Bill Text: NJ A1168 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Establishes five-year community schools pilot program.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 16-4)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-06-27 - Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading [A1168 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-A1168-Amended.html
[Fourth Reprint]
ASSEMBLY, No. 1168
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2022 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman MILA M. JASEY
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
Assemblywoman PAMELA R. LAMPITT
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Assemblywoman ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywomen Reynolds-Jackson, Chaparro, Jimenez, Assemblyman Benson, Assemblywoman Quijano, Assemblyman Mejia, Assemblywoman Lopez, Assemblyman Caputo, Assemblywomen Piperno, Eulner, Haider, Assemblyman Atkins, Assemblywomen Jaffer, Park, Assemblyman Simonsen, Assemblywomen Sumter and Matsikoudis
SYNOPSIS
Establishes five-year community schools pilot program.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As amended by the General Assembly on May 25, 2023.
An Act establishing a community schools pilot program and supplementing chapter 6 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act, "community schools" means 2[partnerships between public schools, nonprofit organizations, and local governments to provide an integrated focus on academics, health, and social services, youth and community development, expanded learning time and opportunities, actively engage families, and foster collaborative practices based on an individual community's identified need] 3[both a place and a set of partnerships between a school and other community resources whose integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development, and community engagement lead to improved student learning, stronger families, and healthier communities2] public schools that participate in a community-based effort to coordinate and integrate educational, developmental, family, health, and other comprehensive services through community-based organizations and public and private partnerships, providing access to these services to students, families, and the community year-round3.
2. a. The Commissioner of Education shall establish a five-year "Community Schools Pilot Program" in the Department of Education. The objective of the pilot program shall be to facilitate the establishment of community schools 2that demonstrate a commitment to the four pillars of: integrated student supports; expanded learning time and opportunities; family and community engagement; and collaborative leadership and practice2. Under the pilot program, any school district, renaissance school, or charter school shall be able to receive training 2and ongoing support throughout the duration of the pilot program2 regarding the establishment 2and operation2 of a community school, and 3[no more than]3 1[50 schools] one 2public school of a2 school district, renaissance school, or charter school in each county of the State1 shall be assigned a site coordinator who shall assist in the establishment and operations of a community school 2and oversee and coordinate the services and outreach to students and families2.
b. No later than 2[three months] 3[one month2] three months3 following the effective date of this act, the commissioner shall 3[issue a request for proposals to]3 identify 2an institution of higher education or2 a qualified nonprofit organization 3with the appropriate capacity and experience3 located in the State 3[whose mission is to facilitate] that has demonstrated a commitment to facilitating3 high quality community schools in New Jersey to manage the pilot program. 3[2The commissioner shall select an organization or institution of higher education to manage the pilot program within one month of the closing of the request for proposals.2]3 Upon selecting an organization 2or institution of higher education2 to manage the pilot program, the commissioner shall enter into a contract with that organization 3or institution3 specifying 2how State funds may be used and2 its duties and responsibilities including, but not limited to, those identified in section 3 of this act.
c. 3[No later than 2[six] three2 months following the effective date of this act, the commissioner shall survey school districts, renaissance schools, and charter schools to assess the extent to which community schools have been established. The survey shall obtain information including, but not limited to:
1[1)] (1)1 identifying school districts, renaissance schools, and charter schools that have established community schools;
1[2)] (2)1 listing the entities with which the community school has entered into a partnership for the provision of services; and
1[3)] (3)1 detailing services that are provided at the community schools.
The commissioner shall use the survey results to establish an inventory of community schools, which shall be updated annually 2and which shall be posted on the] The3 Department of Education 3shall develop a list of schools selected to participate in the pilot program, and shall post the list on the department's3 website in a prominent and easily accessible location2.
