Community Schools Are Proven to Boost Educational Outcomes and Family Engagement
Albany, NY – With just over three weeks until New York State’s budget is due, parents from communities across the state joined with Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assemblymember Crystal Peoples-Stokes to call for greater investment in creating “community schools” – an educational strategy that provides additional services and resources for students and their families. The group called for an investment of $250 million to implement community schools, with a focus on low-income, struggling schools.
The call for $250 million will help fund a bill that the Senator and Assemblymember are co-sponsoring to build community schools throughout the state. The Community Schools Act will fund comprehensive planning and implementation of the community school model and fund a one-year planning process that enables schools to fully engage parents, teachers, students, school leaders and community.
All of the community schools would offer school-based health services and create restorative justice programs to reduce suspensions and keep students in school. Schools would also be required to select from a series of eligible reforms to improve student outcome including longer school days and school year, enhanced curriculum, additional guidance and other counseling services, full-day pre-K, family services and more.
Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “Community schools are crucial to helping at-risk students overcome difficulties and truly unleash their potential. Education is the great equalizer in our society, and we must ensure that the next generation of New Yorkers receive the quality education they deserve. Investing in community schools will improve the lives of thousands of New York students and better enable them to achieve a higher education and succeed in the new economy. I am proud to stand with Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes, concerned parents, advocate organizations and community leaders as we fight to ensure community schools are recognized as a priority in the State Budget.”
Assemblymember Crystal Peoples-Stokes said, “Student achievement increases when parent engagement and community involvement in our school is also increased. That’s why we must invest in community schools that put the needs of our whole communities front and center. Too many students are struggling to succeed, but this strategy is proven to boost achievement and put our children on a path to success.”
By providing this additional funding, and directing it to schools based on need, schools that have shown low student performance would be able to make significant changes to their programming and provide students and their families with additional resources and services, such as full day pre-K, guidance and counseling services, school-based health services, and restorative justice programs that reduce suspensions.
Schools that convert to community schools undergo a robust planning process that deeply involves parents and the broader community. Parents, teachers, students, and school leaders are engaged to ensure that the school meets students’ needs and improves educational outcomes.
Ivette Alfonso, President of Citizen Action of New York and an Albany parent, said, “Our schools should be places that truly meet the needs of our communities, but that requires resources that far too many schools don’t have. We applaud Leader Stewart-Cousins and Assemblymember Peoples-Stokes for their leadership in moving forward this community schools strategy.”
Billy Easton, Executive Director of the Alliance for Quality Education, said, “Community schools are a proven model for successful school reform by providing students with what they really need, a nurturing environment that offers academic as well as social, emotional and health supports. Senate Democratic Leader Stewart-Cousins and Assemblywoman Peoples-Stokes are providing the leadership needed to make this idea a reality. Now, it’s imperative that the state provide the necessary funds, $250 million, to build these schools, and that the legislation requires schools to fully involve parents in the design and implementation of community school reforms.”
Providencia Carrion, Board of Member of Citizen Action of WNY, educator and grandmother, said, “Our schools are lacking services for parents and students like health care, counseling, and the ability to be open to the community. We need more funding for these services in our schools to make parents and children a priority. I am asking the governor and the legislature to get our community and our schools the help that we deserve.”
Vickie Smith, an Albany parent and member of Citizen Action of New York, said, “Community schools are a beacon of hope for so many students and their families who have struggled to succeed. This proven approach to expand parent and community engagement in the education of our children and organizing school and community resources through partnerships is exactly what our state needs to combat educational inequities.”
Lydia Rodriguez, a Rochester parent and member of Metro Justice, said, “Our schools should be learning centers for the whole community. We know what works to get parents and families involved. But we have to make the investment to actually do it.”
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