COMMUNITY SCHOOLS: A CALIFORNIA DEFINITION. 

A community school is any school serving pre-Kindergarten through high school students using a "whole-child" approach, with "an integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development, and community engagement." As a school improvement strategy, community school initiatives enable the local education agency (LEA) and school to work closely with educators, students, and families to understand and address the unique needs, assets, and aspirations of the school community. 

Community schols then design their own curricula and programs to support the whole child and partner with community-based organizations (CBO) and lcoal government agencies to align community resources to realize a shared vision for success.  They improve student outcomes by addressing students' academic, cognitive, physical, mental, and social-needs.  Learn more >>