Chapter 759 Oregon Laws 2001

AN ACT

HB 2082

Relating to community learning centers; creating new provisions; amending ORS 329.007, 329.125 and 329.150; and declaring an emergency.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. ORS 329.007 is amended to read:

329.007. As used in this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise:

(1) “Academic content standards” or “academic standards” means expectations of student knowledge and skills in identified content areas adopted by the State Board of Education under ORS 329.045.

(2) “Administrator” includes all persons whose duties require an administrative license.

(3) “Board” or “state board” means the State Board of Education.

[(4) “21st Century Schools Council” means a council established pursuant to ORS 329.704.]

(4) “Community learning center” means a school-based or school-linked program providing informal meeting places and coordination for community activities, adult education, child care, information and referral and other services as described in section 6 of this 2001 Act. “Community learning center” includes, but is not limited to, a community school program as defined in ORS 336.505, family resource centers as described in ORS 417.725, full service schools, lighted schools and 21st century community learning centers.

(5) “Content areas” includes mathematics, science, history, geography, economics, civics, English, second languages, the arts and physical education. English includes, but is not limited to, reading and writing. The arts include, but are not limited to, literary arts, performing arts and visual arts. History, geography, economics and civics include, but are not limited to, Oregon Studies.

(6) “Department” means the Department of Education.

(7) “District planning committee” means a committee composed of teachers, administrators and public members established for the purposes of ORS 329.537 to 329.605.

(8) “Oregon Studies” means history, geography, economics and civics specific to the State of Oregon. Oregon Studies instruction in Oregon government shall include municipal, county, tribal and state government, as well as the electoral and legislative processes.

(9) “Parents” means parents or guardians of students who are covered by this chapter.

(10) “School district” means a school district as defined in ORS 332.002, an education service district, a state-operated school or any legally constituted combination of such entities.

(11) “School Improvement and Professional Development program” means a formal plan submitted by a school district and approved by the Department of Education according to criteria specified in ORS 329.675 to 329.745 and 329.790 to 329.820.

(12) “Second languages” means any foreign language or American Sign Language.

(13) “Teacher” means any licensed employee of a school district who has direct responsibility for instruction, coordination of educational programs or supervision of students and who is compensated for such services from public funds. “Teacher” does not include a school nurse, as defined in ORS 342.455, or a person whose duties require an administrative license.

(14) “21st Century Schools Council” means a council established pursuant to ORS 329.704.

[(14)] (15) “Work-related learning experiences” means opportunities in which all students may participate in high quality programs that provide industry related and subject matter related learning experiences that prepare students for further education, future employment and lifelong learning.

SECTION 2. ORS 329.125 is amended to read:

329.125. The Legislative Assembly recognizes that students in public elementary and secondary schools can best reach the levels of performance expected under the provisions of this chapter with parental and community participation in the education process. It is, therefore, recommended but not required that:

(1) School districts provide opportunities for parents or guardians to be involved in establishing and implementing educational goals and to participate in decision-making at the school site;

(2) Employers recognize the need for parents or guardians and members of the community to participate in the education process not only for their own children but for the educational system;

(3) Employers be encouraged to extend appropriate leave to parents or guardians to allow greater participation in that process during school hours; [and]

(4) School districts enter into partnerships with business, labor and other groups to provide workplace-based professional development opportunities for their educational staff; and

(5) School districts enter into partnerships with recreation groups, faith-based organizations, social service and health care agencies, businesses, child care providers and other groups that support children and families to create community learning centers for students, parents and members of the surrounding community.

SECTION 3. ORS 329.150 is amended to read:

329.150. A school district may provide services for children and families at the school site, which may include a community learning center. If the district chooses to provide services, the design of educational and other services to children and their families shall be the responsibility of the school district. School districts may coordinate services with programs provided through the local commissions on children and families to provide services to families. To ensure that all educational and other services for young children and their families offer the maximum opportunity possible for the personal success of the child and family members, it is the policy of this state that the following principles for serving children should be observed to the maximum extent possible in all of its educational and other programs serving young children and their families, including those programs delivered at community learning centers:

(1) Services for young children and their families should be located as close to the child and the family’s community as possible, encouraging community support and ownership of such services;

(2) Services for young children and their families should reflect the importance of integration and diversity to the maximum extent possible in regard to characteristics such as race, economics, gender, creed, capability and cultural differences;

(3) Services should be designed to support and strengthen the welfare of the child and the family and be planned in consideration of the individual family’s values;

(4) Services should be designed to [assure] ensure continuity of care among care givers in a given day and among service plans from year to year;

(5) Service systems should address the most urgent needs in a timely manner including health, intervention and support services; and

(6) Service providers and sources of support should be coordinated and collaborative, to reflect the knowledge that no single system can serve all of the needs of the child and family.

