--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When schools truly become centers of the…" description: "\"When schools truly become centers of the community, where you have extraordinary teachers, the best teachers, the best principals, great nonprofit part..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/962/arne-duncan-11784_best-teacher_when-schools-truly-become-centers-of-the_1193805.jpg" --- # When schools truly become centers of the community, where… ![“When schools truly become centers of the community, where you have extraordinary teachers, the best teachers, the best principals, great nonprofit partners coming in during the non-school hours to support and do enrichment activities, social services, then those students will beat the odds, will…” quote by Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/962/arne-duncan-11784_best-teacher_when-schools-truly-become-centers-of-the_1193805.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/962/arne-duncan-11784_best-teacher_when-schools-truly-become-centers-of-the_1193805.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/962/arne-duncan-11784_best-teacher_when-schools-truly-become-centers-of-the_1193805.jpg) > “When schools truly become centers of the community, where you have extraordinary teachers, the best teachers, the best principals, great nonprofit partners coming in during the non-school hours to support and do enrichment activities, social services, then those students will beat the odds, will beat poverty, will beat violence in the community, will beat sometimes dysfunctional families, and be productive citizens long term. They will go to college.” [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Community-centered schools with strong teachers and partners empower students to overcome adversity. **In simple terms:** Schools as community hubs help students succeed. Key Takeaway Invest in community school models. Themes education community equity empowerment Mood hopeful determined Type policy inspirational When to use this quote - after‑school programs - mentor partnerships - parent engagement - local nonprofit collaboration Key Concepts social capital public policy school reform Questions to Reflect On - How can communities sustain such partnerships? - What metrics show success? A Different Perspective Funding and coordination challenges may arise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-teacher/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Dysfunctional Families](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dysfunctional-families-2/) [Dysfunctional family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dysfunctional-family/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Long term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-term/) [Mentorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentorship/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Social service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-service/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [People who come from dysfunctional families are not destined for a dysfunctional life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-bennett/people-who-come-from-dysfunctional-families-are-not-destined-for-a/) [Bo Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-bennett/) > [“Many of us from dysfunctional families are struggling. We need more help, it takes a village and we're trying to find ours. We are looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanesia-harris/many-of-us-from-dysfunctional-families-are-struggling-we-need-more/) [Tanesia Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanesia-harris/) > [We all come from dysfunctional families and these days I guess that's pretty normal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carnie-wilson/we-all-come-from-dysfunctional-families-and-these-days-i-guess-that-s/) [Carnie Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carnie-wilson/) > [“Controlling others is the cornerstone of dysfunctional families.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc-love-is-not-enough/controlling-others-is-the-cornerstone-of-dysfunctional-families/) [David W. Earle LPC- Love is Not Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc-love-is-not-enough/) > [In my family, as in all dysfunctional families, instead of parents who act as strong and nurturing role models for their children, you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bradshaw/in-my-family-as-in-all-dysfunctional-families-instead-of-parents-who/) [John Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bradshaw/) > [We all have rosy memories of a simpler, happy time- a time of homemade apple pie and gingham curtains, a time when Mom understood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-heimel/we-all-have-rosy-memories-of-a-simpler-happy-time-a-time-of-homemade/) [Cynthia Heimel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-heimel/) > [I talk all the time about how much I read growing up and how much I love Stephen King and how he impacted my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/i-talk-all-the-time-about-how-much-i-read-growing-up-and-how-much-i/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [I don't think people who are already burdened with social, economic, psychological situations, dysfunctional families, need to be burdened with other people with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-nielsen/i-don-t-think-people-who-are-already-burdened-with-social-economic/) [Connie Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-nielsen/) > [“Families living in dysfunction seldom have healthy boundaries. Dysfunctional families have trouble knowing where they stop and others begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc-love-is-not-enough/families-living-in-dysfunction-seldom-have-healthy-boundaries/) [David W. Earle LPC- Love is Not Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc-love-is-not-enough/) > [“Perhaps nothing so accurately characterizes dysfunctional families as denial.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bradshaw/perhaps-nothing-so-accurately-characterizes-dysfunctional-families-as-2/) [John Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bradshaw/) > [People talk about dysfunctional families; I've never seen any other kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/people-talk-about-dysfunctional-families-i-ve-never-seen-any-other/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [Well, while I didn't have the more extreme experiences of some of my characters, I didn't exactly come from the most normal of households.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/well-while-i-didn-t-have-the-more-extreme-experiences-of-some-of-my/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [“Perhaps nothing so accurately characterizes dysfunctional families as denial. The denial forces members to keep believing the myths and vital lies in spite of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bradshaw/perhaps-nothing-so-accurately-characterizes-dysfunctional-families-as/) [John Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bradshaw/) > [“Slavery is at the heart of dysfunctional families. When people serve others because they are forced to do so, freedom to truly serve is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/slavery-is-at-the-heart-of-dysfunctional-families-when-people-serve/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [“Many of us from dysfunctional families are struggling. We need more help, we need stronger villages. We are looking to family and possibly some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanesia-harris/many-of-us-from-dysfunctional-families-are-struggling-we-need-more-2/) [Tanesia Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanesia-harris/) ## More by Arne Duncan > [ I just think we can't do enough of this \[student exchanges\]... And when you get young children traveling internationally, I think they come back… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/i-just-think-we-can-t-do-enough-of-this-student-exchanges-and-when/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [Other countries haves passed us by. They're outworking us. They're outcompeting us. We have got to wake up and we have got to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/other-countries-haves-passed-us-by-they-re-outworking-us-they-re/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [We all have a role to play - the President, Congress, parents, students and schools - in making college affordable and keeping the middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/we-all-have-a-role-to-play-the-president-congress-parents-students/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [States should not balance their budgets on the backs of students.