ACHIEVEMENT CENTERS FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES: HISTORY OF A FULL-SERVICE COMMUNITY SCHOOL

Full-service community schools (FSCSs) are a holistic, multifaceted reform strategy aimed at improving the educational life experiences and outcomes of underserved student populations (Sanders, 2016; Sanders & Galindo, 2020), designed to provide more equitable educational experiences (Sanders et al., 2018). Black, Native American, and LatinX children represent three-quarters of children living in poverty today, because of systemic inequities and racial disparities that these groups have experienced for decades (Gennetian & Yoshikawa, 2021). The purpose of this study is to document the evolution of a full-service community school, as well as its alignment to the highly effective community school (HECS) model. Richardson’s (2009) HECS model was implemented to identify the relationship between leadership, collaborative partners, and organizational development, and their ability to produce beneficial outcomes and, ultimately, a highly effective FSCS. The research site was the Achievement Centers for Children and Families (ACCF), a long-standing, full-service community school located in Delray Beach, Florida. Data for this qualitative case study were collected using an oral history methodology which included interviews and document analysis.