Community Schools Playbook

Community schools are public schools that partner with parents and community organizations to create a supportive educational environment for all students. In a 2017 report, the National Education Policy Center and Learning Policy Institute synthesized findings from 143 research studies and found that community schools can be an effective model to provide equitable, high-quality educational opportunities. The report cites four features that set community schools apart from conventional public schools:  

  • integrated student supports, such as on-site health care and parent classes;
  • expanded and enriched learning time and opportunities; 
  • family and community engagement; and  
  • ​collaborative leadership and practices

The Partnership for the Future of Learning recently released a “Community Schools Playbook.” This publication explains the benefits of community schools, provides examples of policies that support them, and gives readers the resources and tools to be effective advocates for creating and supporting community schools. The resource goes in-depth on each of the four features, by providing a discussion of why it’s important, policy principles to support it, and infographics and background reading to explain it. Resources for advocates include sample legislation and a set of guides and standards for implementation.  

Read Community Schools Playbook: A Practical Guide to Advancing Community Schools Strategies

Read the report