Statutes Text
Article - Education
§9.9–104.
(a) (1) A community school shall have an experienced and qualified community school coordinator who:
(i) Is hired at the appropriate administrative level;
(ii) Understands, respects, and demonstrates a high degree of cultural awareness of and competency in the diversity in the community and in cross–cultural practice with stakeholders; and
(iii) May be employed by the school district.
(2) A community school coordinator may be a social worker.
(b) (1) A community school coordinator shall be responsible for:
(i) Establishing a community school;
(ii) Completing an assessment of the needs of the students in the school for appropriate wraparound services to enhance the success of all students in the school;
(iii) Developing an implementation plan based on the assessment of needs for the community school, in cooperation with other interested stakeholders; and
(iv) Coordinating support programs that address out–of–school learning barriers for students and families, including:
1. Wraparound services; and
2. As appropriate:
A. Tutoring;
B. English language learner courses;
C. Early childhood development and parenting classes;
D. College and career advising;
E. Employment opportunities;
F. Citizenship education;
G. Food pantries;
H. Rental assistance, in accordance with § 9.9–104.1 of this subtitle; and
I. School–based behavioral and physical health services.
(2) The needs assessment completed under this subsection shall:
(i) Be completed in collaboration with:
1. The principal;
2. A school health care practitioner;
3. A parent teacher organization or a school council; and
4. Members of the community schools’ leadership teams;
(ii) Include an assessment of the physical, behavioral, mental, social, and emotional health needs and wraparound service needs of students, their families, and their communities;
(iii) Be completed using the common needs assessment tool developed by the Director of Community Schools under § 9.9–103 of this title, when the tool is available;
(iv) Be submitted to the Department and the local school system within 1 year of receiving a personnel grant under § 5–223 of this article or within 1 year of becoming a community school; and
(v) Be published online.
(3) The implementation plan completed under this subsection shall include:
(i) A strategy for providing wraparound services to address the needs of the students, their families, and their communities, building on and strengthening community resources near the school;
(ii) Inclusion, if possible and practicable, of community partners in geographic proximity to the school that can assist in meeting the needs identified in the assessment;
(iii) Ensure that time is made available to train staff on the supports available, the need for the supports, and how to engage with the community schools coordinator to access these supports; and
(iv) Develop strategies to maximize external non–State or non–local education funding.
(4) (i) The implementation plan shall be submitted to the local school system for approval within 1 year of completion of the needs assessment.
(ii) After the implementation plan is approved by the local school system it shall be submitted to the Department for review.
(iii) The Department may provide comments to the community school coordinator on the implementation plan.
(5) (i) A community school coordinator shall review the implementation plan at least once every 3 years to determine whether the community school is meeting students’ needs.
(ii) A community school coordinator shall alter the implementation plan, using the common needs assessment tool, and the provision of wraparound services to address changes in students’ needs.
(iii) An updated implementation plan shall be submitted to the local school system for approval.
(iv) After an updated implementation plan is approved, it shall be submitted to the Department for review.
(v) The Department may provide comments to the community school coordinator on the updated implementation plan.