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Engaging the School and Community
Today's most effective educational reforms are not taking place at the margins. They involve total transformation of the school environment. That kind of transformation requires the participation of the entire community. Administrators need skills and resources for engaging students, parents, local businesses and other community members in school change.

Resources

Partnering with Families and Communities (ASCD, 2004)
Schools can transform themselves into learning communities where educators, students, parents and community partners "work together to improve the school and enhance students' learning opportunities."

Transforming High Schools (ASCD, 2004)
Merely implementing a reform program does not guarantee improvements in student learning and improvement. To succeed, schools must fully engage students, teachers and parents in the reform, and make sure there is change at the classroom level.

Engaging the Community to Support Student Achievement (ERIC, 2002)
"This Digest examines how public engagement can foster student achievement, how school boards and administrators can facilitate the public-engagement process, and how school leaders can solicit enduring support from key stakeholders."

Connected Learning Communities: A Toolkit for Reinventing High School (Jobs for the Future, 2001)
A toolkit to help school administrators, teachers and community leaders turn high schools into focused learning institutions that prepare students for college and work (requires registration, free).

Engaging Families and Communities: Pathways to Educational Success (SEDL, 2000)
"This book is intended to help educators weave some of the best ideas for creating and maintaining family and community engagement into a comprehensive family-school-community involvement program that is tailored to their own communities." Includes an extensive list of resources on Community Building/Collaboration.

Examples

Partnership Pays Off for Business and Schools (GLEF, 2000)
Bayer Corporation sends its scientists into Pittsburgh schools to show students and teachers how science study connects with real-life applications.

Assistance

Local Education Foundations
Community-based nonprofit organizations that work with schools, local businesses and community members to leverage resources and bring about whole-school change.

National Network of Partnership Schools (Johns Hopkins University)
Network committed to developing and maintaining family-school-community partnerships. Schools, districts, state departments of education, and university/organization partners can join the network after committing to the partnership process, and get help via Network services and tools.

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