Purpose Emerging research demonstrates that the community school model holds promise for meeting the needs of families by improving academic and social-emotional outcomes for students and strengthening communities. In this model, school leaders play an integral role in building relationships among multiple stakeholders, cultivating community partnerships and developing democratic decision making. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the community school coordinator (CSC) as a school leader who carries out all of her/his work in collaboration with students, teachers, school administrators, families and community partners. Design/methodology/approach Findings in this single qualitative case study are based on multiple data sources that include semi-structured interviews (n=29) of stakeholders (families, partners and educators), participant observations of partnership meetings and school events, and document analysis. Findings Data analysis shows how the CSC leads and facilitates professional capital among multiple school and community stakeholders. Findings are organized into three themes: the CSC as bridge-builder who connects and promotes trusting relationships with multiple stakeholders; the CSC as collaborator who fosters joint work and a sense of collective responsibility; and the CSC as leader who supports the emergence of decisional capital. Originality/value Given the nascent literature on the role of CSCs, this case study provides insight into the leadership role of the CSC as builder of professional capital. The research informs practice by providing an example of how one community school made a strategic investment in a leadership role intended to design and develop a culture of professional collaboration.

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The study investigates the perspectives of five educators on the influence of cultural care and invitational education (IE) through qualitative participatory action research (PAR). Invitational education is a theoretical framework that facilitates a positive learning environment and encourages individuals to reach their unlimited potential. Like IE, cultural care is a theory of practice that uses a social-emotional approach for school improvement. However, cultural care considers race and culture as fundamental to promoting outcomes for all students. In connection to IE, cultural care is a strengths-based approach to encourage and produce positive outcomes and promotes a strong consideration to race and culture. The study examined teacher practices and perceptions to evaluate the influence of invitational practices and cultural care. Data were analyzed through two theoretical frameworks, invitational education and culturally responsive pedagogy. Themes were derived from analyses of data collected through interviews pre- and postintervention implementation, recorded observation notes, and artifacts. Findings indicated that inviting practices and cultural care positively influenced the climate of the learning environment, affirmed the importance of teachers listening to students with intentionality, and highlighted the need for educators to recognize students’ basic and academic needs. These needs acknowledged student presence, behavior, and growth from a strengths-based approach. The participant educators reported a shift towards a positive learning environment. Recommendations for practice include establishing site-based equity teams and implementing professional learning communities to enhance teachers’ professional development. Keywords: invitational education, culturally responsive pedagogy, cultural care, school climate

Given that the professional literature provides ample evidence of the importance of parental involvement and its effect on learners’ academic outcomes and positive social/emotional states, the aim of this quantitative study was to understand and compare the perceptions of preservice teachers regarding parental involvement and family engagement in Israel and the U.S. Fisher’s Perception of Parental Involvement Scale (PPIS; Fisher, 2011) was used to survey 469 education-college students: 269 American students and 200 Israeli students. Analysis indicated that the model was a better fit for Israeli students and an acceptable fit for U.S. students. However, in general, Israeli and US students in teaching colleges agreed on many of the components of parental involvement. Some results differed by gender, age, level of education, and prior teaching experience. These results may suggest that the fundamental concepts that constitute the family engagement are not culturally bound, but rather may be common among different cultures and nations. Further research is required to confirm this. Notwithstanding, gaining a general understanding of pre- and in-service teachers’ perceptions regarding parental involvement and family engagement could prompt the colleges to expand their teacher-education programs to better address this important issue.