Current Newsletter

Highlights from the field Teacher and students tending to the garden

Nearly $4 million investment will

?expand student-learning

The Coalition for Community Schools , Communities In Schools , and StriveTogether announced, four communities across the country will receive a combined $3.75 million to implement student-centered blueprints for learning. Through the Together for Students initiative, these grants will transform how entire communities support student-centered learning by funding a more integrated, intentional system for meeting the unique needs of every child.

View Awardees

Courtesy of Milwaukee Community Schools Partnership

Milwaukee Community Schools Partnership releases new videos to highlight community school strategies

Watch how Hopkins Lloyd Community School implemented Homework Diners to build relationships between staff and families while providing after-school academic support, and how Lincoln Avenue improved attendance through their community-led Walking School Bus.

Community school coordinator and student working together

March for Children and Youth

Month highlights

Thank you for participating these last 4 weeks in March for Children and Youth Month. W hether it was sending a tweet or meeting with a policymaker, every action counts and helps us build a critical mass of champions for children and youth.

Please take our 5-minute survey so we can tally our collective contributions across our networks and share this information back to you.

Partner Spotlight two students helping each other

Jitu Brown at a rally at the U.S. Supreme Court in May 2014.

Journey for Justice leads grassroots movement against school privatization

The Journey for Justice Alliance is a national network of black and brown led, grassroots community-based organizations committed to advocating for community-driven school improvement, in order to achieve equity in public education. Learn how the We Choose Campaign is shifting the narrative about school choice to racial justice and equity in this months Partner Spotlight .

Coordinator Spotlight Young boy reading a book

Kristin Caluroso sitting on mountain with two dogs

Kristin Colarusso is leveling the

?playing field for students

As the first Community School Coordinator in her district, Kristin Colarusso Martin has made remarkable progress to unify her students, families, and community in just two years. Read how Martin’s focus to restore Massena’s community has allowed her utilize her connections to host the first "Ready 4 School" event, getting 1,000 students and families ready for the first day of school in this month’s Coordinator Spotlight.

Buck Lodge Middle School students sitting in front of store fronts

Buck Lodge Middle School is Transforming Students and Community

Buck Lodge Middle School is a Title I middle school in Prince George’s County in partnering with United Way National Capitol Area, t his is a school that is over 80% transportation users, over 70% free and reduced meals recipients, and over 50% English learner’s and newcomers. Tatiana Sandoval, Buck Lodge's Community School Coordinator, gives us some insight on how the community schools strategy has impacted her community.

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Rise Up for Equity some of the IEL staff

Community Schools Research Practice Network Seminar

April 8, 2019 | Toronto, Canada

The Institute for Educational Leadership's Community Schools Research Practice Network Seminar will bring together interdisciplinary scholars to share knowledge about the benefits of community schools, identify common areas for collaboration, and take action steps to address equity in our communities. Register for this free, interactive seminar taking place during the 2019 AERA Annual Meeting.

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2019 Family and Community Engagement Conference

July 10-12, 2019 | Reno, NV

Hosted by the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL), the 2019 National Family and Community Engagement Conference is an excellent opportunity to examine how schools and communities around the country are realizing mutual goals and maximizing impact through productive family-school-community partnerships. With over 1K people expected to attend, and over 70 workshops offered, participants are sure to leave the conference with strategies, tips and tools they can immediately apply to their work .