The main purpose of this study was to assess the practices and challenges of community participation in selected secondary schools in Kembata Tembaro zone SNNPR. A total of 142 0f PTA, KETB, principals, woreda education office experts and secondary school cluster supervisors have participated. In this 12 (50%) of principals,48(57%) of KETB and72(85.7%) of PTA were chosen purposive sampling techniques and woreda education office experts and supervisors were selected purposively. Both closed-and-open ended questions are administered to PTA, KETB and principals. Interview was conducted with the woreda education office experts and secondary schools cluster supervisors. The other tool used in this study was document analysis while analyzing the data collected using these aforementioned tools; frequency, percentage, means and standard deviation was employed. Community participation in secondary school activities is low. The findings indicate that the status of community participation in the decision making, contributing resource and evaluating the implementation plan of secondary schools was inadequate. And the contribution of KETB and PTA members to increase the amount of resource available for school, development of a conducive environment for teaching learning process and to reduce dropout rate and repetition rate of students was not sufficient. Furthermore, the study revealed that lack of training, lack of awareness and lack of commitment and willingness ,lack of accountability on the part of principals, PTA and KETB members; and principals ‘unable to communicate with KETB and PTA members, lack of understanding their capacity , due to lack of training were affecting community participation. Thus, to alleviate the major problems encountered with community participation recommendations have been for warded .These included PTA , KETB principals and supervisors members at all levels in the process of school management ,provide clear and specific guide line and sensitize them, provide training to school Principals, conduct meeting, motivate and encourage PTA and KETB members organizing experience Sharing programs; provide rewards for those who have better performance and replace by new members those who are passive participants in the school activities.