Dear Legislator,

 

As a constituent who cares deeply about the well-being of our students and communities, I urge you to invest $100 million in categorical aid to expand community schools across New York state.

 

One in five New York children lives in poverty. Every day, our educators see the burdens of hunger, housing instability and lack of healthcare follow students through the school door. These challenges directly affect students' ability to learn and thrive. Community schools are a proven solution that transforms schools into hubs connecting students and families with the services they need, right where they already are.

 

The results speak for themselves. New York City's first community schools saw graduation rates increase by 25.1 percentage points over ten years — more than double the citywide average. Math proficiency jumped 26.7 points compared to 18.5 citywide. And in California, community schools achieved a 30 percent greater reduction in chronic absenteeism compared to similar non-community schools.

 

The return on investment is extraordinary. In New York City, a $100,000 investment in a community school director generates more than $600,000 in services and grants. In Central New York networks, the return exceeds $14 for every $1 invested. Despite these results, most districts across the state still do not use the community school model. That has to change.

 

I urge you to direct $100 million in categorical aid to expand community schools statewide, including funding to hire community school directors who bring critical community resources into our schools. Our students deserve schools that address their whole lives — not just what happens during instruction time. Community schools make that possible.

 

Thank you for your consideration of this important request.