A school district may provide services for children and families at the school site, which may include a community learning center. If the district chooses to provide services, the design of educational and other services to children and their families shall be the responsibility of the school district. School districts may coordinate services with programs provided through and coordinated by the Early Learning Council for the purpose of providing services to families. To ensure that all educational and other services for young children and their families offer the maximum opportunity possible for the personal success of the child and family members, it is the policy of this state that the following principles for serving children should be observed to the maximum extent possible in all of its educational and other programs serving young children and their families, including those programs delivered at community learning centers: (1) Services for young children and their families should be located as close to the child and the family’s community as possible, encouraging community support and ownership of such services; (2) Services for young children and their families should reflect the importance of integration and diversity to the maximum extent possible in regard to characteristics such as race, economics, gender, creed, capability and cultural differences; (3) Services should be designed to support and strengthen the welfare of the child and the family and be planned in consideration of the individual family’s values; (4) Services should be designed to ensure continuity of care among caregivers in a given day and among service plans from year to year; (5) Service systems should address the most urgent needs in a timely manner including health, intervention and support services; and (6) Service providers and sources of support should be coordinated and collaborative, to reflect the knowledge that no single system can serve all of the needs of the child and family.

(1) The Department of Education and the Department of Human Services shall support the development and implementation of a network of community learning centers across the state. (2) Within available funding, the Early Learning Division, in conjunction with other organizations that provide training and technical assistance to schools or community programs, shall provide training and technical assistance to promote the development and implementation of community learning centers. To the extent possible, the division shall use voluntary organizations to provide the training and technical assistance. (3) Community learning centers created pursuant to this section shall:

• (a) Be located in or near a school or a cluster of schools;
• (b) Involve parents in the care and education of their children;
• (c) Involve the local community in developing and overseeing community learning center programs;
• (d) Incorporate the principles of family support services described in ORS 329.150 and 417.342;
• (e) In partnership with the local school district board, create or designate an advisory committee to offer guidance on program development and implementation, with membership that is representative of the diversity of community interests, including representatives of businesses, schools, faith-based organizations, social service and health care agencies, cultural groups, recreation groups, municipal governments, community colleges, libraries, child care providers, parents and youths; and
• (f) Conduct an assessment of strengths, needs and assets within the community to be served by the community learning center that identifies services being delivered in the community, defines and clarifies services that are missing or overlapping and builds on any existing community assessments. (4) The Department of Human Services and the Department of Education shall provide technical assistance to community learning centers to develop policies ensuring that confidential information is disclosed only in accordance with state and federal laws.

(1)  Community learning centers shall promote identification and coordination of existing resources including, but not limited to, the following services and activities:

• (a)  Before-school and after-school enrichment activities linked with the school curriculum;
• (b)  Youth development and service learning activities;
• (c)  Child care programs;
• (d)  Mentoring and tutoring programs;
• (e)  Parent literacy and adult education programs;
• (f)  Prenatal and early childhood support programs;
• (g)  Parent education and support groups;
• (h)  Cultural activities and English language learner programs;
• (i)  School-to-work and workforce development programs;
• (j)  Intergenerational activities connecting senior citizens with children;
• (k)  Referrals for health care and other social and educational services;
• (L)  Primary health care services, including immunizations, sports physicals and well-child checkups; and
• (m)  Counseling services.

(2)  School districts that create community learning centers shall encourage existing family resource centers to become involved in the development and implementation of the community learning centers. An existing family resource center developed under ORS 417.725 may be designated as a community learning center if the family resource center meets the Standard specified in this section and ORS 329.156.

(3)  Community learning centers shall follow best practice Standard to ensure their effectiveness.