Abe Fernández & Sarah Jonas

“We ignore family, community and the economy at our peril in education reform.” Paul Barton Educational Testing Service

Community Schools 101 By the end of this session, participants will:  Be able to refer to several definitions of a community school  Understand the four capacities and have examples of each from the field  Assess the developmental stage of their community school(s)  Know how to use Stages of Development to inform their CS planning

A Strategy, Not a Program A strategy for organizing the resources of the community around student success… Pat Harvey, Former Superintendent St. Paul Public Schools

What is a Community School? A community school is both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources. Its integrated focus on academics, services, supports and opportunities leads to improved student learning, stronger families and healthier communities. Coalition for Community Schools

Another Definition… A Community School is characterized by:  Extended Services  Extended Hours  Extended Relationships

CAS Developmental Triangle core instructional program educational & cultural enrichment services that remove barriers to learning physical health dental health mental health social services

Several well-known models:  Beacons  Bridges to Success  Children’s Aid Society  Communities in Schools  Healthy Start  Polk Brothers Full-Service Schools  Schools of the 21st Century (Yale University)  WEPIC (University of Pennsylvania)

Critical Capacities Effective community schools continually develop a set of four key capacities: 1. Comprehensiveness 2. Collaboration 3. Coherence 4. Commitment

1. Comprehensiveness Programs, services and opportunities respond to a wide spectrum of identified needs by marshalling a full complement of partnership resources  Whole Child Developmental Approach  Needs Assessment & Resource Allocation  Asset-based, High-quality Program Development

2. Collaboration All stakeholders are involved in meaningful, permanent roles – including educators, parents, students, funders, community members, providers, policymakers  Engagement  Partnership Development  Shared Leadership

School-Based Teams Needs Assessments Implementation Outcomes Principal, Community School Coordinator, School Staff, Teachers, Providers, DHS Staff, Partners, Parents, Community Members Systemic Managers Partner Coordination Protocol Development Data Sharing KSSN Project Director, Agency Managers, School District Managers, Site Supervisors, Program & Service Provider Managers Leadership Team Shared Vision Policy Alignment Resource Development Kent County Admin, School District Leadership, Kent Health Dep’t, DHS, Network 180, Spectrum Health, Major Donors, Kent ISD, DA Blodgett Technical Assistance (CAS) Kent School Services Network Evaluation (PPA)

3. Coherence Activities and programs are coordinated and integrated with effective management and accountability  Program Integration and Oversight  School/Partner Relationships  Coordination

Chronic Early Absence  Chronic early absence occurs when K-3 rd graders miss 10% or more days (nearly a month) in a school year including excused and unexcused absences.  National research found that this level of school absence was associated with lower academic performance, truancy and dropout, delinquency and substance abuse. Hedy Chang

4. Commitment Sustainability planning activities are employed from the start  Shared Vision and Results Framework  Building Public Will and Participation  Strategic Financing  Evaluation and Capacity-Building

Community Schools Let’s talk commitment Lisa Villarreal, Program Officer for Education San Francisco Foundation

Shared Vision and Results What expectations do funders have for community schools? How are community schools leveraging funding streams and sources to fund this work?

Building Public Will and Participation What role can advocacy play in the sustainability of community schools? Are there examples to learn from? How do you market a strategy?

Evaluation What data should community schools collect and report on to position themselves for more funding and broad community support?

Capacity Building What skills/capacities are generally lacking in the community schools field that, if developed, would advance the movement?

The Moral Imperative for Community Schools “I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits. …our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter”~ Dr.Martin Luther King Jr.

Stages of Development in a Community School ExploringEmergingMaturingExcelling

Self-Assessment Working in pairs, discuss the following: 1. Which capacity would you most like to further develop? 2. What actions could you take to move to the next stage within that capacity?

LESS IMPORTANT MORE IMPORTANT EASIER HARDER Action Planning through the Stages Quick Wins Core Strategy William Potapchuk

Final Words: Our Three Mantras  It’s all about relationships  Everything has to be negotiated—all the time  For community schools to work, the partners have to have the word “yes” written in their hearts

nationalcenterforcommunityschools.org