Full-Service Community Schools
ACT Now is the recipient of two federal Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) State-Scaling grants, one for Rural School Districts and one for Suburban/Urban Districts. With these grants, we provide financial support, technical assistance, and targeted professional development to districts across the state in the implementation and expansion of the community school model.
Current ACT Now FSCS School Partners can find relevant resources, materials, documents, and more below!
Looking for general community school resources? Visit our Community Schools Corner.
Sign up coming soon for the FSCS monthly newsletter to receive updates about resources, deadlines, and more.
What is FSCS?
The Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) program provides support for the planning, implementation, and operation of full-service community schools that improve the coordination, integration, accessibility, and effectiveness of services for children and families, particularly for children attending high-poverty schools, including high-poverty rural schools.
FSCS awards capacity building and development grants, multi-location educational agency grants, and State-scaling grants. ACT Now is the recipient of two federal Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) State-Scaling grants, one for Rural School Districts and one for Suburban/Urban Districts. State-scaling refers to the expansion of successful programs or interventions to reach a larger number of people or communities. It focuses on increasing the impact and sustainability of a program beyond its initial scope.
Pillars of Community Schools
Since each community school is a reflection of local needs, assets, and priorities, no two community schools look exactly alike. However, all community schools have four pillars or components in common. These pillars are:
1. Integrated student supports;
2. Expanded and enriched learning time and opportunities;
3. Active family and community engagement; and
4. Collaborative leadership and practices.
Using all four of these components, community schools have the features found in high-quality schools and in better-resourced communities, where families can afford to supplement the services offered by these schools.
Grant Objectives
By the end of Year 5, each school community will have…
1. 50%+ of children are ready for Kindergarten, measured by the Illinois KIDS data and the Erikson Risk and Reach Report.
2. 50%+ of students meet or exceed their ELA & Math achievement rates as measured by IAR, increasing by 10% annually.
3. 50%+ of students meet or exceed their target ELA & Math growth rate as measured by IAR, increasing by 10% annually.
4. Chronic absenteeism and truancy is decreased by at least 10%, as measured by ISBE, decreasing 2% annually.
5. Positive results on 5Essentials, especially around family involvement, lead to all schools being rated as “Organized” or “Well-Organized”
Additionally, each Community Schools Coordinator (CSC) will attend 25 hours of professional development provided by ACT Now annually.
Current FSCS School Partners
ACT Now currently has 32 FSCS School Partners in 16 districts across the state. See our full list of current school partners below.
FSCS Resources
Below are resources and materials for current ACT Now FSCS School Partners. Looking for general community school resources? Visit our Community Schools Corner.
ANA
Below, find Asset and Needs Assessment (ANA) resources for FSCS School Partners.
Tools and Resources
Archival Data Toolkit
The Archival Data Toolkit provides a comprehensive guide for FSCS School Partners on collecting, entering, and reviewing archival data.
Mapping Toolkit
The Mapping Toolkit guides FSCS School Partners in inventorying community partnerships and relationships. It details how to identify existing relationships, assess effectiveness, and engage various stakeholders.
Fiscal Responsibility & Management Resources
Find budget and financial tracking resources, including information on fiscal policies and budget templates, for Illinois FSCS School Partners in this Google Folder.
Data Collection and Reporting Tools and Resources
Data Tracking Plan
Use this worksheet to plan how your team will approach data tracking and submission.
Data Guide
This guide explains how data is tracked for this grant, giving an overview of responsibilities, cadence, etc.
Attendance Guide
This guide provides advice on how to track and log attendance at events and programs.
Apricot Forms Flowchart
This flowchart helps you understand what forms to use to log different activities and events.
Apricot User Guide
This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to use Apricot and how to create and edit each form.
This guide is also available on the Apricot homepage if you scroll down to the green dropdown!
Data Slides
These slides give more background on what Apricot is and how to use it.
Additional Resources
Learning Policy Institute
The Learning Policy Institute (LPI) conducts and communicates independent, high-quality research to improve education policy and practice.
National Center for Community Schools
The National Center for Community Schools partners with schools, districts, community partners, and government agencies to create and sustain community schools.
Institute for Educational Leadership
The Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) builds the capacity of individuals and teams to strengthen their communities and education systems.
