Services We Provide

The National Center for Community Schools offers technical assistance in all aspects of designing, implementing and sustaining community schools to meet the unique needs and strengths of individual communities. Our services are targeted to individual schools, school boards and district administrators, funders, education reform leaders, community organizations, intermediaries, parent associations, policy makers, universities, research centers and others. Through facilitated planning and carefully tailored training and consultation, the Center builds local capacity in four major areas: Comprehensiveness, Collaboration, Coherence, and Commitment.

Individualized On-Site Consultations

Each school and community is unique. The Center does not encourage a rigid replication of any one model. Instead, personalized consultations about your school, organization and community allow for a customized approach – one that considers the specific assets and needs of the community and builds on local expertise. Long-term and short-term services are available on a contractual basis.

Off-Site Consultations

Through phone conferencing and email, the Center’s staff can answer questions about community schools, provide basic advice on first steps in shaping a community school strategy and refer callers to information and networking resources. In-depth consultative services are available on a contractual basis.

Study Visits to CAS Community Schools

Customized visits to our schools in New York City offer opportunities to meet with peers, view programs during school days and after school, and gain insight from the experiences of teachers, youth workers, parents, administrators, social workers, health clinic staff and students.

Presentations on Community Schools

The Center’s staff is available to present at meetings and professional conferences, including school boards, philanthropic and civic leaders, community events and professional conferences. Our speakers are prepared to present on the vision of a community school, what role this strategy can play in total school reform, how to take the first steps in transforming schools, sustaining programs and creating community school initiatives and supportive systems, as well as all program components.

Professional Development Seminars on Community Schools

The Center offers a series of sequential professional development seminars that prepare partners to plan and implement the community schools strategy and achieve a successful collaboration.

Planning Facilitation

In many cases, the Center’s staff will provide long-term support for a district-wide or individual site to develop its full vision. This may include assisting in the raising of funds for the entire initiative, including the technical assistance funding necessary to sustain capacity-building activities. Intensive planning support services may be followed over several years with implementation support and coaching.

Other Professional Development

The Center offers an extensive menu of training courses and modules on out-of-school time, parent engagement and other components of community schools.

Publications and Information

The Center provides a wide array of materials on community schools including the Building a Community School workbook, a Parent’s Guide, three videos, planning tools, fact sheets and other handouts. The Center also serves as a clearinghouse of information on community schools nationwide.

Are you interested in adapting the community school model to meet your community’s needs? The National Center for Community Schools can help. Click here to get started.