The following resources might be helpful to school districts and the community partners who work with them.

Arkansas—Bring Healthcare to K12 Students—Just a Short Walk from Class —The rural district, with unanimous community support, received a five-year $500,000 state grant to run a school-based health center. The Magazine Wellness Center, which opened in December 2011, now provides basic physical, mental and dental services to students, teachers, staff and community members. (District Administration, Jan. 25)

Building Our Children’s Futures: A Multi-Disciplinary Conference to Address and Confront Child PovertyThe Conference creates a forum that bridges research, application and practice by bringing healthcare professionals, K-12 teachers, mental health professionals, law enforcement professionals, early childhood professionals, and social service professionals together with scholars, practitioners, policymakers, service providers and activists in the fields of neuroscience, pediatric medicine, mental health, education, law enforcement and social service to explore:

  • The current research on the damaging effects of poverty on child outcomes.
  • Evidence based prevention – intervention programs and strategies that work.
  • The public policy implications on the damaging effects of poverty on child well-being.

Preparing for the Early Childhood Block Grant (ECBG) Re-Competition:  Apply to receive individualized Technical Assistance (TA) and Support during application process—Please check the ISBE early childhood webpage frequently for updates.  ISBE expects to release the re-designed RFPs to apply for FY18 ECBG funding in January 2017, with a bidders’ conference to follow shortly afterward. Communities will have 60 days to submit their proposals.  The FY18 ECBG funding will focus on five policy priorities:

  • Prioritizing high need communities
  • Serving children from priority populations – homelessness, 50 percent federal poverty level and below, children with special needs (IEP/IFSP), and current or recent child welfare involvement;
  • Increasing number of slots that meet the Preschool Expansion model–full-day and comprehensive services;
  • Encouraging/supporting community collaborations; and
  • Building a birth to third grade continuum of high quality services