Municipal Leadership to Support Students Requires Collective Action: Recommendations for Building Community Learning Hubs
As the coronavirus pandemic continues, unemployment skyrockets, and calls to reopen schools increase, education and local leaders must balance a myriad of considerations to deliver the promise of a quality education for all children and families — in person, online, or in a hybrid approach. The 2020-2021 school reopening plans will need to consider the growing public health concerns; disparate digital access including technology and high speed internet connectivity; safe, affordable, and accessible childcare and youth supervision; places to learn, catch up, and keep up; the growing equity concerns of parent funded ‘learning pods;” and basic need insecurities, all without ignoring significant historic problems that have created longstanding systemic inequities.
Schools alone cannot solve these challenges. Communities that can collaborate, align programs and resources, and center their work in equity will be better positioned to bounce back from this pandemic more quickly, and see longer-term education, health and economic gains. Mayors, city councilmembers, and other local elected officials can leverage their leadership, bully pulpit, and convening authority to call upon community-based organizations, municipal agencies, faith-based organizations, the private sector, and philanthropic partners to help ensure that youth and families have access to what they need to successfully participate in virtual learning.
Mayors, city councilmembers, and other local elected officials can leverage their leadership, bully pulpit, and convening authority to call upon community-based organizations, municipal agencies, faith-based organizations, the private sector, and philanthropic partners to help ensure that youth and families have access to what they need to successfully participate in virtual learning.
Download the Municipal Leadership to Support Students Requires Collective Action: Recommendations for Building Community Learning Hubs Executive Summary HERE.