School and Community Support
Community Service
Community Service Program Overview
On January 8, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), Public Law 107-110, which reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). ESEA Title IV, Part A, the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA), supports drug and violence prevention programs. Section 4126 of Title IV authorizes the new Community Service Grant program.
In Fiscal Year 2002, the U.S. Department of Education (USED) will allocate $50 million among the States for the new Community Service Grant program under the following formula as prescribed in Section 4126:
(1) one-half according to the ratio between the school-aged population of each State and the school-aged population of all the States, and
(2) one-half according to the ratio between the amount each State received under ESEA, Title I, Part A for the preceding year and the sum of such amounts received by all the States.
USED provides this guidance to highlight the important aspects of the Community Service Grant Program and to provide guidance on administering programs assisted under this grant. States may rely on this guidance in managing their Community Service Grant. USED officials will consider State recipients that follow approaches contained in this guidance to be in compliance with the applicable Federal regulations that govern this grant.
Purpose of Section 4126 – Community Service Grant Program
The purpose of the Community Service Grant program is to enable States to implement and coordinate programs under which students expelled or suspended from school are required to perform community service. The goal of this program is to provide suspended and expelled students with meaningful activities to occupy their time 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.
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