School based centers managed by community-based organizations that offer children and adults a mix of recreation, social services, education enrichment, vocational activities, health education, and referrals.
Office of Desegregation Monitoring United States District Court Eastern District of Arkansas Ann S. Brown, Federal Monitor 201 East Markham, Suite 510 Heritage West Building Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 (501)376-6200 Fax (501) 371-0100 November 4, 1994 Dr. Henry P. Williams, Superintendent Little Rock School District 810 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72201 Dear Hank: Lately Ive been hearing the term Beacon" schools used in reference to a subcommittee of the LRSD Board of Education and certain district schools. That is a term with which 1 am unfamiliar. Id appreciate your forwarding any information that can help me and my staff become better acquainted with the concept. I am particularly interested in specifically where and how you plan to implement and fund the Beacon idea in the LRSD. New programs or projects invariably have an impact on desegregation. When 1 am informed about the districts activities and potential new ventures, 1 am better able to answer any questions which members of the community or Judge Wright may ask me. Thanks for helping me keep up-to-date. Sincerely yours, Ann S. Brown c Eif?
: > Little Rock School District OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT November 11, 1994 RECE5VEP Ann S. Brown, Federal Monitor Office of Desegregation Monitoring 201 East Markham, Suite 510 NOV 2 2 1994 Little Rock, AR 72201 Office of Desegregation Monitoring Dear Ann, In collaboration with the City of Little Rock and New Futures for Little Rock Youth, the Department of Health, and the Division of Children and Family Services, the Little Rock School District has participated in the planning process for the Rock Beacon School Initiative. City of Little The Beacon Initiative of New York City, a highly successful program, has provided a framework to guide the local effort. need The fundamental principle of the Beacons Initiative is the for partnerships between schools organizations to meet the needs of youth and community-based society. in today's complex The Beacons Initiative seeks to link community-based youth organizations with schools to increase the presence of supports for youth to meet their needs and to assist them in building academic and social competencies. A Beacon School Program is managed by a organization working collaboratively with the school district, local school principal, and their own community advisory council. The school facility is utilized for Beacon programming during the evening hours, on weekends, holidays, and in the summer. community-based A Beacon Program offers children, youth and adults a mix of recreation, social services, educational enrichment and vocational activities, health education and referrals, and the opportunity for community meetings and neighborhood social activities. Cloverdale Junior High School has been recommended to the planning committee as the site for the first Beacon School. The new Stephens has been proposed as the second site. Funding for the Beacon Program will be provided primarily by the city of Little Rock. The school district will nrovide the soace for the DT-DCT "r a-m provide space program. Further information will be provided to you as the planning process proceeds. Sil X
C 2. re^ I P. Williams, Su^rintendent of Schools 810 West Markham Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 (501) 324-3000RATIONAL BEACON SITE-SELECTION The Little Rock School District carefully examined the site-selection criteria that were developed by the Beacon Initiative Steering Committee and provided to the district for use in the selection process. The school characteristics were reviewed and Cloverdale Junior High School successfully fulfilled the necessary criteria. Listed below are the site-selection criteria and the specific characteristics for Cloverdale Junior High School. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. ADEQUATE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES Cloverdale Junior High School has a renovated gym, newly constructed cafetorium, paved walking track, and several outside recreational activity areas. SUFFICIENT HEALTH FACILITIES In the recent building renovations of Cloverdale, the health services area was expanded and updated. It is sufficient to handle expanded health care services. AMPLE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES Ample educational classroom space is available as well as specialized areas such as an art room, band room and choir room. The design of the school provides pleasant outdoor courtyards that can be used for a variety of outdoor activities when the weather is conducive. ADEQUATE OFFICE SPACE Office space for the director of the Beacon Program has been identified by the building principal. TOTAL ACCESSIBILITY Cloverdale Junior High is located less than a block from Geyer Springs Road which serves as a main traffic artery for the Southwest Little Rock community. Cloverdale Elementary is located adjacent to the junior high which will enhance accessibility for elementary age students. SATISFACTORY DAY CARE FACILITIES Space within the building could be adapted and designated for a child care area while parents are participating in Beacon activities.CITY OF LITTLE ROCK BEACONS INITIATIVE MISSION STATEMENT: To establish comprehensive, neighborhood-based safe havens for children and families support, located in public school buildings and operated by community organizations. Neighborhood residents will be actively involved in the planning and implementation of a range of services that stress youth development and strengthen school, family and community linkages. STRUCTURE: Beacons school-based community centers are managed by non-profit community-based organizations (CBOs) working collaboratively with the Little Rock School District (LRSD), principals, City of Little Rock and their own community advisory boards. Each Beacon must have a Community Advisory Council whose membership must include the school principal, parents, youth, and community residents. Advisory councils may also include teachers, neighborhood service providers, community police officers, districts School Board member and Wards City Board member. These councils work closely with the coordinating agency to plan and assess programming and community events.SCHOOL/BEACONS PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT A viable School/Beacons Partnership Agreement will be an integral aspect of the overall success of the Little Rock Beacons Initiative. This agreement will be a result of collaborative efforts between the LRSD and the Beacons. Clear agreements on specific operational issues between the parties as well as a spirit of collaboration, belief in negotiations of issues and a commitment to flexibihty will provide a sound foundation on which to build this innovative program and partnership. Listed below is an initial list of major points that are recommended for inclusion in the final School/Beacon Partnership Agreement which will be formalized in the early stages of the implementation process. The LRSD will ensure that facilities are available and suitable for the accomplishment of the Beacons goals and strategies. LRSD will commit to office space on full-time basis. The use of selected school facilities and equipment will be agreed to mutually between the two entities. A schedule of dates for the use of school facilities will be developed in advance by the Beacons and the LRSD. This schedule will be arranged in order to avoid conflict between the two entities. The Beacons will supply all consumable materials and supplies necessary for the operation of the program. Arrangements to protect the daily work of teachers and students wiU be developed by the Beacons. The Beacons will develop adequate security measures. The Beacons will insure that school facilities are cleaned and ready for school the next day. The LRSD will insure clean space will be available for Beacon programming. The Beacons will be responsible for repair or replacement of school property damaged by Beacon program participants during operational hours. The LRSD will provide adequate space for programming, office space for the director of the Beacons program, access to educational and recreational equipment, utihty costs, and phone services. The issue of insurance coverage and liability is still under review by the LRSD in consultation with its earner. scbeagrDATE: TO: FROM: RE: Proj ect. LITTLE ROCK BOARD SCHOOL O F DISTRICT DIRECTORS MEMORANDUM November 30, 1994 School Board Members John Riggs, IV Beacons Project RECEIVED DEC 21994 Office of Desegregation Woniioring Attached for your review is additional information on the Beacons The committee that is putting together this proposal is moving ahead with as much of the detail work as possible prior to submitting this proposal to both the LRSD Board and the City Board. ODM has been informed of this initiative and has an understanding of the concept. I assume they will pass along information to Judge Wright it becomes available to them. as Funding is still a major source of concern. The goal we have for funding is fairly straight forwardredirect existing funds that are being used for similar projects to this specific project. Attached are some funding ideas developed by the City staff on how they may be able to contribute funds. We need to be investigating the same avenue. particularly since we all understand that new revenues will not be available for next year. I have asked that this initiative be placed on the agenda for I apologize in advance for missing the agenda meeting, but my "REEl" job has certain needs that I can not avoid this time of year. I am December. always available to answer any questions you may have between now and December 15. It is my understanding that the City Board will vote similar resolution at their December 20th board meeting. on a CC Dr. Williams Vice Mayor MasonCITY OF LITTLE ROCK BEACONS SCHOOL INITIATIVE AGENDA NOVEMBER 29, 1994 I. Subcommittee Reports A. School/Beacon Partnership Agreement Linda Young B. New Futures' Role Don Crary C. Community Involvement John Riggs D. Funding . Brenda Donald n. Resolution of Support A. Little Rock Board of Directors B. Little Rock School Board m. General DiscussionSCHOOL/BEACONS PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT A viable School/Beacons Partnership Agreement will be an integral aspect of the overall success of the Little Rock Beacons Initiative. This agreement will be a result of collaborative efforts between the LRSD and the Beacons. Clear agreements on specific operational issues between the parties as well as a spirit of collaboration, belief in negotiations of issues and a commitment to flexibility will provide a sound foundation on which to build this innovative program and partnership. Listed below is an initial list of major points that are recommended for inclusion in the final School/Beacon Partnership Agreement which will be formalized in the early stages of the implementation process. The LRSD will ensure that facilities are available and suitable for the accomplishment of the Beacons goals and strategies. LRSD will commit to office space on full-time basis. The use of selected school facilities and equipment will be agreed to mutually between the two entities. A schedule of dates for the use of school facilities will be developed in advance by the Beacons and the LRSD. This schedule will be arranged in order to avoid conflict between the two entities. The Beacons will supply all consumable materials and supplies necessary for the operation of tiie program. Arrangements to protect the daily work of teachers and students will be developed by the Beacons. The Beacons will develop adequate security measures. ^e Beacons will insure that school facilities are cleaned and ready for school the next day. The LRSD will insure clean space will be available for Beacon programming. The Beacons will be responsible for repair or replacement of school property damaged by Beacon program participants during operational hours. The LRSD will provide adequate space for programming, office space for the director of the Beacons program, access to educational and recreational equipment, utility costs, and phone services. The Beacons will provide a general liability insurance policy. KbeagrTHE NEW FUTURES ROLE IN DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A BEACONS PROJECT The proposed Beacons Project seeks to address critical issues around youth development, family involvement neighborhood and community life, and multi-level partnerships. These notions are central to the New Futures mission of systems reform and improved outcomes for at-risk youth. New Futures has promoted a model of broad based collaboration across diverse constituencies in order to achieve better planning, resource allocation and service provision for youth and families. The New Futures experience in this regard can be particularly helpful in moving the Beacons project ^rough the strategic planning, development and implementation phases. The role would mclude convening the appropriate representatives, fostering the collaborative process
identifying resources: mediating issues, researching information and developing strategies. During the development and implementation phases, the on-going role would include the provision of training and technical assistance and documentation of the process. New Futures could also provide assistance to the funders in developing an evaluation system that would generate program outcome and effectiveness data. New Futures for Little Rock Youth will assume multiple roles in the Beacons Initiative. The major functionswill include (1) providing technical assistance to the lead community based organization(s), (2) providing professional development and training opportunities, (3) documenting the implementation process and (4) facilitating the development of a system of documentation of enrollments, participation, activities and events. The function of technical assistance will include such activities as assisting community based organization(s) in building and maintaining internal capacity, providing information on specific programmatic development, serving in a liaison role with the local school(s) and school district, creating networking opportunities, and providing information and best thinking on processes of community-based planning, youth development and inter-governmental/agency collaboration. New Futures will provide professional development and training on specific topics as needed or requested. Specific development activities will be designed for the initial stages of the Beacons Initiative process. Additional development activities will be designed in response to the articulate needs of the agencies involved. In order to provide written documentation of the implementation process. New Futures proposes to produce a summary report which would reflect all aspects of the project New Futures will also assist in the development of a process and suggested procedures for program evaluation. L0Z14/94POTENTIAL CITY FUNDING SOURCES FOR CLOVERDALE BEACONS Summer Playground Program $ 15,000 FUTURE-Little Rock - YIP Site (Relocate existing program) 30,000 FUTURE-Little Rock - Our Club (Relocate existing program) 25,000 FUTURE-Little Rock - PIT Grants (Co-locate 2 neighborhood-based programs) 100,000 FUTURE-Little Rock - Expanded Community Center Funds (Replace Southwest Center Program) 30,000 JTPA Summer Youth Workers (10) 15,000 FUTURE-Little Rock Educare Program 100,000 JTPA Year-Round Program (RFP March 1995) 50,000 TOTAL $365,000 OTHER POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES DHS Crime Bill Programs (Justice) United Way Youth Build (HUD) Foundation GrantsSTAFFING The core element of a successful Beacons Program will be the staff. Experienced and qualified staff is critical to the development and enhancement of a successful program. Each Beacons School will have a full time director and, in some cases, assistant directors hired and supervised by the CBO. Directors may come from varied backgroimds, including teaching, school admimstration, counseling, program management, social services and public administration Experience in working with youth programs and schools is essential. Diverse populations and programmatic demands may require the appointment of co-directors. This will ensure coverage over extended hours and reduce the likelihood of burnout. Activity coordinators will be responsible for the educational, recreational and volunteer programming components. If possible, staff who can do outreach to teens, and have community organizing skills should be engaged to work with hard-to-reach youth such as school dropouts, teen parents and gang members. Volunteers are integral aspects of successful Beacons Programs. Parents, college students and community residents can be utilized in this capacity. In addition, college internships and co-op programs could be a valuable resource for staffing purposes. Stoff development will be a key issue in the overall success of the program. Staffs will face a diverse population and a variety of complex issues, and will need the opportunity to enhance their skills and learn new techniques. This can be accomplished by having staff participate actively in retreats, seminars, networking meetings and training opportunities. RECOMMENDED STAFFING REQUIREMENTS
