Community Schools and Community Organizing

Natasha Capers, the Coordinator for the Alliance for Quality Education (NYC) at the Coalition for Educational Justice, advocates for students and families to have equitable access to educational resources in order to strengthen the effectiveness of community schools.

Family and community engagement are essential components of community schools. Communities must have ownership for and participate in their children's' education in order for community schools to thrive.

Many community organizing groups have embraced the community school strategy as their education reform strategy of choice. Existing community schools need to constantly engage the community to build organized support. Community organizing can build political, organizational, financial, and social capital that helps sustain community schools.

The following resources will help families, community members, and community school practitioners as they organize to strengthen community schools.

Are you a community organizer starting a community schools and want help? Email us!

Examples from the field

· Webinar: Community Schools & Community Organizing
· Mobilizing the Eastside of Los Angeles for Educational Justice (Henry M. Perez, Perla Madera)
· The Power of Community Schools (Natasha Capers, Shital C. Shah)
· Coalition for Educational Justice
· Roadmap for NYC mayor
· College & Career Ready Community Schools – a definition