GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

EXTRA SESSION 1994

S	2 

SENATE BILL 18*
Select Committee on Juveniles/Prevention Committee Substitute Adopted 2/23/94

Short Title:  Support Our Stdnts/Fam. Res. Ctrs./Funds.  	(Public)
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Sponsors:
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Referred to:  Appropriations.
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February 9, 1994

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO IMPLEMENT THE SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS (S.O.S.) PROGRAM, TO ESTABLISH THE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER GRANT PROGRAM, AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THESE PROGRAMS.
Whereas, the issues of crime and school violence in the State's public schools have been well documented; and
Whereas, the General Assembly finds that there is a need to address these issues with a series of immediate strategies and long-term, preventive solutions; and
Whereas, each child and each adolescent has interrelated physical, educational, emotional, and social needs, which, if left unmet, may lead to academic failure, future unemployment, or criminal behavior; and
Whereas, there is a need in the State for comprehensive and broad-based collaboration and collaborative planning and delivery of services among public and private agencies that serve the needs of children, youth, and families; and
Whereas, it is necessary to make more efficient and effective use of existing federal, State, and local resources and programs that serve children, youth, and families; and
Whereas, there is a need to enhance the abilities of families to function as nurturing and effective family units; and
Whereas, there is a need to provide services to enhance students' academic success and assist children, youth, and families by meeting some of their basic needs at or near schools or by linking families to agencies in their communities; and
Whereas, these services, which are part of a long-term school violence prevention program, must be based on the following four fundamental principles:
(1)	Families, schools, and communities must share responsibility in order to enhance children's abilities to attain academic and social success and to reduce crime and violence; 
(2)	Middle school-aged children need well-supervised and enriching activities that extend beyond the traditional school day and are designed to enhance self-esteem and improve academic performance.  These activities are powerful, preventive measures for reducing crime and violence; 
(3)	Each county must design a focused program based on local needs, neighborhood-based services, and strong accountability measures; and
(4)	In most counties, school buildings may be the primary or only buildings available for implementing this program; and
Whereas, these programs must rely on a strong corps of community volunteers who will serve as valuable role models for students and who will connect with these students at a very special time in their lives; and
Whereas, due to the efforts of the community volunteers, many young people will come to understand the importance of discipline, and they will be given hope for the future that may not have been previously present;  Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Article 16 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Part to read:
"Part 8. S.O.S. Program.
"§ 115C-239.  Establishment of program; purpose; goals.
(a)	There is created under the general supervision of the State Board of Education the Support Our Students (S.O.S.) Program.  The purpose of the program is to award three-year grants to local school administrative units to establish S.O.S. centers that provide high quality after-school activities for middle school-aged children and provide for comprehensive, collaborative delivery of services by public and nonpublic agencies to these children and their families.  These services shall be designed to enrich and make a positive impact on the lives of middle school-aged children.
(b)	The goals of the program are to:
(1)	Reduce juvenile crime in local communities served by the program;
(2)	Recruit community volunteers to provide positive adult role models for middle school-aged children and to help supervise after-school activities;
(3)	Reduce the number of students who are unsupervised after school, otherwise known as 'latchkey' children;
(4)	Improve the academic performance of students participating in the program;
(5)	Meet the physical, intellectual, emotional, and social needs of students participating in the program and improve their attitudes and behavior;
(6)	Establish local programs designed to enhance the abilities of families in assisting their children to attain academic and social success; and
(7)	Improve coordination of existing resources and enhance collaboration so as to provide services to middle school-aged children and their families effectively and efficiently.
"§ 115C-239.1.  Definitions.
As used in this Part, the term 'Middle school-aged children' means children enrolled in grades six, seven, eight, or nine who do not attend a public school with only grades nine through twelve.
"§ 115C-239.2.  Administration of the program.
The State Board of Education shall develop and implement the Support Our Students Program.  The State Board shall:
(1)	Sponsor a statewide conference in March of each year for teams of interested representatives from each local school administrative unit to provide background information and assistance regarding all aspects of the program;
(2)	Develop and disseminate before April 22 of each year a process for applying for grants;
(3)	Review grant proposals and award grants before July 1 of each year in accordance with G.S. 115C-239.4;
(4)	Disseminate information regarding the program to interested local community groups;
(5)	Provide initial technical assistance to grant applicants and ongoing technical assistance as grants are implemented;
(6)	Administer funds appropriated by the General Assembly;
(7)	Monitor the grants funded;
(8)	Revoke a grant if the grant recipient does not make any necessary modifications in a program to address strategies that are not working;
(9)	Report annually on program implementation to the Joint Legislative Committee on Education Oversight, the Office of the Governor, and the Governor's Council on Children, Youth, and Families; and
(10)	Adopt rules to implement this Part.
