Community Schools Become Community Centers

On our horizon should be the expanding Community Schools movement, which does for human services and education what many in our network do for transportation - use coordination to create or improve access to services.

A community school houses more than the students, teachers and accoutrement of education. Depending on the needs and wants of the community, and they exist at all income levels, some have community classes (such as dance and cooking), medical and dental care, welfare, literacy, housing, other human services and employment counseling, training and services.

Funding Available

The Department of Education has $10 million available for the Full-Service Community Schools program, with approximately 10 new awards of $480,000 to $500,000. Academic supports are emphasized in the program description. Relevant to transportation, also mentioned are "activities that improve access to and use of social service programs and programs that promote family financial stability."

Relevant to our networks, activities specified are "youth development programs; community service and service learning opportunities; programs that provide assistance to students who have been chronically absent, truant, suspended, or expelled; job training and career counseling services; nutrition services and physical activities; primary health and dental care; activities that improve access to and use of social service programs and programs that promote family financial stability; mental health services; and adult education, including instruction of adults in English as a second language."

Applications

An eligible applicants is a consortium of a local educational agency and one or more community-based organizations, non-profit organizations, or other public or private entities.

The deadline for applications is July 23, 2010.