1. 2. 3. 4. Full-time Director - Responsible for providing administrative leadership for the Beacons Salary: $30,000 Assistant Director - Responsible for overall administrative program and service coordination Salary: $25,000 Activity Coordinators - Responsible for coordinating educational, recreational and volunteer services Salary: $18,000 x 3 = $54,000 Office Assistant - Responsible for office administration Salary: $15,000 Fringe Benefits @ 25% - $31,000 Total stalTing cost: $155,000EK LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT I-, BOARD DIRECTORS O F MEMORANDUM DATE
November 10, 1994 TO: Members of the Community Involvement Sub CommitteeBeacons Project: Jan Chaparro, Dorthy Nayles, Zenobia Harris, Leon Modeste FROM: John Riggs, IV RE
CC: Notes from Meeting, November Sth Cassandra Mason, Fredrick Fields, Joan Adcock, Linda Joyce, O.G. Jacovelli, Bruce Moore, Ellen Yeary, Jan AlmanThanks to those who could attend our meeting yesterday at Cloverdale Junior High School. The consensus of the group was to schedule a "feed and inform" meeting at the school with community stakeholders. This meeting should be held after official action has been taken by both the LRSD board and the city board, and its goal should be to educate the community about the Beacon's project and to ask for participation. Some of the community groups identified include: 10-12 neighborhood groups Rotary, Kiwanas, Lions Clubs SW Ministerial Alliance PTAsParents, Teachers, Students Other interested groups that need to be targeted are: McClellen Community School UALR Philander Smith In addition, Linda Joyce and Joan Adcock may identify other groups that need to be added to the list. Linda and Joan will put together contact names for the neighborhood groups, SW Ministerial Alliance and service clubs. Leon Modest will put together a contact list of PTA presidents, building administrators, and teachers. If you have any additional names please forward those to either Leon Modest at the school district or Bruce Moore at the city. If possible at the "feed and inform" meeting we will show the video tape from NYC and possibly have someone from the Fund for New York (Alfonso Wyatt?) share information. We anticipate that some official action can take place in December, so perhaps our community meeting could be planned for January. In summary, the community involvement committee is convinced that early and vigorous involvement by community essential for the success of this initiative. stakeholders is needed and is 2RATIONAL BEACON SITE-SELECTION The Little Rock School District carefully examined the site-selection criteria that were developed by the Beacon Initiative Steering Committee and provided to the district for use in the selection process. The school characteristics were reviewed and Cloverdale Junior High School successfully fulfilled the necessary criteria. Listed below are the site-selection criteria and the specific characteristics for Cloverdale Junior High School. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. ADEQUATE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES Cloverdale Junior High School has a renovated gym, newly constructed cafetorium, paved walking track, and several outside recreational activity areas. SUFFICIENT HEALTH FACILTTIES In the recent building renovations of Cloverdale, the health services area was expanded and updated. It is sufficient to handle expanded health care services. AMPLE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES Ample educational classroom space is available as well as specialized areas such as an art room, band room and choir room. The design of the school provides pleasant outdoor courtyards that can be used for a variety of outdoor activities when the weather is conducive. ADEQUATE OFFICE SPACE Office space for the director of the Beacon Program has been identified by the building principal. TOTAL ACCESSIBIUTY Cloverdale Junior High is located less than a block from Geyer Springs Road which serves as a main traffic artery for the Southwest Little Rock community. Cloverdale Elementary is located adjacent to the junior high which will enhance accessibility for elementary age students. SATISFACTORY DAY CARE FACILITIES Space within the building could be adapted and designated for a child area while parents are participating in Beacon activities. care7. PRINCIPALISTAFF SUPPORT The principal and staff are very supportive and excited about the idea of being involved in the Beacon Initiative. The principal and staff see this type of partnership as a way to provide needed additional services to students and families as well as a way to strengthen the community /school connection which is a major goal of ^e Cloverdale staff. 8. HISTORY OF COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS WITH YOUTH PROGRAMS Cloverdale Junior High School has a long and successful history of working effectively with community youth serving agencies. For the past four years, Cloverdale has worked on a daily basis with school-based case managers from five different local and state youth serving agencies through the New Futures for Little Rock Youth case management program.Little Rock School District 810 West Markham Little Rock, AR 72201 November 9, 1994 To
Board of Directors From
Subject
^enry y. (jrnniamff, ^ftfperTntendent of Schools Beacon School Iriitiative Update collaboration with the City of Little Rock, New Futures for Youth, the Department of Health, and the Division of Children and Family Services, the Little Rock School District has continued to actively participate in the planning process for the City of Little Rock Beacon School Initiative. The Beacon Initiative of New York City, a highly successful program, has provided a framework to guide the local effort. has provided The fundamental principle of the Beacons Initiative is the need for partnerships between schools and community-based organizations to meet the needs of youth in today's complex society. The Beacons Initiative seeks to link community-based youth organizations with schools to increase the presence of supports for youth to meet their needs and to assist them in building academic and social competencies. society. A Beacon School Program is managed by a communitybased organization working collaboratively with the school district, local school principal, and their own community advisory council. The school facility is utilized for Beacon programming during the evening hours, on weekends, holidays and in the summer. A Beacon Program offers children, youth and adults a mix of recreation, social services, educational enrichment and vocational activities, health education and referrals, and the opportunity for community meetings and neighborhood social activities. Cloverdale Junior High School has been recommended to the planning committee as the site for the first Beacon School, new Stephens school has been proposed as the second site. Fu.mxu Beacon Program will be provided primarily by the City of Little Rock. --' -* * The Funding program. The school district will provide the space for the Attached for your review is the mission statement and a brief description of the structure of the Beacon Initiative. Further information will be provided to you as the plannina process proceeds. CITY OF LITTLE ROCK BEACONS INITIATIVE MISSION STATEMENT
To establish comprehensive, neighborhood-based safe havens for children and families support, located in public school buildings and operated by community organizations. Neighborhood residents will be actively involved in the planning and implementation of a range of services that stress youth development and strengthen school, family and community linkages. STRUCTURE: Beacons school-based community centers are managed by non-profit conununity-based organizations (CBOs) working collaboratively with the Little Rock School District (LRSD), principals, City of Little Rock and their own community advisory boards. Each Beacon must have a Community Advisory Council whose membership must include the school principal, parents, youth, and community residents. Advisory councils may also include teachers, neighborhood service providers, community police officers, districts School Board member and Wards City Board member. These councils work closely with the coordinating agency to plan and assess programming and community events.I CITY OF LITTLE ROCK I BEACONS INITIATIVE I I I J I I. AGENDA SEPTEMBER 27,1994 I Dissemination of Committee Reports U. Site-Selection Criteria A. Existing Programs B. CBO Identification and Assessment in. RFP Process A. City Attorney's Office IV. SchoolXBeacons Partnership Agreement V. Discussion of Lead Agency's Role -* VI. Additional Sub-Committees A. Funding B. CBO Identification and Assessment IBEACONS GOALS AND STRATEGIES The goals of the Beacons Initiative are to create conditions for youth development and to improve school/home/community linkages. I. Create conditions for Youth Development A. B. C. D. E. F. G. Develop opportunities for caring relationships between role models and young people Establish high expectations and clear standards Offer opportunities for young people to engage in high quality activities Create opportunities for young people to make a contribution Offer continuity of relationship supports to young people Empower youth and families to contribute to own well being and development in the community Provide safe havens for youth and families IL Improve School/Home/Community Linkages A. B. C. D. E. F. Increase family presence and involvement in the school and on advisory councils of individual sites Offer educational activities for families and other community adults Offer culturally diverse programs for youth and adults Offer informal educational activities (classes, workshops, events) that emphasize communication skills Hire family members as staff for after-school and evening programming, and in some instances as outreach workers, to involve other families in Beacon/school activities Involve Beacons directors as participants, at the invitation of schools. on school-based management teams 5' G. H. 1. J. Provide support programs that reach the most vulnerable families and children in the school population Maximize use of space in school buildings to offer a diversity of services to all community members Coordinate transportation services to insure access to services for all community residents Encourage community organizations to actively participate in the Beacons.STAFFING The core element of a successful Beacons Program will be the staff. Experienced and qualified staff is critical to the development and enhancement of a successful program. Each Beacons School will have a full time director and, in some cases, co-directors hired and supervised by the CBO. Directors may come from varied backgrounds, including teaching, school administration, counseling, program management, social services and public administration. Experience in working with youth programs and schools is essential. Diverse populations and programmatic demands may require the appointment of codirectors. This will ensure coverage over extended hours and reduce the likelihood of burnout. If possible, staff who can do outreach to teens, and have community organizing skills should be engaged to work with hard-to-reach youth such as school dropouts, teen parents and gang members. Volunteers are integral aspects of successful Beacons Programs. Parents, college students and community residents can be utilized in this capacity. In addition, college internships and co-op programs could be a valuable resource for staffing purposes. Staff development will be a key issue in the overall success of the program. Staffs will face a diverse population and a variety of complex issues, and will need the opportunity to enhance their skills and learn new techniques. This can be accomplished by having staff participate actively in retreats, seminars, networking meetings and training opportunities.City of Little Rock Beacons Initiative (Safety & Security) Safe and secure environments are essential to the Beacons School Based Community Centers, as well as, protection of Beacons site school property. Beacons staff and youth/adults participating. A multi-faceted approach should be taken when developing security techniques for the Beacons School Based Community Center. Encouraging family participation in Beacons site activities increases security as youth tend to act more responsible when parental influence is in the building. In addition, working with local police precincts and establishing safe corridors in and around the Beacons site is imperative. Suggested security tech- niques to use for Beacons School Based Community Centers may include but not be limited to the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 8. 10 . 11. Placement of school security and resource officers at each Beacons site. Neighborhood youth trained in conflict mediation should be utilized when arguments between Beacons youth participants occur. Establishment of a Beacons Teen Youth Council. youth outreach workers from the neigh- Employment of borhood where the Beacons site is located. Involving intergenerational programing at each Beacons site location. Establish a Beacons Communit Advisory Council. Family participation in Beacons School Based Community Center must be a requirement. One entrance and exit location should be designated for youth, family members, staff, guest, etc. Q Hire community residents trained in security to assist Beacons school security officers and resource officers. Install security monitoring devices to include hand held metal scanners/detectors and purchase other communication devices that can be used to monitor, report and coordinate youth movement activity within and without the Beacons project. Develop a Beacons site sign in and sign out register.TRANSPORTATION Beacons School- Based Community Centers will be offered in locations where youth and their parents can access by walking. However, during inclement weather, car pooling, bus tokens and church van services can become transportation alternatives. If program staff and volunteers have adequate insurance coverage then often times they can pick-up and transport youth and parents to the Beacons site. The idea of using church vans in order to transport youth and their family members to Beacons sites should be studied thoroughly. Church vans will have the proper insurance coverage but in most cases insurance coverage is only effective when the van driver is a member of the church. A stipend could be provided to the church to cover the driver's time as well as to offset the cost of gasoline. In scheduling the use of church vans for transporting youth and their families to the Beacons sites, scheduling will need to center around the van availability.BEACONS INITIATIVE: PLAN OF ACTION I. MISCELLANEOUS A. B. C. Evaluation Mechanism: It is recommended that an evaluation conducted by a nonpartisan entity be pursued. The reason for this recommendation is to provide an evaluation of the Little Rock Beacons Initiative that can be viewed as objective, based on the fact that none of the organizations involved in planning and development are directing the review of the goals and objectives of the programs. It is recommended that a search be conducted for an organization that is familiar with or can become familiar with the Beacons model and that has done evaluations of school-based programs such as Beacons. This search can begin by contacting the following organizations: Center for the Study of Social Policy Harvard Project on Effective Services National Center on Education and the Economy National Alliance for Restructuring Education Public Relations: It is recommended that the City of Little Rock and the LRSD take the lead as the spokesperson for the Beacons initiative. Currently out of the entities involved in program development, the City probably has the most positive and upbeat image that would gamer public support. This recommendation means that a representative of the City would address questions from the general public, media, other political groups, etc.
