Community Schools —an evidence-based school improvement strategy— began scaling statewide in 2023 with a grant from the Department of Education and coordination by the NC Community Schools Coalition (NCCSC). By fall of 2026, NCCSC aims to be supporting approximately 23,000 students in 46 schools across 28 districts.
Community schools qualify as an evidence-based approach to improving chronically low-performing schools under the Every Student Succeeds Act. Community schools emerged as a theme from the Mo Wants to Know Listening Tour and is included as an action to advance Pillar 3 of DPI and the SBE’s Strategic Plan. Examples from national research and community schools leaders across NC demonstrate community schools’ impact and alignment to all 8 pillars of the Strategic Plan. The scaling of community schools statewide has the potential to accelerate and deepen our state’s progress toward reaching the ambitious and essential vision laid out by DPI and SBE leaders.
Here’s a closer look at how community schools align with each pillar:
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