Strategic Planning for Community Schools

Building a Foundation

Once the school has a foundational understanding of the strategy, these tools can help the community school leadership team understand community assets and needs and drive system change. 

Resources for Learning

For more about Strategic Planning, click here. 

Preparation to Become a Community School: A Readiness Toolkit

The Readiness Toolkit outlines clear, concrete actions public schools and public charter schools can take to prepare for whole school transformation into a community school. It is recommended that schools preparing for planning or implementation year 1 take these essential steps that will build community, prepare for collaborative leadership, garner district support and prepare students, families, community, school staff and the principal.

Community School Master Planning Spreadsheet

Spreadsheet helping community school coordinators inform planning conversations with school leadership teams and community-based organizations.

NCCS Essentials for Community Schools Implementation Guide

A practical guide helping community school leadership teams turn assets and needs data into coordinated, partner-driven action plans that improve student, family, and community outcomes.
“We sit and we talk about the needs, and we look at our data and we talk. We talk about our families. One of the mottos in our school is, know the child, and not the class. Don't tell me about the class’s issues, what's Deborah's issue? So why doesn't Deborah come to school? We get to know our families very intimately.”
Deborah Jones
Principal Urban Schools Community School, Bronx, NY

Community School Voices

Emily Paige

Principal, The Unison School, Brooklyn, NY

“I think people need an incredible amount of support in being drawn out, and being forced to drill down and get more specific and more precise around what are the problems you’re looking at…”

Finding the Bang for Your Buck

Dr. Anne Marie Strangio, Director of Student Support Services, former Principal, Lee Wallace Elementary, Albuquerque, NM

“[One of the most important things a leader can do is] figuring out what things can you give up so that you can determine for your community, what’s your biggest bang for the buck?”

Reducing Chronic Absense Through Community Schools

Case Study

Report examining how four California community schools significantly reduced their chronic absenteeism rates in the period after the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Strengthen Your Leadership. Deepen Your Impact.

The National Center for Community Schools helps principals turn the community schools strategy into action with clear guidance, practical tools, and trusted expertise. Ready to move your work forward? Let’s connect.

Reach Out to Us

NCCS Principal Website Survey

This website is designed to help principals deepen their understanding of the community school strategy and their critical role in its success. Please take 2 minutes to provide your feedback by answering the questions below. 

Feedback
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