From Intent to Impact: Building University-Assisted Community Schools in New Mexico

Universities have the potential to bring significant assets to community school development, and community school models align with emerging priorities in higher education, including shifts toward community engagement. University-assisted community schools (UACS) present an ideal place for these mutual interests to be met, although barriers to these partnerships exist. Experiences from the state of New Mexico provide a unique case study of successes and challenges with the development of UACS. This article draws on the historic and current efforts to build UACS in New Mexico, sharing key considerations for university faculty, PK–12 educators and administrators, social workers, and social work faculty. The authors integrate literature around the development of UACS and their personal experiences as university faculty and district/community leaders in New Mexico, describing successful partnerships and barriers to sustainability. These experiences are used to propose key features, structures, and resources to consider in the development of UACS and the integration of social work into these structures.