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As national attention increasingly focuses on the importance of children’s development in their early years, we have the responsibility—as community members, parents, educators, leaders, and policy makers—to do our part to ensure that young children have the opportunity to thrive. While there are a number of efforts in place to support young children and their families, many focus on one of two domains: either improving early childhood care or education or improving elementary education. Research suggests, however, that there is an essential third domain to attend to in our work to support young children: improving the quality and continuity of a child’s experience and her access to essential supports and services as she transitions from early childhood care or education into the elementary grades.

We are pleased to offer our recommendations for the Biden-Harris Transition Team. Our recommendations are organized in two parts: those we recommend for the first 100 days, and those beyond the first 100 days. We are excited to work with the Biden-Harris Administration to enact, fund, and implement our common goals to ensure that all young people have the supports and opportunities to learn and thrive.

This case study calculates the return-on-investment for a Community School Coordinator, the person who oversees implementation of the Community Schools strategy, and shares responsibility for the outcomes.

“What the Four Pillars of Community School Look Like In Action” infographic

With the launch of the New York City Community Schools Initiative (NYC-CS) in 2014, the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) increased its focus on implementing a holistic strategy of education reform to address the social consequences of poverty as a way to improve student outcomes. The strategy of the NYC-CS is to organize resources in schools and share leadership among stakeholders so that academics, health and wellness, youth development, and family engagement are integrated into the fabric of each school. Although community schools are expanding across the country, New York City is implementing the strategy at a scale unmatched nationally.

This guide provides tools for policymakers, students and families, community leaders, allies, and advocates who want to advance community schools as a strategy to improve schools.