PRESS RELEASE: Congratulations to the D.C. City Council for Passing Groundbreaking Community Schools Legislation
06/06/12
(Washington, DC) – The National Coalition for Community Schools applauds the D.C. City Council for passing the landmark Community Schools Incentives Act and for the Council’s continued support for meaningful and equitable education reform in Washington D.C.
The $1 million in funding, which the Council approved Tuesday, will provide $200,000 to five schools to incorporate health, youth development, social services, and academic support through community partnerships into their schools.
Research has shown that children who come to school hungry and preoccupied with out-of-school problems struggle to learn in the classroom. Community schools is a proven strategy that can help more students overcome these factors, come to school ready to learn, and graduate college and career-ready. Many school systems and their communities are adopting this approach including Chicago, Cincinnati, Portland (OR), and they are seeing improved attendance, graduation, better health and reduced discipline rates using the community schools strategy.
"The Coalition applauds the tireless efforts of DC VOICE that led to the passage of this legislation," said Martin Blank, President of the institute for Educational Leadership and Director of the Coalition for Community Schools. "DC VOICE’s community action research and community organizing work demonstrates how grass roots organizations can be instrumental in moving policymakers to take action to support community schools."
We are proud to welcome D.C. to the growing number of places adopting the community school strategy and look forward to the Mayor’s signature on this groundbreaking legislation.
###
The Coalition for Community Schoolsis an alliance of national, state and local organizations in education K-16, youth development, community planning and development, family support, health and human services, higher education institutions, government and philanthropy as well as national, state and local community school networks. The Coalition advocates for community schools as the vehicle for strengthening schools, families and communities so that together they can improve student learning. It is a program of the Institute for Educational Leadership.