Leadership Vision and School-Family-Community Partnerships in the Model Schools for Inner Cities Initiative: a Multiple Explanatory Case Study

Abstract

Research has highlighted the important role of school leadership in fostering school-family-community partnerships, but few studies purposefully test causal links between leadership practices, partnerships, and student educational success and family well-being. This explanatory multiple case study analyzed secondary parent focus group and school administrator interview data at two schools in the Toronto-based Model Schools for Inner Cities initiative. Descriptive analyses revealed seven leadership practices administrators used to foster school-family-community partnerships. Explanatory analyses considered how and through what mechanisms of change leaders who share leadership responsibilities with families affect student and family outcomes. A causal link between shared leadership strategies and student and family outcomes was confirmed. Key mechanisms of change included parents’ sense of ownership and feelings of empowerment as well as parents’ perceptions of congruent interests and goals. Further, moderating conditions were identified, most predominantly, the leader’s social justice vision. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.