Project Description
The North Carolina Community Schools Coalition aims to improve the academic, mental, and physical health of North Carolina students through the development of Full-Service Community Schools across the state. Full-Service Community Schools prioritize partnerships between schools and the community to promote the overall success and well-being of children and families. The community schools model does not focus on academics alone, but integrates health and social services, youth development, and other family resources into the school setting.
From 2024-2028, the coalition will work with 55 schools across 18 school districts to support 22,000 children, with an emphasis on rural school communities that experience persistent poverty. Students and their guardians will be recipients of coalition services and will guide the program’s development, ensuring the right services are implemented and accessible.
The dynamic Full-Service Community Schools model includes four pillars:
- Collaborative Leadership and Practices
- Active Family and Community Engagement
- Integrated Student Supports
- Expanded and Enriched Learning Time
More information about Community Schools, the state- and regional-level partners and the local education agencies involved in the work is available online here.
Project Goals
To understand the impact of the coalition, the evaluation will look at a variety of factors. Along with continuous feedback from communities to drive improvement, measures of success may include:
- Academic achievement measured by metrics like school attendance and graduation rates
- School climate metrics such as measures of family and community engagement, educator qualifications, and retention of school staff
- Health and social support measures like access to mental health support, housing stability, and food security
Data will be used intentionally and transparently, including sharing data with the children, families, and communities that they represent to inform ongoing improvement.