Background

Durham Public Schools and its stakeholders address many challenges surrounding equitable school experiences and outcomes. In response, the Bull City Community Schools Partnership was formed as a grassroots effort to transform public schools. 

Community schools aim to serve as centers of the community, bringing together academics, health and social services, youth and community development, and community engagement to develop innovative curricula and teaching practices based in social justice and local leadership. Premised on a comprehensive asset and needs assessment, strategic planning, continuous improvement science practices, partner engagement and dedicated coordinators, community schools employ culturally sustaining practices and stakeholder leadership to reduce barriers to success and offer school communities a chance for renewal. 

Local universities are central to this endeavor as part of the University-Assisted Community Schools (UACS) model.

Project Description

Since 2019, this project team has been studying how universities can better prepare their students for engagement with public schools, paying particular attention to equity, diversity and antiracist education. Through robust collaboration between Duke and North Carolina Central University, the team has been working to establish more equitable and responsible partnerships between Durham universities and Durham Public Schools. 

Building on the work of previous teams, the 2023-2024 team will develop, refine and share training modules to prepare undergraduate students for equitable partnerships with local schools as well as data visualization resources to support university students and community stakeholders in learning more about Durham communities. Team members will also investigate ways community schools can provide health services to community members.

Team members will focus on sharing these resources with other universities and stakeholders through publications, presentations, site visits and the organization of a national symposium with community school and UACS practitioners from around the country.

Outputs to Date

North Carolina Community Schools Coalition. Full-Service Community Schools Grant. 

Student Opportunities

This team will ideally include 2 graduate and 12 undergraduate students, some of whom will be from North Carolina Central University. Interested students may be from such fields as education, sociology, social work, public policy, nursing and more. Students with assessment and evaluation skills are especially encouraged to apply.  Applicants should also demonstrate a desire to support diversity, equity and inclusion in public schools.

All students will develop skills in broad areas related to public schools, civic engagement, community-based research, service-learning, social scientific inquiry, and oral and written presentation of findings. Students will also have the opportunity to travel to University-Assisted Community Schools across the United States.

See the related Data+ project for Summer 2023; there is a separate application process for students who are interested in this optional component.

This team will meet on Fridays from 2:00-5:00 p.m.

Timing

Fall 2023 – Spring 2024

• Fall 2023: Analyze prior years’ data; conduct national university site visits and interview subject matter experts; pilot curriculum modules and data visualization tools for university partners; assess preservice preparation resources; research undergraduate student publication opportunities
• Spring 2024: Model continuous improvement science process used by Bull City Community Schools Partnership through action research on piloting of curriculum and data visualization tools; cohost symposium to highlight best practices for University-Assisted Community Schools

Crediting

Academic credit available for fall and spring semesters

This Team in the News

Drew Greene and Rickard Stureborg Selected as Young Trustee Nominees

‘To help guide the university forward’: Meet Undergraduate Young Trustee finalist Drew Greene

Duke Partners with NCCU, ECU to Assist Public Schools and the Communities They Serve

See related Data+ project, Strengthening Partnerships: Durham Schools and Local Universities (2023), and earlier related team, Strengthening Partnerships Between Durham Public Schools and Local Universities (2022-2023).

Image: Clockwise from upper left: NCCU, Duke, Durham School of the Arts