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A community school is both a place and a set of partnerships between schools, local government agencies, nonprofits, families, and the community. It is a "whole-child" approach that focuses on meeting the needs of students academically, socially, and emotionally. Community schools aim to remove barriers to learning, address the unique challenges students face, and create environments where every child can thrive.
Community schools are led by administrators and coordinators who work with educators, students, families, and community partners to create a shared vision prioritizing student well-being and learning.
The goal is to use a community-driven, shared decision-making approach to increase access to nurses, counselors, and social workers. This creates campuses that are community hubs where students and families have easy access to the services needed to close opportunity gaps.
What is a Community School?
What is a Community School?
Information sourced from: Coalition for Community Schools Learning Policy Institute, Community Schools: An Evidence-Based Strategy for Equitable School Improvement. June 2017.
Key Practices of Community Schools:
Integrated Support Services
Integrated Support Services
Support student success by meeting their academic, physical, social-emotional, and mental health needs. It is defined as including the “coordination of trauma-informed health, mental health, and social services.” Effectively supporting students also requires that students be well known so that they can be well served.
Family and Community Engagement
Family and Community Engagement
Involves actively tapping the expertise and knowledge of family and community members to serve as true partners in supporting and educating students. Defined as including “home visits, home-school collaboration, [and] culturally responsive community partnerships.” Learning opportunities for family members as well as structures and opportunities for shared leadership are other important elements of authentic family engagement.
Collaborative Leadership and Practices for Educators and Administrators
Collaborative Leadership and Practices for Educators and Administrators
Establishing a culture of professional learning, collective trust, and shared responsibility for outcomes in a manner that includes students, families, and community members. Defined as including “professional development to transform school culture and climate that centers on pupil learning and supports mental and behavioral health, trauma-informed care, Social Emotional Learning [and] restorative justice.”
Extended Learning Time and Opportunities
Extended Learning Time and Opportunities
Includes academic support, enrichment, and real-world learning opportunities (e.g., internships, project-based learning). Opportunities are both “extended learning” and “expanded learning” and are defined as including “before and after school care and summer programs.” Expanded learning opportunities can also include tutoring and other learning supports during school hours.
California Community Schools Framework posted by the California Department of Education, September 2022
Questions?
Questions?
Contact thernandez@lousd.k12.ca.us to get more information about Live Oak Community Schools
Resources for additional information about community schools:
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/hs/ccspp.asp
https://cslx.org/california-community-schools-partnership-program
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