Recognizing the special relationship that exists between neighbors, communities across the nation are spearheading innovative programs to build, amplify, and leverage social networks in distressed communities to reach residents not yet enrolled in higher education. Grounded in existing relationships and established trust, the Chamber of Commerce…

Because researchers know so much more about the brain and development than they did when the 20th-century U.S. education system was designed, this knowledge can now be used to design a system in which all individuals are able to take advantage of high-quality opportunities for transformative learning and development. This playbook suggests a set…

This publication is part of a series of tools and resources on financing and sustaining youth programming. These tools and resources are intended to help policymakers, program developers, and community leaders develop innovative strategies for implementing, financing, and sustaining effective programs and policies. This strategy brief presents a…

This guide presents a five-step approach to planning, conducting, and evaluating a community-school health advisory council. The five steps are: (1) convening an advisory council (learning about community-school health advisory councils, obtaining support from the school district, identifying potential members, organizing and conducting the first…

This document introduces science center educators to a new partnership model based on lessons learned during a 3-year national pilot project to support collaboration between six urban science centers and over 30 community-based after-school programs. The collaboration tested and refined an innovative curriculum challenging children to build…

Since 1999, pre-service teachers undertaking the Bachelor of Teaching (Secondary) Program at the University of Western Sydney have participated in an alternate practicum called Professional Experience 3 (PE3). This practicum encourages students to engage in broader educational settings within local communities. Increasingly, a number of…

A growing number of charter schools are being designed, launched, and operated by community-based nonprofit organizations (CBOs). This resource guide is intended to target a priority technical assistance need: creating and sustaining a healthy relationship between a new charter school and a founding community organization, leading to the creation…

This document is designed for use by community organizers in creating, developing and maintaining an intergenerational program. Starting with a brief overview of the Maryland Intergenerational Coalition, the document describes (in short, bulleted entries) the activities and accomplishments of various intergenerational programs in Maryland, such as…

This document offers various perspectives on school/college collaborations. The first section, "Schools and Colleges as an Area for Collaboration," is a broad review of how close working relationships between colleges and schools can improve education for all students, as well as help institutions improve themselves. The second section, "Getting…

Prepared by the office of the Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian, this manual describes the components and basic start-up steps of successful volunteer literacy programs. The 17 short sections provide an overview of the following topics: (1) purpose and mission; (2) determining need in your community; (3) recruiting students; (4)…

The goal of the U.S. Department of Education's America Reads Challenge is that all children read well and independently by the end of third grade. This guide details the knowledge and skills needed to support the America Reads Challenge or to implement a literacy development program for children from preschool through grade 3. The guide was…