Examples of Successful Partnerships
Examples of Families and Schools Working Together
Parents and staff team up for technology in Seattle, Washington.
At Lynndale Elementary School in Seattle, parents and staff formed a technology planning team to develop a computer lab that serves families who do not have computer access at home. The computer lab is open during late afternoon or evening hours to allow parents and students to explore current educational technology together. Throughout the year, the parents and staff on the technology planning team work together to raise awareness about using technology for teaching and learning, to find ways to network schools, and to raise funds for the purchase of software and equipment. The group continues to explore the possibility of home-school computer connections.
Security Dads on the beat in Beech Grove City, Indiana.
Fathers at Beech Grove City Schools in Indiana provide a visible male parental presence at school-sponsored sporting events, dances, skating parties, and other student-based activities. These Security Dads ensure proper behavior, evict troublemakers when necessary, and generally keep the peace. Fathers are recruited through a variety of means, including requests made at parent meetings, student referrals, and home visits. As a result of this effort, paternal involvement in school and in children's activities has increased, and student behavior at events has improved.
TA reaches out to all parents in Mt. Vernon, Virginia.
Due to the determined efforts of the PTA president, the Mt. Vernon High School PTA grew from a dismal turn-out of 8-20 members per meeting to an outstanding 100 percent enlistment of teachers and a dramatic increase in the participation of parents and students. Recognizing that parents want to be actively involved in areas that most directly affect their children, the president reorganized the PTA, created a new mission statement, established a parent council in each grade, and developed community resource teams to distribute monthly newsletters and to gather support from the entire community.
Back-to-school rally sets tone for partnership in Flint, Michigan.
This past year, Flint's back-to-school rally, a wildly successful event initiated by the district superintendent, began with a morning of cultural activities showcasing student work. A community parade led to the rally itself, which drew a crowd 10,000 strong. The back-to-school rally reflects a successful community partnership within a strong system of schools that extends learning time after school and into the weekends.
Teachers flip burgers and recruit tutors in Macomb, Michigan.
A fourth-grade teacher at Armada Elementary School in Macomb, Michigan, organized a back-to-school barbecue the Saturday before school began. This informal setting helped teachers and parents break the ice, and with community members in attendance, the event set a positive tone for the new school year. Parents and community members used the gathering as an opportunity to volunteer to be learning partners for students who need extra help during the year. "All it took were some hamburgers donated by the PTA and some gym teachers to flip them, and the school year started off on a great note!"
Students help students meet entrance exam in Illinois.
The Chicago Public Schools Bridges Program pairs high school students with eighth-graders who have failed the high school entrance exam required for entry into public high school. For six weeks during the summer of 1996, these eighth-graders received tutoring in math and reading from 25 Lourdes High School students, who drew upon skills learned in workshops as well as their own special gifts and talents. Because of the positive impact of this tutoring, the program continues throughout the school year.
Talking it up for literacy in San Diego.
At a large community meeting in the fall of 1996, San Diego, California, kicked off a year-long literacy effort. As a part of this effort, the school district conducted a series of focus groups to develop a consensus statement and criteria for student achievement in reading and writing. The school district used these discussions to make informed decisions about the adoption of language arts materials.
Coming soon to a neighborhood near you.
Instead of assuming that parents who don't show up at school are not interested, Buhrer Elementary School in Cleveland, Ohio, makes it easy for parents to get involved in their children's education. Teachers hold parent conferences off campus in places closer to students' homes. The school also holds "Block Parent Meetings" for those families who cannot attend school events because they live on the outskirts of the community and lack transportation. Block meetings, which take place every few months in a parent's home or nearby library, address parents' concerns and offer an opportunity to discuss school-related information.
Working with parents to help kids learn and prepare for college in Dallas, Texas.
Roosevelt High School in Dallas, Texas, makes a special effort to help parents understand what their children need to succeed in school and in life. The school invited parents to an evening class to review the state assessment instrument and to discuss the skills their children are expected to demonstrate on the test. Next year, staff will train parents to help students develop the skills necessary to apply for college, such as completing financial aid forms, obtaining references, and preparing for required standardized tests.
The Berkeley Pledge, University of California, Berkeley, California
The goal of the Berkeley Pledge is to preserve the diversity of the campus through stronger partnerships with K-12 schools and districts; statewide recruitment activities; removal of financial barriers to University study; enhancement of Berkeley's undergraduate support programs; and promotion of undergraduates to graduate study and professional careers. The Berkeley Pledge Partners include other UC campuses, K-12 administrators and teachers from the four surrounding school districts, community non-profit agencies, school volunteer placement programs, industry partners, city and government funding agencies, and Berkeley's Interactive University project. Over forty schools with high-minority, low-income populations receive targeted services for teachers, students, and parents, as well as assistance with curriculum enrichment. These programs include one-on-one and group activities for students, as well as in-class support to the teachers. Mentors and tutors serving in this program are UC faculty, staff and students, as well as community volunteers.
