1.
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Wide public commitment to and shared
agenda for public school improvement
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Many LEFs undertake strategies that contribute to building a community-wide
agenda and commitment to school reform.
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LEFs engage community members in public conversations
to build consensus and a common sense of purpose.
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LEFs build constituencies for advocacy and action.
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2.
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Public confidence in the schools
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Among the functions LEFs were created to perform was to restore
and build public confidence in the schools. Many LEF strategies build
public confidence in the public schools by bringing expertise that
builds legitimacy, attracts national attention, and links the district
with national projects such as the Annenberg Challenge or important
foundation initiatives. Characteristic
strategies include:
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LEFs monitor or assess the effectiveness of school districts.
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LEFs bring groups with expertise in particular areas to
lead or implement reform programs.
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3.
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Infrastructure
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Civic mobilization for school reform is most likely to occur when
there is long-standing organizational infrastructure to institutionalize
the participation of civic actors. Where civic involvement is ad
hoc, civic mobilization is weaker. LEFs use infrastructure in the
following ways:
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LEFs institutionalize business participation in school
improvement efforts.
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LEFs serve as a conduit for funds to the district for
national initiatives.
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4.
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Knowledge for school improvement
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Different actors in the community need knowledge in order to participate
fully in efforts to improve schools and to hold the schools accountable
for delivering on promises. Strategies that LEFs have used to provide
information about school performance to a wide range of stakeholders
include the following:
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LEFs carry out or sponsor evaluations and assessments
of school districts..
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LEFs write and disseminate reports that address the need
for policy changes.
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5.
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Coordinated
services for children & families
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In the education arena, comprehensive community initiatives have
taken the form of schools that serve as community centers and offer
multiple services to adults and youth, after-school programs, and
programs to forge closer ties between schools and parents. LEFs have
been involved in these initiatives in the following ways:
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LEFs coordinate services for children and families.
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LEFs build pathways to college for high school students.
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6.
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Leadership development
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School reform research points to the importance of developing
strong leadership for reform across the civic and school/district
arenas. Leadership development empowers parents and community members
to participate in efforts to improve neighborhood schools. LEFs have
contributed to developing leaders in both the civic and school realms.
Their strategies have
included:
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LEFs have supported the development of teacher networks.
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LEFs support citizen participation in the political arena.
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7.
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Authentic ideas for school improvement promoted and pursued
through policy and programs
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As organizations with a long-term commitment to local districts,
LEFs grapple with how to assure reform is actually implemented and
sustained. LEFs strategies for authentic school improvement include
the following:
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LEFs promote, design, and implement whole-school change
efforts.
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LEFs promote policy change to support high quality curriculum.
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8.
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Adequate resources equitably distributed
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In
a climate where public spending on social services is shrinking
as demands for accountability grow, schools need both more efficient
systems and more resources. LEFs can provide external pressure and
assistance in garnering new resources from national foundations and
corporations as well as management assistance that may free up money
spent on administration for use closer to the classroom. LEF strategies
may also include mobilizing citizens through the power of the vote
to support bond referenda or candidates favoring equitable distribution
of resources. Strategies for providing new resources have included
the following:
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LEFs bring funding and resources from national foundations..
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LEFs energize constituents to gain funding for public
schools through participation in the political arena.
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