Transcript Slide 1

Supporting Students' Literacy
Development
Through School-Community Partnerships
Presenter
Mavis G. Sanders, Ph.D.
Professor of Education/Senior Adviser,
National Network of Partnership Schools
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
[email protected]
Literacy Develops within Multiple
Contexts
 School, Family, and
Community Partnerships
are one strategy to
facilitate children’s
literacy development and
growth.
School, Family, and Community
Partnerships Have Been Linked to…
 Higher student achievement and graduation rates, and improved
student behavior and school attendance.
 More after-school activities that support student achievement
and social and emotional development.
 More welcoming, better resourced, and higher functioning
schools to address the needs and concerns of students, families,
faculty, staff, and the larger community.

Mapp & Henderson, 2002
What Are School, Family, and Community
Partnerships?
School, Family, and
Community
Partnerships - A
philosophy, culture, and
process that emphasizes
the overlapping influence
that stakeholders in each
context have on the
education and well-being
of children and adults.
Epstein’s Framework of 6 Types of
Involvement
Comprehensive partnership programs have activities
that support the following types of engagement:
Type 1 – Parenting
Type 2 – Communicating
Type 3 – Volunteering
Type 4 – Learning at Home
Type 5 – Decision Making
Type 6 – Collaborating with the Community
Why 6 Types of Involvement
Type 1 - Parenting
Activities to assist families in:
Providing housing, health, nutrition, clothing and
safety
Sharing information and activities to help schools
understand children and families
Developing parenting skills for all age levels
Type 2 - Communicating
Information to help families:
Understand educational programs and children’s
progress
Understand student assessments
Choose or change appropriate schools/educational
programs
Opportunities for families to:
Express concerns, and expectations
Offer insights and guidance
Type 3 - Volunteering
 Support families ‘ involvement in schools or
organizations:
To assist administrators, teachers, students, or parents
as mentors, coaches, boosters, monitors, lecturers,
chaperones, tutors, leaders, or in other ways
To attend assemblies, performances, sports events,
recognition and award ceremonies, celebrations and
other events
Type 4 – Learning at Home
Support family involvement in academic
activities at home:
Help with and monitor homework
Understand skills required to pass/master each subject
Guide curriculum and career-related decisions
Support the development of other skills and talents
Type 5 – Decision Making
 Family participation in school:
Advisory groups
Planning committees
Program-related decisions
Type 6 – Collaborating with the
Community
 Connections with the community for needed services,
resources, and support (e.g., student/family incentives;
equipment; professional development; tutoring; etc.);
assists schools in implementing practices for the other 5
types of involvement
 Connections that contribute to the community (e.g.,
community gardens; environmental projects; food and
blood drives; community health fairs; community
concerts; etc.)
Types of Community Partners
 Business/Corporations
 Universities and
Educational Institutions
 Health Care
Organizations
 Government and Military
Agencies
 National Service and
Volunteer Organizations
 Faith Organizations
 Senior Citizens
Organizations
 Cultural and Recreational
Institutions
 Media Organizations
 Charitable Organizations
 Sports Franchises and
Associations
 Social Service Agencies
 Other Community
Organizations (e.g.,
Sororities, Fraternities,
Neighborhood Assocs.)
 Community Individuals
Partnership Activity Foci

Student-centered
(E.g., tutoring, job shadowing, incentives)

Family-centered
(E.g., parent information workshops, GED and other adult
education classes)

School-centered
(E.g., equipment and materials, teacher incentives and awards,
beautification/repair)

Community-centered
(E.g., charity and other outreach; community beautification,
student exhibits/performances)
Range of Complexity
(From Simple to Complex)
Simple Partnerships
(E.g., Incentives for
school activities;
donation of school
materials/supplies)
 Short-term
 Uni-directional
exchange
 Low level of
interaction
 Limited planning
Complex Partnerships
(E.g., Full service schools;
Professional development
schools)
 Long-term
 Bi- or multidirectional
exchange
 High level of
interaction
 Extensive planning
and coordination
School, Family, and Community
Partnerships: From Concept to Practice
 http://vimeo.com/24586755
Planning and Organizing School,
Family, and Community Partnerships
School Governance Council
Action Team/Committee
for Partnerships
(Representatives from
grade-level learning
communities)
Academic - Goal 1
(Literacy)
Family and
Community engagement
practices to meet this goal
Academic - Goal 2
Family and Community
engagement practices to
meet this goal
Behavior - Goal 3
Family and Community
engagement practices to
meet this goal
Climate - Goal 4
Family and
Community engagement
practices to meet this goal
Factors Influencing the Success
of Community Partnerships
Studentcentered
Culture
Effective
Partnership
Team
Successful
Community
Partnerships
External
Support
High
Functioning
School
Principal
Leadership
Some External Supports….
 National
 The National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS)
 http://www.partnershipschools.org
Questions ???????…..
Resources
Epstein, J. L., Sanders, M., Sheldon, S., Simon, B., Salinas, K.,
Jansorn, N., Van Voorhis, F., Martin, C., Thomas, B.,
Greenfeld, M., Hutchins, D., Williams, K. (2009). School,
family and community partnerships:Your handbook for action. (3rd
ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
(www.partnershipschools.org)
Mapp & Henderson (2002). A new wave of evidence.
www.sedl.org/connections/resources/evidence.pdf
Sanders, M. (2005). Building School-Community Partnerships:
Collaboration for Student Success. Corwin Press.
Dryfoos & Maguire (2002). Inside Full-Service Community Schools.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.