Reimagining School-Community Partnerships for Justice and Equity: Self-Determination and Community Control

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: Transforming Family-School Partnerships: Practices for Justice and Equity

Abstract

As national examples of district-wide community schools reforms increase, the Philadelphia context provides a vital opportunity to identify practices for advancing equity and justice. The authors were part of a city-wide Coalition that organized to bring community schools to Philadelphia. We conducted a critical participatory action research project to examine the efficacy of our organizing and the evolution of community schools from a grassroots organizing vision to a formal initiative. We reimagine school community partnerships using a “from the ground up” accountability framework to advance self-determination and community control. Our work provides school community partnerships processes and metrics that center relationships and redistribute power to address the harm caused by years of neglect and oppressive education policies and practices.

Authors

• Kristen P. Goessling, The Pennsylvania State University - Brandywine

• Caitlin E. Fritz, 215 People's Alliance

• pep marie, Our City Our Schools

• Shivaani Selvaraj, The Pennsylvania State University