APPENDIX

Denver Public Schools

Content Standards

Standards for Success

GOAL: Neighborhood Centers function as support centers for the network of individuals, agencies, and institutions committed to meeting community needs through increased resources and learning opportunities for students, families, and all members of that community. Components may include some or all of the following:

· citizen involvement;
· community improvement;
· social/human services;
· broad use of community resources;
· diverse educational services; and
· interagency cooperation/public-private partnerships.

OBJECTIVE 1

By fall 1996, develop and implement one Neighborhood Center at a Denver Public Schools middle school.

Strategy

Organize broad citizen participation and interagency collaboration to help ensure that the program design accurately reflects community needs and concerns.

Tactics

1. Actively recruit and encourage citizen input, combined with that of community leaders and representatives from agencies both within and outside of Denver Public Schools.

2. Design and implement ongoing needs assessment and resource development instruments that provide the information needed to ensure the following:

· community self-determination;
· leadership development;
· parental empowerment;
· maximum use of resources; and
· an integrated delivery of services that reflects and responds to real community needs.

3. Restructure and expand the Family Resource Schools and Community School program in order to more effectively deliver educational, recreational, cultural, and child care services as an integral part of the Neighborhood Center support system for students, families, and community members.

4. Identify appropriate programs and activities that can meet identified community needs.

5. Determine which community partners can offer identified programs and services through neighborhood and community meetings and surveys of existing service providers, businesses, individuals, and organizations.

6. Establish a selection process through which the appropriate service providers are matched with the needed services.

7. Complete specific agreements that define the scope of services and/or programs, the timeline for implementation, and the allocated budget for each provider.

8. Implement Neighborhood Center programs and activities at the selected site for the time period September 1996 through June 1997.

9. Develop and disseminate evaluation tools that provide timely and definitive data from participants, staff, community partners, and program administrators in order to assist in effective assessment, continuous improvement, and future planning.

OBJECTIVE 2

By spring 1997, increase the number of Family Resource School sites from 6 to 18 as a means of expanding the network of services and programs available to elementary school students and their families through Neighborhood Center coordinated resources. In succeeding years, add to the complement of Family Resource Schools as determined by the district.

Strategy

Identify a process for selecting schools for expansion that will include poverty indicators, existing neighborhood resources, and leadership ability and interest.

Tactics

1. Meet with FRS Executive Committee, district staff, and current FRS staff to define key elements of FRS programming, and to identify criteria for becoming a Family Resource School.

2. Prepare draft process for selecting schools that includes commitment of schools to key elements, and that includes defined criteria.

3. District and FRS Executive Committee share process with and seek adoption.

4. Identify schools for expansion, using adopted selection process.

5. Identify and secure funding that will support expansion.

6. Work cooperatively with City of Denver, state agencies, Mile High United Way, foundations, and corporations to identify potential funding sources.

7. Write grant proposals, make presentations, and conduct other activities to secure funding.

8. Provide training and technical assistance to newly selected schools to implement Neighborhood Centers and/or FRS.

9. Identify training needs of newly selected schools.

OBJECTIVE 3

By fall 2000, establish five Neighborhood Centers, one in each area of the district (SE, SW, NE, NW, and Montbello).

Strategy

Using the first Neighborhood Center as a working model, replicate, expand, or modify the existing processes, programs, and partnerships based on the ongoing assessment and evaluation tools developed collaboratively by the stakeholders.

Tactics

1. Continue, modify and expand crucial tactics specified in Objective 1 based on the results of implementing the first Neighborhood Center at a Denver Public School middle school.

2. Study data to determine impact of first Neighborhood Center.

3. Plan additional neighborhood centers and Family Resource Schools by assessing

· accomplishment of first center;
· desirable changes; and
· extent to which available data is needed, how it is to be collected and used.

4. Implement changes on a small scale.

5. Observe or monitor the effects of the change.

6. Study the results as a basis for planning subsequent centers.

OBJECTIVE 4

By the end of 1997, institutionalize a long-term, stable funding strategy for Neighborhood Centers.

Strategy

Develop and implement a long-term funding plan.

Tactics

1. Investigate a host of funding strategies, including, but not limited to

· utilization of District Title I dollars for parental involvement;
· current and future funding from the City and County of Denver;
· designating specific public revenue proceeds towards Neighborhood Centers;
· developing a legislative strategy;
· foundation and corporate strategies; and
· Denver Public Schools Foundation.

2. Write grant proposals, make presentations, and conduct other activities to secure long-term funding commitments.

OBJECTIVE 5

On an ongoing basis, develop contractual and interagency agreements with an array of community partners, including the City and County of Denver, neighborhood organizations, community-based organizations, businesses, churches, and higher education to help provide the services and activities offered at the Neighborhood Centers.

Strategy

Based on community needs assessments, determine program and activities that should be offered at each Neighborhood Center.

Tactics

1. Develop and implement a community needs assessment for each potential Family Resource School or Neighborhood Center.

2. Identify appropriate programs and activities that meet identified community needs.

3. Determine which community partners can offer the identified programs and activities.

4. Organize neighborhood and community meetings, inviting interested service providers, businesses, and parents.

5. Conduct survey of existing community services that could be linked to Family Resource Schools and Neighborhood Centers.

6. Establish a selection process.

7. Select community partners and service providers for each specific Family Resource School and Neighborhood Center.

8. Develop specific agreements that stipulate the role and scope of the partnership between participating agencies and the Neighborhood Centers.