Communities across the Nation are working to create policies that support the community school strategy. These policies can be used to direct city and district funding or local school or school board policies that support the implementation of community schools. Below are a few examples of this:
SCHOOL BOARD POLICY
Cincinnati, OH: Cincinnati City School District Community School Policy
Cincinnati Public Schools is creating campuses that strengthen this link between schools and communities. These schools, also known as Community Learning Centers (CLC), act as hubs for their communities. They provide access for students and families to health, safety and social services, as well as recreational, educational and cultural opportunities. CPS is garnering national recognition for its work to create these Community Learning Centers district-wide, not just in isolated neighborhoods. The goal of Community Learning Centers is to support student achievement, revitalize neighborhoods and maximize the community's return on their financial investment.
Hartford, CT: Hartford Board of Education Policy on Community Schools
The Hartford Foundation has committed $3.1 million over three years in support of a public-private partnership to help develop "community schools" in Hartford. 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.
Seattle, WA: School and Community Partnership Policy and Lead Community Partner Policy
A federal Full-Service Community School Grantee, the Seattle Public Schools Full Service Community Schools Project works to increase the number of students who meet achievement standards and receive challenging academic content at Cleveland and Rainer Beach High Schools. This initiative works toward theses goals through collaboration with community partners, involving families in student education, increasing students' access to academic enrichment and support services, and a focus on student health and development.
CITY AND COUNTY POLICY
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 full service community school (FSCS), is now the hub and model for the city’s FSCS initiative. In November 2011, the city has passed its resolution to scale community school throughout San Pablo. 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. The City of San Pablo’s FSCS Engine Team plans to convene community stakeholders in January 2013.
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.