Just Schools: Building Equitable Collaborations with Families and Communities

by Ann M. Ishimaru, James A. Banks (Editor)

Just Schools examines the challenges and possibilities for building more equitable forms of collaboration among nondominant families, communities, and schools. The text explores how equitable collaboration entails ongoing processes that begin with families and communities, transform power, build reciprocity and agency, and foster collective capacity through collective inquiry. These processes offer promising possibilities for improving student learning, transforming educational systems, and developing robust partnerships that build on the resources, expertise, and cultural practices of nondominant families. Based on empirical research and inquiry-driven practice, this book describes core concepts and provides multiple examples of effective practices.

Book Features:

Broadens the dominant conception of leadership to include traditionally marginalized parents and communities as potential educational leaders. Explores partnerships from both a systemwide and in-school basis, with detailed portraits of what is possible. Translates theoretical principles at multiple scales: systemic, school, and individual practice. Shares studies focused on a broad range of contexts, strategies, and practices for enacting equitable collaboration with families.

Genres: Education, School

216 pages, Hardcover

Published December 27, 2019

Reviews

[Terry Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal book that can help education leaders and families radically envision how we collaborate to bring about more just schools. “Engaging Families” is something that gets a ton of lip service in education. It’s part of every professional evaluation component I am aware of: Danielson, TPEP, National Boards, Principal Standards, etc. and yet the way I have seen families included in real decision making had been dismal. And that includes me. I’m proud of the collaborations with families that I have been a part of, but this book has challenged me to think deeper at how I may have reinforced whiteness and the status quo in many of those collaborations or the when and why of choosing to collaborate. I’ll have to keep this one close as I step into admin world on July 1! Shout out to BSD’s Kelly Aramaki for his contributions to the final chapter and for bringing the book to BSD. Shout out to my amazing professor, Dr. Dana Nickson, for bringing to Danforth.

[Debmeinke · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit education jargon-heavy for this non-ed reader. But I appreciated the emphasis on families and communities first. Thinking about how it dovetails with church and local community orgs. as good process that also achieves concrete goals.

"Imagining the future into being in the present moment" as a larger framework for both process and product reminds me of Jesus, the poet/prophet/dreamer who called the future into being in his relationships and actions, and evoked the beloved community in my mind and heart as a Christian fervently pursuing justice. Though the author is a Buddhist, I found this to be a hopeful and remarkable convergence that could speak to people of many faiths and those of no faith.

[Amy Hoying · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important book to add to your toolkit when thinking about true community and family engagement within schools. Ishimaru explores ways to meaningfully engage historically marginalized families in imagining and implementing strategies to produce better outcomes for children. Through co-design, she lays a path to rebalance power structures and shift engagement from white normative parent engagement (PTO meeting attendance, school conference attendance, time-limited Ed volunteering) to engagement that builds relationships while working towards building programs and procedures that impact outcomes.

[Beth Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting take on the need for family & community involvement in schools. This is not your average parents night or flyers in different languages. Ishimaru advocates for co-design and power given to the non dominant bipoc families to help create the schools they want to see. Brilliant, challenging and no easy fixes .... a book aimed more at educational leaders but written in a style with which anyone can engage.

[Chay Schmitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a text for my graduate program. If you are an educator in the United States, this should be required reading. This opened my mind in so many ways, and changed my teaching for the better from the first chapter!

This also does NOT read like a text book - it's personal, engaging, and not dry at all!

[Kaci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource with people's real experiences from various BIPOC demographics in school setting.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the privilege of facilitating a discussion with the author. This is a completely different way of looking at our schools.

[Carly Fernandez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Required for grad school. Not an easy read but beneficial if you’re looking to make your district more equitable for families