School leaders seem to never overcome the need for additional staff, resources, and capacity. A case can always be made for expanding school facilities to accommodate more classrooms and better space options for all kinds of curricular and extracurricular activities. Teaching professionals know with certainty that if they have more paraprofessionals or teaching assistants available to them, then they could dedicate even more time to the actual art of teaching. The scarcity of classroom and financial resources in some districts almost makes public schooling next to impossible. These are the realities of life as a public school educator that could be mitigated if more people and organizations agreed to volunteer time or dedicate human resources to schools in their local communities. Volunteers could not only fill in administrative gaps in school offices, they could serve as liaisons between schools and the many professions and industries that they represent. Volunteers could augment the work of athletic coaches and specialized instructors, especially since specialty departments are constantly being eliminated due to budget shortfalls. When schools are willing to work with its community and organizational partners, they can realize all kinds of unexpected benefits.

Now more than ever, educators should utilize the pro bono services of practitioners who represent a wider range of fields and industries. Shrinking school budgets demand that schools rely more on donated time from organizational partners who can share their expertise and resources with students as they progress. Community-based organizations that offer literacy programs and other academic support services can be important partners for districts that serve students who require higher levels of remediation. Theater and arts groups can offer free dance lessons, music classes, or art instruction in schools where these choices have been eliminated from the curriculum. Information technology wizards can be invited into schools to lead demonstrations and hands-on workshops that are designed to expose students to the latest developments in information and technology. Public health officials could offer fairs and free seminars which provide students and parents with tools and information that affect their personal and social choices as well as their home and public environments.

The volunteer corps for elementary and secondary schools has always been defined by the participation and dedication of so many parents, retirees, and college students. The willingness to serve and generosity of parents has sustained neighborhood schools for decades, especially when it has come to chaperones for field trips, special event preparation, catering and food donations, and phone trees. Where would America’s schools be without the tireless efforts of our parent community? Retirees have truly been indispensable as they volunteer their precious hours to perform office tasks, lead reading groups, and provide homework assistance. As college students explore different career paths, large numbers of them traditionally choose to work alongside school age youth as mentors, counselors, teaching assistants, or tutors. Afterschool and summer school programs would not be sustainable without college students who have been so willing to volunteer their evenings and summers. The volunteer spirit of stakeholders from all walks of life has hopefully signaled to our teacher corps and administrators all across this nation how much we appreciate their good work with our youth and that we are ready, willing, and able to fill in whatever gaps may exist.