Community school (United States)
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The term community school refers to a type of publicly funded school in the United States that serves as both an educational institution and a center of community life. A community school is both a physical place and a network of partnerships linking the school with community resources. Its integrated focus on academics, youth development, family support, health and social services, and community development leads to improved student learning, stronger families, and healthier communities. By using public schools as hubs, community schools unite multiple partners to provide a wide range of supports and opportunities for children, youth, families, and communities—before, during, and after school, as well as on weekends.
According to the Coalition for Community Schools, a branch of the Institute for Educational Leadership, a community school is "both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources" with an integrated focus on academics, health and social services, leadership, and community engagement. Community schools are generally public—that is, government- and taxpayer-funded—although many private and charter schools have also adopted the model. One challenge the movement has faced is the wide diversity of institutions that identify as community schools. This diversity, combined with the decentralized structure of American education, has made it difficult to accurately quantify the number of community schools currently operating nationwide.
The movement gained momentum in the Chicago area, where the Federation for Community Schools is working to disseminate the model throughout the public-school infrastructure. With the appointment of Arne Duncan, former CEO of Chicago Public Schools, to the post of Secretary of Education, by President Obama, the concept of "schools as centers of community life" became a part of the national education agenda during Obama's tenure. Currently, many local, state, and national organizations seek the establishment of community schools throughout the country. Of these the most prominent non-profits are the Coalition for Community Schools, Communities In Schools, Schools of the 21st Century (an initiative of Yale University), the National Community Education Association (NCEA), and the Children's Aid Society. The United States government (through the 21st Century Community Learning Center) and various state governments also provide funding and policy support for community school initiatives.