Unlike traditional public schools, community schools link school and
community resources as an integral part of their design and operation.
Consequently, community schools have three major advantages that schools
acting alone do not.

• They garner additional resources for the school and reduce demands on school
staff. Community schools reach outside their walls to leverage services and programs that help
meet a range of needs that affect student learning -- including family mobility, violence,
unsupervised out-of-school time and other issues that have become facts of life for too many
children in today's society.This approach gives principals and teachers more time to concentrate
on their core mission: Improving student learning.

• They provide learning opportunities that develop both academic and nonacademic
competencies. Community schools support the intellectual, physical, psychoemotional and
social development of young people and understand that assets in one area reinforce development
in another.Abundant opportunities for learning and exploration in school, after school and in the
community help students mature in all areas.

• They offer young people, their families and community residents opportunities to
build social capital. Social capital connects students to people and information that can help
them solve problems and meet their goals. Community schools enable all students to forge networks
and social skills through mentoring relationships with caring adults, school-to-work learning,
community service and other experiences, while providing parents and other adults with similar
opportunities to learn and assume leadership roles.
     As a result of these advantages, community schools are in a unique position to fulfill five conditions
for learning that the Coalition for Community Schools has identified as necessary for every child to
succeed. Learn more about the advantages of community schools in the full report on page 7.

© 2003, Coalition for Community Schools
For more information, e-mail ccs@iel.org