About Community Schools

All children deserve a safe place to live, support and opportunity to learn, and encouragement to lead ethically.

Research has shown that Community Schools is a local engagement strategy that creates and coordinates opportunities with its public school to accelerate student success. It serves as a vehicle for hyper-local decision-making that responds to the unique needs of each community.

By bringing together the relationships and assets of a neighborhood, Community Schools can efficiently and effectively utilize resources to advance the well-being of children and their families now and for future generations.*

* Shared from communityschools.org

Picture courtesy Northside Neighborhood House, Hamilton County

Picture courtesy Communities in Schools TN, Metro Nashville and Rural Counties

Picture courtesy Community Achieves, Nashville, TN

Picture courtesy Community Achieves, Nashville, TN

What do the Experts Say

The Tennessee Comptrollers report on Community Schools identified six common elements that make up the Community Schools operational model:

1

wraparound services

2

a community school provider

3

a site coordinator

4

regular needs assessments

5

community partnerships

6

and integration within the school

National Coalition for Community Schools

Community Schools is both a strategy and a place.
A strategy for bringing together educators, families and community stakeholders to attain collective impact. It is a place where the community gathers to support the education of its children and youth and a place through which its young people are connected to learning experiences and supportive services across the community.

Key elements of a Community School

  • Needs and Assets Assessment
  • Site Coordinator
  • Site Steering Committee (guiding body of school staff, parents and community members)
  • 4 National Community Schools Pillars