Community Engagement

An empty elementary school classroom is seen on Aug. 17, 2021 in the Bronx borough of New York. Nationwide, students have been absent at record rates since schools reopened after COVID-forced closures. More than a quarter of students missed at least 10% of the 2021-22 school year.
An empty elementary school classroom is seen on Aug. 17, 2021 in the Bronx borough of New York. A White House summit on May 15, 2024, brought attention to elevated chronic absenteeism and strategies districts have used to fight it.
Brittainy Newman/AP
School & District Management Schools Successfully Fighting Chronic Absenteeism Have This in Common
A White House summit homed in on chronic absenteeism and strategies to reduce it.
Caitlynn Peetz, May 15, 2024
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6 min read
Katy Anthes, Commissioner of Education in Colorado from 2016- 2023, participates in a breakout session during the Education Week Leadership Symposium on May 3, 2024.
Katy Anthes, who served as commissioner of education in Colorado from 2016-2023, participates in a breakout session during the Education Week Leadership Symposium on May 3, 2024. Anthes specializes in helping school district leaders successfully manage politically charged conflicts.
Chris Ferenzi for Education Week
School & District Management Q&A How K-12 Leaders Can Better Manage Divisive Curriculum and Culture War Debates
The leader of an effort to equip K-12 leaders with conflict resolution skills urges relationship-building—and knowing when to disengage.
Caitlynn Peetz, May 13, 2024
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7 min read
Collage of a construction site and school grounds.
Collage via Canva
Budget & Finance Passing School Bonds Is Hard. Advice From 3 Superintendents Who Did It
‘Educating instead of campaigning’ in an era when district leaders are under a political microscope.
Caitlynn Peetz, April 29, 2024
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8 min read
A group photo picturing 12 of the Memphis 13.
A group photo of 12 of the Memphis 13 students.
Courtesy of the Memphis 13 Foundation
Social Studies What the Research Says Oral History Offers a Model for How Schools Can Introduce Students to Complex Topics
Community history projects like a curriculum in Memphis, Tenn. can help students grapple with issues like school segregation, experts say.
Sarah D. Sparks, April 22, 2024
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4 min read
Ana Pasarella, the director of family and community engagement for Alvin ISD, oversees an activity as Micaela Leon, 3, a student in Alvin ISD’s READy Program, draws on a piece of paper on Alvin ISD’s STEM bus in Manvel, Texas, on Dec. 8, 2023.
Ana Pasarella, the director of family and community engagement for the Alvin Independent school district in Texas, oversees an activity as Micaela Leon, 3, a student in the district's READy Program, draws on a piece of paper inside the district's STEM bus in Manvel, Texas.
Callaghan O’Hare for Education Week
Families & the Community Leader To Learn From A Former Teacher Turns Classroom Prowess Into Partnerships With Families
Ana Pasarella maximizes her community's assets to put students first.
Ileana Najarro, February 5, 2024
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8 min read
Conceptual illustration of snapshots from a school community as the background, in the foreground a silhouetted figure casts a long shadow.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion Students Are Often Told Success Means Leaving Their Neighborhood. It Doesn’t
Educators—and especially principals—have got to stop spreading the damaging “leave to succeed” narrative. Here’s what they can do instead.
Sharif El-Mekki, December 12, 2023
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4 min read
Wed., November 08, 2023, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
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Families & the Community Webinar STEM, Your Classroom, and Community: Fostering Connections, Engagement, and Outreach
Discover the magic of community engagement in STEM education! Elevate teaching, engage students, and open doors to real-world experiences.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
Register
A diverse group of students wearing book bags and climbing ladders and books to assemble a large puzzle
iStock/Getty Images Plus
Student Well-Being Q&A Q & A: Connecting Community Resources to the Students Who Need Them Most
Schools' efforts to connect students to community support are critical to academic recovery, the leader of Communities in Schools said.
Evie Blad, August 21, 2023
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6 min read
Photo of a caucasian, elementary or middle school aged boy browsing and reading a book in the library.
iStock/Getty
Reading & Literacy Want Kids to Read in the Summer? School Librarians Can Help
A literacy expert breaks down factors that impact students' summer reading—-and they all involve school librarians.
Elizabeth Heubeck, July 21, 2023
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5 min read
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Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Equity & Diversity Video A Native Community Revitalized a Language. Here’s How a School District Carries It On
Native students' well-being and grad rates improve when they're exposed to their cultural languages. How one district is making that happen.
Kaylee Domzalski, June 9, 2023
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4 min read
Students make measurements to wood to add to a tiny home project during their shop class at Carrick High School in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Dec. 13, 2022.
Students work on a project to build a tiny home during a shop class at Carrick High School in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Dec. 13, 2022.
Nate Smallwood for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness Q&A How One District Ensures That Career Education Leads to Jobs for Students
The director of Pittsburgh's career and technical education program outlines how she approaches community partnerships.
Lauraine Langreo, May 30, 2023
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2 min read
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Families & the Community Video Faced With the Possibility of School Closure, Parents Sprang Into Action
Due to financial challenges, a Texas district was considering closing several schools. These parents came together in search of a solution.
Lauren Santucci, March 23, 2023
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4:51
Swampscott High School students and Senior Center members hold a quilt they made together for Black History Month at Swampscott High School, which is collocated and shares space with the senior center in Swampscott, Mass., on March 8, 2023.
Students and senior center members display a quilt they made together for Black History Month at Swampscott High School, in Swampscott, Mass, on March 8, 2023. The high school and senior center were designed and built to be part of the same complex, providing opportunities for teenagers and senior community members to collaborate and learn from one another.
Sophie Park for Education Week
Families & the Community Q&A How One High School Became a Model for Intergenerational Learning
School and community leaders say “there’s no down side.”
Caitlynn Peetz, March 22, 2023
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5 min read
Math Gains FCG
Canva
School & District Management Opinion How Changing District Culture Improved Math Scores
Professional development, relevant data, tutors, and student engagement were all in play.
Mark Benigni, March 13, 2023
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6 min read
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