Sec. 2. Findings

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Congress finds the following: The future strength of the Nation’s democracy, as well as the Nation's economy, is dependent upon the investments made in children and youth today. Evidence demonstrates that effective partnerships among schools and communities increase student achievement by addressing the academic needs of students as well as the challenges the students face outside the classroom. For example: Chicago Public Schools leads the Nation’s largest community school initiative and found that nearly half of the students in community schools had increased math and reading grades, and that between 2001 and 2006, community schools had greater gains in math and reading than regular Chicago public schools.

In a massive study of Chicago public schools, sociologist Anthony Bryk demonstrates that in schools where grassroots organizations forge strong connections with their schools, trust levels are greater, the school environment is civil, and parent involvement is greater. Cincinnati Community Learning Centers, an initiative started in 2001, brings a number of organizations (such as the YMCA, the United Way, and the University of Cincinnati) to schools, where a School Based Resource Coordinator develops and facilitates community-based partnerships and resources that are responsive to the needs of the school and community.

In Cincinnati, graduation rates increased from 51 percent in 2000 to 83 percent in 2009, the achievement gap between African-American students and White students decreased from 14.5 percent in 2003 to 4.3 percent in 2009, and Cincinnati is the first urban district in Ohio to receive an effective rating. In Wisconsin, where partnerships are required for grant programs, non-traditional partners have proven to be instrumental for smaller communities to enrich after school programs.

Those might include local trucking companies, the Grange, Farm Bureau, small retailers, and retirees. Union City (New Jersey) school district proves that by breaking down institutional silos and creating deep partnerships, collaboration and municipal involvement, schools can be vibrant places of hope despite poverty, unemployment, and lack of affordable housing. Molly Stark Elementary School in Bennington, Vermont, is a full-service community school of about 400 students from kindergarten through 5th grade that exemplifies the spirit of community involvement.

People of all ages, backgrounds and experiences learn and work together as neighbors to improve student learning. In addition to a rigorous curriculum, the school offers on-site pediatric, psychological, dental, pre-school, outreach, nutrition, counseling, after school and summer school programs that level the playing field for all students, particularly the roughly 60 percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Harmon Johnson Elementary School in Sacramento, California, has a student population with 97 percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch and 69 percent as English Language Learners.

This community school encourages 21st century learning, and saw an API increase by 45 points in the last year. The school offers many resources to address students’ social, emotional, and physical needs, including a health and wellness center, access to 9 mental health therapists and a state-of-the-art dental program that were all developed with strong parent collaboration. By meeting the comprehensive needs of students, Communities In Schools, a national dropout prevention organization, demonstrates that 78 percent of participating students improved their attendance, 89 percent had fewer behavior incidents, 80 percent improved their academic performance, and 78 percent of eligible seniors graduated from high school.

According to a 2013 report by the National Equity and Excellence Commission, to ensure that every child receives what he or she needs to succeed in school, we require a systemic means of cutting through the red tape that ties up funding streams and personnel. Governance reforms must ensure coordination and cooperation across federal, state and local agencies. Communities, tribes, states and the federal government must work together. . Approximately only 75 percent of 9th graders graduate from high school 4 years later.

Of students who graduate from high school, 2 out of 3 (67 percent) enroll in a 2- or 4-year college in the fall after completing high school. Only about half (58 percent) of first-time, full-time college freshmen seeking a 4-year degree receive a bachelor’s degree within 6 years or less. Over the past 4 decades, the United States has slipped from being first in the world in high school and college graduation rates to 21st and 14th, respectively, putting the Nation at a growing competitive disadvantage with other countries.

Research shows that the holistic needs of students must be met in order to strengthen student achievement. One analysis of 16 factors influencing student achievement found that over half of the factors identified were present in the lives of students outside of the classroom. Research from the Government Accountability Office found that students who change schools less frequently are more likely to perform at grade level and less likely to repeat a grade than their less stable peers.

In research by Teachers College, Columbia University, studies in psychology, health, and education feature school connectedness as important to student learning, achievement, and well-being. When students feel a sense of connection with the larger world and community institutions, they are more engaged in instructional activities and express greater commitment to school (Furrer & Skinner, 2003; Roeser, Midgley, & Urdan, 1996; Wentzel, 1997). We know from successful experiences that hundreds of thousands of arts, cultural, service, sports, colleges and other youth organizations, as well as civic and faith-based groups want to partner with schools and educators to reinforce learning, but far too often, neither the school nor the community know how to effectively connect with each other.

In order for the United States to compete in a global economy, the copartnering efforts of government, social services, business, arts, home, community-based organizations, and philanthropy need to concentrate their efforts where they are most needed: in our schools. Research from Johns Hopkins University shows that access to summer learning opportunities leads to significant student learning gains not experienced by students who cannot access summer learning opportunities. A study of summer learning programs in California found that students experienced improved academic skills, school attendance, relationships with peers and adults, and positive work habits after attending summer learning programs.