District strategies for sustaining and supporting community schools initiatives¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The report distills implementation implications for districts adopting community schools: "Districts adopting community school initiatives should consider implementing processes to enable broad-based support among school and community actors; diversifying funding sources; and formalizing plans and commitments through district policy and documentation." Additional recommendations include centralizing partnership processes, increasing cross-sector county collaboration, developing school-level roles such as community school managers and universal systems like COSTs, providing professional learning and coaching, and engaging families in decision-making through outreach, conferences, and inclusive decision-making structures.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• District capacity to coordinate funding braiding, policy documentation, partnership management, and professional learning

Constraints¶

• The report notes sustaining all supporting initiatives is difficult under budget cuts, as when RJ coordinator positions lost funding

Target Learners¶

• K-12 students in community schools

Target Learning Goals¶

• whole child outcomes including attendance, achievement, school climate, and family engagement

Related Strategies¶

• Cultivate a supportive peer community among coordinators and connect them to county and state professional development to sustain the role

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Klevan, S., Daniel, J., Fehrer, K., & Maier, A. (2023). Creating the conditions for children to learn: Oakland's districtwide community schools initiative. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/784.361