The city Department of Education announced Wednesday that P.S. 288 in Coney Island is the latest school to be chosen to become a community school.

The principal at P.S. 288 will now be able to partner with community-based organizations to give students access to health services, more enrichment activities, after-school programs and more.

The program started back in 2014 as part of an effort to improve attendance and prevent students from dropping out.

P.S. 288 joins 316 community schools across the city, and Schools Chancellor Meisha Ross Porter says they are chosen based on neighborhoods where the need is the highest.

She says the DOE expanded the program during the pandemic to neighborhoods hit hardest by COVID.

Porter and Council Member Mark Treyger made the announcement as they hope for every school in the city to become a community school.

"Having that partnership with the community-based organization, having it in school, having additional supports and services - it just goes a long way in communities like Coney Island," says Porter.

The DOE staff say they're planning on having a total of 400 community schools by the end of next school year.