Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1419056
funding through 2028 to expand community schools across the state through the California Community Schools Partnership Program. School districts with more than 50 percent of students qualifying for free or reduced-priced lunch will be eligible for grants, with priority given to dis- tricts with greater need, those disproportionately impacted by COVID, and districts with a plan to sustain community school funding after the grant expires. Sustaining funding is a key piece to achieving the goal of turning every school where 80 percent or more of students live in poverty into a community school over the next five years. On the federal side, President Biden's budget includes $443 million for schools to become community schools, nearly 15 times the pre- vious amount. CTA has long been advocating for more fund- ing for community schools. President E. Toby Boyd made a request to prioritize community schools as a member of Gov. Newsom's state Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery to provide more medical and mental health services to students amid the pandemic and as an integral part of an equitable restart to in-person learning. " This investment in community schools is hugely important. When we talk about reimag- ining public education, community schools are a big part of that vision," Boyd says. "It's how we connect what's best for students and educators to parents and our communities." O n e promi n ent supp or t er of c om mu nity schools first proposed funding the model when he was a school board member more than a decade ago. Now state superintendent of public instruction, Tony urmond says he is excited for the opportunity and grateful for the funding. "It's like a dream come true for the types of sup- ports our students need. Given what we've seen throughout the pandemic, the timing couldn't be better to make investments in community schools," Thurmond says. "As a former social worker, I see community schools as the ultimate way to support whole child learning." urmond says the funding could result in one-third of all California public schools becoming community NEA President Becky Pringle, left, listens to a student at Alhambra High School's Dream Center, a supportive space for undocumented, immigrant and other marginalized groups. "This is why I got into this movement and became a teacher — to make a true difference in a powerful way. Community schools are a chance to do this." —CTA Vice President David B. Goldberg 23 O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R 2 0 21