Bill Text: AZ HB2487 | 2022 | Fifty-fifth Legislature 2nd Regular | Introduced
Bill Title: Arizona community schools pilot program
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-06-23 - Introduced in House and read first time [HB2487 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2022-HB2487-Introduced.html
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REFERENCE TITLE: Arizona community schools pilot program |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-fifth Legislature Second Regular Session 2022
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HB 2487 |
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Introduced by Representative Wilmeth
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AN ACT
establishing the Arizona community schools pilot program; appropriating monies.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Arizona community schools pilot program; grants; community school plans; rules; report; delayed repeal; definitions
A. A five-year Arizona community schools pilot program is established in the department of administration to assist any public school in partnership with a community-based organization in developing and implementing a community school plan and participating in the program.
B. To be eligible for a grant under this section, a public school shall satisfy all of the following criteria:
1. Be located in a high-needs community. For the purposes of this paragraph, "high-needs community" means a community that meets all of the following criteria:
(a) Has high rates of poverty and trauma.
(b) Has a low opportunity index.
(c) Exhibits issues related to attendance and behavior.
2. Employ collaborative leadership practices or be open to creating a culture of collaborative leadership practices. The principal of the public school must be willing and ready to take the necessary action to ensure that all employees at the public school are collaborating with leadership efforts.
3. Have values that are aligned with or be willing to work to align its values with the four pillars described in subsection O, paragraph 3, subdivision (h).
4. Demonstrate a commitment to all of the following:
(a) Establishing a school-community partnership team that is composed of school officials and community representatives to function as a campus-level planning and decision-making committee.
(b) Forming a partnership with a community-based organization, a social service provider or an education or youth services organization that has experience in developing and implementing a full-service community school plan specific to a site and aligned with the four pillars described in subsection O, paragraph 3, subdivision (h).
(c) Developing and implementing a plan for sustaining the community school plan beyond the end of the pilot program.
(d) Not using grant monies awarded under this section for direct programs for students or families or for other activities that are not related to developing or implementing a community school plan.
C. The department of administration shall award grants to eligible public schools as prescribed in this section. Eligible public schools shall apply for grant monies to the department in a manner prescribed by the department. The department may not award more than a total of $5,000,000 in grant monies to eligible public schools each fiscal year, except that the department may award monies allocated for community schools pursuant to federal law as grants to eligible public schools without limitation. Grant monies shall be distributed to eligible public schools on a first-come, first-served basis.
D. The department of administration may award planning, implementation and renewal grants to eligible public schools as follows:
1. The department may award to an eligible public school a one-year, onetime planning grant of at least $50,000 and up to $100,000 to each eligible public school for the following purposes:
(a) Conducting an initial school and community needs assessment.
(b) Identifying community supports and services through asset mapping.
(c) Establishing a site-based, community-based organization leadership team.
2. The department may award to an eligible public school annual implementation grants of up to $200,000 each year for a period of three years.
3. At the end of the initial three-year implementation grant period, an eligible public school may apply for a renewal grant for two additional years. An eligible public school that applies for a renewal grant must submit an enhanced design and implementation plan specific to the eligible school and a budget for the succeeding two years.
E. When applying for a planning grant as described in subsection D, paragraph 1 of this section, an eligible public school shall provide satisfactory documentation as required by the department of administration that the eligible public school intends to apply for an implementation grant as described in subsection D, paragraph 2 of this section within six months after receiving a planning grant.
F. An eligible public school shall apply to the department of administration for an implementation or renewal grant through the grant authorization process.
G. Each eligible public school that receives grant monies under this section shall contract with a community-based organization, which shall assign and hire a full-time community school director for that school. The community school director is an employee of the community-based organization. A community-based organization that is compensated with grant monies awarded under this section must have relevant experience and certification from either a national center for community schools or an approved certification from an organization approved by the department of administration. For the purposes of this subsection, "relevant experience" means that the community-based organization has designed and implemented for a minimum of two years a community school's model.
H. The community school director is responsible for all of the following:
1. Recruiting community partners and building community support for the community school.
2. Coordinating or enhancing all of the following:
(a) The school-community partnership team's planning and training activities.
