School and beyond: The relationship between local schools and community experience

Ciera M. Galbraith, Michael R. Cope, Carol Ward, Erin Feinauer Whiting, Sydney Hawkins, Anna L. Jacobs and Elizabeth Long-Meek

Community Development, 2026, vol. 57, issue 3, 363-378

Abstract: This study explores the role of schools in the local community and, more specifically, how the role of schools can influence individuals’ experience of community. Current literature centers on schools as facilities for education and socialization. School-community research focuses on the ability of schools to create a sense of belonging in students and suggests reform through partnerships between school, family, and community. Yet, minimal research has been done to understand how schools may influence the way that individuals experience community. Our research uses the Rural Utah Community Study to examine how respondents’ views of local education, schools, and degrees affect their experience of community through community attachment, community satisfaction, and community desirability. We find that respondents’ views of local schools in the community have a positive relationship with respondents’ experiences of community; these findings indicate a need for increased research regarding the role of schools beyond education and socialization.

Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.1080/15575330.2025.2525807

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