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Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities

Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities

IEL Applauds Key Investments for Full Service Community Schools, other Funding to Support Children and Families in President’s FY25 Budget Proposal 

Building Pathways to Adulthood, Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities, Events, Federal Government, Policy/Legislation, Preparing Leaders, Resources /

March 12, 2024 President Biden released his fiscal year 2025 budget request yesterday, outlining the Administration’s plan for critical investments in public education to support post-pandemic recovery and overcome inequities increasingly exacerbated by historic inflation and systematic underfunding of marginalized communities. IEL celebrates this proposed budget for fiscal year 2025 as it seeks to expand […]

IEL Applauds Key Investments for Full Service Community Schools, other Funding to Support Children and Families in President’s FY25 Budget Proposal  Read More »

IEL and Coalition for Community Schools Statement on The Biden-Harris Administration’s $74 Million Expansion of Full-Service Community Schools

Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities, Events, Federal Government, Local/State Government, Policy/Legislation, Preparing Leaders, Resources /

November 30, 2023For Immediate Release Media Contact:Mia Perry PerryM@iel.org The Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL)made the following statement following The U.S. Department of Education announcement of $74 million in Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) grants this week: Eddie Koen, President of IEL, expressed, “We applaud the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to expanding Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) across the

IEL and Coalition for Community Schools Statement on The Biden-Harris Administration’s $74 Million Expansion of Full-Service Community Schools Read More »

Level Up for Success! IEL to Host National Community Schools & Family Engagement Conference Kickoff Event in Atlanta with Community Partners

Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities, Events, Leading Across Boundaries, Local/State Government, Policy/Legislation, Preparing Leaders /

October 11, 2023 Atlanta, GA – The Institute for Educational Leadership is excited to host the Kickoff Event for the 2024 National Community Schools & Family Engagement Conference this week on October 13th in Atlanta. The 2024 National Community Schools & Family Engagement Conference (CSxFE), scheduled for May 29 – 31, 2024, in Atlanta is

Level Up for Success! IEL to Host National Community Schools & Family Engagement Conference Kickoff Event in Atlanta with Community Partners Read More »

Opinion: Showering School Districts with Money Means Nothing If We Aren’t Engaging Communities

Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities, Leading Across Boundaries, Local/State Government, Policy/Legislation, Preparing Leaders, Resources, Uncategorized /

S. Kwesi Rollins, Senior Vice President for Leadership and Engagement  Despite billions of dollars allocated in federal aid to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of challenges persist that have hindered progress in reading and math for elementary and middle-school students. The pandemic created two years of unprecedented disruptions to typical school-based

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August 2022 IEL Federal Policy Update

Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities, Federal Government, Leading Across Boundaries, Local/State Government, Policy/Legislation, Preparing Leaders, Resources /

Policy by the People Agenda Summary of federal policy action this past month and a look-ahead to the next few weeks/month Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act (H.R.8450): On July 20th, the House Committee on Education and Labor released the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act, the Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill, to address the issue of child

August 2022 IEL Federal Policy Update Read More »

IEL’s 2022 National Community Schools and Family Engagement Conference Reflects, Transforms, and Soars with 3,500 Educators and Practitioners in L.A.

Building Pathways to Adulthood, Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities, Events, IEL Initiatives & Partnerships, Preparing Leaders /

By Eddie Koen  Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of joining over 3,500 people at the Los Angeles Convention Center, where we came together to share, learn, and inspire one another in the work we do to build leadership around educational equity. For many, it was the first time in almost three years we

IEL’s 2022 National Community Schools and Family Engagement Conference Reflects, Transforms, and Soars with 3,500 Educators and Practitioners in L.A. Read More »

June 2022 IEL Federal Policy Update

Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities, Federal Government, Local/State Government, Policy/Legislation, Preparing Leaders /

Policy by the People Agenda  Summary of legislative action this past month and a look-ahead to the next few weeks/month  ED’s New Efforts and Resources for Supporting Mental Health and Students With Disabilities: On May 23rd the Department of Education hosted the virtual summit From Recovery to Thriving: Supporting Mental Health and Students with Disabilities.

June 2022 IEL Federal Policy Update Read More »

IEL Calls on Leaders to Take an Active Stand for LGBTQIA+ Youth During Pride Month and Beyond

Building Pathways to Adulthood, Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities, Policy/Legislation, Preparing Leaders /

IEL works collaboratively to increase access to education and workforce opportunities, so all children and families can create the lives they want to live. By partnering with community leaders across different ages, experience levels, and sectors, IEL’s fulfills its mission to ensure that all voices—including those of youth, communities of color, and people with disabilities—are

IEL Calls on Leaders to Take an Active Stand for LGBTQIA+ Youth During Pride Month and Beyond Read More »

The Institute for Educational Leadership’s 2022 National Community Schools and Family Engagement Conference in L.A. to Bring Together over 3,000 Educators and Practitioners

Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities, Events, Leading Across Boundaries, Preparing Leaders /

Press Release May 18, 2022  Practitioners from Across Education Ecosystem Coming Together to Advance Effective Strategies for Student Outcomes (Los Angeles, June 1 – 3rd) – The 2022 National Community Schools and Family Engagement Conference is happening June 1st – 3rd at the Los Angeles Convention Center, hosted by the Institute for Educational Leadership, and

