A Collaborative Approach to Achieving Ready Schools and Ready Students

• In Event: A Cross-Case Analysis of Preschool Through Third Grade (P–3) Alignment: Effective Practices and Policies at State, District, Municipal, and School Levels

Abstract

Community schools are designed to create the structure and culture of collaboration to help communities meet the needs of students and families. However, there has been little research about how systems of community schools have been organized at the initiative level. The objectives of this paper are:
1. To explore how community school systems have developed and are organized.
2. To investigate how community school systems support early childhood education and align it with the K-12 system.
The presenter grounds the study in the literature about community schools (Blank, Berg, & Melaville, 2006).

Methods and Data Sources
In spring 2011 the researcher conducted site visits to four communities (Multnomah County, OR, Tulsa, OK, Cincinnati, OH, and Evansville, IN) that have implemented the community school strategy for at least six years and have strong or developing early childhood initiatives. Data include semi-structured interviews and focus groups with over 100 key stakeholders across the four sites, including superintendents, community leaders, principals, parents, initiative leaders, funders, community partners, and others. Interviews were augmented by observations of approximately 15 meetings, site visits to over 10 community schools and early childhood facilities, and an analysis of pertinent documents. The researcher is compiling the data into four case studies as well as a cross-case analysis that will examine common themes (Merriam, 1998).

Initial Results
Initial results indicate that these communities have developed collaborative leadership structures made up of partners (e.g., United Way, government agencies, CBOs, etc.) at the community and site levels that set the vision, identify funding, plan for sustainability and evaluate progress. These structures have helped communities incorporate and align a burgeoning emphasis on early childhood education, including but not limited to transitions to elementary school and creating a continuity of supports. In some cases, the community school initiative has encouraged the development of new early childhood experiences to community partners already organized to support students and families through the collaborative leadership structures. In addition, community schools serve as a respected, trusted, and resource-rich entity for beginning new early childhood education programs (e.g., in the school) or for linking to early childhood programs.

Significance
This paper will add to the limited literature on community schools and help frame future research of this growing strategy by clearly describing the common elements of a system of community school. As it relates to the conference theme, the paper will help the growing number of practitioners developing community schools and other place-based initiatives learn how communities are using partnerships and collaborative leadership structures to integrate their early childhood initiatives and other work.

Author

• Reuben Jacobson, University of Maryland