Vision:
The Coalition for Community Schools believes that strong communities require strong schools and strong schools require strong communities. We envision a future in which schools are centers of thriving communities where everyone belongs, works together, and succeeds.
Mission:
The Coalition advances opportunities for the success of children, families, and communities by promoting the development of more, and more effective, community schools.
Core Values:
• Foster Strong Partnerships - Partners share their resources and expertise and work together to design community schools and make them work
• Share Accountability for Results - Clear, mutually-agreed upon results drive the work of community schools. Data help partners measure progress toward results. Agreements enable them to hold each other accountable and move beyond "turf battles."
• Set High Expectations for All - Community Schools are organized to support learning. Children, youth, and adults are expected to learn at high standards and be contributing members of their community.
• Build on the Community's Strengths - Community schools marshal the assets of the entire community, including the people who live and work there, local organizations, and the school.
• Embrace Diversity - Community Schools know their communities. They work to develop respect and a strong positive identity for people of diverse backgrounds; and they are committed to the welfare of the whole community.
The Coalition's goals are to:
• Share information about successful community school policies, programs and practices;
• Build broader public understanding and support for community schools;
• Inform public and private-sector policies in order to strengthen community schools; and
• Develop sustainable sources of funding for community schools.
The Coalition works to achieve these goals through several types of activities:
• Conducting research about community schools that demonstrates their effectiveness and explores the tough challenges involved in creating and sustaining community schools.
• Convening national, regional and local community schools forums as well as Coalition partners meetings that help key stakeholders and their organizations move toward common ground;
• Maintaining a web site and regular email newsletter that provides learning opportunities about community schools and access the resources of our many partners;
• Promoting a policy framework at the federal, state and local levels that support community schools;
• Nurturing community school networks at the local and state levels, including an Urban Community Schools Network; and
• Carrying out public education efforts to help our citizens understand the importance of community schools.