section 1 sets out the purposes of the act, definition of its terms and the parameters of a competitive grant program to support the development and implementation of full-service community schools.   JUSTIFICATION: New York State has a primary responsibility to assure that students attending New York's public schools will be prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. To meet this responsibility, it is essential that schools serve as the centers of their communities. From the center, schools can bring to students the services that they may need to overcome barriers to learning. Students may need medical and dental care, mental health services, nutrition services, after-school and summer school programs, academic enrichment, preparation for transi- tion from elementary to middle to high school, job training and career counseling and family support. And, parents must be involved at each step of the way. No school alone can provide these comprehensive services. No one community-based organization or government can either. Only a consortium of a school district and community partners can address the comprehensive needs of students. This bill, therefore, establishes a full-service community school initiative to develop, implement and support consortia of schools and community partners to provide comprehensive services to students. Community schools are full- service programs which strengthen schools by strengthening students and their families. The full-service community school partners with communi- ty-based organizations to provide critical support services at the schools themselves. The school coordinates critical support services such as career counseling or early childhood education which address barriers to learning with students' educational Programs. The community partners provide a myriad of services at the school to students and their families. Students get the services they need to learn and thrive. Schools, their teachers and principals can focus on their primary mission teaching and learning. Individual schools have made valiant efforts to address the needs of students using funds from a variety of sources but such efforts have lacked coordination, are not cost-effective and are often so fragmented that they are difficult for students and families to access. This bill launches a systemic effort to coordinate educational programs with essential health, mental health and enrichment services and facilitate parental involvement in their children's education through a comprehen- sive community schools initiative. Collaboration between schools and their community partners to deliver support services to Students will help them meet learning standards, graduate and close the achievement gap and open the door to post-secondary education and economic independ- ence for all students in New York's public schools.   PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 2012-13: S.4854 - Referred to Education   FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: To be determined.   EFFECTIVE DATE: The act shall take effect on the 180th day after it shall become law.
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A07225 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          7225
 
                               2015-2016 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                     April 28, 2015
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced by M. of A. ROBINSON, NOLAN, CLARK, PICHARDO, MOSLEY, TITONE,
          FAHY,  SIMON,  BLAKE,  WALKER,  ORTIZ,  BICHOTTE,  STECK, PERRY, COOK,
          COLTON, BARRETT, ARROYO, PERSAUD, JOYNER -- Multi-Sponsored by  --  M.
          of A. BRENNAN, GLICK, SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
          tee on Education
 
        AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing full-ser-
          vice community schools
 
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 3602-g
     2  to read as follows:
     3    §  3602-g.  Establishment  of  full-service  community   schools.   1.
     4  Purposes.  The purposes of this section are as follows:
     5    a. To provide state support for the planning, implementation and oper-
     6  ation of full-service community schools initiatives.
     7    b.  To  improve  the  coordination, availability, and effectiveness of
     8  services for children and families.
     9    c. To provide new opportunities for parents/caregivers to be effective
    10  advocates for their children and to strengthen the partnerships  between
    11  the  school,  the  parent  and  the community, enabling families to more
    12  readily participate in the education of their children.
    13    d. To ensure that students come to school ready to learn every day.
    14    e. To facilitate the  identification  and  coordination  of  partners,
    15  including but not limited to, local government agencies, community-based
    16  organizations,   providers   of  medical,  mental  health,  dental,  and
    17  enrichment/remediation services, colleges, universities and other commu-
    18  nity partners that can be accessed for  the  purpose  of  ensuring  that
    19  students  receive  the  coordinated  programs  and  services in a school
    20  setting they require in order to succeed.
    21    f. To enable the more efficient use  of  federal,  state,  local,  and
    22  private  sector resources that can better serve children and their fami-
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD06667-01-5

