Nationwide, educators and policymakers are increasingly looking to community schools to provide students with important in-school supports. The Obama Administration has shown support by encouraging schools and districts to implement wraparound services as part of reform strategies.
Community schools exist in districts across the country and utilize a variety of partnerships and services. Yet many consider community schools to be a strategy that only works in urban areas. In fact, rural community schools exist and can advantage rural students in many significant ways. Likewise, while most community schools keep the building open longer than traditional schools, few community schools have formally extended the length of the school day for all students.
Join us for a discussion on two new ways to develop and grow community schools—as a rural education strategy and through the use of expanded learning time. The Center for American Progress will release two new papers on these topics. The papers and event will encourage policymakers and advocates to consider ways that the community school strategy can be applied in settings not traditionally associated with the model.
Opening Remarks:
Cynthia G. Brown, Vice President for Education Policy, Center for American Progress
Featured Speakers:
Martin Blank, Director of the Coalition for Community Schools and President of the Institute for Educational Leadership
Doris Terry Williams, Executive Director of the Rural School and Community Trust and Director of the Trust’s Capacity Building Program
Adeline Ray, Director, Chicago Community Schools Initiative
Moderated by:
Saba Bireda, Education Policy Analyst, Center for American Progress
For a full transcript click here.