The purpose of the primer, written by MAYA Consulting, LLC., is to support charter schools in considering community-centered and collective impact approaches for improving results. Using the community schools model as an example, the primer makes the case that community-centered and collective impact approaches are ways to address the unmet needs…

Youth councils bring together students to drive meaningful change in schools by strengthening school policies and practices that serve all students. By fostering authentic student leadership, these councils empower young people to shape policies that directly impact their learning environments. Given that students experience shifts in the…

Chronic absenteeism is a critical predictor for student achievement and high school graduation rates and helps to identify at-risk students. It is a significant challenge in the NYC public school system, driving inequitable outcomes for marginalized students. Since 2014, NYC public schools have used the community school model as an equity…

This study highlights the Community Schools (CS) implementation experience of five rural Vermont schools. Principals and CS coordinators participating in a state-funded program aimed at CS establishment were interviewed to understand better their experience with implementing a school/district-wide policy and reform effort. Findings suggest several…

One of the greatest contributors to a student's success in K-12 education is the effectiveness of their teachers and, consequently, teacher retention. Unfortunately, teacher turnover rates have increased substantially since 2015, with the majority of teachers leaving for reasons that do not include retirement. Teachers who are more satisfied with…

Universities have the potential to bring significant assets to community school development, and community school models align with emerging priorities in higher education, including shifts toward community engagement. University-assisted community schools (UACS) present an ideal place for these mutual interests to be met, although barriers to…

Los Padillas Elementary School is part of a network of community schools supported by Albuquerque Public Schools and the ABC (Albuquerque/Bernalillo County) Community School Partnership. Since 2018--when Los Padillas adopted the community school strategy in response to its MRI (More Rigorous Intervention) designation due to low test scores--the…

This paper reports on a survey conducted in Australia among parents raising their children with a heritage language (HL). We found strong awareness of the importance of HL maintenance (95%), but only moderate levels of engagement (37-44%) with community initiatives for HL support. There were significantly more primary school-aged children reported…

The disruption to the national GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) examinations in England during the summer (June-August) exam period of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been well documented; however, less attention has been paid to the challenges faced by complementary schools in preparing students for GCSEs in heritage…

Most research on community schools finds statistically significant, meaningful improvements in students' academic outcomes (e.g., GPA, test scores, high school graduation) and behavioral outcomes (e.g., attendance). This research brief presents an overview of the evidence on how community schools, when implemented effectively, can improve student…

California is prioritizing equity in education post-COVID-19 by investing in community schools. Districts have an important leadership responsibility to develop the conditions, capacities, and resources for effective, sustainable community schools. Specifically, districts must strengthen system-level supports and infrastructure to ensure…

Purpose: Innovation enables growth and helps address social challenges. This research aims to identify evidence that can characterize an innovative university based on its university management. Thus, the authors define the following research problem: How to measure innovation in a Higher Education Institution (HEI) that intends to be innovative…

This study leverages data collected from a study of Baltimore's 21st Century School Buildings Program to understand the potential of a school facilities investment to catalyze community development. We leverage a school-community partnership typology to examine partnerships at 21CSBP schools in three neighborhoods. We found that schools provided…

This study explored the role of Equity Leadership in implementing the Community School Policy Framework in California, focusing on addressing systemic inequities. Using a qualitative approach, this research drew on six in-depth interviews with public sector leaders in the California Community School Partnership Program (CCSPP). Findings…

Many influential figures in the Appalachian Craft Revival (1896-1937) lauded handwoven overshot coverlets as one of the finest expressions of the region's handicraft traditions (e.g., Hall 1912). As a wave of university-educated women arrived from the North and more affluent communities in the South to establish settlement schools, folk schools,…