N.M. Stat. § 22-32-6 — NM Code / Chapter 22 / Article 32 / Section 22-32-6
§ 22-32-6. Community school framework; community school coordinator
Status: in_force

A. The community school framework shall ensure the use of research- and evidence-based strategies and best practices that support students, families and communities in ensuring student success and shall include:

(1) integrated student supports that address non-academic and out-of-school barriers to learning through partnerships with social and health service agencies and providers that may include school-based or school-linked health care, case management services and family stability supports coordinated by a community school coordinator and that are culturally and linguistically responsive to the needs of students and their families;

(2) expanded and enriched learning time and opportunities, including before-school, after-school, weekend, summer and year-round programs, that provide additional academic support, enrichment activities and other programs that may be offered in partnership with community-based organizations to enhance academic learning, social skills, emotional skills and life skills and are aligned with the school's curriculum;

(3) active family and community engagement that:

(a) values the experiences of people from diverse backgrounds as empowered partners in decision making and encourages partnerships with parents or caregivers to develop and promote a vision for student success;

(b) offers courses, activities and services for parents or caregivers and community members; and

(c) creates structures and opportunities for shared leadership; and

(4) collaborative leadership and practices that build a culture of professional learning, collective trust and shared responsibility using strategies that at a minimum include a site-based leadership team and a community school coordinator.

B. The community school framework may include:

(1) broader use of public school facilities in which school buildings become hubs for neighborhood events, activities, advocacy and civic life;

(2) community-based curriculum in which the content of instruction is centered on local knowledge, service learning and problem-solving around community issues; and

(3) public pre-kindergarten and other state and federally funded early childhood services that:

(a) support working families and help ensure that children come to kindergarten ready to learn;

(b) provide students and working parents or caregivers with full-day and after-school child care;

(c) provide high-quality pre-kindergarten programs that are aligned to early childhood professional and curricular early learning standards;

(d) provide health, vision, dental and other supports and services to children before school age; and

(e) include strong partnerships and alignment with early learning centers and child care providers that may include transportation or coordination to meet the broader early childhood community needs.

C. The lead partner agency shall employ a community school coordinator to:

(1) implement the community school framework;

(2) lead the needs and assets assessment;

(3) facilitate communication between partners as a stakeholder- and community-driven approach to problem-solving;

(4) guide data-informed continuous improvement;

(5) manage data collection; and

(6) align, leverage and coordinate resources for student and family success.