Appendix F: Beacon Community Schools Reporting Guidance
Access a PDF version of this appendix in the CMS Resources page.
Overview
Programs funded under the Beacon Community School Strategy are required to implement four core services: (1) expanded learning, (2) behavioral health and wellness, (3) transition supports, and (4) family partnership. Past evaluations of the Beacon Community School strategy found uneven reporting on the four core services in CMS. To better understand how Beacon programs are implementing these required components, DCYF is providing grantees with more specific guidance on how services should be described in workplans and reported on through the CMS activities module. Beginning in FY2025-2026, grantees are required to define each of the four required services separately in their annual workplans. The following guidelines describe how Beacon programs must set up annual workplans and submit attendance. Review the CMS Handbook for general workplan instructions.
Refer to the official San Francisco Beacon Initiative website to learn more about the Community Schools program model.
Workplan Instructions
Grantees describe funded programming through the site locations and services entered in the workplan Services & Projections form. Services are defined under each site location and include details such as a service description, service type, implementation period, youth projections, and outreach approach. For each service, Beacon programs must also select up to one Community School Programmatic Component (Beacon Core Service). Review the following guidelines for more information on service setup.
Projected Service & Beacon Core Service Alignment - Beacon programs must define at least one service for each of the Beacon Core Service. Each service can only be associated with one Beacon Core Service. To best align your programming to a Beacon Core Service, please review the Community School Programmatic Component descriptions which include examples of services/activities in the FY2024-2029 RFP within the Beacon Community Schools Strategy requirements.
Service Descriptions - Describing funded programming and services with the appropriate level of detail is key as this provides a template for activity reporting throughout the year. Services should be general enough to describe the programming and Beacon Core Service being implemented. Services are further defined in the Activities module through the creation of activity instances.
Expanded Learning Service Description - Services implementing the Expanded Learning Beacon Core Service must describe the activity(ies) offered within the Service Description field. Expanded Learning activities include school day, academic support, skill-building, summer literacy and math support, and physical activities.
Service Types - Service type include Group, Individual, or Activities without Personal Information. Refer to the detailed service type definitions in the CMS Handbook.
Expanded Learning Service Type - Services implementing the Expanded Learning Beacon Core Service must be set up as a Group or Individual service type. Group and individual service types require participant registration, enrollment, and attendance submission in CMS.
Services Encompassing 1+ Beacon Core Service - Services that are associated with more than one Beacon Core Service must be defined separately. For example, a program offers a general Afterschool Program service that aligns with two Beacon Core Services: Expanded Learning and Family Partnerships. The program must define two Afterschool Program services, each connected to the affiliated Beacon Core Service. Attendance must be tracked and reported for each service. Services not aligned with the Expanded Learning Core Service may be reported as activities without personal information. See example below.
Example - Service with Multiple Beacon Core Services
Activity Setup Instructions
Once the workplan has been submitted and approved by your DCYF Program Specialist, your program can access the Activities module for activity setup and attendance submission. Each activity is connected to an approved service and is defined by an activity name and activity category(ies). Refer to the activity setup guidelines below for more information. Review the CMS Handbook Activities chapter for general attendance submission instructions.
To minimize data entry and streamline attendance submission services approved in the workplan Services & Projections form should be connected to one activity instance. For example, an Afterschool Program service affiliated with the Expanded Learning Beacon Core Service has one activity instance with scheduled dates/times that reflect the full after-school program and an enrollment list of all program participants (see Example 1). While not necessary for DCYF reporting, programs may choose to report attendance for multiple groups by creating separate activity instances for classrooms or cohorts.
Example 1: Service & Single Activity Instance Setup
Service Name & Description
Service Type
Beacon Core Service
Activity Instances
Activity Details
Afterschool Program – our program offers homework help, physical activity, and general math and literacy supports.
