The Four Stages
- Exploring
-
- State policy opportunities discussed
- Informal inquiries of elected official interests in process
More about Policy:
Examples of policies to support Community Schools can be found in chapter 2 of https://communityschools.futureforlearning.org/chapter-2
- Emerging
-
- Clear goals set for policy and funding
- Organized education of elected officials is occurring
Story demonstrating organized education of elected officials:
Every Valentine’s day, the Maryland Coalition for Community Schools celebrates “We Love Community Schools Day”, bringing together Maryland’s Community School champions to create awareness around the impact of Community Schools.
Since 2016, this yearly event has engaged Community School Coordinators and staff, students and families, and community partners in sharing their Community School stories with Legislators.
A lunch hosted by the Maryland Coalition for Community Schools gives Legislators and Community School Coordinators the opportunity to share a meal and conversation. “We Love Community Schools” swag is shared at the event, along with promotional materials describing Maryland’s Community Schools. Students from Community Schools make valentines that are shared at the event and delivered to those Legislators unable to attend.
“We Love Community Schools Day” has had excellent participation from Maryland’s legislators, helping create bipartisan support for Community Schools in Maryland. The event has created momentum for Maryland’s Coalition for Community Schools, helping increase statewide awareness and advance Community Schools related policy.
For more information, please contact the Maryland Coalition for Community Schools at info@mostnetwork.org
- Evolving
-
- Consensus on state policy agenda, informed by various local and state partners, is established among partners and local communities
- Key outcome measures and goals are identified
- Annual organized grassroots advocacy strategy is in action
- Elected official champions are identified
Story demonstrating annual organized grassroots advocacy in action:
The Indiana Community Schools Network launched at the 2014 national Community Schools Conference hosted by IEL/Coalition for Community Schools. During a state breakout session, about 50 of Indiana’s Community School supporter attendees contemplated a shared vision of transforming Indiana’s schools into Community Schools through a statewide coalition.
In 2015, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) launched a Family, School and Neighborhood Engagement division within the Office of Community Engagement. This division committed to continuing the conversation that began at the 2014 national conference, and asked Jim Grim, its newly hired Director of University/Community School Partnerships, to convene the previous participants and interested others.
A luncheon transpired to rekindle the conversation and excitement. At the luncheon, a consensus was reached to create the Indiana Community Schools Network (ICSN) that would focus on communication and networking, sharing best practices and professional development, and advocacy. Jim Grim agreed to continue to facilitate the network. Later, co-chairs were selected to lead ICSN, a monthly newsletter was developed, and social media pages launched including @IND_CSN.
About five years into the network’s existence, policy efforts began. The ICSN hosted a Policymakers’ Town Hall that featured Indiana examples of Community School initiatives. Attending the town hall were state lawmakers, a University president, local government officials, and other important community leaders. Following the town hall, a request was made of the ICSN to draft legislation for potential funding for Community Schools. While this attempt at legislation has not yet been successful, support continues to grow and the ICSN works toward this goal.
Subsequently, a statewide proclamation passed to support Community Schools. The Proclamation states that all schools in Indiana should be Community Schools, and was initiated at the request of the Senate Education Committee chairperson through a young Senator from the opposite party, a bipartisan effort. Champions for the proclamation included the state teacher’s association, the Rural Education Coalition, CIS of Indiana, ICSN state leadership, and local superintendents, coordinators, and educators.
Indiana’s network of Community Schools has grown statewide to 215 schools serving 108,396 students and their families. The ICSN continues to work towards state legislation to fund Community School strategies.
For more information, contact jagrim@iupui.edu
Hadley Moore Vlahogeorge, CIS Ind & ICSN Co-Chair; Patricia Weinzapfel, Evansville & ICSN Co-Chair; Jim Grim, ICSN & IUPUI; Shelia Richardson, MSD Lawrence Township; & LaQuita Maxey, ISTA, outside the Senate Chamber before unanimous Community School Resolution 31 passage Feb. 24
Additional resources:
- EdSource: California set to launch hundreds of community schools with $635 million in grants
- EdSource: California ready to launch $3 billion, multiyear transition to community schools
- 2022 National Community Schools & Family Engagement Conference: Identifying Policy Goals and Executing an Advocacy Campaign
- Expanding
-
- State policy and advocacy agenda is aligned with the Coalition for Community School’s national policy and advocacy agenda
- Beneficiary presence is evident in local and state advocacy
- State Coalition prepares and advocates for policies that promote Community Schools and advance equity
- Local and state elected officials are supporting community schools