Starting and Sustaining Community Schools: 10 Tips for District Leaders

Across the country, school district superintendents are transforming into community school leaders. Responsible for systems of learning that also include school nutrition, bussing, safety, finances, community engagement, and so much more, superintendents recognize that they need a different strategy to effectively address the learning needs of the whole child. Only with a collective approach--one where nonprofit organizations, community members, families, government agencies, institutions of higher education, afterschool programs, museums, faith-based groups, and others can rally around the school and its children--can they successfully create the conditions where children can learn and thrive. Increasingly, district leaders are finding community schools to be the strategy they need and are taking advantage of federal grants and supportive policies in states such as New York, Maryland, Vermont, New Mexico, and California to start and sustain community school initiatives. Given the crucial role played by superintendents, this brief lays out 10 tips for district leaders to effectively start and sustain community schools.