WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23) and Susie Lee (D-NV-03) introduced the Communities Serving Schools Act, which would provide grants to state and local education agencies for wrap-around services that assist students outside the classroom with their health, well-being, and growth.
Wrap-around services support the overall well-being of students by helping them develop their academic, interpersonal, and life skills to facilitate their success inside and outside the classroom. These services include things like tutoring, after-school programs, college prep, nutrition, and mental health support, and are aimed at counteracting out-of-school factors that interfere with learning.
“As a father of six, I know firsthand that a student’s success starts outside of the classroom,” said Rep. Gonzales. “My district spans from San Antonio to El Paso, encompassing many underserved and rural communities. That’s why I am proud to introduce legislation to expand access to tutoring, after-school programs, college prep, nutrition, and mental health services to our most vulnerable students and families.”
“The pandemic laid bare longstanding inequities in our education system, reminding us that student success goes well beyond the classroom,” said Rep. Lee. “When students have access to nutrition, tutoring, after-school programs, mental health support, and other vital services, they perform better in school. But the sad reality is that far too many students from low-income neighborhoods and communities of color don’t have access to this kind of support. I spent more than two decades working with Nevada schools and students to strengthen our public education system, and I saw this firsthand, day in and day out. I’m proud to introduce the Communities Serving Schools Act to invest in the health, well-being, and stability of our students by expanding wraparound services for the kids and families who need it most.”
“Student success goes well beyond the classroom and the pandemic has reminded us of this fact in stark terms,” said Rey Saldaña, National President and CEO of Communities In Schools. “To build a thriving education system, we must make sure every school serving the most under-resourced communities can provide not just high-quality learning but also the supports that enable students to succeed in school and in life, such as food security and mental health care. We ask Congress to pass the Communities Serving Schools Act as soon as possible. Introduced by Rep. Lee and Rep. Gonzales, it will establish a $1 billion grant program to enable schools to invest in wrap-around services that will help us reimagine the way schools operate and show up for all students.”
You can read more about the Communities Serving Schools Act here.