Parents and community members now sit on site-based decision-making committees that determine curriculum materials, budget expenditures, staffing, building use and scheduling, discipline procedures, professional development for staff, school programs, and use of technology. This public participation has led to fundamental changes within the school community. As leaders for change, we have learned that renewing systems, policies and structures strengthens the community and fosters change in practice at the school level. Additionally, our receptive learning culture attracts and develops new parents and community leaders who can carry out the work of articulating and leading processes of change. Our hope for continued improvement in student achievement is based on the belief that the involvement of the voices of parents, community members, teachers, and students will ensure that this generation of students meets the high standards that will lead them. successfully into the 21st century. Successful, high-performing schools have specific and identifiable traits that contribute to their success. These include high standards, sufficient staff supported by meaningful professional development, adequate resources, and community and parent involvement. So if we know what makes a school successful, why do some schools have all of these things and others don’t? The answer is: leadership. Consecrated leadership is needed in many spaces of public life, and especially in our public schools. While I am not a student of leadership, I have learned what a good leader is like.
Effective leaders in the public school environment, including parents, are risk takers. For those of us struggling to gain support and improve public schools, these persistent risk takers are nothing short of refreshing. When civic engagement occurs around public schools, most of the time communities are driven by leaders who take risks and are willing to advocate for public education. This means more than simply opposing the status quo; it means offering a new vision – and a new path – for better schools. The evolution of leadership roles in American business offers some interesting and promising lessons for public school advocates. A study conducted in the early 1980s approached leadership from the perspective of the “followers” rather than the leaders themselves. The premise was that if you could figure out why people followed certain leaders, then you could teach those leadership qualities to others. I believe these attributes and tactics are applicable to advocates for public schools, whether they are parents, civic leaders, or the educators themselves. There are five steps leaders must follow. We also encourage district leaders, school board members, principals, and teachers to adopt a leadership mindset to bring about change in schools. Consider the implications for school improvement and civic engagement:
I. Challenge the process. to. Look for opportunities. B. Experiment and take risks.
II. Inspire a shared vision. to. Visualize the future. B. Recruit others.
III. Allow others to act. to. Encourage collaboration. B. Strengthen others.
IV. Model the way. to. Set the example. B. Small Win Plan.
V. Stimulate the heart. to. Acknowledge individual contributions. B. Celebrate accomplishments.
I would bet that there are many, many people and organizations that are celebrating milestones because one leader among them was willing to “challenge the process.” As part of our ongoing effort to track and emerging trends, key lessons, and analyze common themes and findings, we highlight news of exciting work being done in schools and communities across the country.
Fostering dialogue around school change is a difficult task, especially when communities do not have a history of convening diverse stakeholder groups for such conversation and action. Parents and educators are committed to solving problems together, in education and other key areas.
What does a quality public school do?
1. College and career preparation.
A quality public school must graduate high school students who are college and career ready.
2. High expectations for all students
Quality public schools recognize that all students can learn and provide the tools, support, and connections students need to reach their full potential.
3. Parent and community support
Parents and community members are actively involved in supporting their schools in a constructive way. They hold school officials and themselves accountable for the results.
4. Qualified teachers in all classrooms
Highly qualified teachers who benefit from ongoing professional development strengthen teaching and learning.
5. Rigorous Curriculum and Fair Assessments
A rigorous instructional program tied to high standards builds student knowledge and strengthens critical thinking skills, while fair assessments monitor progress and actually measure what students know and can do.
6. Sufficient resources to help all students achieve
Student achievement is the measure of school success. Teaching strategies and resources are tied to this goal in quality public schools.
7. Safe, healthy and supportive learning environment
Strong and safe facilities and student enrichment activities create an environment where students can learn and grow.
8. Schools and classrooms equipped for teaching and learning.
Students and staff have access to relevant and timely resources, including up-to-date textbooks and current technology.
9. Strong school leadership
Principals are empowered to lead and make informed decisions that promote learning at the school level.
Community asset mapping will help you define your community, determine what assets are available to help improve local education and quality of life, and help meet needs and assets. The first step, defining a rural school community, requires planners to think beyond the school district. You should also consider where people work, shop, go to church, and relax. Consider a reasonable area of daily travel and commerce for parents of school-age children. If it is a primary school, where do these children go to secondary school and where do they work after graduation? While the tradition of close school-community relationships has deep roots, the forces of economic globalization, school consolidation, and the professionalization of teachers and administrators divided schools from communities for much of the 20th century. However, in the past 15 to 20 years, considerable efforts have been made to reconnect schools and communities. At least three trends – global economic restructuring that has damaged some rural communities, the devolution of federal powers to states and communities, and systemic school reform – offer schools and communities opportunities to form new and renewed relationships. At the same time, the practice of community development has changed. Many community development professionals no longer bring in experts from outside the community; rather, they come to the communities and listen to what the residents have to say. Rather than focusing solely on problems, practitioners are now examining how community assets can be used to improve quality of life. The decline of many areas suggests that schools and communities must work together for mutual survival. Schools can provide the necessary leadership and, by sharing resources, schools and communities can meet the standards of school reform while meeting the needs of community members.
Community Profiles
When generating a profile, you will need to do the following:
– Collect basic information about the community, such as population, nature of households, educational level, ethnic characteristics, and income levels.
– Review the school improvement plan.
– Prepare a profile of school and community associations designed to strengthen academic learning.
– List the community resource agencies that work with the school or are potential partners.
Here are some suggestions that might help you describe existing school and community characteristics related to academic achievement:
– Describe the academic programs at your school, using available test scores, grade distribution, course selection brochures, and class registrations to prove your points.
– Describe the types of community activities that already support academic achievement at your school.
– Define how community involvement could strengthen your existing school improvement plan.
– Such a definition is crucial in understanding the school’s relationship with various parts of the community, in identifying potential partners, and in developing strategies for reaching the school’s various stakeholders.
An inventory or “map” of community resources needs to be developed. Once this map has been established, it can be beneficial for two different purposes: determining areas of opportunity and need, and taking action once a need or goal is identified. The inventory defines six different types of assets: individual, institutional, federal and state, organizational, physical, and cultural. Use this list to help you make a list of these assets for your community. Then you can start a discussion about how they can be used to reinforce academic achievement and how the school can help build community assets. Many of the listed individuals and organizations, as well as physical assets, can be incorporated into curricular and extracurricular activities. Your community may have additional assets that are not mentioned here. Also, put yourself in the shoes of the students. Hop on a school bus and follow the daily route, stopping at all stops. Consider asking the questions suggested earlier along the way. Consider some other questions: How long does it take to get from one end of the road to the other? Is the distance from school a problem for students who must travel the route every school day? Does distance from school have anything to do with getting people in the community involved in the school?