Developing Community Engaged Research Practices in Family, School and Community Partnerships

Abstract

As the field of family, school and community partnerships continues to evolve, there is increasing recognition of the impact that parents, guardians and communities can have on students, schools, and education systems-at-large when provided with opportunity to become authentically engaged. To further this evolution there is a need for participatory approaches to research that directly support educational change. This article provides an overview of community engaged scholarship (CES) with a focus on the benefits, criticisms, and challenges that emerge from the utilization of this approach. Special attention is given to how CES intersects with existing efforts in the field of family, school and community partnerships.