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SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, This State is committed to providing its children
3 and youth the educational opportunities they need to succeed
4 academically and grow up to be productive Illinois citizens;
5 and
 
6     WHEREAS, Illinois schools are facing incredible and ever
7 increasing demands on their limited financial resources to
8 address the academic, emotional, and social needs of their
9 students; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Hundreds of schools in rural, suburban, and urban
11 Illinois communities have started to engage in dialogue with
12 their community stakeholders to identify and engage community
13 and other resources to meet the growing needs of Illinois
14 students and the schools they attend; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Community engagement, together with school
16 efforts, promotes a school climate that is safe, supportive,
17 and respectful and connects students to a broader learning
18 community; and
 
19     WHEREAS, Greater student success, stronger families, and
20 healthier communities are achieved when public schools knit
21 together inventive and enduring relationships among educators,

 

 

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1 families, volunteers, and community partners; and
 
2     WHEREAS, Resources and benefits flow to both the school and
3 the community when community partners are providing on-site
4 support and opportunities for students, their families, and
5 their neighbors; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Available research suggests that a community
7 engaged with the local school plays a powerful role in
8 community building; therefore, be it
 
9     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL
10 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the State
11 Superintendent of Education shall appoint a task force on
12 community partnerships to recommend strategic steps to
13 establish effective community partnerships with local schools
14 and to accomplish the following outcomes: (i) to leverage
15 existing local resources in support of children in attaining
16 education, (ii) to improve social and physical health and safe
17 after-school opportunities, (iii) to build sustainable
18 partnerships between local community stakeholders and schools,
19 and (iv) to develop knowledge and understanding among partners
20 and across disciplines to better understand each other's
21 expertise, resources, and constraints; and be it further
 
22     RESOLVED, That the task force shall include

 

 

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1 representatives from a statewide organization representing
2 community engagement in schools, community-based health and
3 social service agencies, family support groups, institutions
4 of higher education, youth development organizations, youth
5 services agencies, local governmental units, community groups,
6 local business leaders, parents, local school staff and
7 administrators, the State Board of Education, and other
8 appropriate State agencies, all working around the common goal
9 of creating necessary conditions for all children to learn at
10 their best; and be it further
 
11     RESOLVED, That the task force shall meet initially at the
12 call of the State Superintendent of Education and shall select
13 two co-chairpersons from among its members at its first
14 meeting; and be it further
 
15     RESOLVED, That the task force shall file a report of its
16 findings and recommendations with the General Assembly, the
17 Governor, and the State Board of Education before the end of
18 the 95th General Assembly, and that upon filing its report the
19 task force is dissolved; and be it further
 
20     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
21 delivered to the State Superintendent of Education, the
22 chairperson of the State Board of Education, and the Governor.