Abstract
In Japan, the number of“ community schools” are increasing. A community school is a school which has a school management committee organized by representatives drawn from the local community and parents. Community schools are expected to play a key role in establishing an organized system of continuous coordination and cooperation between the school and the community. As the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology is determined to promote the expansion and enhancement of this system, the number of such schools will increase in Japan. However, it will be necessary to continue providing support for school management councils in order to prevent a loss of substance and promote effective functioning.
This article aims to address some implications concerning how community schools in Japan can be supported by examining the characteristics of and actual support for Parent Councils in Scotland.
In Scotland, Parent Councils were established in 2006. They were created for each school, and it is an organization through which parents express their opinions on the education of their children, and provide education in collaboration with the school and the local authority. The Parent Council is required to support the school in its education of children. In order to support these kinds of organizations and to enhance the quality of parents’ participation, there is a Scottish Parent Teacher Council（SPTC）. The SPTC provides information and training to Parent Councils. There are two important characteristics of SPTC support to the Parent Councils. First, the SPTC helps to facilitate effective communication between the government, the local authority, the school and the parents.
Second, continuous support concerning concrete methods of how to manage their organization is provided.
These efforts in Scotland provide a model to consider for implementing support strategies for community schools in Japan. First, we should recognize that parents and people in the local community are partners with schools and provide the support for them to contribute to the education process. Subsequent training programs that allow parents and people from the local community to participate proactively in education will need to be created. Second, to develop and expand a system of networks between parents and people in the local community is necessary. It may be meaningful to make opportunities to share their good practices and address worries they may have.
