KnowledgeWorks Foundation - Communities & Schools - Schools as Centers of Community

Do Communities Really Care About Their Schools?

As demonstrated time and time again, people are more likely to support what they help create. Sometimes, a lack of community support is perceived as "not caring," when the truth is that communities do care -- they just want that caring to be reflected in their school's decision-making.

The answer? "Yes"
Happily, 90% of Ohioans say they want the opportunity to advise their public schools on major decisions, according to our Foundation's 2004 Ohio's Education Matters poll.

Why is Gaining Community Support Important?

Communities are more likely to financially support improvements that involve them
In the 2002-2003 Ohio's Education Matters poll, community members said they'd be more likely to pay higher taxes on a school built around their needs, and not just the needs of students. Levy support rose from 43% to 63% when the school was proposed as a multipurpose facility open to all community members, and not just students. In addition:

91% of community members favor comprehensive, after-school programs.
84% favor community member use of school facilities after hours.
62% favor locating community social services for children on school grounds.
65% favor locating programs for adults on school grounds.

With Few School-Aged Children, Community Members Need a Reason to Care about Their Schools

Today, securing community support is more necessary than ever, because the amount of parents with school-aged children has fallen significantly -- to 20% in most communities. This leaves 80% of tax payers with little to no vested interest in their public school system.

Community Members Can Improve Their Neighborhood and Students' Lives for the Better

Making the Difference: Research and Practice in Community Schools, a report on 20 initiatives across the nation that are centers of community, released by the Coalition for Community Schools, revealed that community-based schools generate greater academic achievement, family engagement, community vitality, and general effectiveness than traditional public schools.

When is Community Engagement Really Engagement - and Not Just a Nice Idea?

Our Schools as Centers of Community initiative facilitates "authentic" community engagement. In other words, we support community ownership, and participation in official decisions, rather than the approval of decisions that have already been made. Culled from our own experience, and supported by research, the Foundation has developed 10 Principles of Authentic Community Engagement that truly empower communities to change their schools.

Also see Public Engagement and School Facilities Conversation Workbook, our community engagement guide.

The Top Schools as Centers of Community from Around the Country

Step inside the school that won KnowledgeWorks Foundation's "Schools as Centers of Community: A National Search for Excellence Award."

Learn more about this year's recipient of the Richard W. Riley Award for Excellence at http://www.nationalschoolsearch.org/recipient/.

Stroll through the 13 schools chosen by the judges to be members of the "Schools as Centers of Community Honor Society." Learn more at http://www.nationalschoolsearch.org/honors/.