* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmembers Henry and Clarke, President Young
At the request of: Communities United
Address: 2525 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
title
More Funding for Community Schools
FOR the purpose of calling on the Mayor of Baltimore to increase current funding for Community Schools by $4 million, to a total of $10 million, and ensure a consistent stream of future funding to support existing and developing community schools and out of school time in Baltimore; and requesting that the Mayor's Office and all of the Children's Cabinet Agencies work with the Citywide Community Schools Steering Committee and the Baltimore City Public School System to create a strategic plan and policy for the expansion and growth of the community school strategy citywide that incorporates and builds upon the existing history and infrastructure of community schools and out of school time.
body
Recitals
Community schools are a strategy, not a program. A community school is a place and a set of strategic partnerships among the school and other community resources that promote student achievement, positive conditions for learning and the well being of families and communities; maintaining a core focus on children, while recognizing that children grow up in families, and that families are integral parts of communities. Community schools build an integrated strategy that enhances academics, enrichment, health and social supports, family engagement, youth and community development, which improves student well being and is anchored by the role of a site coordinator and expanded hours. This integrated strategy will lead to student success, strong families and healthy communities.
Parents, teachers, students, advocates, academics and politicians have increasingly come to see community schools as an effective strategy to combat the impact of poverty on student performance and to close the growing educational gap in this nation. Reliable estimates from the Coalition for Community Schools indicate that there may be as many as 5,000 community schools in this country. The 2014 America After 3 report states that there are 10.2 million students participating in after-school programs but still more than 11.2 million children unsupervised.
The Obama Administration has proposed substantial investments in Community Schools and after-school programs. Local, state, and non federal national funding also can be applied to Community School and after-school program efforts. Evaluations of community schools around the country reveal academic gains, improved attendance, fewer dropouts, decreased behavioral and disciplinary problems, increased parental engagement, and greater access to community services.
After-school programs have been shown to increase academic performance. In Chicago, the Burroughs Elementary School expanded its after-school program by one hour, allowing students to spend more time on math, science and English. In 2008 2009, Burroughs students (93.7 of whom are low income) outperformed other schools across the district and state, with 79.3 percent of the students meeting or exceeding the state�s standards. Only 61.1 percent of the students in the district and only 75.5 percent of students across the state met that standard. New research demonstrates that more consistent time spent in after-school activities during the elementary school years is linked to narrowing the gap in math achievement at grade 5.
After school/out of school time programs are also a proven crime prevention method. C.O. Bradford, an at large member of Houston�s City Council and former Houston chief of police, and Lisa Caruthers, director of Harris County Department of Education�s Cooperative for After School Enrichment, wrote in 2012 that such programs �reduce the strain on our police force, ease the minds of working parents and provide healthy alternatives for youths� attention and energy. Investments in academic and community based programming help prepare youth for their future and reduce the burden on the juvenile justice system...Through hands on, collaborative projects, quality after school/out of school time programming actively engages youth in daily skill building that enhances their overall learning experience. After school opportunities made possible for youth in need not only keep them in a safe, supervised environment, they also connect them to caring adults who deliver proper guidance, coaching and counseling for success in life and the future work force.�
We do not yet have enough information to fully assess the impact that Baltimore community schools and out of school time have on students, parents, teachers and communities. However, preliminary data from the Baltimore Education Research Consortium (BERC) suggests that local community schools and out of school time programs are effective in reducing chronic absenteeism and suspension rates, and contribute to a more positive and effective learning environment for students. Some community schools and out of school time have resulted in improved academic comprehension and performance. Below are some of the findings that were released in the BERC Report:
� The Historical Samuel Coleridge Taylor Elementary School SCT reduced chronic absenteeism by 15.9% between SY 2013 and SY 2014.
� Franklin Square saw a decrease in suspension rate from 26.8% to 4.1% in SY 2013 and SY 2014
� Regular OST Time attendees in grades K 5 were found to have higher average daily attendance and lower chronic absences as compared to similar peers in similar schools (11.0 vs 18.7 %) in SY 2013 and SY 2014.
� It was found that Hispanic Students who participated in OST were more likely to receive ELL (7.1 vs 4.0%) and special education services (15.8 vs 12.6%)
Baltimore has the opportunity to enact a district-wide, integrated and collaborative strategy of community school implementation. In so doing, it can serve as a state and national example of successful and transformational educational reform. The additional $4 million being requested will be able to further leverage additional funding through public and private dollars into Baltimore City Schools allowing an expansion in the 2015 16 school year to 60 Community Schools and 6,000 out of school time slots. A social return on investment study of Children�s Aid Society Community Schools found that every dollar spent returns between $10.30 and $14.80 of social value.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, that the Council calls on the Mayor to increase current funding for Community Schools by $4 million, to a total of $10 million, and to ensure a consistent stream of future funding to support existing and developing community schools and out of school time in Baltimore; and requests that the Mayor�s Office and all of the Children�s Cabinet Agencies work with the Citywide Community Schools Steering Committee and the Baltimore City Public School System to create a strategic plan and policy for the expansion and growth of the community school strategy citywide that incorporates and builds upon the existing history and infrastructure of community schools and out of school time.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, the members of the Children�s Cabinet, and the Mayor�s Legislative Liaison to the City Council.
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