and would act as the spokesperson for the entire group of planners. Until the other sections of the plan of action are identified and agreed upon, it is difficult to come up with a strategy for public relations. This task group will put together such a strategy at that time. Board and Agency Resolutions: It is recommended that the following boards and agencies be requested to provide resolutions/and or letters of support Little Rock City Board of Directors
Little Rock School Board
Arkansas Department of Health
Arkansas Department of Human Services
Arkansas Department of Education. URji-reD fJtvJ FWZ- J The larger planning group should agree on the specifics of what to ask for from each of these organizations, based on other sections of the plan of action. This task group will then formulate requests for resolutions and other documents of support.A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR THE BEACON SCHOOL INITIATIVE
DIRECTING THE SUPERINTENDENT TO CONTINUE THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK AND VARIOUS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. Whereas, the Little Rock School District Board of Directors continues to support the development of quality programming for the youth in our City
and Whereas, the Little Rock School District Board of Directors continues to promote the development of collaborative efforts with the City of Little Rock and various other community-based organizations
and Whereas, the School District supports the utilization of existing resources, i.e. public school facilities and existing programming, to develop community-based initiatives that strengthen school, family and community linkages
and Whereas, the Beacons School is a comprehensive, neighborhood-based safe haven for children and family support, located in public school buildings and operated by community-based organizations
and Whereas, Cloverdale Junior High has been identified as the first Beacons site, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Section 1. The Board of Directors supports the recommendations of the Steering committee and directs the Superintendent to continue the development of an implementation plan.To: Little Rock School District Board of Directors From: John Riggs, IV Re: Beacons Initiative Date: December 13, 1994 Below is additional information on the Beacons Initiative that a Steering Committee has been diligently working on since August. If you should have any questions, please call myself or Leon Modeste. The City board will be voting on a similar resolution on Wednesday, December 14. I solicit your support for this innovative concept in collaboration. Board Action Recommended: Adoption of a resolution directing the Superintendent to continue the development of a Beacons School implementation plan in partnership with the City of Little Rock, New Futures, United Way, Department of Human Services, Department of Health, Junior League of Little Rock, community-based organizations and area businesses. The target date for the opening of the first Beacons School is the summer of 1995. Background Information: The Beacons School, based on a model initiated in New York City, is a comprehensive, year-round, after-school program located in public school buildings and operated by community-based organizations. The Beacons School is an example of a program that develops a nexus between existing resources and community-based organizations to develop viable neighborhood-oriented programming. Neighborhood residents will be actively involved in the planning and implementation of a range of services that accentuate youth development and strengthen school, family and community linkages. After an examination of New Yorks Beacons Programs, the City formed a Steering Committee to explore the feasibility of operating a similar program in Little Rock. The Steering Committee, chaired by Vice Mayor Mason, included myself, Leon Modeste and Linda Young from LRSD, City Directors Keck and Joyce, Xavier Heard of Systematics, Leon Matthews of the United Way, Don Crary of New Futures, Zenobia Harris from the Dept of Health, Jan Chaparro from the Dept of Human Services, Rev. Bill Robinson, and others. The committee examined the following major areas: Site-Selection, Community Involvement, Funding, school/Beacons Partnership Agreement and New Futures Role. Site-SelectionThe Beacon Steering Committee developed a comprehensive list of criteria to be used by the school district for the selection of appropriate sites for a Beacons School. The following criteria were examined: adequate recreational facilities, sufficient health facilities, ample educational facilities, adequate office space, total accessibility, satisfactory day-care facilities, principal/staff support and a history of collaborative efforts with youth programs. The Little Rock School District reviewed the school characteristics, and Cloverdale Junior High School successfully fulfilled the necessary criteria. Cloverdale Junior high School has ample educational classroom space available, as well as specialized areas such as an art room, band room, and choir room. The design of the school provides pleasant outdoor courtyards that can be used for a variety of outdoor activities when the weather is conducive. In addition, Cloverdale has a renovated gym, newly constructed cafetorium, paved walking track and several outside recreational areas. Cloverdale Junior High School has a long and successful history of working effectively with community youthserving agencies. For the past four years, Cloverdale has worked on a daily basis with school-based case managers from five different local and state youthserving agencies through New Futures. The Steering Committee has identified Stephens Elementary as a potential site for the second Beacons School. Other sites will be considered after the first two Beacons are implemented and evaluated. Community Involvement Community involvement will be a key aspect of a successful Beacons Program. The Beacons Initiative employs a neighborhood-focused approach to service and community development so that the specific combination of services and activities at any Beacons is unique. Therefore, early and vigorous involvement by community stakeholders is imperative. This will ensure that the community will decide what they want and need in a Beacons Program. The Steering Committee recommends holding an informational meeting in the target community after official action from the Little Rock Board of Directors and the Little Rock School Board. Funding Various potential funding sources have been identified for the Beacons School Initiative. These include but are not limited to the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. The City of Little Rock has initiated, or is in the process of developing various programs that could easily become a part of a Beacons School. These include: Summer Playground Program, YIP Program, Our Clubs, FUTURE-Little Rock Prevention, Intervention and Treatment grants, JTPA Summer Workers and FUTURE-Little Rock Educare Program. These programs are already funded and could be relocated in the Beacons. The Little Rock School District can provide programming facilities, office space and utilities. In addition, The School District could agree to extend its after-school educational enhancement program to Beacons participants. The Department of Human Services has identified the following funding possibilities for a Beacons School: Intensive Family preservation Services, Parenting Education Classes, Victim Support Groups and Family Centered Counseling. These services are currently contracted out by DHS, which would allow the RFP process to be structured around the Beacons initiative. The United Way will assess its funded programs to encourage colocating services in the Beacons. Prospective candidates include Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and other similar programs. The Junior League of Little Rock has agreed to explore providing various volunteer services to a Beacons. In addition, the Junior League will also consider a possible cash contribution to support the programming efforts. Other potential funding sources include the Department of Health, crime bill programs, YouthBuild, foundation grants and area businesses. School/Beacons Partnership Agreement A viable partnership agreement will be an integral aspect of the overall success of the Beacons. This agreement will be the result of collaborative efforts between the City, LRSD and the Beacons. Clear agreements on specific operational issues between the entities, a spirit of collaboration, and a commitment to flexibility will provide a solid foundation on which to build this innovative program and partnership. LRSD should commit to providing adequate space for programming, administrative office space, access to educational and recreational equipment, utility costs and phone services. Discussions are continuing regarding janitorial and maintenance services. New Futures Role The Steering Committee has determined that there must be an entity to provide technical assistance to the lead community-based organization and facilitate professional development and training. In addition, this agency must also chronicle the implementation process and assist in the development of a system of documentation of enrollments, participation, activities and events. These endeavors are consistent with New Futures goals and objectives. The New Futures experience in fostering collaborative efforts will be particularly helpful in moving the Beacon Project through the strategic planning, development and implementation phases. Upon approval of the attached resolution, a time-line will be developed by the City and Steering Committee to include the following action steps: Initiating informational meeting in the target community Developing a comprehensive budget Securing program agreements Disseminating RFPs Conducting a proposers conference Conducting CBO assessments Developing Cloverdale/Beacons agreements Securing programming facilities and office space Developing job descriptions (director and staff) Hiring of director and staff jr4:bmKOBBBBit LmTj: Rock School District OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT November 11, 1994 RECEIVED Ann S. Brown, Federal Monitor Office of Desegregation Monitoring 201 East Markham, Suite 510 NOV 1 6 1994 Little Rock, AR 72201 Office of Desegregation Monitoring Dear Ann, In collaboration with the City of Little Rock and New Futures for Little Rock Youth, the Department of Health, and the Division of Children and Family Services, the Little Rock School District has participated in the planning process for the City of Little Rock Beacon School Initiative. The Beacon Initiative of New York City, a highly successful program, has provided a framework to guide the local effort. need The fundamental principle of the Beacons Initiative is the for partnerships between schools and community-based organizations to meet the needs of youth in today's complex society. The Beacons Initiative seeks to link community-based youth organizations with schools to increase the presence of supports for youth to meet their needs and to assist them in building academic and social competencies. A Beacon School Program is managed by a community-based organization working collaboratively with the school district, local school principal, and their own community advisory council. The school facility is utilized for Beacon programming during the evening hours, on weekends, holidays, and in the summer. A Beacon Program offers children, youth and adults a mix of recreation, social services, educational enrichment and vocational activities, health education and referrals, and the opportunity for community meetings and neighborhood social activities. Cloverdale Junior High School has been recommended to the planning committee as the site for the first Beacon School. The new Stephens has been proposed as the second site. Funding for the Beacon Program will be provided primarily by the city of Little Rock. The school district will provide the space for the program. Further information will be provided to you as the planning process proceeds. Si 11 ire Su iW P. Williams, ferintendent of Schools 810 West Markham Street Little Rock, Aikansas 72201 (501)324-2000j Arkansas Democr^^ (gazette ( 1 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1! Cooynght O Little Rock Newspaoer Beacon schools keep lights on late for pupils, parents San Francisco Examiner SAN FRANCISCO - Imagine a school that is open for 16 hours a day. Where neighborhood kids can get tutoring or extra help in their studies after school. Where their parents can take parenting classes and bring their children for immunizations. On Tuesday, the San Francisco school board took the first step toward developing such community or beacon schools. It voted unanimously to give Superintendent Bill Rojas the go-ahead to begin working on the project Beacon centers are not a program but a strategy that place youth, their families and community as central participants in the personal and civic vitality of a school district. said Debbie Alvarez, director of the Office of In- tergovemmental and School Linked Services for the district Were targeting discretionary time, she said, all those hours youth spend watching television or maybe doing their homework in an unstructured environment Much of that discretionary time, studies say, is when juvenile crime occurs. The district said the program would probably start slowly to save money.<2^ Little Rock School District OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT TIECEIV!^T> JIN 1 11995 Office of Desegregation teu.-------g January 6, 1995 Ann S. Brown, Federal Monitor Office of Desegregation Monitoring 201 East Markham, Suite 510 Little Rock, AR 72201 Dear Ann, As a follow up to my letter of November 11, 1994 regarding the Beacons additional information Initiative, for attachments: 1) you I in am providing the following Little Rock City Board of Directors resolution of support for the Beacons School Initiative and, 2) Little Rock School District Board of Directors resolution of support for the Beacons School Initiative. Both the city board and the school board voted unanimously to support the respective resolutions. Further information will be provided to you as the planning process proceeds. Sirserely, I He: y P. Willies, Superintendent of Schools 810 West Markham Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 (501) 824-2000 f Arkansas Democrat gazettej SUNDAY, JULY 23, 1995 Public Notice Beacons School Steering Committee Notice of Request For Qualifications The Beacons School Steering Committe is accepting proposes IT* io, the role of lead agency. The W agency would wort cooperatively with principals and Community AdvBOiy Boards of parents, teachers, church leaders, youth and private and public schools to promote, implement and administer a Beacons School Program in the Southwest Junior High School ^Tproposer's Conference will be held on August 4,1995 at Southwest Junior High School from 2:00 - 4:00 application or information on call: the Beacons Program please R Joe Bailey City Managers Office 500 W. Markham St. Little Rock, AR 72201 (501)371-4510 Ri Arkansas Democrat (gazette WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 1995 Beacons program eyes Southwest Junior High The Beacons School Steering Committee will accept proposals during the next 30 days for the role of lead agency in promoting and implementing the Beacons School Program in the Southwest Junior High area. The Beacons concept involves school-based community centers managed by commimity organizations. Services are designed to respond to each neighborhoods needs. Beacons schools offer recreation and educational enrichment for youths. Many also offer adult basic education, social services, health education and referrals, inter-generational programs and community meetings and social gatherings. The lead agency would work with principals and advisory boards of parents, teachers, church leaders, youths and benefactors. A conference is scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. Aug. 4 at Southwest Junior High School, 3301 S. Bryant St. Admission is free. Proposals are due by 5 p.m. Aug. 25. The Steering Committee is made up of representatives from the city of Little Rock, United ' Way, the Junior League of Little Rock, New Futures, the Little Rock School DistricL the state Department of Human Services, the state Department of Health, neighborhood organizations and area businesses.OVERVIEW The Beacons Initiative is a strategy directed at addressing critical issues for the future of New York Citys youth and New York Citys neighborhoods. It is based on the belief that to remain a great city, New York must ensure the safety and viability of neighborhoods and community life, and it must ensure that young people develop the skills and attitudes and practice the behaviors that will lead to their becoming competent and responsible adults. The Beacons Initiative seeks to link community-based youth organizations with schools to increase the presence of supports for youth to meet their needs and to assist them in building academic and social competencies and adopting values that will enable them to become economically self-sufficient and successful parents and citizens. It also seeks to engage youth in making contributions to their families, their peers, and their neighborhoods as the vital resource for the present and future that they are. The Youth Development Institute (YDI) of the Fund for the City of New York received a grant in May, 1992 from the Aimie E. Casey Foundation to document implementation of the Beacons Initiative and produce a report. The foundation was particularly interested in the evolution of the Beacons through the processes of community-based planning and inter-governmental collaboration, and as a promising model for improving youth outcomes through neighborhood-based strategies that build on the strengths of schools and community-based organizations. YDI worked with the New York City Department of Youth Services (DYS) and each of the Beacons lead agencies to develop a system of documenting enrollments, participation, activities, and events. YDI provided training to Beacons directors on the documentation process. DYS required agencies to report monthly using the documentation formed developed by the project. See Appendix A. In addition, documentatron staff and consultants from YDI reviewed program documents, observed activities and events at all Beacons, and conducted interviews with all Beacons directors. Interviews were also conducted with principals, staff, and parents at a sample of Beacons, and focus groups with youth were held. Community school district superintendents and principals of schools with Beacons operating for one year or more were surveyed. The following report documents the history, goals and strategies, implementation status, and implementation issues associated with the Beacons. The data on implementation status reflects the 20 Beacons begun before October, 1993. The 17 new Beacons are currently in start-up phases and are just beginning to carry out documentation activities. The report discusses impacts of the Beacons on youth, neighborhoods and schools based on interview reports and observations. It answers the central question about whether and how such a complex school/commumty collaboration can be established. It does not, however, address specific outcomes and attempt to correlate these with interventions. It has taken two years of collaboration among schools and a variety of city and state agencies for Beacons schools that have developed comprehensive sets of services and neighborhood/community improvement strategies to become fully operational. Now that models exist of the full range of implementation, it is important that city government and all the participating partners establish impact goals and articulate measures for assessment A. Context: The Need for School/Community Collaboration A fundamental principle of the Beacons Initiative is the need for partnerships between schools and community-based organizations to meet the needs of youth in todays complex society. Unlike the relatively recent past of 20 years ago, there are major missing personal and social linkages for large 1numbers of young people today. Significant changes in family composition and greater stresses on family life resulting from economic demands, crime, poverty, substance abuse and homelessness have weakened traditional family supports. Religious groups have fewer contacts with youth, and neighborhoods have become less safe, less cohesive, and weaker as venues for transmitting values and standards of behavior to children and adolescents. Exposure to crime and violence has taught too many youth that life can be very short and that the means to survival and even success are found in selfprotection and self-interest To meet this challenge New York City must provide youth with the academic and social supports that will enable them to meet their needs for survival and security and build their skills. In addition to families, schools are the central institution responsible for young peoples development. During the past decade there has been a growing recognition that the needs of children and youth require more sustained attention and complex solutions than schools can alone provide. In 1992, the Council of Chief State School Officers adopted "Student Success Through Collaboration" as its priority theme. The Council reviewed its decade long commitment to improving the quality of American public education, and called for new strategies that recognize a broad definition of educational success that "encompasses childrens continuing intellectual, physical, emotional and social development, and well-being." The Council argues that educators must recognize that factors outside the education system affect the life chances of children and youth, and that schools and other social institutions rarely work together to respond to the multiple, inter-related needs of children and families. In A Matter of Time: Risk and Opportunity in the Non-School Hours, the Carnegie Task Force on Youth Development also stresses the need for new kinds of partnerships between schools and community organizations. Co- Chair Dr. James Comer summarized the Task Force findings: " Families and schools represent two sides of a triangle of human development. The third side is surely those conununity organizations that provide safe havens and caring role models, especially during the out-of-school hours. Excellent schools combined with actively involved families are necessary, but they are often not the reality. Even when schools are available, they are not sufficient in todays complex world. All major instinitions of the society affecting young people must become partners with strong community organizations to bring young adolescents into their mutually protective embrace. Additional evidence from evaluations of a wide range of prevention programs indicates the importance of strengthening commumties. Interventions that are most effective in preventing dropping out of school, substance abuse, juvenile delinquency and teenage pregnancy engage youth in forming relationships with adults, mastering a skill, and contributing to their own well-being and their communitys. (Dryfoos, 1990). These effective strategies situate services for youth in a conununity context, and build on the existing strengths in neighborhoods including families and community-based organizations. Evidence from national longitudinal studies indicates that among youth with economic disadvantage, increased social resources are associated with positive life outcomes and with minimizing the negative effects of disadvantaged backgrounds. (Sugland. Brown, Moore, 1993.) On a practical level, linking community-based organizations and schools also made good sense to city government. In many neighborhoods, schools are often not only the best, but also one of the only decent and safe places for children and their families to be. Yet, most school buildings are open only between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. For over a decade many individuals and organizations in New York City and across the country have started and maintained efforts to transform schools into neighborhood 2centers in the non-school hours. With the rise in crime and the lack of low-cost and secure space for voluntary youth organizations to offer services, school buildings offered an opportunity to increase services and at the same time link these to the school. B. Development of the Beacons Initiative Beacons are School-based Community Centers operating in neighborhoods across the five boroughs of New York City. The first ten Beacons were established in 1991, in response to the recommendations of a study group, chaired by fonner Attorney General Nicholas deB. Katzenbach, to develop a coordinated anti-drug strategy for New York City. Their intent was to create safe havens for children, youth and families and to stand as a symbol of hope and opportunity in the neighborhoods considered the poorest and most affected by substance abuse, crime and violence. The Katzenbach Report recommended: The City target nine neighborhoods during the next year in which resouires would be strengthened and coordinated for the immediate purpose of reducing drug use and for the long-range purpose of providing a vehicle for community organization and development Schools transformed into community centers available to children and adults 365 days a year would be the centerpiece of this effort. The Mayor's budget allocated $10 million of the Citys "Safe Streets, Safe Cities" funds for 1991 to establish 10 School-based Community Centers, through the Department of Youth Services (DYS), the city agency with the most extensive experience contracting and monitoring youth-serving commumty-based organizations. Under the direction of Commissioner Richard L. Murphy, who had many years of experience in providing youth services in schools and had been a consultant to the Katzenbach study group, DYS developed a Request for Proposals (RFP) inviting not-for-profit agencies to submit proposals to operate School-based Community Centers. These centers would keep school building open seven days a week, 16 hours a day, 365 days per year in ten defined neighborhoods. Agencies were directed to propose how they would offer safe, structured, supervised activities for children, youth and families. Agencies to implement these School-based Community Centers were selected through a two-tiered process involving an initial scoring by program reviewers from DYS, and a review and scoring of eligible proposals and formulation of recommendations by the Interagency Coordinating Council on Youth (representatives of all city agencies concerned with youth including the New York City Board of Education). In June, 1991 10 agencies were selected to operate these seven day a week School-based Community Centers. Due to the Citys fiscal problems, the budget for "Safe Streets, Safe Cities" was reduced. The School-based Community Centers were placed on an options for elimination list along with a prison barge for New York harbor. The Mayor chose to support establishment of the centers over the prison barge although funding was reduced to $5 million. The Department of Youth Services then faced the choice of cutting in half the number of School-based Community Centers or reducing their budgets by 50 percent DYS made the decision to fund 10 centers and to work to find ways to increase services through collaboration and co-location of services with other city agencies. At this time, DYS also realized the importance of communicating the mission of the School-based Community Centers to the neighborhoods where they would be located and to the public. The Commissioner decided that a name was needed that symbolized the positive force these centers were meant to be, especially in the lives of young people, and the centers were re-named Beacons. 3In July, 1992 the City made funding available to double the number of Beacons to 20. DYS selected neighborhoods for this based on similar criteria of poverty, substatKe abuse and juvenile crime, but the process for selecting schools and for identifying programming needs was substantially altered to increase the involvement of Commumty School Districts and potential Beacons schools in decisionmaking. The RFP was also changed to stress the importance of proposing co-located services from the lead agency or partners that would not need additional funding but would enrich the school and commumty. Each school district was asked by DYS to submit a list of priority needs defined by the school to be included in the RFP. Agencies applying to manage a Beacon were instructed to address the needs identified for the specific school in their neighborhood. In 1993, a third round of Beacons funding was allocated to establish 17 additional centers so that every Commumty School District in New York City would have a Beacon school. Some districts with large geographic spreads or intense needs were also selected for a second Beacon. DESCRIPTION OF THE BEACONS SCHOOL-BASED COMMUNITY CENTERS A. Structure The Beacons school-based commumty centers are managed by non-profit community-based organizations (CBOs) working collaboratively with the Community School Boards, principals, and their own community advisory boards. Each Beacon is required to have a Community Advisory Council with membership that must include the school principal, parents, youth, and community residents. Advisory councils also include teachers, neighborhood service providers, community police officers, arxl the district s City Council member. These councils work closely with the lead agency to plan and assess programming and community events. Beacons operate with the support and cooperation of the New York City Board of Education and the Community School Districts. B. Funding Each Beacon center is funded with $450,000 from the New York City Department of Youth Services. These funds support managers of the Beacons and program staff and activities costs for recreation, educational enrichment, cultural arts, adult education programs, family activities and summer and school vacation programming. Space and maintenance costs for using the schools are paid centrally by the Department of Youth Services. DYS funds are used as matching funds in many Beacons to state and federal funding streams to increase social services programming. Yet, the range and intensity of services and programs that are needed to make a comprehensive center has required co-locating and integrating funds from many federal, state and local government sources and private corporate and foundation supports. Examples of funding sources include: the New York State Departments of Social Services. Health, and Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services: the New York City Child Welfare Administration, the Board of Education, the Departments of Employment and Health, and the Community Development Agency. C. Programs Individual Beacons now offer children, youth and adults a mix of social services
