Community Schools Case Studies and Practice Guide Series: Examples of Innovative Approaches from Chicago Public Schools
As school districts across the country are increasingly adopting community-based, cross-sector approaches in response to youth and family needs and interests, education leaders are seeking knowledge, resources, and tools to effectively implement a community schools strategy. Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has been an early adopter of the community schools strategy in a number of neighborhood schools, reaching over 200 schools and 50 community organizations through its Community Schools Initiative over the past 25 years.
I think you guys are doing something fantastic, and I’m glad to be part of it….to be able to share my vision, and [make my] school’s program work.
– Community Schools Resource Coordinator
In 2023, CPS collaborated with AIR and Diehl Consulting, longtime community school evaluation and technical assistance partners, to showcase the work of Chicago schools engaged in creative and intentional implementation practices. This case study research served as the foundation for a suite of practice-oriented resources, organized around the following three themes:
- Collaborative Leadership;
- Strong Partnerships; and
- Coordination of Integrated Student Supports and Expanded Learning.
We hope these resources deepen understanding of effective community schools implementation, provide examples of how to engage in this work within evolving environmental contexts, and serve as a mechanism to support continuous improvement in community school initiatives nationwide.
Community School Practice Guides
Our Community Schools Practice Guides highlight implementation practices and strategies observed in featured schools. These guides support and connect to the community schools “pillars” found in the community schools playbook.
Each practice guide includes: an overview of the overarching practice and its importance to the community schools strategy; the underlying conditions needed to support implementation, key levers that drive effective implementation; as well as concrete strategies, action steps, and solutions to address common implementation challenges.
Fostering Collaborative Leadership
Community schools implementation is not the work of one school coordinator in isolation. It relies on active teamwork, shared decisionmaking, and distributed responsibilities among administrators, educators, parents, and community partners.
Learn more about how to foster collaborative leadership in a community school strategy
Building Strong Partnerships
To provide high-quality wraparound supports and enrichment opportunities for students and families, community schools must sustain healthy collaboration with community organizations and local providers.
Learn more about building strong partnerships in a community school strategy
Coordinating Integrated Student Supports and Expanded Learning
Transforming schools into local hubs of resources and social activities requires shared knowledge, systems, and processes for both the identification of community supports as well as family outreach about existing and desired opportunities.
Learn more about coordinating integrated student supports in a community school strategy
Community Schools Case Studies
Case Studies
Our Community Schools Case Studies provide an in-depth look at local context factors and detailed findings about these three implementation practices within Chicago community schools.
The case studies elevate the perspectives of coordinators, school administrators, organizational staff, and community members in describing the opportunities and barriers to community schools implementation.
Methodology
AIR’s research team developed case studies in partnership with five Chicago Community Schools, two lead partner agencies, and several community-based organizations during the 2023-2024 school year. These schools and organizations were selected based on their demonstration of strong implementation practices, which were identified through past AIR community schools evaluation findings and CPS team nominations. Our team visited schools, observed leadership meetings, and conducted interviews and focus groups with community school coordinators, school administrators, community school leadership team members (including parents and community members), as well as staff from lead partner agencies and collaborating organizations.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank participating Chicago schools and organizations: Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, DeWitt Clinton Elementary School, Cesar E. Chavez Multicultural Academic Center, Curie Metro High School, Loyola University, and Spencer Elementary Technology Academy.