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/states-should-not-balance-their-budgets-on-the-backs-of-students/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [Borrowing to pay for college used to be the exception; now it's the rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/borrowing-to-pay-for-college-used-to-be-the-exception-now-it-s-the/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [Far too many of our children today, our students, need remedial education. We have been lying to them. They're not really ready for college.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/far-too-many-of-our-children-today-our-students-need-remedial/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [Whether it's in an inner-city school or a rural community, I want those students to have a chance to take A.P. biology and A.P.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/whether-it-s-in-an-inner-city-school-or-a-rural-community-i-want/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [So instead of watching TV, we read every night together as a family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/so-instead-of-watching-tv-we-read-every-night-together-as-a-family/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [Surveys show that many talented and committed young people are reluctant to enter teaching for the long haul because they think the profession is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/surveys-show-that-many-talented-and-committed-young-people-are/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [Almost 24 million children - one in three - are likely growing up without their father involved in their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/almost-24-million-children-one-in-three-are-likely-growing-up-without/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [We've seen more reform in the last year than we've seen in decades, and we haven't spent a dime yet. It's staggering how the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/we-ve-seen-more-reform-in-the-last-year-than-we-ve-seen-in-decades/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [I believe that education is the civil rights issue of our generation. And if you care about promoting opportunity and reducing inequality, the classroom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/i-believe-that-education-is-the-civil-rights-issue-of-our-generation/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [Historically the Department of Education hasn't been doing enough to drive the sustainability movement, and today, I promise that we will be a committed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/historically-the-department-of-education-hasn-t-been-doing-enough-to/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [State governments generate less revenue in a recession. As state leaders struggle to make up for lost revenue, legislatures tend to cut funding for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/state-governments-generate-less-revenue-in-a-recession-as-state/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [We have had this massive effort on K-12 reform, raising standards, great teachers, great principals, turning around chronically failing schools, raising the bar, huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/we-have-had-this-massive-effort-on-k-12-reform-raising-standards/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) [Explore all 58 Arne Duncan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) ## More Best teacher quotes > [“The best teacher is experience. Not by copying the answers off the kid sitting next to you...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/the-best-teacher-is-experience-not-by-copying-the-answers-off-the-kid/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [Experiences isn't the best teacher - evaluated experience is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/experiences-isn-t-the-best-teacher-evaluated-experience-is/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Experience is the best teacher of all. And for that, there are no guarantees that one will become an artist. Only the journey matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-callahan/experience-is-the-best-teacher-of-all-and-for-that-there-are-no/) [Harry Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-callahan/) > [Truths of life¦ The most beautiful day: Today The easiest thing: Equivocate The biggest obstacle: Fear The gravest error: give up, to despair The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/truths-of-life-the-most-beautiful-day-today-the-easiest-thing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Books permit us to voyage through time, to tap the wisdom of our ancestors. The library connects us with the insight and knowledge, painfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/books-permit-us-to-voyage-through-time-to-tap-the-wisdom-of-our/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Travel is the best teacher. The only way to an open mind is by taking a plane out into the open world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/travel-is-the-best-teacher-the-only-way-to-an-open-mind-is-by-taking/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [Mistakes are often the best teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/mistakes-are-often-the-best-teachers/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [Life & Time Are The Worlds Best Teachers. Life Teaches Us The Use Of Time & Time Teaches Us The Value Of Life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-time-are-the-worlds-best-teachers-life-teaches-us-the-use-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your best teacher , supporter, motivator and counselor resides inside your self as your soul , don't feel miserable in opposite circumstances , just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/your-best-teacher-supporter-motivator-and-counselor-resides-inside/) Senoraroy > [“Lucy, who apparently had no idea his girlfriend's father held him in such low regard, agreed with Noonan that he was pushing the envelope,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/lucy-who-apparently-had-no-idea-his-girlfriend-s-father-held-him-in/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“Oops! "Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results." Basic Text, p. 23 Mistakes! We all know how it feels to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/oops-insanity-is-repeating-the-same-mistakes-and-expecting-different/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“to teach is the best way to learn, but that the imperfect are the best teachers of the imperfect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/to-teach-is-the-best-way-to-learn-but-that-the-imperfect-are-the-best/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [We have seen that, in another unfunded mandate, the so-called No Child Left Behind Act, which created tougher standards, and we all support that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-filner/we-have-seen-that-in-another-unfunded-mandate-the-so-called-no-child/) [Bob Filner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-filner/) > [LIFE and TIME are the worlds best teachers. Life teaches us to make good use of time and time teaches us the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/life-and-time-are-the-worlds-best-teachers-life-teaches-us-to-make/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [There was the best teachers from the Czech Philharmonic, highly dedicated people, some of the best musicians in the world passing on the knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miroslav-vitous/there-was-the-best-teachers-from-the-czech-philharmonic-highly/) [Miroslav Vitous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miroslav-vitous/) [Browse all 273 Best teacher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-teacher/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When schools truly become centers of the community, where you have extraordinary teachers, the best teachers, the best principals, great nonprofit partners coming in during the non-school hours to support and do enrichment activities, social services, then those students will beat the odds, will beat poverty, will beat violence in the community, will beat sometimes dysfunctional families, and be productive citizens long term. 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