The concept of community schools can be traced back to the early 20th century when industrialization, immigration, and urbanization were rapidly increasing, and public schools in cities were struggling to meet the social and civic needs of students from low-income families. In the 1960s and 1970s, advocacy groups promoted community schools as a way to improve learning and address social issues, particularly in largely segregated and underfunded schools in urban centers unable to provide quality education to students. This research brief is a literature review and briefly reports on the characteristics of community schools and how they engage parents and all stakeholders to improve student achievement and well-being.