Volunteerism in public schools has traditionally been a sustaining force as administrators and teachers struggle to manage the curricular and extracurricular demands of the school calendar. Without the work of parent groups, all kinds of school programs and events held before school, during lunch time, and afterschool would not be remotely feasible. The pro bono services provided by college students and corporate personnel bridge the learning gaps for so many students who need extra tutoring and mentoring outside of regular classroom time. Sports and celebrity personalities help schools fundraise for programs that extend beyond the normal school operating budget. These are examples of the volunteer esprit de corps which bridges inequities across schools in communities of all sizes. Professionals, families, and local organizations are invaluable school partners who can work with schoolteachers and administrators to provide students with a diverse set of academic, social, and cultural activities.

Community partners are constantly looking for ways to offer their expertise and donate resources to schools. School leaders need to tap into this volunteer energy and enthusiasm by reaching out and beyond their school walls. Many of the operational and administrative challenges confronting schools are in fact not the result of inadequate funding, instead they stem from inefficient and ineffective use of school funds as well as poor planning and outreach by school administrators. Individual and institutional volunteers are a pipeline to building the kind of full scale curriculum and school programming parents and students desire. Educators should partner more with college students during the summer break to develop non-curricular activities; colleges could grant non-classroom credit to their students for time spent at local schools. Retirees could help with reading initiatives as well as other administrative duties. Volunteerism in local schools instills in community stakeholders from all walks of life a sense of relevance as it relates to their neighborhoods and communities.  School leaders should make sure they are reaching out and pulling them in.