School-Community Collaboration and Student-Level Outcomes: A Mixed-Methods Case Study

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 61
  In Roundtable Session: Leveraging Collaborative Family, School, and Community Partnerships to Support Students

Abstract

Young people who experience poverty face ongoing stress that critically impacts learning and mental health. In response to these problems, schools are pressed to find ways to provide necessary supports to students. To do this, schools are often supplementing their work through collaboration with community-based organizations. The implementation of these partnerships, however, depends upon professionals to collaborate with each other. Although collaboration is critical, little research has been conducted to link the contributions of school-community collaboration to student-level outcomes. This paper presents the findings of mixed-methods case study that aimed to understand whether and how collaboration relates to student-level outcomes. Results indicate that strong collaborations do impact outcomes for students, families, and schools. Implications for policy and practice are offered.

Authors

• Elizabeth A Mellin, Binghamton University - SUNY

• Dawn Anderson-Butcher, The Ohio State University - Columbus

• Naorah Celia Lockhart, 2M Research Services

• Karen Sterling, Canyons School District