The Institute for Educational Leadership’s 2022 National Community Schools and Family Engagement Conference in L.A. to Bring Together over 3,000 Educators and Practitioners Read More »

IEL says “See you later – not goodbye” to Tauheedah Jackson, Director of Place-Based Strategy and Community School Initiatives, as she transitions to New Role

Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities, Leading Across Boundaries, Preparing Leaders /

The IEL team congratulates Tauheedah Jackson, our Director of Place-Based Strategy and Community School Initiatives, as she begins her transition to a new role at Harvard’s EdRedesign Lab as the Inaugural Director of its Institute for Success Planning. We are forever grateful for all Tauheedah has done for our organization during her time at IEL,

IEL says “See you later – not goodbye” to Tauheedah Jackson, Director of Place-Based Strategy and Community School Initiatives, as she transitions to New Role Read More »

IEL Statement on Latest Slaughter of School Children in Texas Shooting

Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities, Policy/Legislation, Preparing Leaders, Resources /

Massacre is the deadliest elementary school shooting since Sandy Hook in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012 May 24th, 2022 Today we all mourn the devastating loss of 19 children and two adults that were killed at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Our work at the The Institute for Educational Leadership centers on children and the

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IEL Doubles Down on a Place-Based Strategy to Promote Racial, Disability Inclusion, and Education and Economic Equity

Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities, IEL Initiatives & Partnerships, IEL Leaders /

Welcome IEL’s four new Regional Deputy Directors Four Regional Deputy Directors join the IEL team to support our organization’s place-based strategy work, which strengthens our Coalition for Community Schools’ efforts to scale Community Schools in the Midwest, South, Northeast, and Western regions of the country. Building on IEL’s trusting relationships and core practices of leadership

IEL Doubles Down on a Place-Based Strategy to Promote Racial, Disability Inclusion, and Education and Economic Equity Read More »

Family Engagement can Help Increase Vaccine Access and Equity

Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities, Federal Government, IEL Initiatives & Partnerships, Leading Across Boundaries, Local/State Government, Policy/Legislation /

Keeping our kids safe and healthy, and in turn protecting our communities, should be our priority. As an organization with a platform and a wide network of leaders, we have a responsibility to mobilize our communities to take action and continue to further prevent the spread of COVID-19. With the fresh recommendation by the Centers

Family Engagement can Help Increase Vaccine Access and Equity Read More »

Community School Coordinator Appreciation Week

Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities /

IEL’s Coalition for Community Schools hosted its second annual Coordinators Appreciation Week from September 24-28. Seventy-seven local, state, and national partners participated in the social media campaign on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Check out the highlights from the week by visiting Coordinators Appreciation Week results and catch up on the Twitter responses on #CoordinatorsRock Twitter

Community School Coordinator Appreciation Week Read More »

IEL & Partners Award $1.5M to Expand Student-Centered Learning

Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities /

The Together for Students Initiative recognized 10 communities for plans bringing key community members together to support the needs of local students. Three national education-focused organizations created this opportunity: IEL (through its Coalition for Community Schools), Communities In Schools, and StriveTogether. Each of the 10 selected communities will receive approximately $150,000 to support the activities

IEL & Partners Award $1.5M to Expand Student-Centered Learning Read More »

Catching Up on Community Engagement Conferences

Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities /

In May, IEL’s Coalition for Community Schools hosted the largest ever National Forum for Community Schools. Almost 2,000 attendees gathered in Baltimore to partner for equity. There was LIVE podcast coverage from the show EdFix hosted by Michael Feuer, Dean of the George Washington Graduate School of Education and Human Development. Listen to the podcast

Catching Up on Community Engagement Conferences Read More »

Community Schools Featured in Phi Delta Kappan

Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities /

Phi Delta Kappan featured an article that delves into why community schools serve as the hub of their communities. “It takes a community: Community schools provide opportunities for all” is authored by Reuben Jacobson and José Muñoz, who lead IEL’s Coalition for Commuity Schools, and Coalition Steering Committee leaders Lisa Villarreal and Robert Mahaffey. The

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Student-Led Learning and Solutions to Opioid Crisis in the Community

Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities /

“Learning matters when it is personal and when students have an opportunity to use or share what they are learning and what they know,” wrote IEL senior fellow and former president Martin J. Blank in two blogs about the teaching of Judy Ellsesser and Cyndy Hykes at South Webster High School, in South Webster, Ohio.

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New Report: Community Schools = Effective School Improvement Strategy

Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities /

The Learning Policy Institute and the National Education Policy Center recently released a report, Community Schools as an Effective School Improvement Strategy: A Review of the Evidence. The report concludes that well-implemented community schools lead to improvement in student and school outcomes and contribute to meeting the educational needs of low-achieving students in high-poverty schools.READ

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Community School Coordinators Appreciation Week Drives Online Engagement

Connecting Families, Schools, & Communities /

IEL’s Coalition for Community Schools and partners came together on September 25-29 for the first Coordinators Appreciation Week. There were almost 1,000 #CoordinatorsRock tweets that reached over 700,000 people—from funny gifs and ice cream socials to flowers and heartfelt handwritten notes—that celebrated and thanked their community schools coordinators. READ MORE…

Community School Coordinators Appreciation Week Drives Online Engagement Read More »