New Relationships with Schools

January 13, 2005

New Relationships With Schools volumes one and two were created from research Collaborative Communications Group conducted for the Kettering Foundation regarding organizations that are working in other areas but take on education issues to further community goals. We found various kinds of organizations that establish strong connections between communities and schools using many different entry points.

In volume two, page 12, we found:
A nonprofit intermediary organization in Los Angeles, CA, that works to design schools that serve as centers of communities. The organization brings together community stakeholders to plan multi-use development that combines residential, recreational, and educational use of scarce land in densely populated urban areas.

We conclude that these efforts are a growing and viable source of public accountability for schools and of energy and revitalization for communities. Most of the work to make connections with schools takes place in disadvantaged communities where previous efforts have not served residents well. In these areas, community organizing — and, often, youth engagement — are commonly used strategies to change entrenched policies and practices that are often unresponsive to the needs of the community.

Link: New Relationships With Schools - Vol. 2 [PDF, 38 pages, 1769 KB]