May 18, 2005 -- Senate Bill Would Fund Full-Service Community Schools

A bill introduced in the U.S. Senate last week would authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to support full-service community schools, defined as “elementary or secondary schools that participate in community-based efforts to coordinate educational, developmental, family, health, and other services to students, families, and communities.” Among the “qualified services” that such community schools might provide, the bill lists primary health and dental care, mental health counseling, and nutrition services. In addition to grants to eligible schools, the bill would fund state collaboratives to support the development of full-service community schools. The bill, S. 986, introduced May 10 by Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson (D), authorizes an appropriation of $200 million next fiscal year, with continued funding through 2010. Nelson’s bill, the “Full-Service Community Schools Act of 2005,”  has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, and Labor. Progress of the legislation in Congress can be tracked at http://thomas.loc.gov.