ABSTRACT
Good schools provide the foundation for young people to become good citizens and learn the basic skills to earn a livelihood. This chapter presents the case that community building and community economic development encourage the rise of good schools in different ways, but the reverse is also true. School reform efforts influence the practice of both community building and community economic development for the better. Perhaps the most successful models connecting schools to community economic developments are community schools. Community schools affect community building and community economic development in a number of positive ways. The criticism highlights one significant barrier to linking education, community building, and community economic development: clearly aligning mission, goals, and function. Elaborating on the community school model, Smart Education Systems (SES), developed by the Annenberg Institute, utilizes community resources to improve public schools. The SES initiative takes steps forward in setting a vision for how communities and school districts can work to improve local schools.