        A. 7225                             2
 
     1  lies, improve student academic performance and contribute to their phys-
     2  ical, social and emotional health.
     3    2.  Definitions.  For  purposes  of  this section, the following terms
     4  shall have the following meanings:
     5    a. "Eligible school district" shall mean  a  public  school  district,
     6  which  for  purposes of this section may include BOCES, that is eligible
     7  for aid pursuant to section thirty-six hundred two of this  article  and
     8  that participates in a consortium along with at least one eligible part-
     9  ner for purposes of establishing a full-service community schools initi-
    10  ative.
    11    b. "Eligible partner" shall mean a provider of medical, dental, mental
    12  health,  and  enrichment/remediation  services,  colleges, universities,
    13  community-based organizations, parent organizations,  local  governments
    14  and  other entities so designated by the commissioner, and who is or who
    15  intends to participate in a consortium with, an eligible school district
    16  for purposes of establishing a  full-service  community  schools  initi-
    17  ative.
    18    c.  "Eligible  consortium"  shall  mean  the  partnership  established
    19  between an eligible school district and one or more  eligible  partners,
    20  for  purposes  of  establishing, operating and sustaining a full-service
    21  community schools initiative.
    22    d. "Full-service community school"  shall  mean  a  public  elementary
    23  and/or secondary school that:
    24    (1)  Participates in a community-based consortium to coordinate educa-
    25  tional, developmental, family engagement, health, and  other  comprehen-
    26  sive  services  by coordinating at least three eligible services through
    27  community-based organizations and public and private partnerships; and
    28    (2) Provides access to such services to students,  families,  and  the
    29  community.
    30    e. "Eligible services" shall mean any of the following:
    31    (1) Primary medical and dental care.
    32    (2) Mental health prevention and treatment services.
    33    (3)  Academic  enrichment  activities  designed  to  promote students'
    34  cognitive development and provide opportunities to  practice  and  apply
    35  academic skills.
    36    (4) Programs designed to increase attendance, including reducing early
    37  chronic absenteeism rates.
    38    (5)  Youth  development  programs designed to promote other aspects of
    39  young people's development, social, emotional, physical and moral devel-
    40  opment, including arts,  sports,  physical  fitness,  youth  leadership,
    41  community service and service-learning opportunities.
    42    (6)  Early childhood education including programs under the head start
    43  act, including early head start programs.
    44    (7) Programs designed  to  facilitate  parents'  involvement  in,  and
    45  engagement  with,  their children's education, including parental activ-
    46  ities that involve supporting, monitoring and advocating for their chil-
    47  dren's education; activities designed to promote  parent  leadership  in
    48  the  life  of  the  school;  and  activities designed to build parenting
    49  skills.
    50    (8) School-age child  care  services  including  but  not  limited  to
    51  before-  and  after-school services, and full day programming that oper-
    52  ates during school holidays, summers, vacations and weekends.
    53    (9) Programs that ease the transition at key points including entering
    54  middle school, high school and college and career preparation.

        A. 7225                             3
 
     1    (10) Programs that  provide  assistance  to  students  who  have  been
     2  truant,  suspended, or expelled and that offer multiple pathways to high
     3  school graduation or GED completion.
     4    (11) Job training and career counseling services.
     5    (12) Nutrition services.
     6    (13)  Adult  education,  including  instruction in English as a second
     7  language.
     8    3. Full-service community school grants. Within  amounts  appropriated
     9  therefor,  the  commissioner  is hereby authorized and directed to award
    10  grants for the establishment and implementation of full-service communi-
    11  ty schools initiatives in New York state that will support  the  coordi-
    12  nation  of  not  less than three eligible services at one or more public
    13  schools in eligible districts. In order to apply for funding pursuant to
    14  this section, a consortium shall be established and shall include, at  a
    15  minimum,  one eligible school district and one eligible partner. Initial
    16  grants may be awarded to form or strengthen consortia of  at  least  one
    17  eligible  school district and one eligible partner. Once a consortium is
    18  established, operational grants may be awarded to a consortium to assist
    19  public elementary or  secondary  schools  to  function  as  full-service
    20  community schools based on the following conditions:
    21    a.  Except  in  cities  with a population of one million or more, each
    22  eligible consortium shall have a community schools advisory board (here-
    23  inafter referred to as "advisory board") appointed by the superintendent
    24  in consultation with local elected municipal and county officials, which
    25  shall include but not be limited to members of the board  of  education,
    26  teachers  employed  by the school district as selected by the collective
    27  bargaining unit, parents of children who attend such district, community
    28  leaders, community-based organizations and other  community-based  part-
    29  ners.  Existing  entities that meet these criteria can perform the advi-
    30  sory board role. Such advisory board shall develop a plan for  how  such
    31  initiative  shall  be  established, implemented and sustained. Such plan
    32  shall also set forth the desired set of outcomes for  ensuring  improved
    33  student  success.  The  recommendation  by  the advisory board as to the
    34  implementation of a full-service community schools initiative  shall  be
    35  based on the consideration of at least the following factors:
    36    (1)  the  projected  number of students that are currently eligible to
    37  participate in the free or reduced price lunch program;
    38    (2) the percentage of students in both primary and  secondary  schools
    39  who are not achieving proficiency on the sate wide standardized tests or
    40  other indicators determined by the school district;
    41    (3) the projected percentage of students who require eligible services
    42  as  defined  in  subdivision  two  of  this  section in order to improve
    43  student outcomes;
    44    (4) the identification of those services that are currently  available
    45  within the school district; and
    46    (5)  the  identification  of  those  services  that are needed but not
    47  available to assist students and their families in schools.
    48    b. The commissioner is hereby authorized to award grants for  planning
    49  of  not  more than twenty-five thousand dollars for a one-year period to
    50  advisory boards and/or eligible consortia to plan for the implementation
    51  of a community schools initiative. Such funding may be used  to  facili-
    52  tate  the  work  of  an  advisory  board pursuant to paragraph a of this
    53  subdivision, and/or to support eligible consortia, which are designed to
    54  promote and/or establish community schools, promote partnerships between
    55  schools, parents, community groups, community-based organizations, busi-
    56  nesses, industry, providers of health, dental  and  mental  health,  and

