Albuquerque Public Schools
2019 APS Board of Education Resolution for Community Schools
Board of Education
Albuquerque Public Schools – Albuquerque, New Mexico
Resolution
Relating to the support and funding of community schools
WHEREAS, Albuquerque Public Schools believes that the Community Schools model (22-32-1 to 22-32-4 NMSA 1978) provides a significantly greater benefit to students, integrates communication between the school and community and provides strategic focus for decision making; and
WHEREAS, No two community schools look the same, requiring authentic, community conversations to determine local needs; and
WHEREAS, Community Schools interventions meet the requirements of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) as an evidence-based intervention that positively impacts students and leads to increased student achievement across the school; and
WHEREAS, community schools look to improve student learning while also providing health and social support and developing family and community engagement; and
WHEREAS, the community school framework pillars and theory of action include integrated student support, expanded learning time and opportunities, family and community engagement and collaborative leadership and practices, thereby focusing school resources and design around supporting the whole child; and
WHEREAS, local school boards and superintendents take their mission seriously – to provide the very best education possible to each child who walks through the public school doors; and
WHEREAS, New Mexico children deserve to be invested in because they define the future success of the state; and
WHEREAS, students face obstacles to learning and improved achievement that require attention to the whole child; and
WHEREAS, community schools focus on a strategy for organizing resources, rather than creating new programs; and
WHEREAS, community school models exist in our state and prove valuable to communities and student achievement and can serve as models for design; and
WHEREAS, community schools include extended time for learning that integrate community partnerships; and
WHEREAS, community schools that fund a coordinator position to coordinate resources will most effectively address the needs of local communities and strategically align resources; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education formally requests that the legislature provide funding for all schools who may wish to implement a community schools framework model, including a position for a community school coordinator; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the New Mexico State Statute 22-32-1 to 22-32-4 NMSA 1978 should be used as a guide for this resolution and community school implementation, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor of New Mexico, the Secretary of Public Education, the Legislative Education Study Committee, the Legislative Finance Committee and the New Mexico School Boards Association.