What Is a Community School?

A community school is a public school that serves prekindergarten through grade twelve and has community partnerships that support improved academic outcomes, whole-child engagement, and family development. Community school partnership strategies include integrated support services, extended learning time, and collaborative leadership and practices for educators and administrators.

Community schools can increase equitable student learning outcomes by addressing the conditions for teaching and learning. Community schools support the needs of the whole child by strengthening family and community foundations with approaches that sustain mental and behavioral health through healing-centered practices, social-emotional learning, and restorative justice.

Community schools also ensure that students, families, and community members are embraced as full partners in every aspect of decision-making that affects the conditions for teaching and learning. Authentic power sharing and shared decision-making in all aspects of school governance is another cornerstone of community school implementation.

Community schools use this community-driven shared decision-making approach to increase access to nurses, counselors, and social workers. This creates campuses that are community hubs where students and families have easy access to the services needed to close opportunity gaps.