Profiled New Mexico community schools showed improvement across attendance, graduation, achievement, climate, health access, and family engagement indicators¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · qualitative r1 · q2
Currency · newest study 2025 · checked against its sources 2026-10-20 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Across three profiled New Mexico community schools implementing the framework's key practices, the brief reports improvements in test scores, graduation rates, chronic absence, engagement, school climate, health care access, and family engagement, taken together across the sites rather than at every site; chronic absence fell significantly in two of the three sites since 2022 (by 50% at Los Padillas between 2021 and 2024). → Germain 2025

Evidence¶

Germain 2025¶

Germain, E., Maier, A., & Espinoza, D. (2025). New Mexico community schools: Improving student opportunities and outcomes. Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/new-mexico-community-schools-outcomes-brief

q2 · i? · qualitative · r1

Synthesis of three qualitative case study profiles drawing on "interviews, observations, and a review of relevant documents." The brief lists improved outcomes including "growth in test scores, increased graduation rates, reduced chronic absence" across the sites. No effect sizes or test statistics are printed.

"community schools implementing the key practices at the center of New Mexico's community schools framework are seeing improvement across a range of indicators, including growth in test scores, increased graduation rates, reduced chronic absence, increased student engagement and connectedness, improved school climate, greater access to mental and physical health care, and stronger family engagement"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• New Mexico LESC study: community schools operating more than 5 years with full pillar implementation showed better-than-average achievement growth — related
• A review of 143 studies found well-designed, fully implemented community schools improve attendance, achievement, behavior, and school climate — a broader claim this one bears on
• Los Padillas Elementary improved reading and math achievement and cut chronic absence by 50% between 2021 and 2024 after adopting community schools — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Family engagement is connected to stronger social-emotional development, higher attendance, and better academic outcomes — related
• Community schools are associated with positive student outcomes including reduced absenteeism, improved academics, and more positive school climates — related
• State investments in coordinators, professional development, and technical assistance were key to achieving community schools outcomes — related
• Positive school climate, which principals shape, improves attendance, behavior, graduation, and achievement and buffers poverty effects — related
• Health factors and academic outcomes are linked: meeting nutritional and fitness needs, school-based health centers, and positive school climate are associated with achievement, attendance, and behavior — related
• An evaluation of the New York City community schools initiative found increased graduation rates, increased elementary and middle school mathematics achievement, and reductions in chronic absenteeism. — related
• Well-implemented community schools improve attendance, behavior, engagement, and academic outcomes, with longer and more sustained implementation associated with more significant outcomes — a broader claim this one bears on
• Schools adopting a whole child approach are reported to see improved attendance, engagement, health, and academic performance — a broader claim this one bears on