Nonprofits: Bridging the Gaps for Students and Educators
While we know that the roles of nonprofit organizations have expanded tremendously for decades, what we may not have fully acknowledged is that these social service and public interest institutions are indispensable in the lives of their targeted constituencies across the country. By definition, because they close economic and social gaps for underserved groups, many of their program recipients would likely be ignored by many traditional providers of goods and services. As this industry continues to evolve, its focus on building healthy, productive, and sustainable neighborhoods and communities has defined high quality public schools as critical components for community viability and success. The kinds of education programs being funded by foundations and community development financial institutions are indeed a testament of their commitment to schools as vital community institutions. Boards and loan committees are funding charter schools, reading initiatives, and financing school facilities for other charter providers. A different strategy being employed by some is the rollout of partnerships that cover multiple schools and school systems across a number of states. These larger and more comprehensive programs may achieve greater penetration and a greater bang for the buck, but the outcomes may not be as decisive given the uniqueness and complexities across student populations.
Nonprofit entities which employ social service professionals who understand the range of domestic and social issues impacting the lives of students and their families daily can be extremely helpful to school administrators who are struggling to get a handle on problems such as excessive absenteeism, low parental involvement, and disruptive classroom behavior. These non-academic obstacles are too often the underlying causes for slow academic progress and other classroom distractions. Social workers and other community health professionals almost certainly can provide invaluable advice to teaching professionals about particular effects of a home environment on a child's willingness to be attentive and learn in the classroom. Instead of removing social workers and counselors from the payroll altogether, school districts should be more focused on developing creative ways of tapping into their expertise. This might be accomplished by sharing professionals' time across several schools or social workers agreeing to do pro bono or volunteer work at schools. Social service employers might be agreeable to any number of proposals to collaborate with schools, especially since in the end, resource sharing should make their work and that of schools easier in the long run.
Colleges and universities are continuing to implement programs and provide students with access to resources that probably would have eluded the students were it not for the mission of these postsecondary institutions to be responsible community citizens. College placement offices have traditionally offered internships, tutoring, and mentoring opportunities for college students to work with K-12 students for semester credit or as community service. College administrators have been out front for a long time when it comes to working with K-12 schools in their local areas. They have shared their students as well as their educational resources with young people who might not have such access otherwise. For example, in an effort to bridge the gap between secondary schooling and college, while also offering a smoother transition into college for high schoolers, some universities have opened charter schools that emphasize science and math, or have created partnerships with school districts that grant K-12 students access to college level professors in these fields. Other universities are bringing elementary and secondary level teachers and students to their campuses to enhance their learning and exposure in defined academic areas. These are all effective solutions on the part of nonprofit leaders to elevate the academic experiences of school age youth while also introducing them to the next level of academia.
Nonprofit entities which employ social service professionals who understand the range of domestic and social issues impacting the lives of students and their families daily can be extremely helpful to school administrators who are struggling to get a handle on problems such as excessive absenteeism, low parental involvement, and disruptive classroom behavior. These non-academic obstacles are too often the underlying causes for slow academic progress and other classroom distractions. Social workers and other community health professionals almost certainly can provide invaluable advice to teaching professionals about particular effects of a home environment on a child's willingness to be attentive and learn in the classroom. Instead of removing social workers and counselors from the payroll altogether, school districts should be more focused on developing creative ways of tapping into their expertise. This might be accomplished by sharing professionals' time across several schools or social workers agreeing to do pro bono or volunteer work at schools. Social service employers might be agreeable to any number of proposals to collaborate with schools, especially since in the end, resource sharing should make their work and that of schools easier in the long run.
Colleges and universities are continuing to implement programs and provide students with access to resources that probably would have eluded the students were it not for the mission of these postsecondary institutions to be responsible community citizens. College placement offices have traditionally offered internships, tutoring, and mentoring opportunities for college students to work with K-12 students for semester credit or as community service. College administrators have been out front for a long time when it comes to working with K-12 schools in their local areas. They have shared their students as well as their educational resources with young people who might not have such access otherwise. For example, in an effort to bridge the gap between secondary schooling and college, while also offering a smoother transition into college for high schoolers, some universities have opened charter schools that emphasize science and math, or have created partnerships with school districts that grant K-12 students access to college level professors in these fields. Other universities are bringing elementary and secondary level teachers and students to their campuses to enhance their learning and exposure in defined academic areas. These are all effective solutions on the part of nonprofit leaders to elevate the academic experiences of school age youth while also introducing them to the next level of academia.
Posted by Wana Duhart at Wednesday, October 08, 2008 10:35 PM 
Categories: Nonprofits and Philanthropy
Categories: Nonprofits and Philanthropy
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