On June 8, 2023, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) released a Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for the fiscal year (FY) 2023 Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) grant program that supports academic acceleration and provides academic and whole child supports to build and strengthen connections between schools, parents, families, and their surrounding communities. This program advances Secretary Cardona’s Raise the Bar call to action around evidence-based strategies that advance educational equity and excellence for all students. Specifically, this program drives community-based resources to support student’s academic advancement and mental health, among other needs.
This year’s competition maintains an emphasis on quality implementation through the four pillars of community schools – (1) integrated student supports; (2) expanded and enriched learning time; (3) active family and community engagement; and (4) collaborative leadership and practices – and seeks to expand the evidence base through a national evaluation that will study the implementation of the FY 2023 FSCS grants that are awarded. Additionally, the notice includes an invitational priority to support effective transitions between early childhood education and elementary school settings, uplifting the critical inflection point of the kindergarten year and the developmental needs of every student and support them on a path for early school success.
The 2023 competition also builds on several efforts from the administration and USDE to support local, district and state efforts to scale community schools. For example, the administration released a Community School Toolkit in January showcasing how federal funding sources may be used to support community schools. The resources from the White House and the Department emphasize the role full-service community schools play in providing academic supports, integrated health and social services, and engagement opportunities to students while also creating stronger connections between families, communities, and their local public schools. These priorities align with the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to scale evidence-based approaches to support students’ academic, social, emotional, and physical well-being.
For more information on the Full-Service Community Schools Grant program visit Full-Service Community Schools Program (FSCS) – Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.