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Community Engagement and Coalition Building

We bring together the individuals, groups, and organizations who want to build a better future for their children.

Public education is one of our most powerful tools to ensure that every child has opportunities to succeed. But it doesn’t exist in a vacuum. A student’s path to success is paved not only by educators but also by family, community, and the economic and political landscape.

Education reform is not limited to what happens in schools. When communities are actively engaged in their schools, we see higher grades and test scores, better social skills and behavior, fewer absences, and improved graduation rates.

TNTP brings families, educators, and community partners together in conversation. Where can children get mental health services? How can teens find internships and jobs? How can schools better engage multilingual families? As facilitator, consultant, and coach, we help develop solutions to inequities that communities identify and want to change.

Community Engagement and Coalition Building
Joanna Ducre, a Pre-Service Training Teacher Development Coach, at Langston Hughes Academy in New Orleans.

Our Work in Action

We improved attendance and academics through outreach to families in Corning, Calif.

TNTP worked with the Corning Union Elementary School District in California to identify the root causes of students’ academic challenges and to engage families in efforts to help them succeed. Concentrating on literacy, language, and attendance, we assisted the district in creating a community-driven vision.

In the first year, nearly 25 percent of the students in the district moved up a level in the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), a test used in California to measure student progress.

Our approach included:

  • Engaging parents and guardians as authentic partners in education
  • Academic consulting to improve literacy instruction
  • Personalized interventions for high-need students
  • Communicating with parents about attendance, academics, behavior, and other updates

25%

of students in the district moved up a level in the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium test in the first year

We built partnerships to support young learners in Sanger, Texas.

In Sanger, Texas, a rural school district launched a collective action network to increase the quality of early childhood education. They engaged TNTP, and together we set out to form and foster coalitions in order to identify gaps.

We strategized, conducted surveys, and held community meetings and focus groups in multiple languages. Our work led to feedback from more than 200 stakeholders.

As a result, the district was well-informed and prepared to implement an exciting community-driven vision that includes:

  • A new district pre-K campus
  • A common definition of kindergarten readiness
  • Formal partnerships with local childcare providers to share standards-aligned curriculum, professional development opportunities, and assessment data
  • A community-level advisory group charged with sharing resources more broadly in the community

71%

increase in high-quality programs available

67%

increase in percentage of 3 and 4 year old children accessing high-quality PK programs

We helped create an action plan for change through our community coalition work in Birmingham, Ala.

TNTP worked with community stakeholders in Birmingham, Ala., to reimagine education for the 25,000 students who call the city home. The project engaged a total of 186 families and 122 local organizations, including clergy from historically Black churches; activists; and representatives from city agencies, universities, and schools.  

We began by gathering all stakeholders to identify challenges and priorities. The resulting action plan was ratified by coalition members and shared with the mayor, city council, and district superintendent.  

186

families engaged in community conversations

122

local organizations consulted for input

TNTP's flexibility and nimbleness is incredibly helpful when working with complex partner dynamics and ever-changing landscapes. They are focused on keeping a high bar while maintaining that there are multiple pathways to hitting it.

Courtney Isaak

Director of Talent and School Improvement, Good Reason Houston

TNTP is an amazing partner. . . . They treated each team member with professionalism, integrity, and respect. They prioritize trust and relationship building as key priorities—attributes that are essential to building a strong, successful partnership.

Ze Xiao

Economic Development Corporation of Utah

TNTP has been a great partner for our organization, helping us build the model for Parent Educator Academy. They take the time to learn about our community and organizational needs and implement solutions to meet our needs.

Stephanie Parra

Executive Director, ALL in Education

What can we help you achieve?

Find out how we can work together

Community Engagement Tools

5 Essentials for Engaging Families and Community Partners in Decision Making

As schools plan for the year ahead, they can kick off the engagement process with families caregivers, and community members using these five key steps.

Community Conversation Planning Guide

Build a plan to gather nuanced, insightful data from community conversations.

Stakeholder Feedback Reflection and Planning Guide

After collecting stakeholder feedback, use this guide to plan how to share what you've learned.

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Let’s Work Together

Learn how we can partner to make meaningful change for your school.