Based on Epstein’s (2010) theory of overlapping spheres of influence, community affects student learning. Therefore, Epstein (2010) argues that establishing positive linkages between the school and the community is one factor that can result to improved student achievement. It implies further that school-community partnership is one of the factors that significantly affect families and students thereby deserves significant consideration.
To establish a school-community partnership is one thing, to sustain it is another (Hogue, 2012). This idea is supported by Mitchell and Bryan (2007) when he evaluated the attributes of sustainable school-community partnerships. In his study, the role of social capital and leadership of the principal were also considered. Data in that study showed many attributes of sustainable school-community partnerships namely continuity of philosophy, shared vision, informal and formal communication, attainable goals, and flexibility (Mitchell & Bryan, 2007). He added that the understanding of school principals or leaders about the culture of the organization, its history and philosophy is also important. Mitchell and Bryan (2007) no doubt supports the existing literature on effective school-community partnerships.
In addition, Bauch (2001) observes that linkages within the community are also important in order for the partnership to prosper. According to him, this is particularly significant for rural schools because their families tend to establish a deep sense of values and practices due to a powerful generational tie to the community. With this, he enumerated 6 school-community connections which contribute to school success namely establishing interdependency with social capital, acknowledging the strong sense of place which is very evident in rural areas, increasing the level of involvement of parents, utilizing the influence of the secular community, evaluating the linkages between learning institutions and the business community, and developing the community as an avenue of coordinating resources. All these 6 characteristics, Bauch (2001) argues, are contributory to school success.
On the other hand, Epstein and Sanders (2006) maintains that a school-community partnership is a mutual relationship which means that both parties should work collaboratively since each affects each other. Kilpatrick, Johns, Mulford, and Prescott (2002) supports this observation as he asserts that the interaction between the school and the community in a manner that both benefit from the positive outcomes of that interaction, will surely lead to a more matured social functioning. However, Kilpatrick et al. (2002) goes on further by analyzing home-school relationship with the goal of examining partnership using a different lens. In his study, he utilized the Family Deficit model. This model, according to him, asserts that when the family lacks the necessary skills, it would also fail to provide support to a successful school experience. In addition to this model, he also used the Educational Inadequacy model. This model, according to Kilpatrick et al. (2002), states that when a school lacks the resources and the skills to improve the strength of learners, students are more likely to fail. Because of these two models, Kilpatrick et al. (2002) pinpointed the fact that there is a demand to look at school-family partnerships using alternative perspectives. He then went on suggesting the socio-cultural theory which supports the necessity to explore the relationship between the learner’s home environment and school atmosphere. Still according to this theory, it is very significant to understand the culture of the surrounding community wherein the school operates if successful partnerships are to be established.
In establishing positive linkages between the school and the community, the families in the community also gain benefits. But ultimately, the benefit would be for student and their academic achievement.
By: Jocelyn Quimlat | Morong National High School