Group
Expanded Learning
FY24-25 Afterschool Beacon
Schedule M-F, 3PM-6PM
Enrollment
Attendance
Activity setup for Services with 1+ Beacon Core Service - Services that integrate more than one Beacon Core Service may be reported as:
Group/Individual activities with distinct schedules, enrollment, and/or attendance (see Example 2) OR
A Group/Individual activity and an Activity without Personal information (see Example 3)
Example 2: Group Services & Activities Integrating 1+ Beacon Core Service
Service Name & Description
Service Type
Beacon Core Service
Activity Instances
Activity Details
Afterschool Program – our program is centered around homework help and leadership skill-building. Older youth plan and implement enrichment activities on Thursdays.
Group
Expanded Learning
Homework Help
Schedule M-F, 3pm-5pm
Enrollment
Attendance
Afterschool Program – our program is centered around homework help and leadership skill-building. Older youth plan and implement enrichment activities on Thursdays.
Group
Transition Supports
8th Grade Beacon Leaders
Schedule Thu, 4pm-5pm
Enrollment
Attendance
Example 3: Services & Activities Integrating 1+ Beacon Core Service
Service Name & Description
Service Type
Beacon Core Service
Activity Instances
Activity Details
Afterschool Program – our program is centered around homework time with a special focus on Family Partnerships.
Group
Expanded Learning
Homework Help
Schedule M-F, 3pm-4pm
Enrollment
Attendance
Afterschool Program – our program is centered around homework time with a special focus on Family Partnerships. Participant family and friends are invited to Thursday game nights.
Activities without PI
Family Partnerships
Family Game Nights
Date of Service
Minutes
# of attendees (participants, parents, staff)4. Notes
Activity Setup Examples for Behavioral Health and Wellness Services
Behavioral Health and Wellness Services that should be reported on through CMS include coordination and partnership activities, such as involvement in the school’s Coordinated Care team. Individual, unplanned behavioral interventions with students need not be reported into CMS as Behavioral Health and Wellness Services due to challenges related to recording and tracking these short and sporadic activities. Review the following examples which describe common scenarios for reporting Behavioral Health and Wellness Services in CMS activities.
Example 4: Behavioral Health and Wellness Services Reported as Activities without PI
Service Name & Description
Service Type
Beacon Core Service
Activity Instances
Activity Details
Service Coordination Meetings – Weekly meetings focusing on the implementation and coordination of school and community-based wellness services.
Activities without PI
Behavioral Health & Wellness
Service Coordination Meetings
Dates of Service
Minutes
# of attendees (participants, parents, staff)
Notes (e.g., meeting objectives & outcomes)
Youth Workshops – Beacon staff partner with teachers to offer wellness workshops to 7th and 8th grade classrooms.
Activities without PI
Behavioral Health & Wellness
Schoolwide Wellness Workshops
Dates of Service
Minutes
# of attendees (participants, parents, staff)
Notes (e.g., workshop topic)
Example 5: Behavioral Health and Wellness Services Reported as Group Activities
Service Name & Description
Service Type
Beacon Core Service
Activity Instances
Activity Details
Youth Workshops – Biweekly wellness workshops for participants of the afterschool Beacon program.
Group
Behavioral Health & Wellness
Beacon Wellness Days
Schedule (Every other Friday 3pm – 5pm)
Enrollment
Attendance
Activity Category Guidelines
Activity categories must be carefully selected to best define the activity’s objective. Please refer to the guidelines below when determining the activity categories assigned to each activity instance. Activity category definitions are located in the CMS Handbook Appendix C.
Activity Category Selections - Each activity may have up to 2 activity categories selected.
Expanded Learning Activity Categories - Activities defined under the Expanded Learning Beacon Core services may select up to 2 of the following activity categories:
Comprehensive Afterschool
Comprehensive Summer
ExCEL – Transfer Activity to EMS
School Day
Comprehensive Afterschool and Summer - Activities categorized as Comprehensive Afterschool or Comprehensive Summer cannot be paired with the following activity categories:
Enrichment & Skill Building
School Day
Learning Supports
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