recreational, educational, and vocational activities. Through Beacons young people have opportunities to participate in diverse activities such as drama groups and sports, leadership development and entrepreneurial 4programs, choruses and instrumental music lessons, peer education and counseling programs, and community service. In addition to recreational and after-school programs. Beacons offerings are diverse. Family support programs, health services, and employment preparation are offered by several Beacons. Parenting education is offered by most Beacons, and four Beacons have linked with local colleges to offer on-site courses as transitions to higher education. Lead agencies in Beacons are responsible for managing space in the non-school hours, and make it available to legitimate community groups for meetings and forums. Beacons sponsor community meetings and social activities. Many serve as organizing centers for neighborhood safety and revitalization. Beacon agencies and schools work with local police precincts to create drug free zones of safety around the school. Each Beacon uses a neighborhood approach to providing services to insure that programs services are tailored to the needs of each community. A listing of the neighborhoods served by each of the Beacons, with the names of each of the Beacons schools, their principals, directors, and the lead agency managing the Beacon is attached in Appendix B. Detailed descriptions of each Beacon can also be found in Appendix B. GOALS AND STRATEGY OF THE BEACONS INITIATIVE The strategy underlying the Beacons Initiative is based on research findings and practitioner experience indicating that positive outcomes for youth result from individual developmental opportunities combined with community-wide support, and that educational achievement of youth from low-income communities is improved by strategies that decrease the gaps between home and school culture and strengthen parent and community involvement in the schools. The framework for documentation efforts with the Beacons has been drawn fiom research on youth development and resiliency, educational achievement, and urban sociology and community studies. It attempts to set the Beacons Initiative in a theoretical context with the dual purpose of providing both a guide to programmatic development and as a framework for assessment A. Conditions for Youth Development and Resiliency Research findings on youth resiliency in high risk environments and findings from evaluations of effective prevention programs addressing substance abuse, juvenile delinquency, and teenage pregnancy point to the need for social interventions that take a youth development rather than a youth deficit orientation. This approach views youth as central actors in their lives rather than as passive clients of services. It defines youth development as "an ongoing process in which all young people are engaged and invested, and through which young people seek ways to meet their basic physical and social needs and to build the competencies and connections they perceive as necessary for survival and success." (Pittman and Cahill, 1992.) Youth development theory implies that whether or not communities offer young people positive ways to meet their basic needs such as safety, a sense of belonging, a sense of contribution and mastery, and legitimate opportunities to build skills and make contributions, young people still need to meet these needs. In the absence of positive supports and opportunities, youth will often engage in risky or negative behaviors to meet their survival and developmental needs. Gangs are the most commonly cited example of such negative behavior. Gangs typically involve violence and result in negative outcomes 5for young people. Yet, from an iimer city youths perspective they may be the only support within his or her reach that promises safety and protection, a sense of belonging, a mentoring relationship, and the opportunity to gain skills (even if these are car theft or drug selling). Research on resiliency indicates that in order to strengthen youth in high risk environments adults need to help them gain a "sense of autonomy, an internal locus of control where they are able to manage their lives and influence their environment" (Coppersmith, 1967). They need to learn how to solve problems creatively, tolerate frustration, persist in the face of failure, resist being put down, and forgive and forget (Brentro, Brokenleg, Van Bockem,-199O). Social psychologists have identified "protective factors" in communities that promote this positive development, decrease the risk of engagement in negative behaviors, and promote rebounding from traumas among youth in high risk environments. (lessor, Connell, Spencer, Benard). Increasing the presence of the five protective factors, listed below, in the lives of young people is a central objective of the Beacons as a youth development strategy. Document review, site visits to observe Beacons activities, and interviews with staff, parents and youth form the basis of the following assessment. I. Opportunities for caring relationships Beacons increase the number of youth workers and volunteers who are present in distressed urban neighborhoods offering guidance and role models to young people. Beacons open schools in the afterschool, evening and weekend hours and during summer and other school vacations. They offer the opportunity for young people to be in a safe space where adults serve as coaches, teachers, activity advisors, and counselors. Most Beacons have staffs who represent diverse backgrounds, with many staff members coming from the communities where the children and youth live. Beacons also place strong emphasis on parent arxl family support, providing activities that support parents in strengthening their relationships with their children and adolescents and their roles as the primary influences on their childrens lives. Several Beacons have developed mentoring programs for students with college students and/or adult service organizations. For example, in the Central Harlem Beacon, we observed youth workers conducting after-school educational enrichment, sports and recreation programs for approximately 200 children from 3 to 6 p.m. Between 5:30 and 6 p.m..in addition to parents picking up their children, about 20 parents arrived to participate in parent support groups. These parents and others shared a family night dinner with their children in the school cafeteria. At 7 p.m., about 40 teenagers arrived to participate in Youth Leadership group activities. Twenty adults spent from 7 to 9 p.m. in adult education classes, and over 100 parents and children gathered in the gym for a joint African dance class. Simultaneous to these activities adolescents who have been designated as PINS by the courts often will be attending individual or group counseling sessions, sometimes with their parent or guardian, arxl later joining their peers in recreational or cultural activities. This Beacon developed a campaign to involve more fathers in activities with children and teens. Their outreach efforts culminated in a Mens Unity Day that was attended by over 300 men. The day long event featured workshops on a number of issues including: employment, violence, relationships, effective parenting and being substance free. In the Beacon in Red Hook, Brooklyn, an isolated neighborhood struggling against drug-related 6gun violence, in addition to evening classes and teen activities, 20 parents consistently plan and staff weekly "family nights" in which 40-60 parents and their children and teenagers come to the school for an evening of food, educational and recreational activities. The Beacon serves as the only safe place for residents to gather for "normal" family activities during the week. Community police officers, staff and volunteers at the Beacon together provide escort services and ensure that young people and families arrive at the Beacon and home again safely each evening. At the Staten Island Beacon which primarily serves a public housing site community, staff organized a basketball program with the housing police to help diffuse tensions between community youth and housing police officers. This offered an opportunity for youth to see police officers in a different role, and for the police to get to know teenagers in a structured positive experience. 2. High expectations and clear standards Most Beacons use a number of practices to set a tone of high expectations for behavior in order to maintain safe and productive centers. At most Beacons community advisory councils of youth and adults work together to develop rules to govern behavior in the centers and guidelines for participation and membership. Security staff are usually adults and young people from the neighborhood who have participated in training in conflict resolution, mediation and safety standards. At the Washington Heights Beacon, in a neighborhood with the highest incidence of drug-related homicides in New York City, about a dozen teens serve as security every afternoon and evening for the 200 to 300 participants in the Beacon arts and culture, sports and educational programs. They carry "walky-talkies" throughout the building and conduct peer rap sessions in which youth discuss how to keep the Beacon a safe and neutral space for all youth in the community. Youth leadership groups have been organized at 22 of the Beacons. Through these groups, diverse groups of youth including high school dropouts, former drug dealers and gang members, and honor students are challenged to contribute to their communities. Many engage in community service and orgamzing such as voter registration, neighborhood beautification, and infant/child immunization campaigns. Families at six Beacons participate in the SHARE program, where members provide service to the neighborhood several hours per month in exchange for participation in a reduced price food cooperative program. In Hunts Point, a group of male high school dropouts, first encountered by Beacon staff through a summer "midmght basketball" type program, volunteered to help with the recreation program and to help young children with reading, and eventually enrolled in GED classes. Expectations for educational achievement are communicated through the after-school education and homework help programs, through Beacon agency policies, and through educational eruichment activities. Teens who are hired by Beacons in part-time positions are required to enroll in school or a GED program. Approximately one-third of the Beacons offer SAT preparation courses and sponsor college tours to encourage youth to set high educational goals. Several have college bound clubs to engender pieer support for high achievement in junior high and high school among neighborhood youth. 3. Opportunities to engage in high quality activities Many Beacons offer educational activities in addition to homework help that stimulate young peoples curiosity and creativity. The Bushwick Beacon emphasizes "opportunistic teaching" and has trained staff to integrate math and literacy skills into recreation and sports programs. The South Jamaica 7Beacon offers a science enrichment program in collaboration with Science Skills Center, a nationally recognized hands-on science program, and a cultural program for youth on African-American contributions to science. Some Beacons offer instrumental music lessons and choroses. Through a collaboration with the New York City Eiepartment of Employment, six Beacons offer LEAP programs. These programs provide 100 youth per site (aged 14 to 21) with career education, internships, academic skills, guidance and family support over a year. At the Morrisania Beacon m the South Bronx 140 teens are involved in health internships and community service in a collaborative program involving the Beacon, a local hospital and community clinic. Many LEAP youth have become pan-time staff at Beacons and in other community agencies while they are in school. Most Beacons involve youth in trips to museums, plays and other cultural events, and to business centers such as the New York Stock Exchange. Staff emphasize the need to familiarize youth with traveling outside their neighborhoods, and to increase their comfort level in unfamiliar settings. 4. Oppominities to make a contribution Beacons sponsor many commumty projects developed by community advisory council members, youth leadership groups, teachers, school administrators and parent groups and staff. In Central Harlem, the youth leadership group conducted a neighborhood beautification project, where they swept the street, playground and sidewalks every morning to make a playstreet for younger children every day during the summer. The youth group also spearheaded a successful petition drive to get all block residents to agree to move their cars every morning to make the play street functional, and finally, a campaign to change a billboard on the comer from a cigarette ad to a public service ad for the United Negro College Fund. In Washington Heights and the South Bronx teens at several Beacons organized door-to-door to ask parents to bring their children to be inununized at a health fair resulting in the immunization of more than 500 children. Parents, children and teens at the Highbridge Beacon collaborate with tenant and block associations to clean empty lots in the areas surrounding the school. They also created a community garden in an empty lot across the street from the school. Several Beacons have sponsored Stop the Violence campaigns and events that have been designed and nm by youth with support from adult staff members. Youth in Central Harlem made a gun control video with messages and a style geared to their peers. In Far Rockaway. East New York, the South Bronx and Southern Queens several Beacons have sponsored "if we can play together we can live together" sports events in which hundreds of youth participated and pledged to end the violence. At the Washington Heights Beacon 15 young men. all of whom were stealing and/or selling drugs when they were recruited off the streets, participate in a twice weekly group offered collaboratively with Mothers Against Violence where they encourage one anothers struggles to gain an education and stay with their recently acquired part-time jobs. The Beacons staff worked to find the jobs and assist the young men to enroll and persist in education programs. 5. Continuity of supports Beacons offer a continuity of supports in the lives of young people through the presence of staff and volunteers over long hours and every day. Positive youth and adult role models are available through the schools, commumty agencies and adult volunteers to counter the culture of violence and despair present in many highly distressed neighborhoods. Youth are offered opportunities to feel safe. 8to build skills, to have fun creatively, and to contribute to their neighborhoods. B. Improved School/Home/Community Linkages Beacons school-based community centers aim to increase the likelihood of children and youth achieving educational success by building communities of support for learning that include students, parents, social networks of youth and adults in neighborhoods including churches, voluntary groups, and peer groups, and linking these with school efforts to promote educational success. Beacons are not a pedagogical strategy. Rather the emphasis is on building or strengthening ties between families, schools and youdi
