RESOLUTION NO. RS2009-661

A resolution appointing a Community Education Task Force to study the changing role of Community Education, and determine how community education may best serve the needs of the residents of Nashville and Davidson County.

WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Council has demonstrated its commitment to education through its substantial funding for Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools in recent years; and

WHEREAS, community education programs are vital to the citizens of Nashville, and are necessary for the educational growth of our community; and

WHEREAS, publicly funded community education programs have been serving the citizens of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County since the early 1970’s; and

WHEREAS, a previous Task Force was established by Resolution No. 76-320 of the Metropolitan Council in October 1976 to study the feasibility of implementing community education; and

WHEREAS, Community Education provides for the use of public school facilities for educational, social, recreational and other services for citizens of all ages; and

WHEREAS, the demographics, needs, and resources of our community have dramatically changed over the past twenty-five years; and

WHEREAS, recent actions regarding the Nashville Community Education Alliance’s budgetary situation have brought the concerns and needs of community education to the forefront; and

WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Council is concerned that the existing community education model in Nashville and Davidson County is no longer viable; and

WHEREAS, it is in the public interest that a task force be created to review and recommend a new community education governance model in Nashville to ensure that the most-needed community education services are being provided to the citizens of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:

Section 1. There is hereby created and established a Community Education Task Force (“the Task Force”), which shall review the existing governance model for community education in Nashville and make recommendations to the Board of Education and the Metropolitan Council regarding necessary changes.

Section 2. This task force shall consist of nine (9) members to be appointed as follows:

a. The chair of the Council Education Committee, or her designee.
b. The chair of the Council Budget & Finance Committee, or his designee.
c. The chair of the Metropolitan Board of Public Education, or his designee.
d. The Mayor, or his designee.
e. The Director of Schools, or his designee.
f. The chair of the Metropolitan Community Education Alliance.
g. Three (3) persons appointed by the Vice Mayor representing key stakeholder groups in community education.

Section 3. The Vice Mayor is requested to appoint one of the members of the task force as a temporary chairman for the purpose of calling and presiding over an organizational meeting. At such meeting the task force should elect one of its members as chairperson.

Section 4. The Task Force should meet at such times and places as it may determine and shall give notice of all meetings to the public with the assistance of the Metropolitan Clerk.

Section 5. Upon appointment, the Task Force shall first examine the current governance model for community education, and make recommendations to the Council and the Board of Education regarding necessary changes prior to May 1, 2009. As a second step, the Task Force should study and recommend programming changes for community education to better meet the needs of Nashville.

Section 6. That this Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.

Sponsored by: Megan Barry, Jim Forkum

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
Referred to:	Education Committee
Introduced:	March 17, 2009
Adopted:	March 17, 2009
Approved:	March 19, 2009
By: