A Resource Learning Community is defined as a group of multi-age individuals who share common educational goals and/or attitudes of personal achievement, and who meet on a regular basis to share resources, collaborate on class work and discuss goal attainment.
The summative research on learning communities is overwhelmingly positive as studies repeatedly show that learning community participants display a combination of positive outcomes. Participants tend to have higher levels of engagement, receive better grades and have greater program completion rates than their counterparts who do not engage in learning communities.
Current research on education and crime is equally supportive. The 2013 Report from The Alliance for Excellent Education, “Saving Futures, Saving Dollars: The Impact of Education on Crime Reduction and Earnings” found that crime rates are indirectly linked to an individual’s level of education and that our nation could save $18.5 billion dollars in annual crime costs if the high school male graduation rate increased by only 5%. The report also stated that when graduation rates increased nationwide by 10%, there was a 20% decrease in the assault and murder arrest rates. You can check “The Graduation Effect” for your state by clicking on the link below.
