De Blasio: State Grant Will Bring Social Services To 40 City Schools
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday announced a $52 million grant to bring social service providers to 40 community schools in high-need neighborhoods.
As 1010 WINS' Sonia Rincon reported, de Blasio said creating more community schools, which incorporate local and family services, is part of the next wave of education reform after universal pre-kindergarten.
The four-year grant from the New York State Department of Education will turn the 40 existing schools into community schools, which will offer services such as in-school mental health services, homework help and family counseling alongside classroom instruction.
The program will be managed by city in partnership with the United Way of New York City.
The mayor was joined by schools Chancellor Carmen Farina, United Way officials and others as he made the announcement at the New Settlement School campus, at 1501 Jerome Ave. in Mount Eden section of the Bronx. He called the New Settlement School a model community school.
"There's a full-service medical clinic in this building. There's a community center. There's a rooftop garden. It is a place that recognizes that the education of the child must involve the family," de Blasio said.
The mayor also announced another part of the new wave of education reform. His middle school after-school program expansion plan now has 271 providers onboard for the fall.
Schools will submit proposals over the summer to be included in the program. The amount of each school's grant will depend on the size of the school.
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