Community Outreach 1
Running Head: Community Outreach
The Effects of Community Outreach
Programs in Education:
A Literature Review
Abstract
As the demands of modern society increasingly limit the amount of support that parents are able to provide to their children, the role of schools must continue to expand. Schools must provide services that extend well beyond academic goals to ensure that all students are well prepared to achieve their desired post secondary goals. Programs may include mentoring, early admission to college, extended school, and the activation of parental involvement. With a community outreach model, the entire society contributes to the success of children. Research has shown that community outreach programs enhanced student perceptions of education and improved student outcomes. Given the findings of this literature review, the components of an initiative proposal to enhance the school community culture will be identified by the researcher.
Introduction
As the demands of modern society increasingly limit the amount of support that parents are able to provide to their children, the role of schools must expand. Many students have not experienced success in postsecondary situations within the current academic model of education. A recent study of high school graduates indicated that only 41% of college bound students were adequately prepared for college algebra classes and only 26% of college bound students were likely to flourish in college biology (Marklein, 2005). Further, many youth that entered the workforce after high school were likely to experience high unemployment rates, high job instability, and low pay (Rosenbaum & Jones, 2000). Stated simply, many students were not prepared for what lies beyond the public education system.
Schools must provide services that extend beyond traditional academic goals to ensure that all students are well prepared to achieve their desired postsecondary goals in college or the workplace. Community outreach programs, defined as any service coordinated by school administration and provided by community members, provide possible pathways to increased student success. Research has documented that enhanced academic and social outcomes were experienced for students that participated in mentoring, early college admission, stimulated parental involvement, and extended school (Killough, 2009). School district administration must implement comprehensive community outreach programs across all grade levels for optimal results to be realized (Sanders, 2009). Given the findings of this literature review, the components of an initiative proposal to enhance the school community culture will be identified by the researcher.
Overview
This review of relevant literature details the outcomes for students participating in community outreach programs. Research has demonstrated that mentoring (Henry, 2009), increased parental involvement (Dessoff, 2009), early college admission (Killough, 2009), and extended school(Bainbridge, 2003) helped students attain more favorable post secondary outcomes. Further, services delivered in a coordinated model that is effectively facilitated at the district level is most effective (Sanders, 2009).
Service delivery and integration. Research suggested that a schools’ capacity to successfully implement and sustain community outreach programs was dependent upon adequate district level facilitation (Sanders, 2009). Using a multiple case study design that included interviews, observations, document review, and site visits, Sanders (2009) determined that partnerships between the school district and the community worked best when they were constantly maintained and monitored by district level administration. While the study included a significant amount of data, the number of site visits was restricted. This may have limited the study’s ability to detect and analyze the nuances of each site. Adelman and Taylor (2009) also stated the need for a coordinated delivery of community based interventions and services for students. Exploring innovative work in the state of Iowa, the researchers underscored the necessity of a wide scope when removing learning barriers for students (Adelman & Taylor, 2009). However students in Iowa do not typify the demographics found through the United States. This may limit the generalizability of the study.
Modeling through mentoring. Mentoring is the deliberate creation of positive, supportive relationships between children and adults. Henry (2009) reported that results for the Big Brother Big Sister mentoring program in Baltimore, Maryland were impressive. “More than 80% of men-tees have shown increased self confidence, ability to express feelings, and ability to make decisions. And more than 70% of men-tees have shown improved academic performance, attitude, school preparedness, class participation, and classroom behavior” (Henry, 2009, p.46). The Big Brother Big Sister program used a developmental asset model for mentoring, and this allowed each mentor to systematically identify and intensify each child’s assets (Henry, 2009). It is important to note that the data cited in this study was obtained by mentor-administered surveys. Using mentors to administer surveys to men-tees could have biased the results of the study, and all results should be carefully considered within the context of related findings.
A qualitative study of effective teachers in Jordan found that community relationships were very important for effective education to occur (Obeidat & Al-Hassan, 2009). For this study, 28 teachers who received a prestigious teaching award were asked three open-ended questions to determine their community relationships. A thematic analysis was used to identify underlying messages in the data. The use of parental communication and service learning in the community were recognized as factors contributing to both teacher and student success. The data analysis methods used in the study were extremely thorough, and several measures, such as member checking, were employed to ensure that the results were highly reliable (Obeidat & Al-Hassan, 2009).
Increased Parental Involvement. The National Center for Children in Poverty found that students with low socioeconomic status were more likely to experience academic difficulty. However, absenteeism declined and learning accelerated when schools and communities repeatedly contacted parents when their children began to show patterns of excessive absence. Including community services, such as social workers, in the quest to acquire parent support showed even greater gains in student attendance and achievement (Romero & Lee, 2008). While the study demonstrated many relationships between student demographics and student behaviors, much of the data from this study was garnered from census data that was not rooted in rigorous quantitative or qualitative research.
Reschly (2009) used a multiple case study model to determine that trust was the most essential element to create effective partnerships between parents and school staff. Goals and responsibility for the child’s performance were discussed when optimal student outcomes were achieved.
Early college admission. Allowing high school students to attend college classes demonstrated increased academic achievement and graduation rates for students (Killough, 2009). One case study focused on Mission Early College High School in El Paso. The school participated in the Early College High School Initiative that was started by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The school formed a partnership with a local college to allow high school students to obtain either 60 college credits or an associate degree before graduating from high school. Students in the program outperformed students in local school districts on math and English reading exams. Attendance rates in the school were over 90% and this represented an increased rate as compared with other schools in the local area. The program allowed students to become familiar with the demands and culture of the college environment, fostering student success in postsecondary education (Killough, 2009). Although the study used a relatively small sample, the variety of data types collected render the study a reliable source of information for educators.
Extended school. Providing students with additional access to academic learning opportunities through the use of community resources fostered increased student achievement in a variety of studies. Bainbridge (2003) reported that a Kindergarten Intervention Program (KIP) altogether eliminated the achievement gap for at risk students based on two years of subsequent data. Further, 94% of parents involved with the program reported that they believed the program helped their child. The program provided kindergarten students with a lengthened school day that focused on early literacy activities. The results of this study are reliable due to the longitudinal nature of the data collected (Bainbridge, 2003).
A feasibility study conducted by Carswell, Hanlon, O’Grady, Watts, & Pothong (2009) stated that alternative education programs had a positive short-term effect on academic performance, self-esteem, and attitudes toward school for students due to the extended school day provided by the program. While the study emphasized the necessity of district support and quality teachers, it showed the positive effects of additional time devoted to academic-based tasks. Educators should continue to monitor research in this area because this feasibility study lacked the information necessary to identify long-term student outcomes.
A meta-analysis of research on work based vocational programs and high school completion conducted by Powell (2004) stated that students in alternative education programs with links to community resources that occurred beyond the hours of the school day experienced the highest rates of graduation. Access to learning opportunities both in and out of school was beneficial for students (Powell, 2004). The study included a large number of studies on the subject, rendering it a comprehensive summary of the topic.
Conclusion
When schools forge partnerships with the community using comprehensive service delivery facilitated at the district level, student outcomes can be enhanced. Providing students with mentors, parental involvement in school, early college admission, and extended school opportunities can create a strong initiative for enhancing the school community culture.
References
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