Archived Resources
Below are archived resources that ACT Now had previously shared about Full-Service Community Schools.
On May 9th and 15th, 2024, ACT Now hosted identical informational webinars to introduce the FSCS project and answer initial questions. Click below to watch the recording and access the slide deck.
- Recording of Informational Webinar
- Passcode: fFk8@kN#
- Slide deck
The resources below were shared to aid you in your conversations about partnering in this project and transforming your community into a community school strategy.
Upcoming FSCS Trainings and Events
Below, find events and trainings for FSCS School Partners for the 2026 – 2027 school year. Check back for registration links and more information. And be sure to subscribe to ACT Now’s newsletter to stay up to date on all events, trainings, and professional development opportunities! Trouble registering for FSCS events or have questions? Reach out to Micheline Holmes (HolmesM@actnowillinois.org).
Back 2 School FSCS Institute | In-Person | Springfield, Illinois
- August 28th, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. to August 29th, at 4:00 p.m. | Register Here
Setting the Stage for Success: An Illinois Community Schools State-Scaling Effort | Virtual
- September 10th, 2025, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Register Here
FSCS Admin Community of Practice #2 | Virtual
- October 1st, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. | Register Here
FSCS Admin Community of Practice #3 | Virtual
- November 19th, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. | Register Here
FSCS Mid-Year Assembly | Virtual
- December 10th, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Illinois Youth Development & Educators Symposium: Programmatic Alignment with Education | Virtual
- January 5th, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
FSCS Mid-Year Assembly Follow-Up | Virtual
- March 3rd, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
FSCS Admin Community of Practice #4 | Virtual
- March 31st, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
FSCS Year-End Summit | In-Person
- April 23rd, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – A pre-conference offering to ACT Now’s FSCS School Partners
FY26 Statewide Community Schools and Youth Development Convening
- April 23rd, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on April 24th, 2026
Check back soon for more information!
Illinois Community Schools in the News
Take Action to Support FSCS
Full-Service Community Schools represent a proven, responsive, and transformative model that supports academic achievement while addressing the holistic needs of students, families, and communities. In Illinois, this federal grant program currently provides $21 million in direct funding to local education entities and nearly $94 million in statewide scaling support to 32 schools over five years. FSCS grantees are in rural, suburban, and urban districts, enabling them to address local needs within their school and the broader community. Leveraging this model, students receive high-quality learning opportunities, parents and caregivers take an active role in decision-making, and community partners collaborate to ensure that students and families have the services and supports necessary to succeed. Without FSCS funding, many of these initiatives will not be sustained.
Unfortunately, on September 2nd, 2025, the House Appropriations Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Subcommittee eliminated the Full-Service Community Schools grant from the FY26 budget in its education spending bill. The LHHS Subcommittee also slashed other education grants within Title I and Title II funding to the detriment of students and families nationwide. The bill passed out of the subcommittee and was passed by the full House Appropriations Committee.
The federal government shut down on October 1st, 2025, as Congress was unable to pass a budget deal or Continuing Resolution (CR). Congress is working to pass a CR which would likely include level funding for FSCS. ACT Now is continuing to monitor the situation and will provide updates.
Zeroing out the FSCS grant program is unacceptable, and we must ACT Now. Here are actions you can take TODAY in support of FSCS funding:
Email Your Representative
Use ACT Now’s Action Alert to quickly and easily email your federal legislators and urge them to fully fund FSCS in the FY26 federal budget.
Sample Phone and Email Scripts
These sample phone and email scripts are templates that you can use to reach out to your Congressional offices directly to share more about why FSCS funding is essential in your community.
Questions about FSCS? Reach out to the Community Schools Team!
Lesley Rivers
Director of Community Schools
Tyrone Taliaferro
Technical Assistance Specialist
Andrew Hitzhusen
Technical Assistance Specialist
Micheline Holmes
Professional Development Specialist for Community Schools
Emma Leff
Data Specialist for Community Schools
Michael Guilmette
Data Specialist for Community Schools
Gray Alexander
Technical Assistance Specialist for Community Schools
Marci Johnson
Technical Assistance Specialist for Rural Community SchoolsReport broken links to hello@actnowillinois.org.
