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This study explores the effects of teacher, family, and church support on the school-related attitudes, behaviors, and academic achievements of African American urban adolescents. To achieve this objective, 827 students in an urban school district in the Southeastern United States were surveyed. Interviews were conducted with a subset of the research population to enhance and aid in the interpretation of the questionnaire data. The analyses show that students' perceptions of teacher and parental academic support and church involvement indirectly influence achievement through their positive and significant influences on students' academic self-concepts and school behaviors. Implications for practice and further research are discussed.

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This case study describes how one urban elementary school in a high-reform district and state has been able to develop strong connections with community businesses and organizations as part of its program of school, family, and community partnerships. The case study identifies four factors that allowed the school to build successful bridges to its community. These factors are (1) the school's commitment to learning; (2) the principal's support and vision for community involvement; (3) the school's receptivity and openness to community involvement; and (4) the school's willingness to engage in two-way communication with potential community partners about their level and kind of involvement. The concluding section of the paper discusses the implications of the study's findings for school, district, and state educational leaders.