COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
P.O. BOX 2120
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 90
May 23, 2003
INFORMATIONAL
|
TO: |
Division
Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Jo Lynne
DeMary Superintendent
of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
Community
Service Grant Program |
The Community Service Grant program is authorized in
Section 4126 of the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 2001. The
purpose of the Community Service Grant program is to enable states to implement
and coordinate programs that require students who are expelled or suspended
from school to perform community service.
The goals of the program are to provide suspended
and expelled students with meaningful activities during their absence from
regular school; to help them avoid negative behavior; and to teach them the
value of service to others and their communities.
The Virginia Department of Education will administer
the program in Virginia. Total funding
is expected to be an estimated $970,000 each year for a two-year period. Please note that the program will be
implemented by the use of contracts rather than by subgrants.
The department anticipates awarding up to 18
contracts at a maximum of $50,000 per year. This funding represents an
opportunity to supplement existing community service projects or to create
community service projects and resources in places where they do not exist.
In preparation, the Virginia Department of Education
formed an advisory task force of school leaders and representatives from
community agencies who worked to develop recommendations for program
implementation. The department will work with the Center for School/Community
Collaboration (CSCC) and Virginia Commonwealth University to develop a
"Best Practices" Implementation Plan for the Community Service Grant
program.
A conference for potential bidders will be conducted
in the Richmond area on Wednesday, June 25, 2003. For your convenience, two sessions are being offered. Any
organization that intends to submit a bid must send a representative to
this bidders conference. The
registration form is enclosed, as Attachment A. Attachment B is a Community Service Grant Program Fact Sheet that provides more
detailed information about this funding opportunity.
If you have questions about the bidders conference,
please contact Sara Jo Williams, director of the Center for School-Community
Collaboration at 804-828-1482.
Questions about the Safe and Drug-Free Schools
Program may be directed to the coordinator, Arlene Cundiff at 804-225-2871 or (acundiff@mail.vak12ed.edu).
JLD/ADC/saj
Attachments
/administrators/superintendents_memos/2003/inf090a.pdf
/administrators/superintendents_memos/2003/inf090b.pdf