        A. 7225                             4
 
     1  educational  and  enrichment  services, colleges, universities and other
     2  community partners. Grants awarded shall be used  for  (i)  identifying,
     3  planning and coordinating a community schools initiative including iden-
     4  tifying  participating  schools  to  coordinate  at least three eligible
     5  services, and (ii) solidifying  and  strengthening  consortia  that  are
     6  necessary  for  the development of full-service community schools initi-
     7  ative.
     8    c. The commissioner is hereby authorized to award one or  more  grants
     9  for  technical  assistance  to  qualified  providers for the initial and
    10  operational grant periods to establish, expand and sustain the full-ser-
    11  vice community schools initiatives.  All  eligible  consortia  shall  be
    12  required  to receive technical assistance at the initial and operational
    13  grant periods to help ensure success.  The  commissioner  shall  request
    14  bids  from qualified providers, and will select one or more providers to
    15  develop a set of responsive services that  shall  include  training  and
    16  consultation  designed to facilitate the rapid and effective development
    17  of full-service community schools. Technical assistance  monies  may  be
    18  obtained  only from qualified providers as determined by the commission-
    19  er, and may be used for the following activities:
    20    (1) To assist such advisory boards and/or  consortium  in  identifying
    21  existing resources and assets and students' needs;
    22    (2) To assist in developing a plan to address such needs via full-ser-
    23  vice  community  schools  and to provide support in the execution of the
    24  plan;
    25    (3) To advise on creating a finance plan to meet  such  needs  through
    26  cost-effective methods including leveraging existing resources and iden-
    27  tifying new resources; and
    28    (4) To plan for sustainability.
    29    d.  The  commissioner  is hereby authorized to award grants to a full-
    30  service community school consortium for the operation of a  full-service
    31  community schools initiative. Grants will be for a period of five years.
    32  Priority shall be given to eligible consortia that meet the following:
    33    (1)  Contain  at  least  one  eligible school district and one or more
    34  eligible providers; preference shall be given to  those  consortia  that
    35  have at least one partner successfully participating in the twenty-first
    36  century  community  learning center program and/or a school-based health
    37  clinic  or  consortia  where  one  or  more  partners  have  established
    38  relationships with schools and provide one or more eligible services;
    39    (2)  Serve at least one school eligible for a schoolwide program under
    40  section 1114 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of  1965  (20
    41  U.S.C. 6314);
    42    (3)  Demonstrate  a  record  of  effectiveness in integrating at least
    43  three qualified services provided by eligible partners;
    44    (4) Demonstrate a plan for ensuring parental engagement;
    45    (5) Demonstrate that the funding will be used primarily to  coordinate
    46  and  provide  students  with  critical  eligible  services as defined in
    47  subdivision two of this section;
    48    (6) Demonstrate outcomes;
    49    (7) Serve more than one full-service community school  as  part  of  a
    50  community or district-wide strategy;
    51    (8) Demonstrate a plan for ensuring sustainability; and
    52    (9)  Demonstrate the existence of an active advisory board pursuant to
    53  paragraph a of this subdivision.
    54    e. Each application for a community school initiative pursuant to this
    55  section shall be on a form prescribed  by  the  commissioner  and  shall
    56  include, but not be limited to:

