Within most models of multi-tiered systems of support, Tier 3 supports are the most intensive supports public schools can provide to their students. These supports may be delivered to address academic, behavioral, or mental health concerns. Because many schools do not have the mental health personnel to effectively deliver Tier 3 mental health…

This study provides an overview of the literature of Florida's only Community Partnership Schools™ model, as a strategy to enhance family and community engagement in low performing high poverty elementary schools. More specifically, the focus of this study was to determine to what degree parents perceived the effectiveness of family and community…

Community Partnership Schools™ are designed to serve as a positive resource center in their community, staffed with dedicated professionals committed to student success and community well-being (Coalition for Community Schools, n.d.; Ellis, 2016). Following the education model created at the University of Central Florida (UCF), the first…

The full-service community school (FSCS) model is one of the most popular and growing types of community school models, which is widely implemented in under-resourced urban schools. FSCSs offer an alternative to traditional public schools in the U.S. and are designed to coordinate community assets within a school. Given increased attention to this…

It is estimated that as many as 20 percent of school-aged children in the United States have diagnosable mental health conditions, and schools are the primary location where children receive mental health services. Because of limited resources, school-community partnerships are recommended in the literature as a best practice for providing…

This article reveals the nature of actions, discussions and relationships which helped forge school-community partnerships for engaged student learning and wider community participation for students and families living under difficult socio-economic circumstances. Specifically, the article draws upon interviews with key personnel and staff…

The primary focus of this article is a community-based project initiated under the auspices of the Palm Beach County School District's Office of Multicultural Affairs. The students in this district represent 150 countries and 104 language groups. The nation with the highest representation among this population is Haiti. Project CASAS (Community…

Describes the Yellow School Bus Project, a community program jointly sponsored by religious, civic, fraternal, business, and nonprofit organizations in Durham, New Hampshire, to provide homeless children with supplies and clothes to help them succeed in school. (PKP)

Describes the Community Reading Month (CRM) initiative in Iowa City, Iowa; its goals are to promote the value of reading and to build a sense of community. Topics include the development of CRM, increased reading scores of Iowa City's elementary school students, activities for people of all ages, and planning and evaluation. (AEF)

Schools are facing major problems today that are only marginally addressed by most reform initiatives or by standards-based federal and state legislation. New and different strategies are required if schools are to adequately serve their students and communities. This article demonstrates that service-learning is one dynamic way to promote school…

Discusses three goals from research that can be served by incorporating writing into the middle school social studies curriculum. These include: (1) assisting students in learning social studies content, (2) promoting critical thinking skills in students, and (3) enhancing linkages between students and their communities. Implies student writing…

Provides overview of major initiatives in family literacy and argues for fundamental change in the way schools relate to parents and the community. Suggests that schools and communities need to develop more effective partnerships so that parents and teachers can develop a sense of shared understanding. Concludes that such initiatives will lead to…

This study examined the types of activities offered through Girl Neighborhood Power (GNP) and the extent to which low-income girls reported positive experiences and outcomes related to psychological, social, behavioral, and academic adjustment. Four communities implemented federally funded GNP programs, which provided various activities and…

Studies show that afterschool programs improve academic achievement, reduce grade retention and increase student attendance and interest in school. Across the country, afterschool is a key element in strategies to turn around under-performing schools. The superintendent of Philadelphia and the governor of Virginia have used afterschool to turn…

Evaluation after two years of Project RAISE, a multifaceted program with seven community sponsors in the large Baltimore (Maryland) school district, indicates the effectiveness of using community adults as advocates and mentors in improving student attendance and some report card grades, but not promotion rates or standardized test scores. (SLD)