School-Community Partnerships: Supporting Data Use for School Effectiveness and Improvement Planning

• In Event: Data Use for Educational Achievement, Equity, and Student Well-Being

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the research to practice journey undertaking by Our Kids Network to build a “community of research” that supports and promotes the application of research evidence to site based practice, policy development, planning and decision making across education and community practitioners and sector leaders, as we continue to work toward bridging the gap between research and practice – between knowledge creation and knowledge mobilisation.

From the beginning, OKN has had a vision that more can be accomplished by finding ways of working in an integrated and coordinated fashion. It acknowledged that no single group or individual can address all the needs of any one family or child (Pridmore, 2004). Key within our framework is the recognition that how children develop is a product of the interaction between the individual child and his/her environment (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009; Christenson & Sheridan, 2001; Ellen & Turner, 1997; Kretzmann & McNight, 1993; Scales & Leffert, 2004). Children need to be seen within the context of their family and their family within the context of their community. Services are not always effective when provided to the child in isolation. Recognising the demands on government and community resources, it is critical to explore ways to support neighbourhoods, families and children and avoid duplication of effort. Through collaboration, gaps in service are addressed and overlap reduced. An integrated approach ensures the most efficient and effective delivery of services to neighbourhoods, schools, children and families.

Through a case study approach, this paper will highlight the process involved in identifying and the challenges and power of integrating seven (7) population results for children and youth with three (3) key performance measures: (1) Building Service Integration (2) Supporting Children, Youth and Families through Neighbourhood Hubs and (3) Linking Research to Practice.

As a result of our school-community partnership, OKN has helped improve the capacity of systems of services to better achieve positive outcomes for children and families (Our Kids Network, 2010). OKN has become known for its “research leads the way” approach to establishing and meeting objectives. Many resources developed by OKN are used by school districts and participating agencies, the Halton community and other communities across Ontario.

Based on our research, we know that when looking at the internal audience of partners and participating agencies, the levels of research uptake and commitment to taking research to action vary greatly, leaving gaps. The challenges in taking research to action are not unique to OKN; the literature is notable with the failure of taking research-to-practice (Bennet & Bennet, 2007; Graham, et. al., 2006; Nutley, et. al., 2007; Provincial Centre of Excellence of Child and Youth Mental Health, 2005; Walter, et. al., 2004).

This paper concludes by addressing strategies to close the research-to-practice gap – on building capacity to utilize research, to strengthen cross-sector partnering in taking research to practice, and to continue to find ways to motivate, build enthusiasm and nurture integration within and across school-community partnerships.

Author

• Erica H. van Roosmalen, Halton Catholic District School Board