New York City is home to one of the largest and most successful community schools initiatives in the country, serving over 173,000 students in 419 schools. By integrating academics with wraparound services like mental health care, connections to social services, and high-quality after-school programming, community schools have helped tens of thousands of students access supports that can bolster learning. While the model has improved attendance and shown promising — if early — gains in student achievement, our work with community schools was built on the belief that stronger academic strategies could unlock even greater results. Through the HQSF, Robin Hood partnered with NYCPS to pilot an enhanced version of the model: the Next Generation Community Schools. Over three years, Robin Hood worked with 20 elementary schools serving 7,000 students across the city. These schools combined the robust supports of community schools with enhanced academic strategies designed to accelerate learning. Redesigning District Schools The Next Generation Community Schools Pilot
Robin Hood’s HQSF prioritized: g Academic rigor through structured literacy and math enrichment, aligned with evidence-based practices. Key partners included Bank Street College of Education and the University of Michigan’s Youth Policy Lab, who implemented High 5s, a small-group math enrichment program for kindergarteners. g Instructional leadership by providing Relay Graduate School of Education monthly profes- sional development and coaching to principals, strengthening their ability to drive both social- emotional and academic improvements. g Family and community partnerships to boost attendance and engagement. Change Impact coached principals and community-based organization leaders to build shared leadership structures that improved alignment and school decision-making.
A formal evaluation of the pilot by the RAND Corporation is underway, examining how schools are implementing the Next-Generation Community Schools model. While results will take time, early observations are encouraging: School leaders are reporting stronger collaboration across roles, better use of instructional data, and greater integration between school-day and after-school programming. One principal described the professional develop- ment as “the most useful and actionable of my 21-year career.” The Next Generation Community Schools pilot is showing that with an intentional approach, it is possible to deepen the integration of social and academic supports to enhance instruction in a community school setting.
14 ROBIN HOOD HIGH-QUALITY SCHOOLS FUND REPORT
ROBIN HOOD HIGH-QUALITY SCHOOLS FUND REPORT 15
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter maker