Schools in the U.S. have a history of being decentralized, where decision making is left up to the schools or states themselves. Recently, 49 states have adopted the National Common Core Standards (a set of national standards all schools adhere to) that would centralize the school curriculum, creating a more centralized model.
Multiple factors are involved when assessing the influence of communities on schools: urban versus rural; private versus public; large versus small; and the socioeconomic status of the community. Each community has different needs that influence the curriculum and extracurricular activities in schools. Smaller rural schools may have a higher sense of community involvement, while larger urban schools may have less community involvement.
Successful schools have a shared sense of responsibility for learning. Shared decision making can include everything from budget to curriculum, and the role of parent involvement has recently become a top priority for many communities. In January 2010, California was the first state to pass the “parent trigger law.” This law allows parents to intervene in poorly performing schools and make decisions to turn the schools around. Parents can convert the school to a charter, replace personnel, close the school, or even obtain private school vouchers. As of March 2013, at least 25 states have considered such laws, while seven have passed similar laws.
Some urban and rural school districts are trying the new community school model. The Coalition for Community Schools has been conducting studies in these schools and bringing data to this fairly new model. By looking at the influence and role of the community as essential to the success of a school, the goal of these community schools is to strengthen families while creating a better community. Going beyond the walls of the classroom, these schools are creating a sense of unity among the community, with the hopes of improving student performance.