CCS RPN Research Agenda - Further Research and Study of Community Schools Theme 9: Sustainability

The following is a major theme of the Community Schools Research Agenda. Click here to return to the CCS RPN homepage.

Sustainability

Sustainability is an issue for all school reform initiatives. Sustaining community schools is no different. Community schools require additional funding to support the work of the coordinator as well as, but not limited to, special programming that undergirds the work of the community school. There is a need to delineate the specific aspects of community schools which need sustainable funding on top of what maintains traditional schooling. There is also a continued need to demonstrate the value of community schools, both in terms of economic cost-benefit analysis as well as their impact on other indicators like teacher and principal stability and job satisfaction, the ability to attract a diverse pool of teachers and principals, and the contribution to supporting community and family needs which in turn create the conditions to support student learning.