Research Practice Network : Community Schools

Our Purpose

Create, maintain, and execute a research agenda focused on improving implementation and outcomes for students, community schools, families, and community members;
Serve as a clearinghouse for research and implementation level best practices;
Convene community school advocates around areas for collaboration and joint research; and
Identify new funding streams to support high-quality research on community schools.

Joining the Network

Practitioners and researchers are encouraged to join and connect with, share, learn from, and collaborate with those in the Community Schools field and receive timely announcements of new research and funding opportunities. Those outside of these roles are also welcomed to join to learn more about Community Schools.

Complete the RPN Membership Form

The Coalition for Community Schools Research Practice Network (CCS RPN) is supported by IEL’s research team. If you have any questions, please email ccsrpn@iel.org.

Past Events

2024 Webinars

Collaborative Leadership in Community Schools – March 26 (Webinar Slide Deck)
Relational Leader – February 7 (Webinar Slide Deck)
The Importance of Community Schools and Out-of-School Time Partnerships – January 31 (Webinar Slide Deck)

2023 Webinars

Youth Voice in Community Schools: Building Collaborative School Leadership Structures – January 24 (Webinar Slide Deck)
U.S. Department of Education’s Evaluation of Full-Service Community Schools – February 23 (Webinar Slide Deck)
Preparing the Next Generation of Community School Professionals – March 9 (Webinar Slide Deck)
Best Practices for Family Engagement and Community-School Partnerships – April 21 (Webinar Slide Deck)
Sustaining Community Schools After the Post-Pandemic Funding Cliff – October 25 (Webinar Slide Deck)
Emerging Strategies in Evaluating Family Engagement – November 28 (Webinar Slide Deck)

2022 Webinars

Defining and Adapting the Community School Strategy – February 16
Translating Research Into Practice: A Look Across Rural and Urban Contexts – March 8
Community Schools Organizing: A Look Back and Forward – May 11
The Critical Role of Community School Coordinators (in partnership with the Community Schools Coordinators Network) – October 27
Building Systems for Participatory Research with Community Schools (in partnership with CSLN & UACS) – November 30

2021 Webinars

Community Schools, Racial Justice and Equity – February 11
Teaching and Learning in Community Schools – March 11
Family Engagement in Community Schools – April 21
The Roles of Principals in Community Schools – May 13
Approaching Community Schools Research and Impact – June 17
Lifting Up Community Schools’ COVID-19 Responses Through Research – September 29 (Webinar Slide Deck)
Measuring Outcomes in Community Schools – October 14 (Webinar Slide Deck)
The Need for Youth Voice in Community Schools – November 16 (Webinar Slide Deck)
Sustaining Community Schools – December 9 (Webinar Slide Deck)

2019-2020 Webinars

The Way We Do School: The Making of Oakland’s Full-Service Community School District – April 15, 2020
The Impact of the New York City Community Schools Initiative – March 18, 2020
The Dual Capacity Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships – February 19, 2020
Postsecondary Readiness and Success in Community Schools – January 29, 2020
Youth with Disabilities in Community Schools – October 23, 2019
Return on Investment (ROI) Study for a Community School Coordinator – September 24, 2019
Powerful Learning: Deeper Learning Lessons for Community Schools – August 20, 2019
Community Schools: People and Places Transforming Education and Communities – July 17, 2019
Powerful Learning: Addressing Real World Issues through Community School Classrooms – June 25, 2019

RPN Clearinghouse of Community Schools Studies and Publications

Please use this form to share your updated research and publications with IEL CCS RPN. We will update our database regularly, and share the research and publications with all Coalition for Community Schools (CCS) networks.

For the most updated studies and publications, click here.
For additional Coalition for Community School resources, click here.
A Frequency Analysis of the Research Practice Network Clearinghouse: The Community Schools Research and Evaluations

Community Schools Research Agenda

Download PDF here

In collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships, IEL’s Coalition for Community Schools Research Practice Network hosted a three-day virtual convening in July 2020 to develop a national Community Schools Research Agenda. The convening, “Powerful Learning: How Community Schools Support Learning and Thriving Students, Families, and Communities” brought together over 60 multi disciplinary researchers and practitioners who have contributed to the community schools knowledge base. Participants spent time in facilitated break out groups co-creating a national research agenda for community schools, and brainstormed topics, questions, processes, and methods to prioritize as we seek to grow and support the community schools movement. Finally, participants considered how to enact the Research Agenda and articulated their individual role in advancing the work. Click here to see the research agenda.

CCS RPN Co-Chair Criteria

The network has 2 co-chairs, a practitioner and a researcher. Nominations criteria:

Practitioner:

in a daily role/position within a community school initiative (school, district, or regional/state intermediary level)
participated in community schools research or program evaluation (working alongside researchers)
familiar with community schools research
a part of one of our Coalition for Community Schools networks (desired, not required)

Researcher:

has a body of research published specifically on community schools.
engaged in community schools work, inclusive of e.g., Research-Practice partnerships or participatory action research.
affiliated with a university or a research institution.
has a completed doctoral degree.
is a part of one of our Coalition for Community Schools networks (desired, not required)

Co-Chairs

President & State Director at Communities in Schools of Pennsylvania

Dr. Jessica Knapp, DPA

Assistant Professor of Community Schools at Binghamton University

Dr. Naorah Rimkunas