Abstract
This review discusses the effects of community involvement on students who face multiple impediments to success in schools. The first part of the article conceptualizes community involvement as a typology of four processes of social change: conversion, mobilization, allocation of resources, and instruction. Illustrations of these processes are drawn from research and programmatic literature. The second part of the article considers the effects of the varied forms of involvement in a review of 13 evaluations of interventions implemented with significant input from community entities. Overall, the studies indicate that programs can have positive effects on school-related behavior and achievement as well as attitudes and risk-taking behavior. The concluding section identifies gaps in the research and offers a framework for future studies.
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