articulating and celebrating the cultures of students and their families and building on cultural and family resources to promote motivation in learning and affiliation with school, and directly offering resources to support youth in setting high expectations, attending school, solving problems, and sustaining effort Beacon centers exist in a variety of schools with diverse instructional emphases and widely varying strengths. Some have experienced and outstanding principals
others have had 2 or 3 interim principals in two years. Some Beacon intermediate schools are organized around instructional themes and have strong curricula and teaching staffs. Some have serious instructional problems such as the absence of any licensed science teachers. The home/school/commuruty linkages goals of Beacons are based in the educational theory of Dr. James Comer as well as studies by educational researchers such as John Ogbu and Jim Cummins on the relationship between minority group student school success and strategies that value minority cultures and engage families in the educational process. Comers assessment that the problems of urban schools stem from the loss of the schools deeply embedded place in the community and the consequent growth of alienation and mistrust between school staffs and families who feel themselves disempowered, implies that strategies are needed that build on community institutions to mobilize families and bridge the gaps between traditional schooling and minority communities. Specihcaily, Comer has founded the School Development Program (SDP) which is being implemented in many schools in New York City, some of which are also Beacons. The Beacons strategy, however, responds broadly to this educational analysis by attempting to re-build commumties and focus their attentions on education. Beacons aim to meet the challenging goal set forth in Comers work: to make communities "so cohesive and their fabric, the people, so tightly interwoven in mutual respect and concern that, even in the face of the potentially deleterious effect of poverty, their integrity and strength are maintained." (Haynes and Comer. 1990, p. 108-109). Beacons strive to increase home/school/community linkages in the following ways: increasing parent presence and parent involvement in the school offering of educational activities for parents and other community adults offering arts programs for youth and adults that celebrate the culture of families offering informal educational activities (classes, workshops, events) that emphasize reading and writing and other communication skills
to a lesser extent offering such activities that suppon math and science skills hiring parents as staff in after-school and evening programming, and in some instances as outreach workers to involve other parents in Beacon/school activities. 9 involving Beacons directors as participants, at the invitation of schools, on School-based Management Teams and Beacons family support workers in Pupil Personnel team meetings providing family support programs that reach the most vulnerable parents and children in the school population. All Beacons include parents as members of their Community Advisory Councils. About two- thirds have parents as staff members, usually part-time in roles such as Activity Specialists and Outreach Workers. The Highbridge Beacon offers EPIC courses to strengthen parenting skills. In addition this Beacon not only has parents on staff but offers parents the opportunity in each program cycle to propose programs, courses or single activities that they would like to offer to other parents and/or children. The Community Advisory Council selects and fimds a number of these mini-projects. The Bushwick Beacon offered a Health and AIDS education course which was taken jointly by 25 parents and teachers to improve their knowledge and skills in promoting healthy and responsible behavior by their adolescent children/students. The Red Hook Beacon involves parents in a literacy program to promote reading with children in the early grades. The Morrisania/Corona Beacon received a grant from a private foundation to establish a parent support and involvement component which will provide parents with workshops, rourxltables, and forums on issues in parenting adolescents such as sexuality, health, nutrition, and conflict mediation, and with guidance on educational issues such as the High School Admissions process. Parents at 80 percent of the Beacons are involved in activities such as GED, ESL and/or literacy classes. Most Beacons have found increased parent involvement in support groups and educational programs for their children by offering them in conjunction with activities that recognize the needs of parents, many of whom work all day and have full parenting responsibility. Beacons offer aerobics, volleyball, dance, and other cultural programs for parents and other adults, increasing their comfort and familiarity with the school, as their involvement is sought in contributing to school success. At the Highbridge Beacon in the South Bronx, 30 young parents, who themselves had experienced abuse as children, took part in a Youthful Parents Seminar Series. The series provided information on "how to" practices in child health and nutrition, discipline, dealing with daily conflicts, and building self-esteem. At the conclusion of the series the parents and their children participated in a weekend retreat to help one another practice their new knowledge. A unique collaboration in the Beacons initiative addresses the needs of those parents who have the least resources to meet their childrens needs. The Department of Youth Services and the Child Welfare Administration have developed an interagency agreement that has allowed foster care prevention services to be developed at Beacons. This collaboration, begun with four centers, has expanded to 12. The family support services are directed toward preventing out-of-home placement by providing family support and social services to families at serious risk of abuse or neglect or where a parent has filed a PINS petition, considering their adolescent child to be unmanageable. The programs are staffed by M.S.W. level social worker supervisors, case managers, and parent aides who provide emergency help, clinical services, home visits, counseling, and practical help in finding housing, jobs and childcare. Staffs of the preventive programs work flexible hours, including weekends, so they are particularly valuable in responding to the most high risk families in the school and the neighborhood. 10Locating Preventive Programs at Beacons offers other advanuges also. Parents, children and teens can have substantial informal contact with social workers through paiticipation in any of the other Beacons activities, and they can also have extended follow-up contact when the risk of placement has passed. One goal of the program is to integrate these high risk families into all aspects of Beacon programming so that they can build on their strengths and experience positive relationships over time. At most Beacons the staff work closely with the schools Parents Association on such activities as sponsoring weekly "family nights" where parents and children can share meals and activities, or sponsoring educational workshops. Beacons often provide childcare for school parent meetings. At each of the Beacons where the school has adopted the Comer School Development Program, Beacons staff are members of school teams atxl participate in activities such as retreats. IMPLEMENTATION STATUS A. Participation Beacons typically enroll approximately 1,000 community residents as on-going participants. The highest annual enrollment is 1,848. The lowest for a fully implemented Beacon is 628. Average daily attendance, based on activity attendance records, at the 20 fully implemented Beacons is 203. All Beacons have afterschool programs. These programs have average daily attendances of 120 to 150 elementary and/or intermediate school students. All offer youth educational enrichment and homework help, recreation and cultural arts activities. Twenty-one Beacons have youth leadership programs that enroll from 50 to 200 teenagers. Twenty-seven Beacons offer adult education programs itKluding GED preparation, English as a Second Language, and/or Adult Basic Education/ literacy. Enrollments range from 250 in centers offering several sections of different courses to 20 adults in each cycle of a GED preparation program offered four times per year at one center. Typically Beacons serve 40 to 60 adults per week in adult education. Other adult programs include: computer literacy, conversational English, Spanish as a Second Language, and entrepreneurship courses. Five Beacons have A. A., Al Alon/Alateen groups meeting at least weekly and two host Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Most Beacons organize participation by membership. Youth, parents and other community residents are asked to join the Beacon in order to participate in activities. Beacons issue picture identification cards both as a security measure and also to encourage an affiliation rather than a consumer or client relationship. Membership is open to all community residents, and is offered to everyone the first time that they come to a program or event At most Beacons members are asked to volunteer in a range of roles such as assisting with security, tutoring children, plarming and facilitating family nights, and participating in neighborhood projects. No fees are charged for activities. B. Hours Seventeen of the first 20 Beacons are open seven days a week including evenings until 9 or 10 p.m. (Most close at 6 p.m. on Sundays.) Three are open six days a week. The original Beacons budgets estimated twice the costs for seven day a week programming than the programs were allotted, and a few Beacons have not yet been able to find replacement funding or enough co-located programs to open seven days. All are open throughout the summer and on all school vacations. Twelve Beacons have an active presence during the school day. 11Beacons are open throughout the summer and on school vacations, usually operating day camps as well as evening activities. All Beacons participate in the Summer Youth Employment Program and on average they develop placements for 50 adolescents. Many Beacons develop specific neighborhood improvement projects during the summer that involve SYEP youth. C. Special Events Beacons serve as venues for community meetings and special events. Beacons report between 2 and 6 special events per month with an average of 4.4 over a year. These are in addition to regularly occurring events such as family nights. The following represent the types of events held across the Beacon centers: performances of plays and musicals. Street Outreach Program meetings. Summer Youth Employment Program Enrollments, block association and tenant meetings, Health Fairs. STD/ AIDS Education workshops, PAL and other awards presentations, candidate nights and debates, civic group monthly meetings, teen talent shows, basketball tournaments. Congressional Representative Town Meetings, a Community Housing Court forum, a Police Precinct Youth Speakout, trips to plays, museums, and cultural events, commemorative events such as for Martin Luther King Day, social service and community program training sessions, parent/staff meetings, childrens holiday parties. Gospel and other concerts, information exchanges for area businesses, conflict resolution workshops, fashion shows, grantwriting/ business planning seminars, cultural programs such as African and Latino dance programs, community meetings such as on redistricting. Youth Leadership conferences, vocational workshops. College Fairs, benefit cotKerts, Men's Unity Days, Parents Recognition Days, child advocate workshops, citizenship drives, immigration workshops, health days, legal clinics, playground clean ups. Community Thanksgiving Dmners, education workshops. Community Board meetings, drug/alcohol education workshops. Human Services Council meetings, anti-violence vigils and marches, film festivals, community policing meetings. Little League/ Soccer/Softball registration. Womens History celebrations. Landmark & Land Use Hearings, visits by the Mayor and other city, state and federal officials, commumty safety rallies. Project SHARE food distribution, workshops for staff and parents on teaching mathematics/writing/reading to kids, nutrition workshops, and test preparation workshops such as for the Fire or Police exams. D. Staffing Beacons arc staffed by full time directors and, in some cases, co-directors. All have at least two other full time staff members. Depending on the extent of core and collaborative programming Beacons may have as many as 30 full-time and 40 part-time staff. Directors from the first twenty Beacons come from varied backgrounds including teaching, school administration, counseling, program management in commumty-based organizations, social services, and youth work. All had previous experience working with youth programs and in schools, although that experience ranged from more than 15 years to 5 years. Some of the part time staff in Beacons are teachers who now stay until 5 or 6 p.m. Others arc parents, college students and commuruty adults who began as volunteers in Beacons programs. More than half of Beacons employ youth staff members in order to offer cross-age tutoring and role models for younger teens and children and to provide job experience for neighborhood youth. E. Community Advisory Councils All the Beacons report that they have organized community advisory councils. Most advisory councils include the school principals, but in two schools the principals have declined invitations to become members. All Beacons Community Advisory Councils include parents and youth 12 representatives. The City Council representative from the district in which the Beacon is located is an ex officio member. School custodians are members of about half the advisory councils. Membership on advisory councils across the Beacons is diverse, but typically membership may also includes teachers, neighborhood service providers, community police officers, religious leaders, and civic leaders. Community Advisory Councils are strongly involved in program planning in more than half of the Beacons. In some Beacons, the advisory council is more active in recruiting participation, organizing events, and addressing neighborhood concerns such as safety. Community Advisory Council members have provided a great deal of assistance to Beacons staffs in start-up and implementation problemsolving. Through their own particular city-wide or neighborhood connections, members have played important roles in raising resources for the Beacons, negotiating neighborhood turf issues, ensuring security, enriching programs and events, and reaching diverse populations in the Beacons neighborhood. IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES A. Safety and Security A key difficulty in providing extended hours of programming has been to ensure a safe and secure envirorunent for those youth and adults participating in activities and to protect the school buildings from damage. Most Beacons employ a multi-faceted approach to security. School security officers are often employed for the 3 to 5 p.m. period, followed by trained community residents. About half the Beacons employ youth who have received training in security procedures and conflict mediation as security assistants. Directors report that the key principles of ensuring