Community Schools
Issue: Empowering & Educating Communities
Target Level of Office: School Board
Policy Origin: City of Hartford Board of Education, Connecticut
Link: www.YEONetwork.org/2013policy/?i=250
Summary Narrative of the Policy: This policy provides a basic framework to support the
development and implementation of community schools in the City of Hartford, a joint
effort among the City of Hartford, Hartford Public Schools, non-profit organizations, private
philanthropy, and the business community.
Relevant Talking Points & Important Information:
• According to our partners at the Coalition for Community Schools, “using public schools
as hubs, community schools bring together many partners to offer a range of supports
and opportunities to children, youth, families, and communities.” Partners work to: ensure
that children are ready to enter school; students attend school consistently; that children
are actively involved their classrooms and their community; that families are increasingly
involved with their children’s education; that schools are engaged with families and
communities while students are succeeding academically; and that students are healthy
– physically, socially, and emotionally – while attending, living, and learning in a safe,
supportive, and stable environment.
• A community school is a public and private partnership to coordinate educational,
developmental, family, health, and before school and after-school care programs during
school and non-school hours for students, families, and local communities at a public
school.
• Research shows that community schools have a powerful positive impact on students,
as demonstrated by increased academic success H