University-Assisted Community Schools (2024-2025)

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 through the community schools strategy.  

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 2024-2025 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 develop pipeline initiatives that prepare future community school practitioners. 

Team members will focus on sharing these resources with other universities and stakeholders through publications, presentations and site visits. The work of the research collective will further strengthen the development of a regional center, the Southeast Regional Coalition for University-Assisted Community Schools (SRCUACS), designed to deepen the impact of UACS work across the south. 

Anticipated Outputs 

Data visualization dashboard; analysis of University-Assisted Community Schools best practices; antiracism training series for stakeholders and volunteers; expansion of a pilot program to prepare future community school practitioners; publications/presentations; regional symposium in Spring 2025 

Student Opportunities 

This team will ideally include 2 graduate and 20 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 School sites across the United States. 

See the related Data+ project for Summer 2024; 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. 

North Carolina Central University students should apply for this team here; Duke students should apply using the standard application

Timing 

Fall 2024 – Spring 2025 

  • Fall 2024:Contextualize Durham Public School communities; 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 2025: 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 

See related Data+ project, Strengthening Partnerships: Durham Schools and Local Universities (2024), and earlier related team, Strengthening Partnerships Between Durham Schools and Local Universities (2023-2024). 

 

Image: From 2022-23 project team, by Jamie Eaton

Image: From 2022-23 project team, by Jamie Eaton

Team Leaders

  • Amy Anderson, Arts & Sciences-Program in Education
  • Mirlesna Azor, Director of Nursing Student Services at NCCU
  • Xavier Cason, Durham Public Schools Foundation
  • Yolanda Dunston, School of Education, North Carolina Central University
  • Jamie Eaton, North Carolina Central University
  • Alec Greenwald, Arts & Sciences
  • Cara Kozma, Duke Academic Advising Center

/zcommunity Team Members

  • Jasmine Benner, Undergraduate Student, NCCU
  • Bull City Community Schools Partnership
  • Durham Public Schools Foundation
  • Student U
  • Durham Public Schools
  • Netter Center for Community Partnerships, University of Pennsylvania
  • North Carolina Community Schools Coalition, Inc.
  • Rural Education Institute, East Carolina University
  • Southeast Regional Coalition for University-Assisted Community Schools
  • Amaya Jackson, M.P.H. Student, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health

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