security are that all staff and parents think of themselves as having security responsibilities, having clear lines of authority, rules and procedures, and setting a tone with young people that the Beacon is there for their benefit and that it is their responsibility to maintain its safety. In neighborhoods where turf is an issue, and groups of young people have rivalries such as between two public housing complexes. Beacons staffs have enlisted teen youth councils, youth outreach workers, and recreation staff to broker the Beacon as neutral space. Most Beacons have hired youth staff from each of the "turfs" as members of the same work teams to foster relationship building. The major security issues occur between the hours of 6:00 and 10:00 p.m. During this period most centers double their security staffs. Some suggest that security can also be improved through scheduling policies such as having programs for 14 and 15 year olds earlier in the evening and programs for the 16 to 18 year olds to follow. Inter-generational programming is also credited with making the buildings safe. Parents and grandparents participate in evening activities and also serve as coaches and volunteers for youth programs. All Beacon directors interviewed concurred that encouraging family participation increases security as youth tend to act more responsibly when their mothers or the mothers of their peers are in the building. A final security strategy has been to work with local police precincts and. in particular, community policing officers, to establish safe corridors around the school. These relationships have varied across the city. - Some Beacons directors report good collaborations. Two describe their relationships as "struggling," complaining alternately of police lack of response or over-reaction. Forging these kinds of relationships is a new endeavor for both parties, who are working under difficult conditions. This is an area that will require continued attention and commitment. Several Beacons have also done considerable outreach through their Community Advisory Councils and youth councils to move drug dealers and other negative behaviors away from the areas around the Beacon schools. This 13is a continuing struggle in some neighborhoods. B. Space Expanding the use of school buildings required tackling a variety of space issues. The primary issue is cost In the Beacons Initiative space costs are paid centrally by the Department of Youth Services to the Board of Education. Space costs are charged at the building level through the permit system operating in New York City public schools. Uses of space must be approved by the school principal arxl custodian who sign off on the permits. The system for arriving at costs is currently being reviewed in a city government inter-agency project called SPACEMAX. In some instances, renovations were needed in unused areas of schools in order to build program offices or program rooms. This was especially true in Beacons where the lead community based orgamzation was effective in brokering services. Schools that have been offered such programs as health climes, computer learmng centers, media or performing arts rooms, and LEAP programs have worked with lead agencies to find and renovate space. The most difficult space for Beacons to find has been office space, especially to have a presence during school hours to offer social services and other supports to the school. The primary barrier has been school overcrowding. Another important space issue has been accessibility to youth with disabilities. Most Beacon schools were not found to be fully accessible. In some instances small changes could make certain areas accessible, but in the long term, major changes were needed. The Department of Youth Services advocated for the Office of Management and Budget to allocate fimds to the citys capital budget for these renovations, and has worked closely with the Office of School Facilities of the Board of Education, the School Constmetion Authority, and the Mayors Office for People with Disabilities. Renovations on the first ten Beacon schools are now past the design stage and scheduled for implementation by the School Construction Authority in early 1994. J.P. Morgan & Company has contributed fimds to be used to renovate the playgrounds in each of the 10 original Beacon schools. Parents, teachers, principals, youth and Beacon staffs have worked together on the design and implementation of these new playgrounds at most sites. C. School/Community Collaboration School/commumty collaboration issues range from the highest policy levels to the most mundane actions. Changes in the Beacons selection process and the growth of programs and activities integrated with the schools reflect an increasing conunumcation at all levels in the city between youth services and education and increasing acceptance by schools of roles for external agencies. In the first round of Beacons selection (1991) schools were targeted based on neighborhood conditions (high crime, substance abuse, lack of services for youth). Community-based organizations developed proposals for services at the Beacon without consultation with the school or community school board. Commumty School Boards could reject a Beacon, but were not a part of the development process. One Commumty School Board, CSD 14, rejected a Beacon in the first round. The same district also rejected a Beacon in Round n after participating in the selection process. In Round I the proposed Beacon for this neighborhood was moved to an adjacent neighborhood in another Community School District. In Round II, implementation of a Beacon for this neighborhood, Williamsburg, was delayed for more than six months, and then opened in a high school in the same neighborhood. 14After the initial acceptance of Beacons, and the addressing of implementation issues, an improved selection process was developed. In Rounds II and in of Beacons selection, the central Board of Education, the Community School Districts and the schools have been involved. The Central Boards Office of External Programs has worked with District superintendents to select schools within targeted neighborhoods and together the schools and districts have presented the Department of Youth Services with their assessment of service needs for the school community. The Department of Youth Services has then included these individual needs assessments as part of its Request for Proposals to community agencies applying to operate a Beacon. District and school representatives also now can present their views to the Interagency Coordinating Council on Youth during the selection process to augment school input beyond the vote of the Board of Education representative. These changes have resulted in more comprehensive proposals. Many include activities and services during the school day and, in some instances, services are linked to changes the school is making such as implementing the Comer model of school reform. On the day-to-day level, the single greatest area of tension in Beacons school/community collaborations has been the use and maintenance of classrooms. Many after-school, evening and weekend classes and activities take place in classrooms. Arrangements to protect the work of teachers and students completed during the day, and to have classrooms cleaned and ready for school the next morning have been essential for Beacons to succeed. Most Beacons agencies have given specific staff responsibility for inspecting rooms before leaving, and keep a supply of chalk, blackboard erasers, pencils and papers, staplers and other such materials available as immediate replacements for missing items. The principle that most experienced directors work from is that teachers deserve to have their classrooms protected arxl ready for work in the morning." It doesnt matter how a mistake might have occurred, just that it be fixed immediately." Implementing this policy has resulted in dramatic reductions in complaints from the first year of the Beacons. Relationships between teachers and Beacons staffs have varied widely, with most relationships improving over time. In some schools, teachers immediately welcomed the Beacons staffs as helpful supports with a shared mission. In others, many teachers questioned the mission of Beacons, raising concerns about agencies bringing in teenagers and adults at night who were neither students nor parents at the school. In addition, both Beacons schools and lead agencies vary greatly. Some schools are neighborhood elementary schools. Others are large intermediate or junior high schools drawing students from several neighborhoods. All have predominantly students from low income families, but some have very stable and others somewhat mobile populations. Some have safety issues
others do not Some commumty-based organizations have far more experience than others in working in schools. Within limits, some view themselves more as advocates for youth and others more as partners with schools in youth development The key factors in improved relationships seems to be initiation of joint activities that lead to contributions from each of the professional communities, participation in one anothers activities, tangible contributions by the Beacon agency to the school such as computers, library books and gym equipment, services contributions such as augmented counseling and social work services, and an increase in parent involvement in the school attributed in part to the presence of Beacon supports. In a June, 1993 survey of the principals and superintendents of community school districts who had experience with Beacons for at least one year, all but one rated the Beacon as either excellent or satisfactory. One Beacon agency received a needs improvement rating. Principals made comments such as
"It has been a positive program. We have created a team approach to the school. "The staff of the Beacon form an outstanding group of people. They do a tremendous job in their program for our children and families." "The Beacon has been a total asset to PS (number). Obviously , it takes a 15 school commumty and parents to enhance and enrich a youngsters education. (Agency name) continued dialogues with the students and their parents provide a vehicle of concern for the whole family. Their willingness to work with teenagers has provided a beacon for all members of our family." "A very valuable program at the intermediate school level." "The (Beacon name) program is a vital service to District (number) students and their families.....Adults in the community also benefit from the services tl H provided by the Beacon. Through this program individuals are able to obtain their GED and also gain valuable infoimation regarding employment opportunities."" The Beacon staff has gotten the custodian and the Board to make improvements 1 have been trying to get for years.' (I Two principals made negative comments as well as positive ones. These comments included
"I would like to see better supervision of many of their programs which have been sub-contracted ". "The program needs to tighten security." "I would like the program to serve more of the children from my school. Too many resources are going to programs for teenagers and adults." "The program needs to increase spaces in the afterschool program for intennediate school students. They only serve 150 out of our 900 students, and seem to prefer serving younger elementary school children. It n school would get more resources." I thought my One area of tension reported by some community agencies concerned school climate and discipline practices. Beacons staff and school administrators sometimes had opposing views on issues such as school suspensions which became areas of conflict when a student was suspended from school but interested in participating in Beacons activities, or when a parent sought the assistance of a Beacons counselor regarding a conflict with a school staff member. These types of conflicts have generally been resolved through dialogue and commitment by school administrators and staffs and Beacon agency directors and staffs to open communication and respect Sometimes conflict has lead to new strategies. In one intermediate school with a large number of suspensions, the school and agency formed a Task Force on Discipline which examined school/center climate issues, and alternative methods of conflict resolution. The school initiated an in-school suspension program, "time out" room, and the Beacons agency shared the cost of staffing the program with the district. The Beacons agency also paid for staff development for agency staff and teachers in conflict mediation techniques in working with adolescents. As more Beacons agencies have responded to direct needs put forth by schools, and developed resources to offer schools services during the school day, there has been increased communication and joint activities. D. Expanding the Range of Services Beacons are charged with augmenting core services supported by Department of Youth Services funding with collaborative and co-located services. Depending on their size and comprehensiveness, lead agencies are also encouraged to sub-contract to ensure that a wide range of activities are available at the Beacon. Moving the Beacons towards comprehensiveness has been a significant challenge for lead agencies and schools. The service ranked as the top priority by all Beacons directors and most principals has been health. In a survey, three-fourths of the Beacons directors named health services as their top priority in terms of unmet needs. Almost all of the first 20 Beacons are located in neighborhoods designated by the New York City Department of Health as "health crisis zones" because of the high incidence of hospital admissions for children and adolescents that could be prevented or mitigated by primary care. In response to these health needs Beacons have tried to establish linkages with health providers to 16increase access to services for participants. Since 1991 they have made some progress
