As the Community Schools movement continues to grow in Illinois and nationally, so does the body of research on community school programs -- their effectiveness, key components of success, and best practices. The research highlighted below provides background information on the formation of community schools, best-practice examples from strong programs, and insights into the demonstrated impact that community school programs can have on children, families, schools, and communities. Check back often for the latest evaluations of what's working -- and lessons learned.

Program Evaluations
Supporting Research
Best Practices
Related Links

Program Evaluations

Three Years into Chicago's Community Schools Initiative (CSI) - Progress Challenges, and Emerging Issues
Whalen, Sam
The University of Illinois at Chicago, March 2007
Since 2002, Sam Whalen, Ph.D., and his team of researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago's (UIC) have been conducting an evaluation of the Chicago Public School's Community Schools Initiative, a groundbreaking effort to take to scale the community school model.

Multiple Choices After-school: Findings from the Extended-Service Schools Initiative 
Jean Baldwin Grossman, Marilyn L. Price, Veronica Fellerath, Linda Z. Jucovy, Lauren J. Kotloff, Rebecca Raley, Karen E. Walker
Public/Private Partnership, June 2002
This report focuses on the experiences “on the ground” of the still young but maturing Extended-Service Schools (ESS) Initiative sites. EES Initiative supported the creation of 60 after-school programs in 20 communities, each implemented one of the four nationally recognized models – the Beacon, Bridges to Success, Community Schools, and the West Philadelphia Improvement Corporation.

Supporting Research

Choosing More Time for Students: The What, Why, and How of Extended Learning
Rocha, Elena
Center for American Progress, August 2007
The expansion of learning time can serve as one effective vehicle to modernize our schools because it allows teachers, principals, community organizations and leaders, and parents to build multiple curriculums to best educate our children to succeed in the 21st century. To navigate through this forthcoming and thorough-going school reform effort, this paper will define what expanded learning time means, highlight what model programs look like when used effectively, and address how to successfully implement such reform efforts. As will become clear, expanded learning time is all about using time in ways that greatly benefit our students. 

Making the Case: A Fact Sheet on Children and Youth In Out-of-School Time
The National Institute on Out-Of-School Time, Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College, 2007
This fact sheet provides an overview of the outcomes of different research reports exploring the impacts that out-of-school time programs have on children and youth. The fact sheet outlines some of the demonstrated benefits, as well as some of the identified opportunities for growth and development within out-of-school time programs. 

Shared Features of High-Performing After-School Programs: A Follow-Up to the TASC Evaluation
Birmingham, Jennifer; Pechman, Ellen M.; Russell, Christina A.; Mielke, Monica
Policy Studies Associates, Inc., November 2005
This report provides a comprehensive overview of factors found to be critical to participants in after-school programs attaining successful outcomes. All the programs evaluated were funded by The After School Corporation (TASC). Common features of high-performing programs include: an array of enrichment opportunities; opportunities for skill building; intentional relationship development; a strong leader supported by well-trained and well-supervised staff, and; broad support of the sponsoring organization. The report goes into detail about how these factors play out in actual programs.

Can Failing Schools Be Fixed?
Brady, Ronald C.
Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, January 2003
In the context of No Child Left Behind, Brady reviews school change processes ranging from mild interventions to strong interventions, and reports on the effectiveness of each. Using real-world examples, Brady assesses the success of different reform efforts, and finds that none are ideal, and need to be re-thought in a broader, more creative context.

Making the Difference: Research and Practice in Community Schools
Blank, Martin J.; Melaville, Atelia; Shah, Bela P.
Coalition for Community Schools, 2003
This report looks at the impact that 20 community school initiatives, nationwide, had on the children they served. The authors focus on assessing progam evaluations for outcomes in the following four areas: improved student learning; family engagement with students and schools; improved school functioning, and; benefits to the broader community. The report also looks at some "lessons learned," and how those lessons could apply to future community school initiatives.

Building More Effective Community Schools: A Guide to Key Ideas, Effective Approaches, and Technical Assistance Resources for Making Connections Cities and Site Teams
Hill, Paul; Campbell, Christin; Manno, Bruno
The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Center for the Study of Public Policy, 2000
This report, published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, provides an overview of the necessary components of a community school, the needs that such programs can address, and the possible challenges faced in implementation of the community school model. The authors also apply a community school approach and model to school improvement, and provide concrete examples of the concepts they outline. The report includes a list of contacts in 22 cities for organizations that have provided technical assistance and program development activities to community school programs in their areas.