Stevens questions DYCD on Beacon-DOE school partnership challenges

Because beacon programs operate within the public school, strong coordination with school leadership is essential.

What challenges DYCD has identified in maintaining partnerships between beacon providers and host schools, and what supports does those agencies provide when conflict arise regarding space scheduling and program operation?

I mean, I think especially with the beacons, they've been around for so long.

A lot of those partnerships are like.

20 years in at this point.

So I think it looks a lot different, but I guess, can you talk a little bit about what those challenges still might be that you're having?

Because I remember when I was in school and there was a beacon, there used to be a lot of issues around the opening of the building and who's going to be there and all the things.

Yeah, I will say that beacons are part of the fabric of the school and the community, and they serve as a critical hub.

And so making resources available to the families and making sure that it's quality services is important.

We work very closely with the Department of Education, both at the central level but also at the ground level.

And so my team, there's two tiers, right?

On the ground level, our CBO partners work very closely with the principals to have access to space.

The schools allocate space.

The beacons have access to office location.

And then we work closely with the Department of Education where we cover the expenses for extended use, including evening use of the space.

We work with our CBOs on ensuring that they have a standing meeting with their principals to go over school safety.

I think that at the end of the day, we want to make sure that young people and the participants and the staff are safe.

And so they are required to work closely with the school on safety.

And putting systems in place.