School Family Community Partnerships Research Articles

School Risk and Protective Factors of Suicide: A Cultural Model of Suicide Risk and Protective Factors in Schools

There are known cultural variations in correlates of and symptoms related to suicide-related thoughts and behaviors; however, the majority of research that informs suicide prevention in school systems has focused on research based on Euro-American/White students. By exploring school-related risk and protective factors in ethnic-racial minoritized students, we expand existing multicultural models of suicide prevention for school settings. Specifically, this systematic literature review identified 33 studies conducted with American Indian and Alaskan Native, Hispanic and Latinx, Black and African American, and Asian American and Pacific Islander students. Findings underscore the importance of building relationships with the school community and fostering a sense of safety for students, the need to approach school-based suicide prevention and intervention with cultural considerations, and the importance of connecting students and families with providers in culturally sensitive and informed ways. Taken together, schools need to build school–family–community partnerships that promote culturally sensitive approaches to suicide prevention. Impact Statement Findings from this review underscore the importance of strengthening school relationships, fostering a sense of safety and trust, and eradicating bullying for preventing suicide in ethnic-racial minoritized students. By expanding on previous theories of multicultural suicide prevention, we call for the implementation of culturally sensitive risk assessments and suicide prevention programs in school settings that are built from partnerships with families and communities.

Expanding Transformative Agency: Learning Lab as a Social Change Intervention for Racial Equity in School Discipline

BackgroundIn the United States, students of color are more likely to receive disciplinary exclusion compared with their White peers. The racial disproportionality in exclusionary school discipline (e.g., office discipline referrals and suspension) marginalizes students from nondominant communities and further aggravates inequalities in academic, social, and behavioral outcomes. As a socially, historically, and geographically situated inequity issue, addressing racial disparities in disciplinary outcomes requires a transformative experiment in which local stakeholders can engage in situated problem identification and problem-solving efforts in response to their specific needs, goals, and local dynamics.Purpose of StudyThis study examined how Learning Lab, an inclusive, collaborative problem-solving process, created a collaborative problem-solving space wherein school stakeholders exercised their collective, transformative agency to bring about a qualitative transformation in the school discipline system at an urban middle school for the creation of culturally responsive and equity-oriented learning environments for all students.SettingThe research took place at Rogoff Middle School in Wisconsin, which has historically served students from urban, low-income families. The school community struggled with the overrepresentation of Black students in exclusionary school discipline.ParticipantsLearning Lab comprised 14 members. Three parents and 11 school staff— administrators, teachers, social workers, an after-school coordinator, and a parent/paraprofessional working in a special education classroom—participated in the Learning Lab.Research DesignThis study used the Learning Lab intervention, taking place at an urban middle school between November 2012 and May 2014, as an instrumental case to explore how the participatory, design-based intervention transformed a schoolwide behavioral support system. Data collected from 14 meetings include observations, ethnographic field notes, school disciplinary data, and photos. All meetings were video recorded and transcribed, then analyzed using a transformative agency framework.Findings/ResultsWith the aim of organizing inclusive problem-solving activities for shared, collaborative future-making learning experiences, the Learning Lab encouraged local stakeholders to exercise their collective, transformative agency in order to produce locally meaningful and emancipatory knowledge aimed at reshaping a dysfunctional, punitive system that historically has yielded racial injustice in school discipline.Conclusions/RecommendationsAs a community-driven, scaled-down design process, Learning Lab can be a powerful leadership tool for school leaders to unite school stakeholders by building authentic school–family–community partnerships and leveraging expertise, experiences, and ingenuity for the development of locally optimized solutions to inequity.

School–Family–Community Partnerships for Educational Success and Equity for Black Male Students

Throughout the past decade, scholars have argued that the persistent achievement gap between Black male students and their White peers is a result of unequal and inadequate educational opportunities instead of inherent differences in their capability or character. School counselors can help support Black males by using equity-focused school–family–community partnerships that provide a strong network of support, resources, and increased educational opportunities—all of which contribute to positive academic outcomes and help eliminate barriers caused by systemic racism. In this article, we apply a step-by-step partnership process model to a case in which a school counselor used partnerships to advocate for Black students facing racism and educational inequities in a school district.

How the Educator–Counselor–Leader–Collaborator Creates Asset-Rich Schools: A Qualitative Study of a School–Family–Community Partnership

This article discusses school counselors’ multifaceted role as educator–counselor–leader–collaborator, inextricably linked roles so necessary to build strengths-based school–family–community partnerships. We examined the effects of one such partnership on 20 elementary school students, using photo elicitation and interviews to explore students’ satisfactions and experiences about the Just Love partnership. Thematic analysis of the data revealed six categories: (a) perceptions of Just Love, (b) positive feelings, (c) positive relationships and connectedness, (d) classroom and school climate, (e) experiences, and (f) support and resources. Each category comprised themes aligned with protective factors and developmental assets that help students thrive.