(b) Planning and evaluation efforts between the school and community partners, including coordination of family support services.
(c) Academic and student and family support programs.
(d) After-school, summer and enrichment programs for students.
3. Encouraging community and parent engagement in the community school.
4. Seeking available resources for implementing community school programs and services.
5. Conducting an annual needs assessment of the eligible school in coordination with the school-community partnership team.
6. Acting as a liaison between the community school, other community schools, the school district or the charter school and community partners.
7. Developing a plan for sustaining the community school plan beyond the end of the pilot program.
I. An eligible public school that receives grant monies under this section shall develop a community school plan. Before an eligible public school that receives grant monies under this section implements the community school plan, the eligible public school shall present the community school plan and the application to participate in the pilot program at a public meeting to the school district governing board or the charter school governing body. In developing or implementing a community school plan, an eligible public school participating in the pilot program may seek assistance from other community schools, regional education service centers or technical assistance providers. The design and development of the plan must include a two-generational approach and two-generational standards for measuring outcomes.
J. An eligible public school that receives grant monies under this section shall both:
1. Hold a community meeting at least twice each year to both:
(a) Inform community stakeholders about the school's progress in implementing the community school plan.
(b) Actively recruit a steering committee for the community school. The steering committee must be composed of youth, family and community members connected to the community school site. The steering committee shall seek community input regarding any improvements or changes that could be made to the community school plan.
2. Annually report to the department of administration regarding the school's progress in implementing the community school plan. The report must be posted on the department's website and conform to the two-generational outcomes standards established by an educational and policy studies organization whose mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues.
K. The department of administration shall adopt rules to distribute grant monies through a competitive grant program developed and designed in partnership with a partner coalition for community schools.
L. An eligible public school that receives grant monies under this section may seek additional monies through public-private partnerships and may seek and accept gifts, grants, donations and monies from federal, state and private sources for purposes related to the pilot program.
M. The department of administration shall ensure that all grant monies received by public schools under this section are used for the purposes prescribed in this section and are not used to reinstate previous reductions in program services. An eligible public school that receives grant monies under this section may not use more than ten percent of the overall grant monies for indirect costs, except that the department may amend this percentage by rule.
N. On or before December 31, 2027, the department of administration shall submit a report that summarizes the results of the pilot program to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives. The department of administration shall provide a copy of this report to the secretary of state.
O. This section is repealed from and after June 30, 2028.
P. For the purposes of this section:
1. "Community-based organization" means a nonprofit corporation or association that has experience working with the local population and that supports the academic success of students by providing holistic support, including stabilization, health care, mentoring, college-readiness programs or job training and family engagement.
2. "Community school" means a public school that both:
(a) Partners with one or more community-based organizations to coordinate academic, social and health services to reduce barriers to learning and improve the quality of education for students in the community.
(b) Implements a community school program based on the four pillars described in paragraph 3, subdivision (h) of this subsection.
3. "Partner" means an entity that offers any of the following programs or services:
(a) Early childhood education.
(b) After-school and summer school academic and enrichment programs.
(c) College and career preparation.
(d) Service learning opportunities, such as internships and community service programs.
(e) Leadership and mentoring programs.
(f) Activities to encourage community and parent engagement in students' education.
(g) Parenting classes and health and social services, including services provided by licensed social workers, for students and families.
(h) Any program or service that combines the following four pillars to create the conditions for youth to thrive:
(i) Integrated student supports.
(ii) Expanded and enriched learning time and opportunities.
(iii) Active family and community engagement.
(iv) Collaborative leadership and practices.
4. "Public school" has the same meaning prescribed in section 15-101, Arizona Revised Statutes.
Sec. 2. Appropriations; department of administration; Arizona community schools pilot program; exemption
A. The sum of $5,000,000 is appropriated from the state general fund in each of fiscal years 2022-2023, 2023-2024, 2024-2025, 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to the department of administration for the purposes of administering the Arizona community schools pilot program.
B. The appropriations made in subsection A of this section are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190, Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to lapsing of appropriations.
