Communities Serving Schools Act Reintroduced with Bipartisan Support

Rep. Suzie Lee (D-NV) and Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) reintroduced the Communities Serving Schools Act this week with bipartisan support. 

The Communities Serving Schools Act would authorize $1 billion in grants to be issued by the Secretary of Education for four-year periods to eligible state or local educational agencies for the provision of “wraparound services that address out-of-school factors that interfere with learning.” This funding level would allow for providing 25% of all Title I schools with $100,000 each for a site coordinator. 

Funds can be used for: 

• Implementing a planning period to assess the needs of the school and select appropriate programs and services; 
• Partnering with a nonprofit community-based organization with a demonstrated record of providing high-quality, evidence-based wraparound services for children;
• Hiring an on-site coordinator who will align services with student needs, connect students to said services in an efficient manner, ensure integration of these services within the school, and track data on an annual basis. 

“Student success goes well beyond the classroom and the pandemic has reminded us of this fact in stark terms. To build a thriving education system, we must make sure every school serving the most under-resourced communities can provide not just high-quality learning but also the supports that enable students to succeed in school and in life, such as food security and mental health care. We ask Congress to pass the Communities Serving Schools Act as soon as possible,” said Rey Saldaña, National President and CEO of Communities In Schools.