School-Community Partnerships

By Leonard McNeil

It is imperative to move beyond the various silos to embrace cross-boundary leadership in order to marshal the myriad assets and resources to address community development and support for education.

Under the leadership of Deborah McCoy, Ph.D. and Jeff Vincent, Ph.D., the Center for Cities and Schools serves to mitigate the dearth of institutional infrastructure enabling leaders and educators to convene towards intertwined, mutual goals of improving cities and schools while working across traditional agency boundaries. In their words, "coordinated policy making that might address both student achievement and issues of health, housing, transportation is too often absent from the governance of cities and schools." The fundamental tandem question is: "how can the community promote high quality public education and how can public education promote healthy, vibrant community?"

From the vantage point of an elected official, I have recognized the lack of awareness and understanding of the community-based context in which schools exist. The need for capacity-building calls for new visions that recognize the potential of public schools in urban development and revitalization. There must be a willingness to share responsibility, accountability, leadership and resources. No one institution can be expected to address the myriad, complex needs of children, youth and their families. Learning outcomes are influenced by many factors that exist both within and outside of schools walls such as inadequate financial infrastructure, single parenthood, low educational attainment, language differences, income, health, housing and safety. Clearly, there is a dire need for systemic reform that creatively combines vision, efforts and resources based on effective learning environments which intentionally connect home, school and community.

One of the most promising models is the national community school movement spearheaded by the Coalition for Community Schools. A community school is a set of partnerships and a place where social services, supports and opportunities lead to improved student learning, stronger families and healthier communities. The City of San Pablo and the school district have adopted the model of a community school whereby a joint use agreement will operate a city-funded community center on the Helms Middle School campus. Other encouraging models of systemic change in our school district include the Building Blocks for Kids at Peres Elementary School and the Nystrom United Revitalization Effort. The three models exemplify innovative examples of school facilities serving as an asset for community development as academic goals are integrated with family support and social services.

School facilities, serving as community anchors, can address the social, educational, recreational and personal needs of the broader community in helping youth and families access social capital. Indeed, we need a new day for learning where there is no final bell.