SECTION 4. Sections 5, 6 and 7 of this 2001 Act are added to and made a part of ORS chapter 329.

SECTION 5. (1) The Department of Education, the Department of Human Services, the State Commission on Children and Families and the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission shall support the development and implementation of a network of community learning centers across the state.

(2) Within available funding, the State Commission on Children and Families, in conjunction with local commissions on children and families or other organizations that provide training and technical assistance to schools or community programs, shall provide training and technical assistance to promote the development and implementation of community learning centers. To the extent possible, the State Commission on Children and Families shall use voluntary organizations to provide the training and technical assistance.

(3) If a community learning center is created by a school district, the school district shall coordinate with the local commission on children and families to ensure that the community learning center is referenced in the local coordinated comprehensive plan, implemented pursuant to ORS 417.775.

(4) Community learning centers created pursuant to this section shall:

(a) Be located in or near a school or a cluster of schools;

(b) Involve parents in the care and education of their children;

(c) Involve the local community in developing and overseeing community learning center programs;

(d) Incorporate the principles of family support services described in ORS 329.150 and 417.342;

(e) In partnership with the local school district board, create or designate an advisory committee to offer guidance on program development and implementation, with membership that is representative of the diversity of community interests, including representatives of businesses, schools, faith-based organizations, social service and health care agencies, cultural groups, recreation groups, municipal governments, community colleges, libraries, child care providers, parents and youths;

(f) Conduct an assessment of strengths, needs and assets within the community to be served by the community learning center that identifies services being delivered in the community, defines and clarifies services that are missing or overlapping and builds on any existing community assessments; and

(g) Coordinate the community assessment with the local commission on children and families.

(5) The Department of Human Services and the Department of Education shall provide technical assistance to community learning centers to develop policies ensuring that confidential information is disclosed only in accordance with state and federal laws.

SECTION 6. (1) Community learning centers shall promote identification and coordination of existing resources including, but not limited to, the following services and activities:

(a) Before-school and after-school enrichment activities linked with the school curriculum;

(b) Youth development and service learning activities;

(c) Child care programs;

(d) Mentoring and tutoring programs;

(e) Parent literacy and adult education programs;

(f) Prenatal and early childhood support programs;

(g) Parent education and support groups;

(h) Cultural activities and English as a second language programs;

(i) School-to-work and workforce development programs;

(j) Intergenerational activities connecting senior citizens with children;

(k) Referrals for health care and other social and educational services;

(L) Primary health care services, including immunizations, sports physicals and well-child checkups; and

(m) Counseling services.

(2) School districts that create community learning centers shall encourage existing family resource centers to become involved in the development and implementation of the community learning centers. An existing family resource center developed under ORS 417.725 may be designated as a community learning center if the family resource center meets the standards specified in this section and section 5 of this 2001 Act.

(3) Community learning centers shall follow best practice standards to ensure their effectiveness.

SECTION 7. (1) Within available funding, the Department of Education shall, in conjunction with the Department of Human Services, the State Commission on Children and Families, representatives of local commissions on children and families, and the Juvenile Crime Prevention Advisory Committee, explore the feasibility of conducting a statewide evaluation of the effectiveness of community learning centers. The evaluation may consider the following outcomes:

(a) Student attendance;

(b) Test scores;

(c) Parent involvement;

(d) Family mobility;

(e) Disciplinary referrals; and

(f) Referrals to the juvenile justice system.

(2) The Department of Education, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, the State Commission on Children and Families, representatives of local commissions on children and families, and the Juvenile Crime Prevention Advisory Committee, shall create a form for reporting and monitoring information collected by community learning centers. The form shall be designed to collect the following data:

(a) Unduplicated number of children and unduplicated number of adults served in community learning center programs;

(b) Number of requests for information and other referrals;

(c) Level of parent or customer satisfaction;

(d) Increases in or reductions of collaboration among agencies and departments;

(e) Increases in or reductions of the use of public facilities for community and family programs; and

(f) Outcomes listed in subsection (1) of this section.

SECTION 8. The Department of Education shall report on the progress of exploring the feasibility of the statewide evaluation described in section 7 of this 2001 Act to the relevant legislative committees of the Seventy-second Legislative Assembly.

SECTION 9. For the 2001-2003 biennium, the Legislative Fiscal Office shall consult with the Department of Human Services and the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission to identify the resources in the budget that have been awarded to community learning centers. Prior to November 30, 2002, the Legislative Fiscal Office shall report to the Emergency Board on those resources and the programs and services the resources support.

SECTION 10. This 2001 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2001 Act takes effect on its passage.

Approved by the Governor July 6, 2001

Filed in the office of Secretary of State July 6, 2001

Effective date July 6, 2001

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