Community schools: bridging educational change through partnerships

As we look ahead to the next 20 years of educational change, I argue that broader community contexts interplay with students’ in-school learning, and thus, we, as an educational change field, ought to examine more deeply the role school–family–community partnerships play in the students’ holistic development. This consideration is particularly relevant in the environments where inequities in the access to resources and opportunities for many students persist. Through an examination of community schools strategy, I offer considerations school–family–community partnerships have in facilitating positive conditions for learning. I close with a call for broadening the educational change discourse to be inclusive of community partnerships.

Fostering Educational Resilience and Opportunities in Urban Schools Through Equity-Focused School–Family–Community Partnerships

Over the past two decades, research on urban schools has focused predominantly on achievement gaps. However, achievement gaps exist because of gaps in opportunities for urban, low-income, and racially/ethnically diverse students. Partnerships among schools, families, and communities can provide the enrichment opportunities, support, resources, and programs that students need to be educationally resilient despite adversity. School counselors are in a unique position to promote resilience through equity-focused school–family–community partnerships and parent/family–school compacts based on empowerment, democratic collaboration, social justice, and strengths-based principles. This article describes a step-by-step, equity-focused partnership model that school counselors can implement as part of their school counseling program.

School-Family-Community Partnerships and Its’ Influence on Students ‘Achievement in Public Secondary Schools in Ilemela Municipal, Tanzania

Education is an investment which brings socio-economic return to the person and nation at large. In implementing various strategies to improve student development and academic outcomes, it is important to include all key stake holders by fostering close schools, family and community partnerships, and not only teachers and administrators, but also family and community members. These partnerships improve schools and lead to student’s success in academic and social arena. In Tanzania public secondary schools, family and community partnerships is considered to be low and students’ performance in academic and discipline continues to be poor compared to schools with strong family community partnerships. Therefore, the objectives of this study were; to identify the existing school-family-community partnerships in public secondary school in Ilemela Municipal, to investigate whether school-family-community partnerships in public secondary schools influence students ‘achievement in Ilemela Municipal and to find out if there are any challenges facing of school-family-community partnerships implementation in public secondary schools in Ilemela Municipal. The study employed a mixed research methods where questionnaires and interview were used to collect data. The total sample size was 141; respondents involved were teachers, heads of school, students, District Education Officer, and family and community members. Descriptive statistics analysis and thematic analysis was used, and the findings revealed that there are few and poor School-family community partnerships. The study found out that, partnerships have great influence on students ‘achievement. Furthermore, the study found various challenges which face the implementation of school-family-community partnerships in public secondary schools in Ilemela district. The study recommends that The Ministry of education and vocational training the Ministry of education to make policy reforms to encourage a national wide involvement of families and community in school development activities to ensure quality provision of education which will enhance best returns in socio-economic such as industrialized economy.

Exploring Perceptions of the Path to Work/Life Success Among Middle School Students of Color

There are limited empirical studies examining career-related activities for Black and Latino/a students during the middle school years. Using a constant comparison method, this study examined the narrative data of 63 Black and Latino/a middle school students regarding their perceptions of work and life success. The results of this analysis revealed five overarching themes: exposure, support, attainment, family, and effort/persistence. Implications for career and school professionals, as well as the significance of school–family–community partnerships, are discussed.

Leadership Practices Linked to Involvement in School–Family–Community Partnerships

Using the School Counselor Leadership Survey and the School Counselor Involvement in Partnerships Survey, this study of 546 school counselors explored which of the 5 school counselor leadership dimensions were associated with involvement in school–family–community partnerships. A hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the leadership dimension that predicted counselor partnership involvement was systemic collaboration along with self-efficacy and role perceptions about partnerships, collaborative climate, and principal expectations. The authors discuss practice and training implications for school counselors.

A University–School Partnership to Examine the Adoption and Implementation of the Ohio Community Collaboration Model in One Urban School District: A Mixed-Method Case Study

ABSTRACTSchool improvement models are expanding to incorporate priorities around positive youth development, safe and supportive school climates, school mental health, and school–family community partnerships. A partnership was formed between researchers and district/school leaders to examine the 3-year adoption and implementation of 1 such exemplary model, the Ohio Community Collaboration Model for School Improvement, in a Midwest urban district serving a large number of students at-risk. Researchers and district/school leaders examined what types of system-level capacities developed, and explored student- and school-level outcomes that occurred over the course of implementation. Multiple innovations resulted, such as strengthened policies, improved partnerships and collaborations, and enhanced funding streams. Students' perceptions of academic press, school climate, and academic motivation improved over the 3 years. Academic report cards show progress toward districtwide improvement. Implications are drawn for researchers and school leaders, especially in relation to the design, implementation, and evaluation of collaborative models of school improvement.

