State Aid for Mount Vernon's Community Schools Program

The Mount Vernon schools are among several local districts to receive money from the state under its Community Schools program.

The city's schools will receive half-a-million dollars for the 2016-17 year.

Districts are expected to use the new funding to provide students and their families with the support students need to ensure readiness to learn a rigorous curriculum; support connections between schools and community organizations that offer enrichment or social/health services; and encourage the use of school sites as community resources, state education officials said.

“We have to serve the whole child and schools cannot do it alone,” said Chancellor Betty Rosa.  “As a former community school principal, I know students at these schools are healthier, have improved attendance, and fewer social and emotional problems that interfere with the classroom’s focus.  That’s critical for student success and these funds will help to remove obstacles to students’ education.”

The 2016-17 enacted state budget created a $100 million State Foundation Aid set-aside to fund Community Schools programs in 225 high-need districts. 

The strategy is “the transformation of school buildings into community hubs to deliver co-located or school-linked academic, health, mental health, nutrition, counseling, legal and/or other services to students and their families to support costs incurred to maximize students’ academic achievement.”  

Here are some of the local districts receiving the aid:

• Beacon $87,748 
• East Ramapo $360,848 
• Ellenville $128,950 
• Kingston $241,138 
• Kiryas Joel $10,000 
• Middletown $683,511 
• Mount Vernon $517,463
• Peekskill $230,795 
• Port Chester $241,428 
• Poughkeepsie $1,747,582 
• Yonkers $4,286,726 

See the complete list of districts receiving the Community Schools money here.