Today our schools have become a resource for the local community. They serve as a hub for many social and health needs as well as academics. Schools no longer have a single purpose where teachers teach and children learn. Community schools offer services to families beyond the school day that result in strong learning cultures.
When our public schools become a hub for the needs of the community, it can offer a wide range of supports that provide opportunities for all. When schools engage with families in the community, students come to school ready to learn. They become emotionally and socially successful.
The results of schools becoming partners with the community are insurmountable. Not only are students ready to enter school, they are equipped to succeed academically. Students become actively involved in their community. With a variety of services, students become both physically and emotionally healthy. When families are actively involved in the education of students, the community becomes a desirable place to live. It becomes a growing, thriving community.
We need community schools. Research shows that our students need a wide range of learning opportunities and supports. The quality of academics must to be high. According to a study at Brown University and the Southern Education Foundation, collaborative efforts are needed to help struggling schools. An article, “Investing in What Works: Community-Driven Strategies for Strong Public Schools” provides examples of schools that have shown improved outcomes for students when schools become the center of a community.
There is a difference between a community school and a traditional school. The community school is focused on results and participation from both school and community leaders (educators, students, families, and residents). The traditional school may have partners from the community but work independently. Each school within the district may not necessarily be accurately aligned with the academic goals of the district as a whole.
Many schools are incorporating community schools. In Wisconsin, school and community leaders are visiting Chicago to learn about community schools and how they operate. The communities of Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake won the Community School Awards for Excellence. Chicago, Ill. has over 100 communities that have community schools.
Public education systems are dying. School closures, realignments, and takeovers weaken the climate of each community. Our school systems are in a paradigm shift. We need to think out of the box and go beyond just providing services for students. We need to promote stable and healthy neighborhoods by making our schools a hub not only for academic needs, but also for social, emotional, and physical needs.
