Role Confusion and Administrative Control: The Challenges of Community Schools Coordinators Working to Advance Student Health

Background:

Community schools can be an integral strategy that school social workers can leverage for school reform. While school leadership and school social workers play key roles in the implementation of community schools, little research has addressed community schools coordinators (CSCs) - front line staff tasked with coordinating the varied activities of community schools. Though limited research suggests that CSCs play a vital role in the success of community schools, there are still gaps in understanding their responsibilities and experiences. Specifically, few studies have evaluated the experience of CSCs and factors that enhance and impede their activities in schools, or how CSCs navigate their day-to-day work. These gaps highlight the need for further research to provide a comprehensive understanding of their role and impact. As key staff people, CSC feedback is necessary to identify systemic issues in community school implementation.

This study aims to illuminate the experiences, challenges and successes of CSCs serving multiple rural and urban districts across two counties in upstate New York.

Methods:

This study conducted in-depth interviews with CSCs (n=10) and leaders who supervised those coordinators (n=5), as part of a larger a federally-funded initiative to evaluate community schools’ potential to advance the health of students, families, and communities. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data on CSCs’ tasks and roles, their relationships with other staff, students, and community members, as well as perceived successes and barriers to community school implementation. Applied thematic analyses was used to iteratively identify and refine key themes. Member checking was conducted to assess the resonance of findings and themes with constituents.

Findings:

Several significant themes emerged. Consistent with past literature, CSCs noted that building relationships with students, families, and staff was key to the success of their work. However, while relationship-building and maintenance and an adaptable work style were seen as central to their work, CSCs noted several challenges. One prominent theme includes role confusion – both on behalf of the community school coordinator about their job responsibilities, but also that of other school staff and especially school leaders. This was complicated by the multilayered role of the CSC. Additionally, school leaders were named as a key factor in whether CSCs felt their work was successful. School leaders who were permissive facilitated CSCs’ work, while administrators focused on short-term challenges could become significant barriers.

Conclusion:

Findings here hold important implications for community schools, as well as education and school social work broadly. Importantly, the experience of CSCs highlights a convergence with social work skills, which implies that the CSC may benefit from social work training. Past literature has suggested that cross-boundary relationship building is a necessary task for successful CSCs; however, this complicates the social capital and general systems theories of community schools work. School social workers, given their expertise in multi-level intervention, might play a greater role in facilitating the work of CSCs. Likewise, research might better leverage CSCs as a key constituent in studying the implementation of community schools.