Constructing School/Community Partnerships

NCREL. Critical issue: Constructing school partnerships with families and community groups. Retrieved on 1/3/05 from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/envrnmnt/famncomm/pa400.htm

In this paper, the North Central Regional Education Laboratory highlights the importance of school-family relationships for advancing student learning. In school-home partnerships, the school and the home share a responsibility for learning in a relationship based upon mutual respect and acknowledgment of the assets and expertise of both parties.

When schools develop and implement strategies for promoting effective school-family-community partnerships, the result is improved learning for all students and strengthened schools, families and communities. (NCREL, Abstract)

Parent and family involvement in schools leads to:

higher student test scores and grades
better school attendance
more completion of homework
more positive attitudes and behaviour
higher graduation rates
greater enrolment in higher education
more opportunities for meaningful, engaged learning.

It is argued that support for family and community involvement with schools begins with school administrators - in particular, with their willingness to recruit parents and community members for school tasks, to listen to other people's views, and to share decision making. Administrative support can be provided through budgets, space, materials, equipment and the allocation of staff to particular programs.

Effective school-community partnerships require professional development for teachers to acquire the necessary skills for working effectively with parents and families, such as collaborating with families, learning about family dynamics and non-traditional family structures, improving two-way communication between home and school, reducing perceived barriers to involvement and understanding diverse cultures.

Other programs may include:

developing teachers' awareness of their local community (such as community tours)
conducting a needs assessment
conducting action research projects
developing joint-membership action teams.

It is useful to develop a family involvement policy which reflects the school's commitment to school-family partnerships and establishes guidelines for the types and levels of involvement that the school will support.

The paper provides possible goals and a comprehensive list of action options for establishing school-family partnerships. Also provided are a number of case studies of school-family partnerships in action.