Ecologies of Collective Parent Engagement in Urban Education

For the past several decades, the construct of parent involvement (PI) has framed much of the literature on school–family–community partnerships. In this study, the authors used a qualitative form of meta-analysis called thematic synthesis to explore a programmatic alternative to conventional PI known as collective parent engagement (CPE). The CPE approach examined in this study was implemented in three low-income, urban school communities. The primary goal was to help low-income parents develop programs and services that could support the strengths, needs, and challenges of children and families at school and in the community. The findings indicated that, when implemented as an isolated or “stand-alone” service strategy, CPE generally does not influence school outcomes. But when tied to a broader system of reform efforts, CPE can help transform the social-institutional landscape of low-income, urban school communities.

No Child Left Behind and outreach to families and communities: the perspectives of exemplary African-American science teachers

This qualitative study examines the perspectives of eight exemplary African-American science teachers toward No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act and their outreach to families and communities in the context of the USA. Data revealed that whereas these exemplary teachers applauded the general intent of NCLB, they were concerned with its overemphasis on testing and the limited resources provided to support quality science instruction. To address these challenges, these teachers looked for ways to reach out to families and communities, with particular emphasis on working with communities. Data further revealed that their outreach efforts to families and communities corresponded with three dimensions in Boykin’s Afrocultural Ethos (harmony, communalism and orality), thereby suggesting that there is a need to reexamine school–family–community partnerships when working with students and families from diverse backgrounds, and particular with predominately African-American communities.

A Model for Building School–Family–Community Partnerships: Principles and Process

The extant literature documents the importance of school counselors’ roles in school–family–community partnerships, yet no model exists to guide school counselors through the process of building partnerships. The authors propose a model to help school counselors navigate the process and principles of partnerships. They define partnerships; discuss the principles of democratic collaboration, empowerment, social justice, and strengths focus that should infuse partnerships; enumerate a partnership process model; and discuss implications for practice and research.

Home Environment and Classroom Climate: An Investigation of their Relation to Students’ Academic Self-Concept in a Streamed Setting

Many studies concur that students’ perceptions of their home and school environments, such as relationships with parents and teachers, are related to their academic self-concept (for example, Chang et al., Int J of Behav Dev 27(2):182–189, 2003; Ireson and Hallam, Br J Educ Psychol 75:297–311, 2005; Jang, J Kor Home Econ, 39:101–114, 2001; Lau and Leung, Br J Educ Psychol, 62:193–202, 1992; Lau and Pun, Social Behav Pers, 27(6):639–650, 1999; Masche and Barber, “Connectedness and separation in parent-adolescent relationships: Indicators of a successful identity development.” Paper presented at the SRCD Biennial Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, April 19–22, 2001; Sanders, “School–family–community partnerships and the academic achievement of African American, urban adolescents.” Report No. 7. EDRS. ED 402404, 1996). Nonetheless, little is known about whether the strength of the relationships is comparable for students of different ability streams, or if the predictors of variance of their academic self-concept are similar. To fill the empirical gap, a 3-year longitudinal study was conducted with Secondary One students (approximate age 13) from three government schools in Singapore. Pearson product–moment correlation and Fisher’s z r transformation showed that there were significant differences in the strength of the relationships between higher- and lower-ability stream students’ academic self-concept and their perceived home environment and classroom climate. In addition, stepwise multiple linear regressions established that lower-ability stream students’ perceived teachers’ expectations had more consistent and substantial impact on their confidence level than that of their higher-ability stream counterparts. In comparison, higher-ability stream students’ perceived parental academic support had more consistent impact on their academic self-concept than that of their lower-ability stream peers.

Linking School–Family–Community Partnerships in Urban Elementary Schools to Student Achievement on State Tests

This study examines the relationship between the quality of school, family, and community partnership programs and student performance on state-mandated achievement tests. Data from 82 elementary schools, located in a large urban area, were collected to explore the relationship between family and community involvement and students' achievement test performance. Analyses show that, controlling for school characteristics, the degree to which schools were working to overcome challenges to family and community involvement predicted higher percentages of students scoring at or above satisfactory on state achievement tests. The findings suggest that schools' efforts to involve families and the community in students' learning may be a useful approach to help students achieve in school, especially for students in early elementary grades. Also, the findings illustrate the importance for schools located in large urban areas to address obstacles to family and community involvement to realize the benefits associated with family and community involvement.

International Perspectives on School Family Community Partnerships

(1998). International Perspectives on School Family Community Partnerships. Childhood Education: Vol. 74, International Focus Issue 1998, pp. 340-341.