There are 12 measurable goals for United Way’s community schools under four main pillars, following a national model. The pillars include: increased access to health and wellness supports; increased access to enrichment opportunities; increased family engagement; and, expansion of community and neighborhood partnerships.
By following this four-pillar model, United Way’s community schools are structured in a consistent format but customized to each school’s specific demographic make-up. Dozens of data points are tracked constantly, and comprehensive annual qualitative and quantitative data efforts are conducted to closely monitor impact, along with quarterly and annual reports.
As part of its role as the backbone organization, United Way completed an across-the-board organizational restructuring that included every department. This took several years to complete but is a vital part of becoming a fully functioning backbone organization to our full-service community schools. This included, but is not limited to, expansion of the Community Impact Department, creation of a four-person professional Data & Evaluation Team (DET), overhaul of resource development and funding streams, marketing and communications, and administrative functions.
Unlike community schools in other areas, United Way employs the Community School Directors. While CSDs are embedded in their respective schools and are seen as part of that school team, they are United Way staff and meet regularly as such with strong support from the backbone office staff.
Additionally, United Way’s CSDs meet as a group in structured formats to share best practices, solve challenges and also to provide “warm handoffs” for students and families moving between community schools. Note that this role is often referred to as “Community School Coordinators" in other areas. We believe that Director is a much more reflective title of the work that is led by these professionals, who essentially become co-pilots with their respective principals in addressing holistically the school’s needs.
To launch a community school, United Way’s Data and Evaluation Team (DET) and the CSDs collect and analyze extensive quantitative and qualitative data to create an Action Plan. The Action Plan identifies and prioritizes strategies to bring resources addressing non-academic barriers into the school to work towards each goal under the four pillars. As noted above, progress is monitored continuously through data collection and reported out to the Community School Leadership Team on a regular basis.
United Way’s Community School Model is heavily data driven, with constant and in-depth data compilation and analysis. All community school activities and resources must align with the Action Plan’s strategies and priorities.
In addition to employing the Community School Directors, United Way, as the backbone organization, provides technical assistance, maintaining partnership alignment, driving impact, measuring results, ensuring clear communications, resource development and funding, administrative and HR support, liaison with school district leadership, and more.
Being the backbone organization for full-service community schools is a strategic shift from historic roles of United Ways. It requires a different way of working in every department and the full commitment of the Board of Directors.