"§ 115C-239.3.  Neighborhood S.O.S. Council; application for grants.
(a)	A County Council established under G.S. 143B-152.4 shall identify the school or schools whose middle school-aged students are to be served by an S.O.S. center.  Upon this identification, the County Council shall establish a Neighborhood S.O.S. Council that reflects the racial and socioeconomic diversity of the neighborhood or neighborhoods to be served and that may include the school's principal, a teacher, parents of children who will be eligible for services at the center, students, a representative of the school's Parent Teacher Association, representatives of local organizations that provide services to middle school-aged children, representatives of business and industry or local nonprofit organizations, and any other interested persons.
(b)	The Neighborhood S.O.S. Council, in consultation with the County Council, shall determine the physical location of the S.O.S. center.  If the location is to be in the school or on school property, the Neighborhood S.O.S. Council shall obtain the approval of the board of education.  Any other location shall be confirmed by the owner of the property.  Upon receipt of the approval of the board of education or the confirmation by the property owner, whichever is appropriate, the Neighborhood S.O.S. Council, in consultation with the County Council, shall develop an application for a grant for the S.O.S. center, and shall submit the application to the Grant Review Committee established under G.S. 143B-152.3.
(c)	The grant proposal shall include:
(1)	Identification of the school or schools to be served by the S.O.S. center, based on a needs assessment of existing conditions for middle school-aged children to be served.  Data collected for each school to be served by a center shall include (i) dropout statistics, (ii) the number and percentage of middle school-aged children who participate in the federal subsidized lunch program, (iii) the number of suspensions and expulsions involving middle school-aged children, (iv) average daily membership of middle school-aged children, (v) the number and percentage of middle school-aged children with two working parents or one single parent, and (vi) any other relevant or unique local demographic data.  Only schools that serve middle school-aged children in at least two of the grades six through nine shall be identified;
(2)	A three-year plan, developed in consultation with the building-level school improvement team, appointed in accordance with G.S. 115C-238.3(b1), of each school whose students may be served by the grant, to address the needs of these students;
(3)	Goals and anticipated outcomes for initiatives, and a system to measure their success;
(4)	A list of services to be offered that are related to the goals and anticipated outcomes of the local plans.  These services shall include (i) supervision and enrichment activities for middle school-aged children following the regular school day, and (ii) the recruitment of a strong corps of volunteers for involvement in all aspects of the program.  The services may include (i) transportation, (ii) parental involvement activities, and (iii) coordinated services offered by local community agencies relative to the needs of middle school-aged children and their families; and
(5)	A budget including the use of existing resources.
(d)	Notwithstanding subsection (c) of this section, a local school administrative unit may apply for a grant under this section if its application provides convincing evidence that genuine interagency collaboration was attempted, but failed, in the county in which the school administrative unit is located.  In this case, the local school administrative unit shall state in its application any future steps it plans to take to encourage and implement local-level collaboration and coordination of services for middle school-aged children and their families.
"§ 115C-239.4.  Grant selection.
The State Board of Education shall award grants before July 1 of each year.  In awarding grants, the State Board of Education shall consider (i)	the severity of the local problems as  determined by needs assessment data, (ii) the likelihood that the locally designed plan will result in high quality after-school services for middle school-aged children, (iii) evidence of local collaboration, and  (iv) any innovative or experimental aspects of the plan that will make it a useful model for replication in other local school administrative units.
In determining the amount of funds an applicant receives, the State Board shall consider (i)	the number of students to be served, (ii) the number and percentage of students to be served who participate in the subsidized lunch program, (iii) the number and percentage of families to be served with two working parents or one single parent, (iv) the availability of other resources or funds, and (v) the amount needed to implement the proposal.
"§ 115C-239.5.  Administration of grant programs at the local level.
(a)	The local board of education shall administer any grant awarded by the State Board of Education under this program to establish the S.O.S. center. However, the Neighborhood S.O.S. Council shall develop the center's budget and shall monitor the ongoing operations of the S.O.S. center and make recommendations for improvement to the County Council and the local board of education, if appropriate.
