Meeting the needs of students with Community Schools

Community Schools are built with the understanding that students often come to the classroom with challenges that impact their ability to learn, explore, and develop to their greatest potential.  

Because learning never happens in isolation, community schools focus on what students in the community truly need to succeed—whether it’s free healthy meals, health care, tutoring, mental health counseling, or other tailored services before, during, and after school.  

Community schools identify these needs by bringing together: 

• academics,  
• health and social services,  
• youth and community development; and  
• community engagement. 

So how do we come together as a community to help our students overcome the barriers in their lives and achieve their dreams? Enter the Community Schools model. 

No matter our race, background, or ZIP code, we all want our neighborhood public schools to inspire imagination, cultivate curiosity and critical thinking, and ensure our children can live fulfilling lives.  

At present, more than 25 million students in America’s public schools live in under-resourced households, the highest proportion in generations.  

More and more students are coming to school hungry, many face unstable housing situations or move frequently, and many do not have access to regular pediatric well-visits.  

Community schools provide not only tremendous opportunities for learning and success for students, but they also offer hope, opportunity, and transformation. 

Community schools meet the unique needs of their students head on. 

 A choir of voices working together to improve learning and build healthier communities in harmony.

A better future of public education is possible, and it’s already happening in neighborhoods around the country.