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Hoyer, Schock Op-ed: A Bipartisan Argument for Full-Service Community Schools

August 7, 2014
Editorial

"One of the most important jobs Congress has is to ensure that our nation's children have access to a quality education and the opportunities it brings. A strong education is critically important to secure a place in our middle class. However, we are not doing enough as a country to provide all of our children with the educational foundation they need to succeed. That's why we joined together last week to introduce the Full-Service Community Schools Act of 2014, bipartisan legislation that would create a competitive-grant program to expand the number of full-service community schools around the country."

"Full-service community schools provide support and resources to children and their families in order to encourage the future success of all students. Too often, students from low-income households don't have the necessities that are critical to their success in the classroom, including proper nutrition and health care. As we learn more about the links between students' health and well-being and their performance in reading and math, tackling the interrelated challenges of education, nutrition, and health care has become a top priority."

"That challenge is what our bill aims to meet. Full-service community schools put education programs and health services, including nutrition, medical, dental, and counseling, together in one location, providing low-income families with a one-stop shop where they can access the services they need. Bringing these additional services into schools, which can also extend to job training and personal-finance workshops for parents, provides students with a better shot at success and parents with the tools they need to support their children's learning. Additionally, these facilities stay open after normal school hours and offer weekend hours to increase family participation."

"Full-service community schools are already making a positive impact in many areas around the country, including in Maryland at the early-childhood level. One example is the Judith P. Hoyer Early Child Care and Family Education Centers. This network of 27 full-service community schools across the state provides approximately 12,000 children and their families with year-round, full-day early education and a range of social services. We can already see the difference being made in Maryland: Program evaluations conducted by the state department of education found that children who used the services at Judy Centers performed better than those who didn't when tested for kindergarten readiness."

Click here to read the full op-ed.

Issues:Jobs & the EconomyEducationHealth Care & Seniors