Moving Beyond Monitoring: A District Leadership Approach to School, Family, and Community Partnerships

Abstract

Schools currently operate in a highly public, policy-oriented system rooted in the notion that schools and teachers will respond to the rewards and sanctions outlined in government policies. This chapter argues that schools can improve student achievement and attendance through strong school, family, and community partnerships, and that school district support for partnerships is critical to the development of these programs. Drawing on research about school district support for instructional leadership, the author argues that central office leadership needs to move beyond policy compliance and describes an alternative district leadership framework for partnerships. The chapter provides definitions and examples of District Leadership and Direct Facilitation across six strategies: create awareness, align program and policy, guide learning and program development, share knowledge, celebrate milestones, and document progress and evaluate outcomes. The chapter concludes with a discussion of next steps for research using this leadership framework, as well as additional research topics related to the role and impact of school districts on family and community engagement.