Norseman Elementary School in Fresno is among five "community school" sites. Fresno Unified photo

Fresno Unified School District has received a $7.1 million grant from the California Community Schools Partnership Program to be used over the next five years to aid students’ needs.

Five of FUSD’s highest-needs schools have begun transitioning into community schools, determined by the neighborhoods where families need more resources, according to an FUSD news release. These community schools will provide access to various services to help students thrive academically and emotionally.

The elementary schools are Birney, Holland, Norseman and Thomas, and Fort Miller Middle School.

The district also invites additional schools to apply for the next round of grant funding.

The California Community Schools Partnership Program has supported schools through partnerships with community agencies and local governments for community resources to improve student outcomes.

In 2021, the California Community Schools Partnership Act was passed by the California Legislature. In 2022, the Legislature expanded the program by adding funds and extending the program to 2031.

These partnerships have provided an integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development and community engagement.

According to California’s Department of Education, these community school strategies can mitigate the academic and social impacts of emergencies that affect local communities, improve school responsiveness to student and family needs, and organize school and community resources to address barriers to learning.

They will include four programmatic features — integrated support services; family and community engagement; collaborative leadership and training for educators and administrators; and extended learning time and opportunities.

“We want our community schools to be vibrant focal points for their neighborhoods, a one-stop hub where families can access academic, physical, social-emotional, and mental health supports. These schools will have true partnerships with their families,” said FUSD Superintendent Bob Nelson.

The schools selected in FUSD are in geographic areas containing some of the most impoverished communities in the nation. These neighborhoods also score in the bottom 1% of the Fresno County health dashboard. Students at these school sites score significantly below grade level in math and English and also have adverse behavioral outcomes with high suspension rates and high absenteeism.

FUSD said these community schools will have advisory councils of teachers, parents, community members, students and community-based organizations.