Originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, this expanded text provides new insights into the successful, sustained implementation of Full-Service Community Schools (FSCSs) in the United States. Reviewing the Success of Full-Service Community Schools in the US documents the experiences of students, teachers, and communities involved in the establishment and growth of FSCSs. By considering how successful this reform strategy has been in meeting the needs of underserved communities, the text illustrates the potential these schools have to transform students’ learning and outcomes. In particular, the studies illustrate the value these schools have in supporting low-income students and students of color. At the same time, by interrogating the defining pillars of FSCSs – expanded learning opportunities, integrated services, family and community engagement, and collaborative leadership – chapters identify challenges that if left unattended, could limit the transformative potential of this reform strategy. This groundbreaking text will be of great interest to graduate and postgraduate students, researchers, academics, professionals, and policy makers in the fields of Educational Change and School Reform, Multicultural Education, Sociology of Education, Education Policy, and School Management and Administration.

Ferrara and Jacobson go inside community schools across the country to explore the different roles that make this collaborative education reform work. This book provides practitioners, policymakers, family members, youth, and local leaders a greater understanding of the different roles that make up a community school and tools for action. Built on years of practice, research, and continuous improvement, community schools are an innovative, effective, and grassroots strategy for bringing schools and communities together in order to improve outcomes for students, families, and communities. This education reform is growing as school site, local, and state leaders seek collaborative solutions to our schools’ most persistent challenges. The contributors, experts in the field, represent a diverse group of people with longstanding commitments to the community school strategy. From principals to family members, from community partners to teachers, this book illustrates how together, we all have a part to play in the development of successful community schools.

The purpose of this mixed-method research study was to explore the Full Service Community Schools strategy in the first phase of implementation within two participating elementary schools. Throughout this process, the researcher conducted an examination of the critical attributes of highly effective Full Service Community Schools. Identifying the conditions and impact of Full Service Community Schools on student achievement also determined the degree to which the strategy was implemented within the Pleasantville Schools District. In order to achieve the purpose of this mixed-method research, the following questions were examined: 1) What are the critical attributes of a highly effective Full Service Community School? 2) To what extent does the implementation of Full Service Community Schools impact the conditions for learning? 3) To what extent does the implementation of Full Service Community Schools improve student achievement? Qualitative and quantitative data were examined to gather a robust view of the Full Service Community School process. This study utilized one-on-one interviews, surveys, archival data, and document reviews to examine the implementation process. The main findings of this study revealed: the schools demonstrated care and concern for the students, various elements of the conditions for learning were present within the schools, and the role of external partnerships were of significant value to the schools in the provision of services.

Full-Service Schools describes the movement to create an array of integrated support services in schools. It examines the declining welfare of many American families and prescribes solutions for the problems of increased sex, drugs, violence, and stress among youth.

Strengthen programs of family and community engagement to promote equity and increase student success! When schools, families, and communities collaborate and share responsibility for students′ education, more students succeed in school. Based on 30 years of research and fieldwork, the fourth edition of the bestseller School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action, presents tools and guidelines to help develop more effective and more equitable programs of family and community engagement. Written by a team of well-known experts, it provides a theory and framework of six types of involvement for action; up-to-date research on school, family, and community collaboration; and new materials for professional development and on-going technical assistance. Readers also will find: Examples of best practices on the six types of involvement from preschools, and elementary, middle, and high schools Checklists, templates, and evaluations to plan goal-linked partnership programs and assess progress CD-ROM with slides and notes for two presentations: A new awareness session to orient colleagues on the major components of a research-based partnership program, and a full One-Day Team Training Workshop to prepare school teams to develop their partnership programs. As a foundational text, this handbook demonstrates a proven approach to implement and sustain inclusive, goal-linked programs of partnership. It shows how a good partnership program is an essential component of good school organization and school improvement for student success. This book will help every district and all schools strengthen and continually improve their programs of family and community engagement.

This current era of high stakes testing, accountability, and shrinking educational budgets demands that schools seek bold and innovative ways to build strong learning environments for all students. Community involvement is a powerful tool in generating resources that are essential for educational excellence. Building School-Community Partnerships: Collaboration for Student Success emphasizes the importance of community involvement for effective school functioning, student support and well-being, and community health and development. This sharp, insightful book serves as an excellent resource for educators seeking to establish school-community partnerships to achieve goals for their schools and the students, families, and communities they serve. Schools can collaborate with a wide variety of community partners to obtain the resources they need to achieve important goals for students’ learning. Some of these partners may include: - Businesses and corporations - Universities and other institutions of higher learning - National and local volunteer organizations - Social service agencies and health partners - Faith-based organizations and institutions Work successfully with community partners to improve school programs and curricula, strengthen families, and expand your students’ learning experiences!

The purpose of this study is to research the influence community schools have on student growth and school performance outcomes. The research to be presented focuses on an integrated school system built around wraparound services within a community school system. This proposal aims to influence and provide school educators, school reformers, and communities understand the positive outcome community schools present. This research aims to target a population of low-income, underserved minority communities, who may lack the funding, resources, and support of their communities. Through the research conducted, rural areas will be able to recognize the impact of a community school model. A community school model can improve low-achieving public schools to help narrow the gap between students and their school performance. This study uses a mixed-methods approach to better understand the direct correlation of community schools and student performances through previous research, reviewing documentation, and interviews. The need for this specific research is evident in the current limitation of study focused on approaching the problem of America's Nation at Risk head-on through community schools. There has been limited research conducted on the effectiveness of wraparound services in a community school system. This proposal can be used as a framework that evaluates historical reforms and the effectiveness of community schools. Further research can deepen through data collection and test scores collected from underserved communities in comparison to those low-income students who are participating in a community school system. The knowledge gained through this proposal will add to the discussion of school reform and highlight the effectiveness community schools propose on student success and school improvement.