How to Grow Community Schools: A Citywide Effort in Year 3

• In Event: 69.056 - Roundtable Session 31
  In Roundtable Session: 69.056-12 - Teacher Development Across Content Areas: Utilizing Knowledge to Improve Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Community schools harness local networks of partners and community-based resources, supporting the whole school to promote student achievement and family and community well-being. In 2012-13, 26 of one large, East Coast city’s public schools adopted the community school strategy, adding to 11 that had previously been operating independently, and six more were added by 2014-15. The current study examines these 43 urban community schools’ outcomes at the end of the strategy’s third year, including student attendance, Out-of-School-Time (OST) program participation, school mobility, and parental engagement. The findings have implications around the length of time it takes to implement a community school model, associated challenges, and best practices.

Authors

• Rachel E. Durham, Johns Hopkins University

• Faith Connolly, Johns Hopkins University