Georgia SB 124: 'Unlocking the Promise Community Schools Act'; provide for Sustainable Community School Operational Grants; planning and implementation of grants

Bill Text

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Senate Bill 124
By: Senators Fort of the 39th, Orrock of the 36th, Henson of the 41st, Rhett of the 33rd, Seay
of the 34th and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to1
elementary and secondary education, so as to provide for Sustainable Community School2
Operational Grants; to provide for definitions; to provide for planning and implementation3
of grants; to provide for applications for grants; to require the development of Sustainable4
Community School Plans; to provide for requirements for recipients of grants; to delineate5
the purposes for which grant funds may be used; to provide for reports; to provide for a short6
title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8
SECTION 1.9
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the 'Unlocking the Promise Community Schools10
Act.'11
SECTION 2.12
Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and13
secondary education, is amended by revising Article 14, which is reserved, as follows:14
15
"ARTICLE 1416
20-2-640.17
As used in this Code section, the term:18
(1) 'Applicant' means a school, a local board of education, or a consortium, in which at19
least one party is a community partner, proposing to work in collaboration with one or20
more community organizations, which is seeking a Sustainable Community School21
Operational Grant pursuant to this article.22

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(2) 'Community organization' means a nonprofit organization that has been in existence23
for three years or more and has a verifiable track record of working with the community24
surrounding the covered school site on education and other issues.25
(3) 'Community partner' means a community stakeholder including, but not limited to,26
parents, parent organizations, students, student organizations, early learning programs,27
businesses, civic engagement organizations, advocacy groups, local civic and community28
based organizations, civil rights organizations, local governmental agencies, local school29
employee organizations, and institutions of higher education.30
(4) 'Community school plan' means a plan to implement community school programming31
at a school submitted pursuant to subsection (b) of Code Section 20-2-644.32
(5) 'Community school programming' means services, activities, and opportunities33
described under subsection (a) of Code Section 20-2-642.34
(6) 'Consortium' means a group of local education organizations, governmental agencies,35
schools, community partners, or community organizations that propose to work with one36
another to plan or implement community school programming pursuant to a grant. A37
consortium shall serve as the fiscal agent.38
(7) 'Covered school site' means any school site at which an applicant has proposed or has39
been funded to provide community school programming pursuant to a grant.40
(8) 'Grant' means a Sustainable Community School Operational Grant awarded pursuant41
to this article.42
(9) 'Grantee' means an applicant that has been awarded a grant.43
(10) 'High-quality child care or early childhood education programming' means44
educational programming for preschool aged children that is grounded in research and45
consistent with best practices in the field.46
(11) 'Lead partner agency' is the organization that joins the school to manage and lead47
the work of developing and sustaining the community school plan.48
(12) 'Relevant experts' means individuals, institutions, or organizations with experience49
in the design, implementation, or evaluation of programs related to the analyses required50
pursuant to subsection (c) of Code Section 20-2-642. Reserved.51
20-2-641.52
(a) The Department of Education shall make grants available to plan, implement, and53
improve sustainable community schools. A request for proposal process must be used in54
awarding grants, and proposals shall be evaluated and scored on the basis of criteria55
consistent with this Code section. Proposals may be submitted by applicants provided that56
each covered school site referenced in the proposal is:57

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(1) A Title I school in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring that is among the58
lowest-achieving 15 percent of Title I schools in the state;59
(2) A secondary school that is eligible for, but does not receive, Title I funds that is60
among the lowest-achieving 15 percent of secondary schools in the state;61
(3) A high school that has had a graduation rate as defined in 34 C.F.R. 200.19(b) that62
is less than 60 percent over three years; or63
(4) Any school the Department of Education determines is a school in poverty that would64
benefit from community school programming.65
(b)(1) Grants may be awarded pursuant to this Code section to applicants who have66
demonstrated a need t