Because researchers know so much more about the brain and development than they did when the 20th-century U.S. education system was designed, this knowledge can now be used to design a system in which all individuals are able to take advantage of high-quality opportunities for transformative learning and development. This playbook suggests a set…

The author shares the challenges of facilitating a writing group in a temporary emergency shelter in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. She shows how within this constantly changing environment and its safety protocols, community literacy was as difficult to establish as it was vital to make available. Exploring some of the best practices…

Innovation that benefits children does not always come from formal institutions. Communities around the world are finding creative ways to fill in the gaps in services and enrichment when the schools or other government-backed programs fall short.

Given the importance of the early childhood years, innovations to improve programs and services for this age range are vital, particularly for the marginalized populations in society.

The study focused on evaluating the preparedness of government high schools in the implantation of the competence based curriculum (CBC) in Gweru district, Zimbabwe. A case study research design was adopted and thematic analysis was used in analysing data. This study sample included three (3) school heads, thirty (30) teachers including the three…

In this chapter, we review the literature on community-based arts programs serving minoritized youth to identify the conditions and practices for fostering sociopolitical consciousness. Community-based arts programs have the capacity to promote teaching and learning practices in ways that engage youth in the use of academic skills to pursue…

In recent years, Maker-centered learning has emerged in schools and other spaces as a promising new phase of STEM education reform. With a sharp focus on equity, the authors investigate community-based STEM Making programs to determine whether, and how, they can address the educational needs of youth of color. They explore what it means for youth…

The lack of a high school diploma both reflects and exacerbates some of the most severe inequities in our society. According to the U.S. Census American Community Survey, those with a high school diploma or its equivalent in Baltimore earn about $7,000 more a year than those without one (an estimated $28,396 versus $21,359). The lack of a high…

This study examines a community-wide effort to promote greater access to books through the mechanisms of physical and psychological proximity. It addresses the seasonal summer slide through an innovative book distribution program in neighborhoods identified as book deserts. Four low-income neighborhoods were provided with vending machines used to…

This article presents a description of how an interdisciplinary network of academic researchers, community-based programs, parents, and state agencies have joined together to design, test, and scale a suite of innovative intervention strategies rooted in new knowledge about the biology of adversity. Through a process of cocreation, collective…

This paper summarizes and synthesizes perspectives gleaned from the literature on community schools. Basic characteristics of such schools are that community schools (1) have something for everyone, (2) provide opportunities for citizens to apply solutions to problems, and (3) help maintain open channels of communication with the community.…

Seven colleges are finding innovative ways of attracting people to the campus and bringing the campus to the people. (Ed.)

Suggestions on how community resources can be organized and made available for both formal education activities and residents of a community are provided. Six categories of community resource learning experiences are examined, consisting of study strips, resource persons, community services, community resource maps, community surveys, and camping…

Community partnerships serving young children and families take many forms. This article presents six community partnerships that are engaged in innovative and creative approaches to learning. These programs have varied goals, but they share a common focus on linking community resources to enhance learning opportunities for the children and…

A community development project employed the performing arts to focus community consciousness on local issues and problems in five towns in western Massachusetts. Performing artists and community development personnel organized town residents to hold workshops and, ultimately, theatrical productions to explore town issues. The team spent two weeks…