Urban schools are sites of both systemic harm and collective resilience. As equity efforts face political backlash, school–family–community partnerships have become essential for protecting students and transforming schools. Guided by an expanded seven-step partnership model, this article offers a framework for building equity-focused partnerships in supportive and restrictive environments. We identify four foundational principles: democratic collaboration, empowerment, strengths focus, and social justice; show how counselors enact liberatory or subversive praxis based on school climate; and introduce justice and resilience social capital. This model provides adaptable strategies to protect students, strengthen partnerships, and foster transformation amid shifting political threats.
Bryan et al. (2026) studied this question.