        A. 7225                             5
 
     1    (1)  a  detailed  plan  identifying  specific goals, including how the
     2  consortium between the district and other eligible entities will  result
     3  in  grater  services  to  students  and  their  families  by  leveraging
     4  resources at the systemic level; how three  or  more  eligible  services
     5  will  be  coordinated  in one or more public elementary and/or secondary
     6  schools; and how outcomes will be achieved and quantified;
     7    (2) a proposed budget and a description of the  proposed  use  of  the
     8  grant  funds  including the mechanism for the distribution of such funds
     9  between the school district and eligible  providers.  The  budget  shall
    10  reflect  a  core  concept of partnership and integrated services and how
    11  such consortium shall result in the provision of at  least  three  addi-
    12  tional services for students that did not exist prior to the consortium;
    13    (3) a list of eligible partners that shall participate in such consor-
    14  tium, and what programs and services shall be provided;
    15    (4) A memorandum of understanding between the eligible school district
    16  and each eligible partner describing the role each entity shall assume;
    17    (5)  A  description of the capacity of the eligible partner to provide
    18  and coordinate qualified services at a  full-service  community  school;
    19  and
    20    (6) A comprehensive plan that includes descriptions of the following:
    21    (i)  The student, family, and school community to be served, including
    22  information about the number of students, families, and community  resi-
    23  dents to be served and the frequency of services.
    24    (ii) Existing qualified services available at each school to be served
    25  and  in  the  community  involved through a community asset map or other
    26  measure as defined by the commissioner.
    27    (iii) Qualified services to be provided or coordinated by the eligible
    28  partner or partners.
    29    (iv) Coordination, management, and oversight of eligible  services  at
    30  each  school  to  be served, including the role of the school principal,
    31  the full-service community school coordinator, parents, and  members  of
    32  the community.
    33    (v) Funding sources for eligible services at each school to be served;
    34  whether  such  funding is derived from grants under this section or from
    35  other federal, state, local, or private sources and a demonstration that
    36  such funding shall be used to supplement and not supplant existing fund-
    37  ing and services.
    38    (vi) Plans for professional development for personnel at  all  levels,
    39  including  administrative  and program staff and for ongoing stakeholder
    40  involvement in the  planning  and  implementation  of  the  full-service
    41  community school strategy.
    42    (vii)  Plans for involving and engaging parents to the greatest extent
    43  possible.
    44    (viii) Plans for joint utilization and maintenance of  school  facili-
    45  ties by the eligible consortium to ensure adequate space for services.
    46    (ix) Identification of principles of effectiveness that are based on:
    47    (A)  An  assessment of objective data that exhibit a responsiveness to
    48  documented needs for  the  establishment  of  a  full-service  community
    49  schools initiative and full-service community schools;
    50    (B)  An  established  set  of  outcome  measures aimed at ensuring the
    51  availability of high-quality services and improved student success; and
    52    (C)  If  appropriate,  scientifically-based  research  that   provides
    53  evidence  that  the  qualified services involved will help students meet
    54  state and local standards.
    55    (7) The commissioner shall require each recipient  of  a  grant  under
    56  this section:

        A. 7225                             6
 
     1    (i)  to  conduct  periodic  evaluations  of the progress achieved with
     2  funds allocated under the grant, consistent with the  purposes  of  this
     3  section;
     4    (ii)  to  use  such  evaluations  to  refine  and  improve  activities
     5  conducted with the grant and the performance measures  for  such  activ-
     6  ities; and
     7    (iii)  to  make  the  results  of such evaluations publicly available,
     8  including providing public notice of such availability.
     9    (8) A strategy for developing a plan for sustainability.
    10    § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    11  it shall have become a law.
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