The Role of the Family in School-Community Partnerships

• In Event: Poster Session 14
  In Poster Session: Division L Section 7 Poster Session

Abstract

School-community partnerships, found to support student learning, strengthen schools, and help neighborhoods flourish, expand the traditional educational mission of the school to include health and social services for children and families and involve the broader community. The research on these partnerships, however, indicates that they vary widely in terms of models, strategies, and purposes. Through a review of the literature, we developed a typology of four types of partnerships, ranging from least to most comprehensive in purpose and design: Family and Interagency Collaboration, Full-Service Schools, Full-Service Community Schools, and a Community Development Model. These categories provided the framework necessary to analyze the role of the family and the level of involvement and/or engagement within and across these categories of partnerships.

Authors

• Amanda Stefanski, University of Maryland

• Linda R. Valli, University of Maryland

• Reuben Jacobson, Institute for Educational Leadership