(b)	Local boards of education may, and are encouraged to, use grant funds to contract for services for middle school-aged children.  Grant funds shall not be used to provide services for children who are not middle school-aged children.  Staffing should include the use of the community schools coordinator employed by the board of education under G.S. 115C-209.
"§ 115C-239.6.  Program evaluation.
Local boards of education that receive a grant under this Part shall report by August 1 of each year to the State Board of Education on the implementation of the program."
Sec. 2.  Article 3 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Part to read:
"Part 5B.  Family Resource Center Grant Program.
"§ 143B-152.10.  Intent.
It is the intent of the General Assembly to encourage and support broad-based collaboration among public and private agencies and among people who reflect the racial and socioeconomic diversity in communities to develop initiatives that (i)	prepare children to learn effectively and to have a successful school experience, (ii) enhance the ability of families to become advocates for and supporters of education for the children in their families, and (iii) enhance the ability of families to function as nurturing and effective family units.
"§ 143B-152.11.  Family Resource Centers Grant Program; creation; purpose.
There is created in the Department of Human Resources the Family Resources Grant Program.  The purpose of the program is to provide grants to local school administrative units to establish family resource centers that provide services to children from birth through elementary school age and to their families that:
(1)	Enhance the children's development and ability to attain academic and social success;
(2)	Ensure a successful transition from early childhood education programs and child care to the public schools; and
(3)	Mobilize public and private community resources to help children and families in need.
"§ 143B-152.12.  Administration of program.
The Department of Human Resources shall develop and implement the Family Resource Center Grant Program.  The Department shall:
(1)	Sponsor an annual statewide conference for teams of interested representatives from each local school administrative unit to provide background information and assistance regarding all aspects of the program;
(2)	Administer funds appropriated by the General Assembly;
(3)	Monitor the grants funded and the ongoing operations of family resource centers;
(4)	Revoke a grant if the grant recipient does not make any necessary modifications in a program to address strategies that are not working;
(5)	Report annually on program implementation to the Joint Legislative Committee on Education Oversight, the Office of the Governor, and the Governor's Council on Children, Youth, and Families;
(6)	Disseminate information regarding the program to interested local community groups;
(7)	Provide initial technical assistance and ongoing technical assistance to grant recipients; and
(8)	Adopt rules to implement this Part.
"§ 143B-152.13.  Neighborhood Family Resource Center Councils;  applications for grants.
(a)	A County Council established under G.S. 143B-152.4 shall identify the school or schools whose students and families will be served by a family resource center.  Upon this identification, the County Council shall establish a Neighborhood Family Resource Center Council that reflects the racial and socioeconomic diversity of the neighborhood or neighborhoods to be served and that may include the school's principal, a teacher, parents of children who will be eligible for services at the center, a representative of the school's Parent Teacher Association, representatives of local organizations that provide services to children and families, representatives of business and industry or local nonprofit organizations, and any other interested persons.
(b)	The Neighborhood Family Resource Center Council, in consultation with the County Council, shall determine the physical location of the family resource center.  If the center is to be established in an elementary school or on school property, the Neighborhood Council shall obtain the approval of the local board of education.  Any other location shall be confirmed by the property owner.  Upon receipt of the approval of the board of education or the confirmation by the property owner, whichever is appropriate, the Neighborhood Family Resource Center Council, in consultation with the County Council, shall develop an application for the family resource center, and shall submit the application to the Grant Review Committee established under G.S. 143B-152.3.
(c)	The grant proposal shall include:
(1)	Identification of one or more elementary schools in or reasonably near which a family resource center will be established, based on a needs assessment of existing conditions for children to be served.  Data collected for each school to be served by a center shall include (i) the number and percentage of students who participate in the federal subsidized lunch program, (ii) the school's average daily membership, (iii) the number and percentage of students with two working parents or one single parent, and (iv) any other relevant or unique local demographic data.  The school or schools that are selected shall serve a disproportionate number of low-income children as determined by the percentage of students participating in the federal subsidized lunch program.  No school shall be selected unless at least fifty percent (50%) of its students are eligible for subsidized lunches;
(2)	A three-year plan, developed in consultation with the building-level school improvement team, appointed in accordance with G.S. 115C-238.3(b1), of each school whose students may be served by the grant, to address the needs of the children and their families to be served by the center;
(3)	Goals and anticipated outcomes for initiatives, and a system to measure their success;
(4)	A list of services to be offered that are related to the goals and anticipated outcomes of the local plans.  These services may include: (i) supervision and enrichment activities for children following the regular school day, (ii) the recruitment of a strong corps of volunteers for involvement in all aspects of the program, (iii) transportation, (iv) parental involvement activities, and (v) coordinated services offered by local community agencies relative to the needs of the children and their families;
(5)	A budget including use of existing resources; and
(6)	Any additional necessary information.
