Approach & Theory of Change

Community Schools Approach & Framework Link to this section

SFUSD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS APPROACH: To organize and maximize the resources of schools, including family and community partnerships, around student success. 

 

Our community schools approach aims to strategically coordinate and align resources to support the shared vision, goals and outcomes of each school community. This approach enables us to build effective student, parent, school, district, and community partnerships to support effective teaching and learning, promote whole-child development and prepare our students to graduate ready for success in college, career and life.

 

SFUSD’s approach includes a comprehensive, unifying framework built upon the foundational elements from our guiding documents - Vision 2025 and Transform Learning. Transform Lives. It articulates the essential programs and practices that any community school would embrace in order to achieve positive, replicable, and equitable results for its students. It also describes the structures and values required to create and sustain the authentic relationships which are at the center of this approach.

Community School Basics
WHY

SFUSD Vision of Student Success


 
  • All SFUSD students will graduate as independent thinkers with a sense of agency who have attained academic and creative skills to lead productive lives and contribute to our community. 
HOW Four Proven Practice
  • Shared Leadership, Vision, Values, & Goals to support “whole child” development
  • Strategic Data Collection & Analysis to inform service and program design including resource mapping of school/community hopes and needs
  • Intentional Coordination, Alignment, & Continuous Improvement of programs & partnerships to match identified needs
  • Key Community School Staffing with clear roles and responsibilities
WITH Four Foundational Elements & Conditions of Learning
  • Strong Instructional Core (Teaching & Learning that is culturally proficient and relevant). 
  • Strong Family-School-Community Partnerships
  • Student-Centered Learning in a Racially Just & Restorative Climate
  • Authentic and Inclusive School-based Governance
WHO Four Community School Operating Structures
  • Community School Site Leadership Team(s) The school’s existing leadership team(s) and committees expand as needed to include relevant stakeholders (staff, community partners, parents) that guide, design and develop support for the essential community school practices.
  • Coordinated Care Teams The regular, structured space to develop, assess/monitor and improve strategies and practices around Tier 1 behavioral supports. 
  • Partnership Collaboration  There are regular, structured opportunities for community partners & school leadership to meet to align goals, services and practices to match community assets with school needs.
  • Family Partnership Team There are regular, structured opportunities to plan for family engagement, partnership and shared leadership opportunities.
WHAT Four Programmatic Pillars
  • Shared Power and Democracy
  • Family Partnerships
  • Integrated Support Services (Academic & Behavioral Health and Wellness)
  • Expanded Learning (Out-of-School time & School Transitions)

 

This page was last updated on July 17, 2023