Children succeed in education when schools are a part of whole-community approaches to whole-child development.  

Children and families thrive when they have access to the building blocks of well-being, including high-quality schools and enrichment opportunities, in their communities. However, many children face barriers to receiving a quality education because of the social and health inequities that directly affect them, their families, their schools, and their communities. 

Through their expertise and extensive experience, human services community-based organizations can play a critical role in supporting educational success by: 

  • Building and nurturing relationships across the entire education ecosystem  
  • Helping educators understand and apply the latest brain science to create schools and classrooms where all children can learn 
  • Linking classroom learning to students' cultures and lived experiences 
  • Supporting parents and communities as critical partners in educational success 

Families and communities are stronger with access to the building blocks of well-being. 

Community-based organizations, including members of the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, address educational success by focusing on the whole child. From birth through college and career, these organizations provide what's needed in students’ neighborhoods and communities. This includes bridging the gap to provide resources for families, advocating for policy that supports learning, and creating quality schools and early learning centers where they are needed. Because of this, community-based organizations are critical partners in improving academic outcomes.

The Alliance’s public policy platform, Blueprint for Strong Families and Communities details the building blocks that are essential for creating and sustaining the health and well-being of families and communities: 

  • Employment with sustainable income and workforce supports 
  • Affordable health care 
  • Livable homes in safe neighborhoods 
  • Stable, nurturing relationships and environments 
  • Educational success across the lifespan 

Further, the Alliance’s work, led in partnership with its network and other partners, is grounded in a shared set of values that are critical to improving educational success: 

  • Placing individuals, families, and communities at the center of planning and decision making 
  • Engaging all voices, especially those most affected by the issues 
  • Securing access and opportunity through approaches grounded in equity 
  • Bolstering prevention and early intervention in all systems  
  • Applying evidence-based solutions grounded in brain science research 
  • Supporting policy changes that increase the collaboration and cross-function of public systems 

School culture and climate can improve when community-based organizations partner with education systems.  

Nearly 50 percent of the Alliance strategic action network is actively engaged with the education ecosystem, working from birth through college and career:

  • 30 percent partner with schools or operating K-12 schools
  • 32 percent provide education services
  • 25 percent are in early childhood education
  • 15 percent operate charter schools

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