3. a. The organization 2or institution of higher education2 selected by the commissioner to manage the pilot program shall 2[make] establish a2 technical assistance 2center that will be2 available to 2[school districts, renaissance schools, and charter]2 schools that are participating in the pilot program. The organization 2or institution of higher education2 shall also make group training sessions and materials about community school operations accessible to any school district, renaissance school, or charter school that expresses an interest in developing a community school. 2The technical assistance center shall be responsible for the Statewide dissemination of information on effective and promising practices in the establishment and ongoing management of community school strategies through professional development and technical assistance activities designed to:
(1) familiarize school personnel across the State with community school strategies;
(2) increase the knowledge and skills of school staff and community partners to aid in the implementation, management, and sustainability of community schools;
(3) promote the establishment and development of community schools that incorporate the characteristics of community school strategies;
(4) provide community schools with the tools necessary to design and implement needs assessments that will provide the data necessary to effectively target community school resources;
(5) increase Statewide capacity to support effective community school strategies; and
(6) identify and evaluate community schools' needs in order to provide tailored technical assistance and professional development.2
b. 3[(1)]3 The 3department, in coordination with the3 organization 2or institution of higher education2, 3[in coordination with the department]3 2and the New Jersey Community Schools Coalition2, shall develop 3[an application procedure and]3 specific criteria for selecting schools, including renaissance and charter schools, to participate in the pilot program and receive direct support from a site coordinator assigned to the school. The selection criteria shall be posted on the department's website 3[at least 20 days prior to 1[each] the1 application period]3 . 1[Schools shall be selected in three application periods by the department and the organization collaboratively. In each of the first and second application periods, no more than 15 schools shall be selected to receive a site coordinator. In the third application period, no more than 20 schools shall be selected to receive a site coordinator. The organization in collaboration with the department may increase the number of schools selected in a subsequent application period if the maximum number was not selected in a prior application period. In no event shall the cumulative number of schools selected to receive a site coordinator exceed 30 after the second application period, or 50 after the third application period.]1
3[(2) In selecting schools to receive a site coordinator, lower priority may be given to a 2public school of a2 school district, renaissance school, or charter school that is currently receiving federal funds to establish or operate a community school, or higher priority may be given to a school located in a school district that does not have any schools in which a site coordinator has been assigned.]3
c. The organization 2or institution of higher education2 shall employ and train individuals who shall be assigned to serve as a site coordinator 3[in a school that has been selected to receive a site coordinator]3 . Individuals selected to serve as site coordinators shall be employees of the organization 2or institution of higher education2, and not the school district, renaissance school, or charter school to which they are assigned. 2The salaries, wages, and other financial compensation of the site coordinators shall be the responsibility of the organization or institution of higher education.2
d. 3A public school selected to participate in the pilot program shall enter into an agreement with the selected organization or institution of higher education outlining at minimum the role, responsibilities, and authority the site coordinator has in supporting the establishment of the community school site.
e.3 The organization 2or institution of higher education2 may enter into an agreement with another nonprofit entity to assist it in fulfilling any of the responsibilities enumerated in subsections a. through c. of this section 2, subject to the approval of the commissioner2.
4. a. The commissioner shall annually 3[enter into a contract with an independent entity to perform] receive3 an audit of the 2[organization's]2 accounts and financial transactions 2of the organization or institution of higher education for the duration of the pilot program2 . 3[The audit of the prior year's activities shall be completed no later than five months following the end of the 2[organization's] State2 fiscal year. The audit shall be made available on the Department of Education's website.]3
b. The commissioner shall enter into a contract with an independent entity to conduct an evaluation of the pilot program. The entity shall have expertise in evaluating educational programs and the provision of a range of social services. The evaluator shall issue a final report on the implementation of the pilot program no later than six months 3[prior to] following3 the pilot program's completion. The commissioner shall forward the final report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1).
5. There is established in the Department of Education a nonlapsing fund that shall be known as the Community Schools Pilot Program Fund. The fund shall consist of any funds that are appropriated by the Legislature for inclusion in the fund, investment earnings of the fund, and moneys contributed to the fund by private sources. The moneys in the fund 4[shall] may4 be invested and reinvested 4[by the Director of the Division of Investment in the Department of the Treasury] as other trust funds in the custody of the State in the manner provided by law4. Expenditures from the fund shall be exclusively for the purpose of implementing the provisions of this act.
6. This act shall take effect 3[immediately] one the first day of the fourth month following the date of enactment3 .
