ERIC Number: EJ1066254
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1059-308X
EISSN: N/A
Recognizing Community Voice and a Youth-Led School-Community Partnership in the School Climate Improvement Process
Ice, Megan; Thapa, Amrit; Cohen, Jonathan
School Community Journal, v25 n1 p9-28 2015
A growing body of school improvement research suggests that engaging all members of the school community, including community members and leaders, provides an essential foundation to successful school improvement efforts. School climate surveys to date tend to recognize student, parent/guardian, and school personnel voice but not the voice of community members. The "Community Scale" and the youth-led "School-Community Partnership Process" acknowledges the perceptions of community members and the importance of school-community partnership. This process engages secondary students to be active co-learners and co-leaders. The "Community Scale" is a short survey that asks community members about their perception of the school climate, the level of school-community partnership, and the extent to which they would be interested in learning about and supporting the school's improvement goals. In the "School-Community Partnership Process," students are involved in administering this survey to various sectors of the larger school community. The results are then used to develop partnerships between community organizations and the school. This paper details one school's experience piloting the "Community Scale" and "School-Community Partnership Process." The aim of this study was to better understand community members' perceptions of school climate and their level of interest in working with schools to improve it.
Descriptors: Educational Environment, School Community Relationship, Partnerships in Education, Educational Improvement, Student Leadership, Surveys, Suburban Schools, High School Students
Academic Development Institute. 121 North Kickapoo Street, Lincoln, IL 62656. Tel: 217-732-6462; Fax: 217-732-3696; Web site: http://www.adi.org/journal
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Tests/Questionnaires; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education; High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Connecticut
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A