Millett bill to help community schools support thriving children

AUGUSTA — Legislation from Sen. Rebecca Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth, LD 1216 “An Act to Support Community Schools,” received a public hearing before the Legislature’s Education and Cultural Affairs Committee on Tuesday. The bill would make the Department of Education’s pilot community school project permanent, authorizing five community schools in 2020-2021 and 10 additional in 2021-2022. A community school is a partnership between the school and community resources.

“Having one person to coordinate community relationships would sustain these relationships and increase their productivity,” said Sen. Millett. “A coordinator can help bring all partners together and better align the resources to where they are most needed. These resources will mean that more students succeed and that struggling school districts no longer have to fight to help students on their own.”

School staff are often burdened with a number of responsibilities and the burn out rate is so high, that school districts are often left with a revolving door. Having one person to coordinate at the community level would help to sustain relationships and improve efficiency. LD 1216 enables districts to create a community school model that supports schools and communities.

Maine Principals’ Association, Maine School Boards Association, Maine School Superintendents Association, Maine Children’s Alliance and the Superintendent of Schools for the Oxford Hills School District all spoke in support of LD 1216. No one spoke in opposition of the bill at Tuesday’s public hearing.

“The Community School model enables schools to form intentional partnerships with families in a wide range of different community organizations,” said Jennifer Goodwin, a coordinator from Regional School Unit 34 in Old Town. “Partners provide services and opportunities that support the learning mission of the school and increase the effectiveness of the learning environment.”

In Tuesday’s public hearing, Goodwin spoke of the coordination in her district that has resulted in a community of support for their students, roughly 50 percent of whom are in need of food assistance. The added resources have allowed students to thrive with additional activities such as building a community garden and receiving birthday bags from the local Rotary club.

The bill faces more action in the committee and votes before the Maine House and Senate.

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