FULL-SERVICE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS PROGRAM

Grant: Full-Service Community Schools Program
Agency: U.S. Department of Education
Division: Office of Innovation and Improvement
Deadline: July 23, 2010. Intent to apply is requested by June 23, 2010.

Description: The Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) program, which is funded under the Fund for the Improvement of Education, encourages coordination of academic, social, and health services through partnerships between public elementary and secondary schools, the schools’ local educational agencies (LEAs), and community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations and other public or private entities. The purpose of the collaboration is to provide comprehensive academic, social, and health services for students, students’ family members and community members that will result in improved educational outcomes for children. The FSCS program is “place-based” which requires focusing resources in targeted places and drawing on the compounding effect of well-coordinated action.

Full-service community schools must be created by results-focused partnerships, partnerships between each full-service community school and one or more nonprofit organizations that are based on identified needs and organized around a set of mutually defined results and outcomes for increasing student success and improving access to family and community services. Community challenges such as poverty, violence, poor physical health and family instability can become education issues when left unaddressed, but when schools and community partners collaborate to address these issues and align their resources to achieve common results, children are more likely to succeed.

Applicants must propose projects that are based on scientifically based research and that establish or expand full-service community schools. Each applicant must propose to provide at least three of the following eligible services at its proposed full-service community school:

• High-quality early learning programs and services.
• Remedial education, aligned with academic support and other enrichment activities.
• Family engagement, including parental involvement, parent leadership, family literacy and parent education programs.
• Mentoring and other youth development programs.
• Community service and service learning opportunities.
• Programs that provide assistance to students who have been chronically absent, truant, suspended or expelled.
• Job training and career counseling services.
• Nutrition services and physical activities.
• Primary health and dental care.
• Activities that improve access to the use of social service programs.
• Mental health services.
• Adult education, including instruction of adults in English as a second language.

Applicants whose projects propose to serve persistently lowest-achieving schools will receive competitive preference in the selection process.

Applicants may devote funds received during the first year of the project period to comprehensive program planning, establishing results-focused partnerships, and capacity building. Funding received by grantees during the remainder of the project period must be devoted to program implementation.

Fit for public broadcasting: Although public television stations cannot apply for this grant by themselves, this could be a partnership opportunity for many local stations. The grant requires school districts to partner with community organizations to create full-service schools that work together to strengthen communities through education. Each proposed full-service community school must provide certain services specified by the U.S. Department of Education, and because local stations have expertise in many of these services, they will be valuable assets to school districts who plan to apply. Stations with experience in early learning programs and adult education programs, for example, are well-positioned to become partners. Some stations may even be able to offer broadcasting internships or other mentoring opportunities for high school students. Public television stations play an important role in their communities, and this grant provides an opportunity to expand this role through educational partnerships.

Eligibility: Applicants must be a consortium consisting of a local educational agency and one or more community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, or other public or private entities. To be eligible for an award, a portion of the services provided by the applicant must be supported through non-Federal contributions, either in cash or in-kind donations.

Anticipated funding: There is an estimated $5,000,000 available for this grant program. Awards will range from $275,000-$500,000, and the estimated average size of awards is $415,000. It is estimated that 8-12 proposals will be funded.

How to apply: Applications can be obtained from the U.S. Department of Education and must be submitted using the Electronic Grant Application System. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to indicate intent to submit an application for funding by June 23, 2010.

Resources:
Program notice
Program website
Past grantees