The new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) encourages us to educate the whole child—and the community schools’ strategy with its emphasis on deep stakeholder engagement—offers a framework to meet this challenge.

This report demonstrates that collaboration is at the heart of the community school strategy. Community schools have organized themselves to address constant financial challenges by breaking down funding silos and leveraging resources to support students.

The Coalition for Community Schools, an initiative of the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL), is proud to present the annual awards program: Community Schools National Award for Excellence. This award highlights the work of local schools and communities and their efforts to build and expand effective community schools.

The Coalition for Community Schools, an initiative of the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL), is proud to present leadership awards to community school leaders who have made explicit that only by working together and focusing on equity will all children learn and thrive. The Coalition will present national leadership awards to a youth, national partner, superintendent, initiative leader, coordinator, family and community advocates, and educators at the biennial Rise Up for Equity: A National Summit on Community Schools and Family Engagement (formerly Community Schools National Forum). The Coalition will also honor a long-time community school supporter with the Joy Dryfoos Community School Lifetime Achievement Award.

“What the Four Pillars of Community School Look Like In Action” infographic

With the launch of the New York City Community Schools Initiative (NYC-CS) in 2014, the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) increased its focus on implementing a holistic strategy of education reform to address the social consequences of poverty as a way to improve student outcomes. The strategy of the NYC-CS is to organize resources in schools and share leadership among stakeholders so that academics, health and wellness, youth development, and family engagement are integrated into the fabric of each school. Although community schools are expanding across the country, New York City is implementing the strategy at a scale unmatched nationally.

This toolkit is designed to help you learn more about planning and conducting an evaluation of your community school or community school initiative.

A STRATEGIC COMMITMENT: JULY 2019 – DECEMBER 2025; 25,000 Community Schools by 2025

This guide provides tools for policymakers, students and families, community leaders, allies, and advocates who want to advance community schools as a strategy to improve schools.