We are a statewide alliance committed to making Arkansas’s public schools the hub for the neighborhoods that surround them.
The Arkansas Coalition for Community Schools (ACCS) is staffed by ForwARd Arkansas since 2020, which leads the development and implementation of Community Schools in Arkansas. ACCS is made up of partners including ForwARd Arkansas, state-level educator and community service organizations, state agency representatives, school leaders, Community School Coordinators, and local leaders.
What is a “Community School?”
A Community School is a public school that is the hub for its neighborhood. Community Schools unite families, educators, health-care professionals, and community partners to provide students and their families the high-quality educational and enrichment experiences, health care, and social services they need to build strong, vibrant, and prosperous communities.
Why Community Schools?
National research has shown time and again that Community Schools:
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Result in $10 of added community value for every dollar invested
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Prepare students to start school ready to learn
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Improve students’ productivity, effort to succeed in school, and attitudes toward learning
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Increase school achievement and assessment of learning scores
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Increase high school graduation and college-going rates
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Featured Partners
With support from University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service students, ForwARd Arkansas and the Little Rock School District created a toolkit Arkansans can use to form school-community partnerships.
Celebrating 15 years of rural advocacy, Rural Community Alliance reflects on its accomplishments and looks toward the future.