Leaders in our nation’s schools and communities are breaking through the barriers that separate schools from communities. One of the most effective methods for breaking through these barriers is the establishment of community schools. Community schools challenge the current predominant theory of education reform, which isolates children’s academic development from their social, emotional, civic, and moral development. Community school leaders, working with others in their communities, are connecting all aspects of children’s lives—school, home, and community—to close the achievement gap and help students, and their families, succeed in school and in life.

Community schools are guided by the belief that educating all students, and particularly poor and minority students, to high standards requires a powerful and sustained societal effort. School and community leaders must cross boundaries and bridge gaps between schools and other segments of the community: local government, businesses, health agencies, family service agencies, youth development organizations, faith-based organizations, neighborhood and community development groups, and parent education organizations.

Bridging these gaps enables community school leaders to use the resources of community partners, in addition to the resources of the school, to strengthen families’ connections to their children’s education. Building strong relationships between schools and other institutions also tends to boost student achievement, as through these relationships young people can receive support and opportunities necessary to success.

Results drive community schools

Each community school defines for itself the results it seeks, and identifies its own way of measuring progress. Below are some of the most common results community schools aim to achieve.

• Children are ready to enter school
• Students succeed academically
• Students are actively involved in learning and the community
• Students are healthy—physically, socially, and emotionally
• Students’ home lives are stable and supportive
• Families are actively involved in their children’s education
• The community is a more desirable place to live

Leaders of community schools understand that the closer schools come to achieving these results, the more likely students are to succeed.

Leaders of community schools work to build capacity at three inter-related levels: the community, the school, and in between the community and the school.

At the community level, leaders from schools, local government, and civic, corporate, community-based, parent, and faith-based organizations, among others, come together to support community schools.

At the school level, leaders on the ground—principals, parents and families, teachers, community partner organizations, and

residents—who are familiar with the local issues and have the skills to build relationships come together to connect students, families, and residents to resources and opportunities. A planning team (sometimes called a school neighborhood advisory council or a site management group) composed of representatives of all the stakeholders, including parents and families, guides the overall community school enterprise. A community school coordinator, hired by a community-based organization, a public agency, or the school, helps integrate community assets into the life of the school and helps reduce the management burden on principals and teachers.

Last, there are the leaders who work between the school and the community. These leaders build an infrastructure across the various partner institutions to keep the community school initiative focused. They connect community and school policies and practices, promote the idea of community schools within their organizations, and foster alliances among partner institutions.

Parent engagement in community schools

Community school leaders understand that partner organizations have the expertise to engage parents. Supporting parents and involving them in the education of their children is the work of every partner of a community school. A few of the most important strategies used to support and engage parents are listed below with their key benefits.

• Home visits help teachers understand families’ aspirations for their children, as well as the realities families face.
• Parent and community leadership institutes develop parents’ capacity to lead in their school and their community.
• Education organizing opens the school to community orga-nizing groups that can reach parents in the home. These groups can then help parents develop the skills they need to advocate for their children and their school and lead in the community.
• Adult education programs teach parents and residents what they want to learn, and allow them to teach others what they know.
• Family nights, sports, and cultural events attract families to the school for nonacademic purposes and make the school a more welcoming place for parents and residents.

What kind of leadership does it take?

Perhaps more important than the specific actions of community school leaders is the perspective these leaders bring to their work. The best leaders welcome the rich diversity in language, culture, and outlook that changing student populations bring to schools, and they refuse to evade the hard questions and challenges posed by the issues of race, equity, and poverty. These leaders are bold, and they adhere to a powerful vision, with a clear focus on results. They know that engaging their communities is supported by research, and that it makes good sense—especially when public schools need voter support for bonds and levies and broader reinforcement of the entire public education enterprise.

Community school leaders also know that educators are not the only ones with expertise needed to support student success. Therefore, these leaders tap the assets of community-based organizations and public agencies, incorporating these groups’ distinct expertise in youth development, family support, community organizing, and community development into the education enterprise. These leaders collaborate and accept no excuses.

Everyone knows that, in this era of the No Child Left Behind Act, our public schools face daunting challenges. Boundary-crossing leaders—school leaders, community leaders, and parent leaders—are establishing community schools and facing those challenges together. They have turned outward and are opening the doors of their institutions and the minds of their staff and members to the power of community. Where others see barriers, these leaders see the opportunity to return to a shared commitment to and responsibility for all our young people.

Martin Blank is the staff director for the Coalition for Community Schools, which is housed at the Institute for Educational Leadership in Washington D. Blank, Amy Berg, and Atelia Melaville are coauthors of the 2006 Coalition for Community Schools report Growing Community Schools: The Role of Cross-Boundary Leadership.

PTA leaders can play a key role in turning their schools into commu-nity schools. Below are some of the steps a PTA leader can take.

• Learn about community schools: Gather articles and research, but keep in mind that nothing can substitute for seeing the energy and enthusiasm of parents, staff, and students at a community school (go to www.communityschools.org for resources and to find schools to visit).
• Coordinate: Find out what organizations are already working in your school and what organizations need to be brought in as key participants.
• Connect: Bring community groups into your school. Link the principal and teachers with community resources and community-based learning opportunities.
• Focus on learning: Look for partners who can enhance the school's learning environment.
• Collaborate: Community school leaders share the PTA's commitment to strong parent engagement. Partner with them to increase the power of your efforts.
• Advocate: Help local school board members, local elected officials, and state leaders understand how community schools can improve learning conditions.
• Stay focused: Make sure that deep and sustained parent and family engagement remains the highest priority for your school.