Strengthening School Communities Through Meaningful Engagement

Leo Migdal

-Dec 7, 2025, 8:30 AM

strengthening school communities through meaningful engagement

Community engagement drives collaboration, fosters transparency, and unites school communities around shared goals. When families, staff members, students, and even members of the broader community are given opportunities to share their feedback, district and school leaders gain valuable insights that lead to more comprehensive and informed decision-making. This inclusiveness often leads to policies and practices that better address the needs of the entire district community, which in turn enhances the quality of education and creates an equitable learning environment. According to the National School Boards Association (2024), schools that actively engage with their community report improved academic outcomes and stronger community connections as they work collectively toward shared goals. Moreover, when community feedback is reflected in district actions, trust in leadership grows, resulting in stronger community relationships and heightened support for educational initiatives. Districts can encourage and strengthen community involvement through a variety of methods including surveys, focus groups, town hall-style listening sessions, online communication channels, and even advisory councils.

These approaches allow districts to gather diverse perspectives from their communities, ensuring everyone has a voice in shaping decisions. About 50 years of research has revealed the striking benefits of schools actively partnering with families to improve their children’s learning. For some educators though, it was not until COVID-19 blew the doors off their schools and the walls off their classrooms that the penny dropped, as Sonja Santelises, CEO the Baltimore public schools and... “During the pandemic, educators realized that families knew a lot more about teaching and learning than they had given them credit for,” especially when it came to understanding the needs of their own children,... She recently shared some of Santelises’ insights and many of her own during a virtual event about effective family and community engagement, hosted by the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s EdRedesign Lab. “Now, a lot of educators want to know more about how to engage families because of the lessons that they learned during COVID,” Mapp added.

Mapp, a renowned family engagement specialist who said she has encountered a fair share of resistance to her ideas over the years, makes a strong case for them in the new book Everyone Wins! The Evidence for Family-School Partnerships & Implications for Practice. She and co-authors Anne Henderson, Stephany Cuevas, Martha Franco, and Suzanna Ewert dive into the latest research and drill down on the same question that senior citizen Clara Peller asked in the infamous 1984... As the title of Mapp’s book suggests, the answer is everyone: "This is love-work, [you must] love fully the families and the children and communities you serve." You’ve most likely heard the proverb “it takes a village to raise a child.” We could also say that “it takes a community to raise a school.”

When we think about “community” in schools, we’re often looking through the lens of our students, faculty, staff, and our families, working to create engagement and a sense of belonging among these groups. However, there’s another key group that’s part of your school family—the community organizations, local businesses, government-led entities, event organizers, and affinity groups that are located in your neighborhood and district. There are plenty of benefits in partnering with these organizations and stakeholders. A critical element of next-generation learning is that students are able to connect with, learn from, and contribute to the world around them. Connecting with community partners is a great way to harness the expertise that exists in your backyard. Collaborating with them might also be an opportunity to meet the needs of your students and staff that may otherwise go unmet.

Building these relationships is also a step toward a community-centric idea of schools—where there’s equal thought given to how a school can contribute to a community and vice versa. If you haven’t had the chance to explore opportunities for fostering meaningful community partnerships in your school or district—or you’d like to refocus your efforts for the school year ahead—these five actions will give... For a full list of innovative strategies, read our series: Innovative Ways to Create a Positive School (and District) Culture. It’s tough to know what types of community partnerships can be explored if you aren’t aware of what’s out there. One great way for school leaders to find out more about the resources at their disposal is to conduct a community resource audit. Download: Flyer 4 Practices That Build Meaningful School-Community Partnerships

MAEC’s Foundations of Systems Change series shares what we’ve learned from more than three decades of working with schools and districts across the United States. Drawing from our research, experiences, and partnerships, this series highlights how school communities can create systems where every student has the opportunity to thrive. See also: We know that partnerships between schools and communities are essential for student success. We also know that many communities run into obstacles when they try to build authentic, meaningful collaboration. The bullets below outlines challenges we repeatedly witness, and practices that lead to stronger, lasting partnerships between schools and communities.

