Educators have long recognized the importance of the societal context within which education takes place, yet have only recently begun to explore the linking of educational, health, and social services to address the complexity of out-of-school issues that accompany children to schools. School-Community Connections is a compilation of the deliberations of researchers, policymakers, and practitioners on the integrated or collaborative services movement — that is, the effort to connect social service agencies with schools. The contributors seek to understand and explore solutions to the complex host of issues teachers face in educating children today, particularly in urban communities, and to challenge the current delivery of education and social services.

Recognizing that educators often lack the professional expertise and that schools lack the financial resources to provide comprehensive social services to children and their families, School-Community Connections draws on the expertise of professionals from a variety of disciplines. The book's nineteen chapters summarize current theory and research on school-community linkages and include discussions about both the necessity of collaboration and barriers to its realization. The book is an essential read for any researcher, policymaker, or practitioner with an interest in the connection between schools and communities. It is a valuable resource for all those interested in the ways that the integration of school and community resources hold promise for providing effective educational services, and related health and social services, to children and their families.

J.B.