Binghamton University recently welcomed officials from the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education in South Korea interested in learning about the University-Assisted Community Schools (UACS) model. After visiting the National Center for Community Schools in New York City (a partner in Binghamton’s certificate in community schools), the delegation traveled to Binghamton to meet with faculty and staff from the Binghamton University Center for Community Schools in the College of Community and Public Affairs.
The South Korean delegation, comprised of teachers, administrators and educational leaders, began their day by meeting with the Community Schools Regional Leadership Advisory Group that serves the Broome-Tioga BOCES region. They then toured the Binghamton University campus and participated in discussions and presentations to better understand the University-Assisted Community Schools (UACS) model, its practices and its implementation in small cities and rural communities. The delegation also shared insights into their own innovative initiative, “Sharing Schools,” which is similarly based on the concept of school-community integration and aimed at enhancing student success.
“We are so pleased to host our South Korean colleagues and share the benefits of the University-Assisted Community Schools model,” said Dean Laura Bronstein. “This is a great example of the relevance of Community Schools strategies and why the Center for Community Schools is an internationally recognized leader in developing, implementing and evaluating the Community Schools model.”
As part of their trip, the group visited the Windsor Central School District to observe how a rural school district implements the Community Schools model. They engaged with local educators who shared their firsthand experiences, discussing both the challenges and successes they encountered. Additionally, the group learned about the various academic pathways available to students, including access to college-level coursework for high school students, which is not commonly found in South Korea.
“What began as an email inquiry developed into a robust exchange of ideas,” said Stacy Robitaille, assistant director of the NYSED Central Western Technical Assistance Center. “We look forward to these kinds of opportunities, because they really illustrate the universality of these community-focused educational strategies and how they can benefit students around the globe.”