Moving from common challenges to strong practices: MAEC can partner with your district to put these stronger practices into action. Jz�(Z�dU�E�*kwn��U w.��l+�V�u;��m\��ksy ��Y�(�Ry��U �,ད��P�Gp endstream endobj 77 0 obj <>stream h�$S��0Z��[�_�`r\��h�M�}S��qm��'�J�� L:�Y��%�8Nʾ (�(ߑG uxC��]"UUm��ZTk�C��&4�&XOZo# [kN^am��@X��(��x-]sw#ݷ%h�O{`��2��h��W]�`NFL�e��/�#�\��ό��6��@��0��Y�n�6�=&)��۠mx��!��] � ��KI{sJ[�r�$@ _��Y��̙�� 8�8f ��e@p��Y��3p�P��ݗ3�� |��5xY5�n��2?I2��8�l��,{ܸ'a�"�#L��:+�'z�RV��[j��Pi/��)��}��o��1�9��u�,'�09b�c�;��m�8�,��uj�O��NSM��~p��π��=�>xď��W��#�x��'"�鎜0�02b�d[��T7l̍�\`_�"��xx"LT��wU13ݍٳGP�PڷX�9��~��So� endstream endobj 78 0 obj <>stream h��I�@ @+H��~``��m��/i��%�'>l��t�҅��x��H|��M��6��"9� ��s�%EOEF�llv��ʰ,��Ii�� I�|�y��f��a��u��~��Ë�f��q��:�_��7#��a��z�a��_׻��Hv��ϯ^�~��N:餓N:�? W��'�=�)�e�� c��Ϣ��z� �c4�c�!w�ס��x��~ �ǉ_��-��_�t�I'�t��mld5��e��j�2�� I�ԅSN]�A��,��j@��38y��2��<#��F��H�T�5�o�_�O�Y _��A|�T%*��TbR=�{�X��R8�K� �b`�g�P��3��S�O��xJ�Ou_��*�_fX!��x]�/�q+ĭ�B܊ǟbO� U|a&&R�B��N��YX��_f>e�S&~��e▣��O�3��`�;\� �:�x5��R��96�#z��c� svl0x�7q��8h�A]��4J?74\/k��z�I��<�u�v�vܣ��)_�A�J;�ޱ��U��ꬣlSe-�27d�c��l��41�RVR~K�d%�(Q��%b^�i��Ug'?L��F��Z��B� g�Â��Ĩ��䫞8�O�l L��y�HÑ�dd#9�A��+�+�+=b_�#WY�񑨌�)��W_'�t�I'�N]��~�Eh��ƹ�q�j|_`�� g��K��Ph|�_��[�"�D�.9�᳄��#��R� ��!O�� u�ZuG n�H|�8� �qF�8�:��+^-$ާr� |M�=�;A��:}k�=�I�'4�q��߈o^Ť��:��B?�u��i剞��;Qh'n\��N��>�`��Tk�3�xf��,�~�~>�vG�� ?��[�� ?��`Y�� ~\\s��Ӫ��W��?ad�4��i�[CX�� ҝH endstream endobj 79 0 obj <> endobj 80 0 obj <> endobj... Strong relationships between schools, families, and communities can have a defining impact on K–12 student achievement and outcomes. Engaging family and community members in school experiences allows education leaders to not only support student learning and development, but also improve their own operational practices and strengthen school climate.

“Engagement improves even more when districts regularly collect data on family and community members’ needs, perceptions, and priorities.” Research demonstrates that fostering stronger family and community engagement can help districts and schools: Strong family engagement in schools is associated with faster rates of literacy acquisition among children, increased rates of going on to secondary education, and decreased rates of school dropout. In addition, when families know about and encourage students to take rigorous classes, students are more likely to enroll and score higher on tests. 15% of public school teachers report student absenteeism as a “serious problem” at their school. Large classroom sizes and students perceiving classrooms as chaotic, uncaring, or boring are associated with student absenteeism.

Nowadays, schools must go beyond academic excellence to establish meaningful connections with their communities. Effective school-community engagement fosters a sense of belonging, creates impactful partnerships, and strengthens trust among stakeholders. Whether it’s collaborating with parents, alumni, or local businesses, the key lies in creating a shared vision for student success and institutional growth. But how do schools achieve this? And what role can alumni and student networking play in building a thriving community? Let’s dive into today’s blog to learn more about effective school community management.

School-community engagement demands pragmatic planning and inclusive strategies that draw stakeholders together. Schools need to make strong ties with alumni, parents, and local partners that produce a shared sense of purpose. Let’s go through some of the most effective community building strategies, along with our expert’s pro tips- Alumni are more than just former students – they are valuable ambassadors for your school. Engaging them meaningfully can open doors to mentorship, career guidance, and even funding opportunities. Univariety’s Tip: Use alumni-student networking platforms to bridge the gap between past and current students.

Alumni can provide insights into real-world challenges, career paths, and personal growth, creating an enriching experience for the entire school community. School connectedness has a powerful influence on students’ academic success, well-being, and long-term outcomes. When students feel valued, supported by teachers and peers, and engaged in school activities, they show higher attendance, academic performance, and better mental health. However, many students—particularly those from marginalized communities—report a lack of meaningful relationships and connection at school. This brief explores the factors that foster school connectedness, such as teacher-student relationships, supportive disciplinary policies, and extracurricular engagement. It offers evidence-based strategies for schools to build connectedness, from integrating culturally inclusive curricula to promoting student-led activities.

The EdResearch for Action Overview Series summarizes the research on key topics to provide K-12 education decision makers and advocates with an evidence base to ground discussions about how to best serve students. Authors – leading experts from across the field of education research – are charged with highlighting key findings from research that provide concrete, strategic insight on persistent challenges sourced from district and state leaders. Robert Balfanz | Johns Hopkins University Jenny Scala | American Institutes for Research In 2003, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the University of Minnesota convened a meeting of experts from the education and health sectors to synthesize what’s known from the research on a...

They found that these various strands of research all point to the same overarching conclusion: “Students are more likely to succeed when they feel connected to school.” Education doesn’t happen in isolation. Students thrive when schools create community with families and work together to support their learning and well-being. A strong family-school partnership creates a foundation for academic success, social-emotional growth, and a sense of belonging for every student. But fostering meaningful family engagement takes intentional strategies. Schools must go beyond traditional parent-teacher conferences and actively create community through ongoing, inclusive relationships that empower families as true partners in education.

Here’s how schools can strengthen family and community engagement in a way that benefits students, educators, and families alike. The first step to creating community in schools is through strong family-school partnerships with clear, consistent, and transparent communication. Schools that prioritize open dialogue and collaboration create community where families feel informed about their child’s education and comfortable reaching out to teachers and school leaders. Action Step: Develop a Family Communication Plan that outlines how and when teachers and administrators will engage with families throughout the year to strengthen connections and create community in the school.

Strengthening School Communities Through Meaningful Engagement

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