(d)	Notwithstanding subsection (c) of this section, a board of county commissioners may apply for a grant under this section if its application provides convincing evidence that genuine interagency collaboration was attempted, but failed, in that county.  In this case, the board of county commissioners shall state in its application any future steps it plans to take to encourage and implement local-level collaboration and coordination of services for children and their families.
"§ 143B-152.14.  Grant selection.
(a)	The Secretary of Human Resources should award grants before July 1 of each year, and shall award grants no later than September 1 of each year.  In awarding grants, the Secretary shall consider (i) the severity of the local problems as determined by needs assessment data, (ii) the likelihood that the locally designed plan will result in high quality services for middle school-aged children, (iii) evidence of local collaboration, and  (iv) any innovative or experimental aspects of the plan that will make it a useful model for replication in other local school administrative units.
In determining the amount of funds an applicant receives, the Secretary shall consider (i)	the number of students to be served, (ii) the number and percentage of students to be served who participate in the subsidized lunch program, (iii) the number and percentage of families to be served with two working parents or one single parent, (iv) the availability of other resources or funds, and (v) the amount needed to implement the proposal.
(b)	If funding to expand the program becomes available in subsequent years, additional family resource centers shall be funded based on:
(1)	The quality and performance of the existing family resource center; and
(2)	Need, as determined by the number and percentage of students participating in the subsidized lunch program.
"§ 143B-152.15.  Administration of grant programs at the local level.
(a)	The board of county commissioners shall administer any grant awarded by the Secretary under this program to establish a family resource center in that county.  However, the Neighborhood Family Resource Center Council shall develop the center's budget and shall monitor the ongoing operations of the center, and shall make recommendations for improvement to the County Council and the board of county commissioners, if appropriate.
(b)	 Boards of county commissioners may, and are encouraged to, use grant funds to contract for the operation of a family resource center or for the provision of services for children and their families through a family resource center.  Staffing should include the use of the community schools coordinator employed under G.S. 115C-209 by the board of education of the local school administrative unit in which the school being served by the family resource center is located.
"§ 143B-152.16.  Program evaluation.
Local boards of county commissioners that receive a grant under this Part shall report by August 1 of each year to the Department of Human Resources on the implementation of the program."
Sec. 3. (a)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to State Aid to Local School Administrative Units the sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for the 1994-95 fiscal year to implement Section 1 of this act.  Of these funds, a maximum of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) may be used by the State Board of Education to administer the S.O.S. Program and to provide technical assistance to applicants and to S.O.S. centers.  For the 1994-95 fiscal year, the State Board of Education shall provide one grant to each local administrative school unit to establish one or more S.O.S. centers.  It is the goal of the General Assembly that all programs that receive grants for the 1994-95 fiscal year shall be operating at the beginning of the 1994-95 school year.  In no case shall the implementation of these programs begin later than January 31, 1995.
(b)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Human Resources the sum of four million one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($4,175,000) for the 1994-95 fiscal year to implement Section 2 of this act.
Of these funds:
(1)	$100,000 shall be used by the Department of Human Resources for training, materials, and consultation services.
(2)	$3,750,000 shall be used for grants for up to $37,500 per county to begin implementation of the family resource center grants established in Section 2 of this act.  The grants shall be awarded for the six months beginning January 1, 1995.  These grants shall be based on the guidelines established under Section 2 of this act.
(3)	$325,000 shall be used by the Division of Family Development, Department of Human Resources, to administer the program and to provide technical assistance to applicants and to family resource centers.
(c)	The State Board of Education may use funds available in State Aid to Local School Administrative Units to carry out the work of the Grant Review Committee established in Section 1 of this act before July 1, 1994.
  	Sec. 4.  Subsections (a)	and (b) of Section 3 of this act become effective July 1, 1994.  The remainder of this act is effective upon ratification.