Social & Human Capital
by: Sarah Raquel Garcia
Local School Councils are a democracy. With a
democracy one is supposed to listen to the community and tend to the needs of
their community and most importantly create trust with the community. A school
who has a LSC that interacts with their community encourages the community to
respond positively. Research, “support[s] the viability of the Chicago school
improvement framework, which says there are five essential supports for student
learning: school leadership, parent
involvement, professional development and collaboration, a student-centered learning
climate, and quality instructional programs,”
(Local School Councils Can democracy save IPS? 15) The conclusion from the
survey is that, “good instruction rests on a base of human and social
resources,” (15). With the help of social
capital of the parents and members of the Local School Council (LSC), equity is
created by, "devoting significant resources and authority to local school
communities and by expanding opportunities," (Chicago's Local School
Council: What the Research Says 5). The community is then better served
because, “many school communities--including many poor, minority, and
disadvantaged--have used these opportunities wisely to advance improvements in
the schools,” (Local School Councils
Can democracy save IPS? 15) Members with better social connections are able to
give their community the better opportunity to help and fix their community and
thus create more equity for the school and it’s students.
"Local School Councils Can democracy save IPS?." Indy Government. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.
Moore, Donald. "The Documented Strengths of Chicago’s LSCs." Chicago LSCs Local School Councils: What the Research Says. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.