Little research has focused on the extent to which community school principals approach family engagement efforts, specifically from an equity-centered perspective. This study examined how community school principals' leadership practices exhibited tenets of Community Equity Literacy. Results from interviews with 13 administrators and 19…

As community schools grow in numbers, this article argues that the model needs to be interrogated in order to address the power imbalances that exist between non-dominant families and schools. This paper draws on a citywide study of parent interviews as well as public documents and interviews with key community school leaders in Baltimore to…

This paper presents a case study of a caring school district located in a farmworker community composed largely of Latinx families. I examine how central office leaders create or maintain care supports under crisis conditions. Findings suggest that district-level care was multidimensional and distributed, involving mobilization of community…

The study was qualitative, phenomenological in its methodology and design. The problem addressed in this study was that leaders may overlook the potential benefits of CBL decision making. The guiding theoretical framework for the study was grounded in the change theory, diffusion of innovation. The framework was interconnected to the study because…

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has administered the federally-funded Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) grant program, also known as Title IV, Part B, of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) since 2002. The purpose of the program is to create community learning centers that provide students with…

Claudia Gallindo and Mavis Sanders describe what they've learned from their research about how full-service community schools connect with families and communities. These schools acknowledge that students have needs that go beyond that need and attempt to address those needs and serve as a hub for the community. The current movement goes beyond…

Indigenous research methodologies have been theorized by prominent Indigenous scholars over the past few decades and advocated for in research focused on Indigenous communities for their emancipatory power to reestablish Indigenous peoples' expertise and self-determining and sovereignty rights over education and research. Western intrusion in…

Peñasco Independent School District is a rural community school district serving approximately 280 students. Peñasco's approach to community schooling focuses on culturally relevant, community-connected learning (including project-based learning and career and technical education), family and community engagement, and support for students' health…

For at least two decades, several California schools have embraced a community schools model that marries schools and community organizations to seamlessly provide a variety of supports to students and families in communities with the highest needs. But when the pandemic hit, those needs multiplied. Members of the California State Board of…

Since 2002, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has administered the federally-funded Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) grant program, also known as Title IV, Part B, of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The purpose of the program is to create community learning centers that provide students…

It is important to acknowledge the role of community participation in the efforts on the prevention of school-based bullying and harassment. There is an extensive body of research on the importance of school-family partnerships (e.g., Montemayor & Chavkin, 2016; Henderson, et al., 2007; Cohen & Freiberg, 2013; Bradshaw, 2015) and…

"Just Schools" by Dr. Ann M. Ishimaru examines how schools can achieve educational equity through collaborative leadership and actively involving historically marginalized families and communities in the decision-making process. Dr. Ishimaru's book emphasizes the importance of rethinking traditional power dynamics and transforming…

This brief emphasizes the importance of including the voices and experiences of students, families, staff, and community partners in educational decision-making processes. It provides five key considerations for schools to effectively engage with their educational partners, such as making authentic connections through listening sessions and…

Preparing educators to engage families and communities is one of the most promising ways to improve student learning and build equitable schools. In this commentary, authors from the National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement explore the landscape of educator preparation for family and community engagement and describe a…

This report underscores that the prevailing view of community schools is "just a beginning" for their ongoing development and contribution to improving schools. We stress that defining the initiative as a "community-based effort to coordinate and integrate ... services" raises some concerns and limits their evolution. We…