Spotlight: LINC, A Community Schools Intermediary

Spotlight: LINC, A Community Schools Intermediary

This month’s Coalition spotlight is on Kansas City, Missouri’s Local Investment Commission (LINC) - an exemplary Community School intermediary. In many community school initiatives, the intermediary plays a crucial in coordinating and managing Community School initiatives. This article showcases the experiences of LINC’s Executive Director, Gayle Hobbs, and Communications Director, Brent Schondelmeyer. We hope that this conversation will give you greater insight into how intermediaries stimulate community engagement, and the ways in which communities can mobilize around the common goal of improving the lives of their children. Click here to read the full interview.

Coalition Update: Report to the Field

Application NOW Available! Coalition for Community Schools Presents: The 2011 National Awards for Excellence

Community Schools Work as Turnaround Solutions in Rural Areas

Community School Partnership Established in Central Florida

Washington Community School Producing Results

Report Finds Early Learning Centers Boost Student Progress

Click here for more Community Schools News...

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Research, Publications and Tools

New Report on Financing Community Schools
In a new Coalition report, Financing Community Schools: Leveraging Resources to Support Student Success, the Coalition finds that community schools have organized themselves to address constant financial challenges by breaking down funding silos and leveraging resources to support students. The report shows that community schools efficiently leverage dollars to support student learning. Read the full report or executive summary for more details on the findings, lessons for practitioners, and recommendations for policymakers.

Community Organizing and Educational Policy
The Annenberg Institute for School Reform and the Nellie Mae Education Foundation aim to add to the knowledge base on education organizing. Their new report: The Strengths and Challenges of Community Organizing as an Education Reform Strategy: What the Research Says looks at existing evidence on the impact of community organizing and discusses its strengths and limitations. Read the Executive Summary here.

NEW UCLA Report on Student Motivation
The Center for Mental Health in Schools at the UCLA Department of Psychology published a resource aid packet for use in the field entitled: School Engagement, Disengagement, Learning Supports, & School Climate. This research presents the complex continuum of learner motivation and suggests ways to enhance student engagement. The packet references a variety of resources intended to help advance the efforts of those working in and with schools. Access resource packet here.

NEW Rural School and Community Trust Report: i3 Grant Program

The Rural School and Community Trust published a report: Taking Advantage: The Rural Competitive Preference in the Investing in Innovation Program, that evaluates the U.S. Department of Education's Investing in Innovation (i3) grant program. The report noted shortcomings of the program and offered comprehensive recommendations. Click here to read the full report.

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Opportunities and Events

February 16, 2011 at 2:00 pm

Congressional Briefing: Financing Community Schools

What are Community Schools and How are They Leveraging Resources to Support Student Success? Click here to RSVP! Location: Capitol Visitors’ Center (SVC- 212). This briefing, being co-hosted by Sen. Sanders (I-VT), Sen. Brown (D-OH), Rep. Hoyer (D-MD), and Rep. Chu (D-CA), will feature community school initiatives from: Evansville, IN; Cincinnati, OH; and Portland, OR. Panelists will share how they are funding their initiatives and how they see community schools as a strategy for ensuring that all of our youth are successful in college, career, and life.

February 17, 2011 at 10-11:30 am
Department of Education Briefing: Community Schools: Integrating Community Resources to Increase Opportunities for Youth
Please join us at the U.S. Department of Education for an Education Policy briefing and discussion at 400 Maryland Ave. SW. Our friends from Evansville, Cincinnati, and Portland will speak about how successful community schools are improving outcomes for children, families, and communities on the ground, and how the principles of community schools can be embedded in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

February 24, 2011
Coalition Webinar: Community Schools & Youth Engagement
REGISTER NOW! Guest presenters from three Beacon sites and The Youth Development Institute will focus on the ways in which youth are engaged as partners with adults to improve themselves and communities. Click here for more information.

March 30- April 1, 2011
Seattle Community Schools Learning Laboratory
Designed for both practitioners and policy makers, the Lab has attracted a full house. We are excited to see so many people wanting to learn more about community schools and regret we cannot accommodate more people. You can catch us in June in Chicago where the coalition is partnering with the National Assembly on School Based Health Care. See the next item for more details.

June 26-29, 2011
National School-Based Health Care Convention
Join us for a deeper dialogue about how the partnerships between school based health centers and community schools can breed stronger communities and healthier, more successful youth. Community schools will be a focus of plenares, a pre-conference session, workshops, and site visits. Click here to view the event website and register now!

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Vol. VII No. 11
February 2011

Inside This Issue

Coalition Update: Report to the Field
Research, Publications and Tools
Opportunities and Events

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About Us

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.

The Coalition advances opportunities for the success of children, families and communities by promoting the development of more, and more effective, community schools.