90 percent of Beacons provide health workshops and health fairs on a regular basis throughout the year, these are offered in collaboration with local hospitals,and neighborhood family health care centers (affiliates of HHC hospitals). Some agencies already knew these health providers: others were introduced through Beacons technical assistance activities in which local primary care providers were contacted and the potential benefits of offering health services through the Beacons explained. Seven Beacons have health services at least four times per week offered in conjunction with hospitals or health centers. Three have full health clinics. Three Beacons in Brooklyn have joined together with Sunset Park Family Health Center to try to develop comprehensive family health services at their sites. The Department of Youth Services has worked with most of the agency members of the Interagency Coordinating Council on Youth to encourage co-location of programs and staffs. These efforts have resulted in family support and youth employment programs in one-third of the Beacons. The coilabortion with the Child Welfare Administration has enabled social workers and outreach staff to be on-site at eight Beacon schools in the afternoons, evening and weekends. These staffs provide foster care prevention/family support services including home visits and emergency assistance. They also offer parent/grandparent support groups, teen groups and individual and family counseling. In three of the Beacons these social workers or the Beacons directors (where they are part of the social service support team) meet regularly with the Pupil Personnel team of the school. In two schools there have been difficulties with finding enough space for the programs. The Departnient of Employment has co-located LEAP programs at five Beacons that enable teenagers to participate in career education and internships and receive support services to remain in school and achieve academically. There are many barriers to integrating funding streams and co-locating services. The Beacons experience indicates that success depends on commitment and perseverance from at least one government agency in the partnership, preferably more than one, and flexibility and responsiveness on the part of the community-based organization. The process of overcoming barriers in the Beacons co-location experience also seems to have been helped by the presence of a brokering agent, separate from goventment and the community-based organizations, which could focus on keeping the process moving at all times. E. Staffing Experienced and qualified staff are critical to effective services. Also providing long hours, weekend programrmng and rich and diverse services is very expensive without extensive use of volunteers. Recruiting staff and volunteers has been a challenge for a number of Beacons. Programming that is culturally competent requires multi-cultural staffs, and diverse populations requires staff who can work with different age levels. The management and programmatic demands of the Beacons model have led several agencies to appoint co-directors, in particular to ensure coverage over extended hours, and to reduce the liklihood of burn-out. This appears to be a positive arrangement. 17Location and hours have posed problems for some Beacons. Several experietKed delays of several months in starting their Family Support/foster care prevention programs because they were unable to hire social workers who would come to their neighborhoods for evening work. Typically, youth programs enlist interns from colleges or graduate schools as volunteers. While more than half of the Beacons have been able to do this, several in more isolated and high crime neighborhoods have had difficulty in recruiting interns. Two Beacons esublished partnerships with the City Volunteer Corps, that have involved teams of trained volunteers, working full-time at Beacons for twelve week penods. Hiring staff who can do outreach to teens and who have community organizing skills appears to be crucial to the effectiveness of Beacons that have succeeded in involving hard-to-reach youth such as school dropouts and teen parents. Reaching these youth requires staff who can respond to immediate needs, and set high standards of behavior while respecting youth autonomy, and motivating youth to meet challenges. The story of a Beacons Cheerleading team, illustrates the complex skills needed by Beacons staff. A group of teenaged girls would hang around the entry but refuse to register for any of the activities or programs. They characterized themselves as too "bad" for this kind of stuff. The Center director told the girls that they could not just hang out, but they could have their own table in the cafeteria where they could sit together and play cards or games. They agreed to sit at the table "but not to do anything they didnt want to do." A Beacon youth worker began talking with the girls each evening and challenging them to name something that they wanted to do and would work at They finally stated that they wanted to be cheerleaders. The youth worker agreed to coach the girls, if they would come to practice faithfully and maintain a code of behavior as a team. The girls agreed, and they began. The youth worker enlisted some volunteers and parents to make uniforms for the team. She found a tournament that they could enter in six weeks. She helped the team negotiate with a boys basketball team to share their gym time so the cheerleaders could have extra practices. In the final nights before the competition, the director kept the center open late for marathon sewing by parents and staff and continuous practicing. The team entered the Bronx borough-wide competition and placed second. Girls who had never experienced a success, earned their own through setting a goal and putting forth effort to meet it The original group of six girls all had experienced school and family problems. They have stayed with the team and have improved their school attendance, and become involved with the peer counseling and other services at the Beacon. They report that they no longer hang out with older guys involved in illegal activities. Membership on the team has increased to 65, with the original girls now in leadership positions. Most Beacons consider it very important to hire direct service staff who live in the neighborhood. Many hire parents and young adult or senior citizen volunteers who have given their time to Beacons programming as part-time activity specialists or program aides. More than half also stress the importance of having youth staff members and volunteers who can model appropriate behavior and commurucate a sense of options and future directions to their peers. Staff development is a key issue. Staffs face complex youth and family issues and need opportunities to improve their skills and to learn 18new practices. Beacon staffs have participated actively in the retreats, seminars, networking meetings. and trainings offered through the Youth Development Institute, with support from the Aaron Diamond Foundation and Annie E. Casey Foundation. However, many directors expressed a desire for site-based staff development so that more staff could participate. F. Engendering Community Participation Beacons directors repeatedly characterized the missions of their programs as community-building. They want the Beacons to serve as a force for budding a climate of safety, increasing the number of adults focused on helping children and youth achieve positive educational and social outcomes, building positive peer groups among youth, and stimulating and supporting neighborhood improvemenL It appears that meeting this community-building goal requires Beacons to engage in multiple strategies that go beyond provision of services. Beacons that have been most effective in mobilizing community support for youth activities (such as play streets) and who have involved the hardest to reach teens (dropouts, teen parents) in positive activities have had outreach or community organizing staff. Mote than half of the Beacons enlisted their commimity advisory council members as recruiters for Beacons activities with good results. It appears that Beacons also stimulate and sustain participation by community residents by undertaking neighborhood improvement projects. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF THE BEACONS MODEL Implementing Beacons on a large scale obviously poses complex challenges. Because the Beacons attempt to meet individual youth needs and impact on neighborhood environments simultaneously, lead agetKies for Beacons must be able to deliver both strong youth programming and effect community change. Because they involve opening schools for long hours and seven day a week programming. Beacon agencies must develop and manage "safe spaces" as well as offering quality programs. The connection to school presents the challenge for agencies to develop partnerships in which they contribute to improving educational outcomes. The choice for Beacons to be developed and managed by lead community-based organizations has brought many strengths to the initiative. The sector represented by community-based organizations offers much promise for finding solutions that meet the needs of disconnected youth and families under stress. Because their development has been rooted in communities and neighborhood, many of these organizations have characteristics that are closer to the home cultures of the children and youth they serve than schools or other formal service systems. Leadership in many community-based organizations tends to more closely represent the racial/ethmc and cultural backgrounds of participants in their programs than do schools or public sector service agencies, and to be oriented to building on the strengths of families and youth rather than treating their deficits. Together these characteristics make their services ^th more accessible and supportive. The community-based organization culture, stressing accessibility (including long hours) and flexibility, makes them an especially good choice as providers of services to youth who have fared poorly in school, or live in particularly vulnerable families. However, the Beacon model is very demanding. It requires agencies to deliver high quality recreation, educational enrichment, and arts programming (itself or through sub-contractors) and to manage complex relationships with the school administrators, teachers, parents, students and with diverse members of the community from elected officials, neighborhood leaders, and religious and civic organizations to the police and drug dealers. Selection of agencies is a critical factor in detennining whether a successful Beacon can be established. 19Another two-sided aspect of the Beacon model is its flexibility. The lack of eligibility constraints and rigid program requirements have fostered creativity, energy and the tailoring of programs and strategies to the needs of the schools and communities. Where there is a strong agency flexibility has enabled the Beacon to be responsive, responsible, and innovative. Where there is educational leadership, the model allows the school to enhance its improvement efforts with significant supports. On the other hand, the fluidity of the model demands skill and agency commitment to community/school based planning, staff recruiting, and supervision. It also requires agencies to display leadership skills in handling the various political demands that accompany publicly-funded programs without recourse to the protection of rigid rules. If an agency lacks competence or commitment there are many pitfalls. This places an extra monitoring burden on city government since assessment is more complicated than in a traditionally structured program. The complex challenges of the Beacons Initiative require it to be accompanied by a technical assistance component and multiple opportunities for staff development Agencies need opportunities to share program ideas, explore best practices, and strategies for addressing political and community issues. Successful Beacons exist across a range of types of schools, neighborhoods and agencies. Their policies, practices and strategies need to be incorporated into a guide or handbook to be disseminated across the initiative. Inter-visitation has taken place with productive results and needs to be increased arxl supported. When community-based organizations and schools build strong collaborations, as had happened in several Beacons, this is a powerful force for orienting neighborhood'and youth culture towards educational achievement. The major limitation of the Beacons model to date is its limited linkage with instructional strategies to improve educational outcomes for youth. Since the initiative did not originate with schools, it is not surprising that it has involved limited dialogue with teachers and school administrators about education in the classroom. Beacons agencies have taken a support role through after-school tutoring, homework help and enrichment activities, and through provision of computers and other such tools. A few have developed direct plans with the school, for example, concentrating enrichment efforts on a particular grade level at the schools request, or working to bring a science enrichment program (through NSF funding to the school). Yet. there is far more potential that has not yet been tapped for collaboration to support educational achievement. If a dialogue does not grow between schools and Beacons agencies about educational achievement, in the long run the potential of the model will not be reached. However, at this point in time, the models openness also allows for many options. Beacons services and activities can be supportive, or even, integral to a range of different school improvement strategies such as the School Development Program, cooperative education models, or accelerated schools. The invitations from schools for Beacons staffs to become involved in school-based management teams and the School Development Program are promising developments for the future. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Beacon School-based Community Centers should be maintained at least at the current level of core funding, ensuring that at a minimum one exists in each Community School District. Beacons are clearly meeting a strongly felt need for youth activities, educational support and commumty participation. More than 30.000 New Yorkers have participated in Beacons services and many thousands do so daily. Principals and school district administrators report high degrees of support, and parents and youth have high levels of participation. 202. The role of Beacons as neighborhood development agents should be supported. The Beacons are a promising model of schools and community groups working together to foster safety and stability in neighborhoods. They offer important opportunities for the development of social networks that can aid parents in supervising their children and provide links for teenagers to education, jobs and positive peer groups. An emphasis on these types of activities should be maintained. Linkages with community policing should be supported. 3. City and state government should continue and strengthen efforts to increase collaboration, integrate funding streams, and increase and improve the co-location of services that support the Beacons mission. The collaborations developed between the Department of Youth Services and the Child Welfare Administration appear to be extremely valuable to supporting the most vulnerable families in Beacons neighborhoods. They have been well-implemented and should be expanded to all neighborhoods where there is an unmet need for family support services to prevent foster care placements. Co-location of Department of Employment LEAP programs should be continued and expanded. Beacons where LEAP placements are well-integrated with youth development activities should be used as models for expansion. Additional collaborations and co-Iocations that have developed should be examinf^ for possible expansion, with the caveat that every Beacon is serving a distinct neighborhood and school, and every service is neither needed or productive at every site. 4. Development and expansion of health service linkages should be the highest priority for the next stage of Beacons development. The Department of Health, the Health and HospiUls Corporation and the Department of Youth Services should form a partnership with public and private funds to stimulate linkages with community-based organizations and their local primary health providers. Health care, especially for adolescents, is considered the most serious and prevalent unmet need by Beacons directors and principals interviewed. Much effort by Beacons agencies, the Department of Youth Services and YDI has alr
This project was supported in part by a Digitizing Hidden Special Collections and Archives project grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Council on Library and Information Resoources.

<dcterms_creator>Little Rock School District</dcterms_creator>