Schools Do A Better Job When They Are an Integral Part of the Community
by Herbert S. Moyer, Chair, Integrating Communities and Schools Task Force, Michigan State Board of Education
 Schools and their communities are inextricably linked. They serve the same citizens. They have shared goals. In carrying out their missions, schools depend on the cooperation and support of community resources—from family members and neighborhood groups to local businesses, religious institutions, libraries, civic organizations, and government agencies. Research—and daily experience—demonstrate that schools do a better job when they are an integral part of the community, and vice versa.
The primary purpose of the State Board of Education’s Task Force on Integrating Communities and Schools and the report generated from the work of the group is to create a connected community so that ALL students achieve by making collaborative use of the efforts and resources of all community partners/stakeholders.
The integration of communities and schools goes beyond solely planning for out-of-school time to developing a true, supportive, reciprocal blending of community support for schools as a source of sustenance for the community.
The task force asked four subcommittees to develop concrete policy recommendations using sound data based on research that can be used to educate and influence policy makers. Here’s a few sampling of suggestions that emerged from the subcommittees:
- Allow greater flexibility in the use of school district funds to meet community needs.
- Develop guides for identifying assets, involving stakeholders, building partnerships, marketing services, and raising community awareness.
- Create models of multimedia tools for interagency-school partnerships and out-of-school programs.
- Aggressively seek out grants and new sources of funding for community-school initiatives.
- Provide training and discussion forums for community leaders and school staff.
- Encourage school districts to create local plans for promoting and sustaining community-school collaborations.
- Conduct a community resource audit to identify areas of potential collaboration.
The Michigan State Board of Education Report of the Task Force on Integrating Communities and Schools is intended to be a useful guide for all education and community stakeholders as they shape policy, reach for and find collaborative solutions, and build strong relationships. The original report and subsequent recommendation updates and policies can be accessed at www.michigan.gov/mde. Click on State Board of Education.
| What happens in a school affects the community, and what happens in the community affects the school. If teachers and school administrators expect to be successful in their primary mission of educating the community’s children, they need to know a great deal about the community and the families from which the children come.
Engaging Families & Communities, Pathways to Educational Success, Decker & Decker, 2000 |
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