Community Schools

Community Schools

Community schools are an evidence-based strategy to advance equity and reduce barriers to learning by providing the services needed to support student and family well-being. Through trusting relationships and well-coordinated supports, community schools ensure that students receive the health, social service, and learning opportunities they need to be successful. The Learning Policy Institute conducts and translates critical research on community schools to support education policymakers and practitioners who are implementing this strategy. Research on community schools and the science of learning and development identifies key characteristics of high-quality community schools: (1) integrated systems of support, (2) empowering student and family engagement, (3) collaborative leadership with shared power and voice, (4) expanded and enriched learning opportunities, (5) rigorous, community-connected classroom instruction, and (6) a culture of belonging, safety, and care. Evidence shows that when community schools are implemented well, they can lead to improvements in student outcomes, including attendance, academic achievement, high school graduation rates, and reduced racial and economic achievement gaps.

Featured Resources

Rainbow colored abacus interspersed with dollar bills

Community Schools Costing Tool

Community Schools Playbook cover

Policy Playbook

Community Schools Playbook

View a complete list of LPI's publications, blogs, and events on the topic of community schools. View all

Related Projects

Two young children reading a book together

Community Schools Forward

A group of diverse adults talk while sitting in a circle of chairs

Shared Learning Initiative

Further Reading

Community Schools Research
- Community Schools as an Effective School Improvement Strategy: A Review of the Evidence
  report and related materials
- Illustrating the Promise of Community Schools: An Assessment of the Impact of the New York City Community Schools Initiative
  report, RAND Corporation
Community Schools as a Pandemic Recovery Strategy
- Investing in Community Schools: How States and Districts Can Use Federal Recovery Funds Strategically
  fact sheet
- Frequently Asked Questions: Using American Rescue Plan Funding to Support Full-Service Community Schools & Related Strategies
  report, U.S. Department of Education
- In the Fallout of the Pandemic, Community Schools Show a Way Forward for Education
  blog
- Healing-Centered Community School Strategies: A Key Investment for COVID-19 Recovery
  policy brief, Policy Analysis for California Education
- School-Based Health Centers: Trusted Lifelines in a Time of Crisis
  blog
- Restarting and Reinventing School Priority 8: Establish Community Schools and Wraparound Supports
  interactive report
- County-Level Coordination Provides Infrastructure, Funding for Community Schools Initiative
  blog
Teaching and Learning in Community Schools
- Classroom Teachers in the Community Schools Movement: A Social Justice Perspective
  article, American Educator
- Community-Based Learning in the Time of COVID-19
  blog
Resources for Community School Implementation
- Technical Assistance for Community Schools: Enabling Strong Implementation
  brief
- Community Schools Playbook
- Community Schools Forward: Technical Assistance Needs Assessment
  report
- Professional Learning Series on Community Schools
  webinar series
- Financing Community Schools
  guide, Partnership for the Future of Learning
- Community School Implementation Standards
  guide, Coalition for Community Schools
- Building Community Schools: A Guide for Action
  guide, National Center for Community Schools
- Leading with Purpose and Passion: A Guide for Community School Directors
  guide, National Center for Community Schools
Community Schools in California

Featured Webinar Series

Webinar Series

Professional Learning Series on Community Schools

The U.S. Department of Education virtual Professional Learning Series takes an in-depth look at how community schools can transform student learning and outcomes. The series examines programs from across the country, explores ways that community school approaches can further whole child learning, and digs into the ways that pandemic federal relief funding (including American Rescue Plan funds) have been used to support community schools.

Read more