A school may provide the place and resources for a basic education, but the school’s engagement with the community can greatly enhance and deepen learning for children who attend. Strong community partnerships create enriched educational environments that extend beyond classroom walls.
From public libraries and local businesses to parents and teachers, each stakeholder plays a vital role in student success. When these connections are fostered intentionally, students gain access to resources, mentorship, and real-world learning opportunities that prepare them for future achievement. One of the best ways for educators to improve student success is to earn a higher degree like Eastern Washington University’s online Master of Education in Educational Leadership, Principal Certification program.
Principals
As the cohesive force connecting students, teachers, parents and community resources, principals play a key role in providing the best possible education for students. The scope of the principal’s role includes areas as varied as school laws and compliance with state and district standards, curriculum implementation, and community involvement.
Principals can look beyond the classroom to address social justice issues that impact their students from accessibility problems to bullying to systemic biases. This helps principals have an impact on student experience and can help ensure a positive, productive learning environment.
Public Libraries
Public libraries benefit students of all ages. They help level the playing field by providing disadvantaged students with access to books and other resources that would otherwise be unavailable to them.
Cross promotion between libraries and schools helps get the word out to students and families. Both assigned reading and leisure reading help students grow as learners. The American Library Association has designed many school/public library cooperative programs. Research has consistently demonstrated the positive impact of school-public library partnerships. According to recent studies, programs like Nashville Public Library’s Limitless Libraries initiative have resulted in 33,000 checkouts and served 90,000 students, with 80% of teachers using these resources to support classroom instruction.
Local Businesses
When schools partner with businesses, great things happen. Beyond the more obvious channels of financial contributions and volunteer hours, businesses can offer other benefits to schools in the community. Providing pro bono guest speakers for school events, giving students opportunities for job shadowing, hosting school fairs and providing internships are other ways for businesses to get involved. An advisory board that includes students, parents, teachers, principals and community partners can oversee the scheduling and goals for these initiatives.
Communication is essential for school-business partnerships to succeed. When matching businesses with schools, it can be helpful to have similar core values or parallel missions, for instance.
Partnerships with local businesses can be initiated by word of mouth, via parents who work for local businesses, and through the Chamber of Commerce. According to recent research, these partnerships are particularly effective when they align educational initiatives with industry needs, bringing together academic knowledge from schools with practical skills and resources from local businesses.
Parents
It should come as no surprise that increased parental involvement correlates with greater student success. Some schools in the U.S. have developed family engagement programs to educate parents in this matter. A comprehensive 2025 review of recent research confirms that parental involvement is consistently associated with academic results, positive behaviors and social skills development.
The goal is for parents to truly engage in the learning process and a school’s culture. Engagement goes beyond involvement. Parents who feel encouraged to contribute to learning and school culture (engagement) bring more to the table, and ultimately to their children’s success as students, than parents who are merely told what to do (involvement). Research from 2024 demonstrates that non-school-related parental engagement in a child’s everyday life has a particularly significant impact on educational outcomes, including high school completion rates.
Teachers
The primary role of teachers is to interact with students. But when they go the extra mile by reaching out, not only to the principal but also to parents, everyone benefits.
In forging these connections, they create a support system for students that helps maximize learning and success. These collaborative relationships ensure that students receive consistent support and encouragement across all aspects of their educational experience.
Learn more about Eastern Washington University’s M.Ed. in Educational Leadership, Principal Certification online program.
