Community Schools

Abstract

This chapter explores the connection between a school's efforts to engage with parents and community members and the academic achievement of its students. The author examines two case studies from Tennessee- the charter school model within the state-run Achievement School District in Memphis, and the community school model in Knoxville. The chapter begins with an explanation of key terms, followed by an introduction of each case study. Next, the author compares student academic achievement within each educational model, demonstrating that the community schools have achieved greater gains than the charter schools. The author then analyzes survey and interview data from parents and community members to compare each educational model's parental and community engagement efforts. Ultimately, the author concludes that in Tennessee, the community school model has been more effective than the charter school model in improving student academic achievement in large part because of its emphasis on meaningful engagement with parents and community members.