Research demonstrates that the various components of a community school, such as family engagement, expanded learning opportunities and integrated student supports, impact student achievement.
With increased demand and emphasis on research-informed practice, found specifically in the 2015 Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), it is critical to establish community schools as an evidence-based strategy.
The following is a short list of easily accessible resources regarding the efficacy and impact of community schools.
Reports and Other Literature About Community Schools
Restoring the Public Purpose of America’s Urban Universities
Harkavy, I. & Hodges, R. A. (Eds.) (2024). [White paper]. Netter Center for Community Partnerships at the University of Pennsylvania.
This white paper explores key lessons from Augsburg University's experiences, emphasizing the integration of community engagement in its operations, strategic leadership, and a commitment to democracy and mutually beneficial local relationships.
Community Partnership Schools: Developing Innovative Practice Through University-Community Partnerships
Plante, Jarrad D., and Amy Ellis. Palgrave Macmillan, 2023.
A book that examines the Community Partnership Schools™ model, highlighting the importance of university-community connections.
The Community Schools Revolution: Building Partnerships, Transforming Lives, Advancing Democracy
Blank, M., Harkavy, I., Quinn, J., Villarreal, L., & Goodman, D. (2023). Collaborative Communications Group, Inc.
A comprehensive guide exploring community schools' potential to transform education, emphasizing collaboration among educators, families, and community partners. Community Partnership Schools and the UCF Center for Community Schools are highlighted in Chapter 6.
Task Force on Next Generation Community Schools
This report was written by the Brookings Institution’s Task Force on Next Generation Community Schools.
Addressing education inequality with a next generation of community schools: A blueprint for mayors, states, and the federal government
Community Schools
Peabody Journal of Education, Volume 95, 2020.
The UCF Center for Community Schools was invited to serve as guest editor of this Vanderbilt Peabody College journal issue on community schools, with Jarrad Plante bringing together international authors and Amy Ellis penning the introduction.
Johnston, W. R., Engberg, J., Opper, I. M., Sontag-Padilla, L., Xenakis, L. (2020). Santa Monica, C.A.: RAND Corporation.
The authors of this study assessed the impact of the New York City Community Schools Initiative through the 2017–2018 school year. Their findings contribute to the emerging evidence base on the efficacy of the community school strategy.
Community Schools as an Effective School Improvement Strategy: A Review of the Evidence
Maler, A., Daniel, J., Oakes, J., & Lam, L. (2017). Boulder, CO: National Education Policy Center; and Palo Alto, C.A.: Learning Policy Institute.
“… synthesizes the research evidence about the impact of community schools on student and school outcomes.”
Community Schools: An Evidence-Based Strategy for Equitable School Improvement
Oakes, J., Maier, A., & Daniel, J. (2017). Boulder, CO: National Education Policy Center.
“This brief … provides support to school, district, and state leaders as the consider, propose, or implement a community school intervention in schools targeted for comprehensive support.”
Community School Standards
(2017). Washington, D.C.: Coalition for Community Schools and Institute for Educational Leadership.
“… designed to engage and support the community schools movement as a standards-driven, evidence-based strategy to promote equity and educational excellence for every child …”
What the Four Pillars of Community Schools Look Like in Action (infographic)
(2017). Palo Alto, C.A.: Learning Policy Institute.
Community Schools: Transforming Struggling Schools into Thriving Schools
(2016). Brooklyn, N.Y.: The Center for Popular Democracy; Washington, D.C.: Coalition for Community Schools; and Atlanta, G.A.: Southern Education Foundation.
“… when Community Schools are able to employ the multiple strategies outlined in this report, their results can be sustainably transformational …”
The Promise of University-Assisted Community Schools to Transform American Schooling: A Report from the Field, 1985-2012
Harkavy, I., Hartley, M., Hodges, R., & Weeks, J. (2013). Peabody Journal of Education, 88(5), 525-540, DOI: 10180/0161956X.2012.834789
“… this article explores the potential of developing university-assisted community schools as an effective approach for school reform, prekindergarten through higher education.”
Positive Student Outcomes in Community Schools
Castrechini, S., & London, R. A. (2012). Washington, D.C.: Center for American Progress.
“… an in-depth analysis of one district’s (Redwood City, CA) community schools using quantitative data to show how students and families use services at these schools and how those services work together to positively affect student outcomes.”
Making the Difference: Research and Practice in Community Schools
(2003). Washington, D.C.: Coalition for Community Schools and Institute for Educational Leadership.
“… adds significantly to this (community schools) knowledge base by gathering in one place the research on which community schools are based and current evaluation data that show their effects.”
Community Schools: Lessons from the Past and Present
Rogers, J. (1998). Los Angeles: UCLA IDEA.
Analysis of the “history of community schooling throughout the 20th century in order to provide insights into contemporary educational reform.”