Project GRAD, Houston, Texas Project GRAD (Graduation Really Achieves Dreams) is a school-community collaboration to improve the instructional quality and school environment for at-risk children in Houston's schools. 24 schools and over 17,000 Hispanic and African American students are involved with Project GRAD. This massive effort is supported by a partnership of school, corporate, and community-based organizations and foundations, with almost 90 percent of funds coming from the private sector and individuals. At the core of this effort is bold, research-based curricular reform to promote high standards in math, reading and language arts. This reform includes tutoring, mentoring and counseling, that focus on the whole child from Kindergarten through high school. Project GRAD promises all 9th grade students a $1,000 per year college scholarship if they meet basic academic criteria. Over the long-term, Project GRAD aims to reform K-12 education so that every kindergarten student is insulated from academic failure, graduates from high school, and pursues higher education. Project GRAD is gaining recognition as one of the largest and most successful efforts of its kind, and it is being used as a model for reform efforts in cities across the country.
College Reach Out Program (CROP).
The Florida program was started in 1983 to prepare and motivate students who are designated low income or educationally disadvantaged to encourage and enable them to enroll in and complete a postsecondary education. Students are recruited during grades 6-9. Postsecondary institutions in Florida provide tutoring, mentoring, parent workshops, and student visits to campuses. CROP has a $2.4 million annual budget which supports activities for 7,000 students each year.
Early Identification Program.
This George Mason University program is targeted to 9th-12th grade students in three neighboring school districts. It offers a summer academic core program, reinforced through school-year tutoring, Saturday enrichment, and help with admissions and financial aid forms. Early in the process, parents know that they must participate in the program and that they will be full partners in the program.
Montgomery (Maryland) College.
In partnership with the county school system, Montgomery College runs summer academic enrichment programs for 3rd- through 12th-graders which are held on one of three college campuses in Maryland. Approximately 1,000 students attend one or more of the seven programs that include New Directions, the Summer Student Writing Institute and Practical Preparation for College. There is also a program called Saturday Discoveries offering one-day academic programs for honors students as well as a program called Thinking Towards the Future offering topics not covered by the school curriculum
Accelerated Schools Program.
This Stanford University program targets disadvantaged elementary and middle schools and tries to strengthen their school structure and core curriculum. It establishes peer tutoring, arranges for continuing education for teachers and emphasizes parent involvement in school learning activities. One hundred and forty public elementary and middle schools nationwide participate. The program is intended to promote organizational, curricular, and instructional strategies that contribute to increased expectations, greater confidence of at-risk students, more inspiring school experiences and increased empowerment of teachers and parents.
California Partnership.
For 15 years, the University of California-Irvine, along with its partners California State University-Fullerton, Chapman University, Rancho Santiago Unified School District began the Student/Teacher Educational Partnership (STEP). Several programs operate under this umbrella including projects to strengthen the core curriculum, and to provide professional development for teachers, among others.
Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement (MESA).
This University of California-Berkeley program operates 20 pre-college centers at colleges and universities across the state and serves approximately 14,000 students. The centers offer interested and talented elementary, middle, and high school students math and science enrichment through tutoring, study groups, academic and career advising, field trips, special summer programs, and scholarship incentives.
The New Jersey Mathematics Coalition.
Few projects focus on the math/science area as comprehensively as the New Jersey Mathematics Coalition based at Rutgers University. By drawing together all segments of the community--education, business, government and the public--the Coalition is a catalyst and coordinator of a broad effort to reform mathematics education. The Coalition has developed New Jersey Mathematics Standards that sets out a vision for the improvement of mathematics, science and technology education. It has also produced a widely admired booklet, Mathematics to Prepare Our Children for the 21st Century: A Guide for New Jersey Parents. The Coalition conducts summer institutes for K-4 mathematics teachers and conducts conferences on topics as diverse as the use of graphing, calculators and the teaching of AP statistics. April of every year is Math, Science and Technology Month, during which numerous events are featured that bring together educators, county coordinators, museum staff, and business/industry leaders to participate in more than 200 events, including teacher workshops and student contests.
Loyola University of Chicago.
Loyola University's Countdown and Science Power project uses interactive cable television to give Chicago families an opportunity to learn more about mathematics and science. Children work with "television teachers" -- including university faculty, elementary school teachers and, sometimes, an elementary school student to explore topics such as coordinate geometry, symmetry, color and water. During the hour-long programs, which are broadcast two evenings a week on the community access channel, approximately 30 children call in with answers. Math and science concepts are taught through direct instruction and experiments, and are reinforced through game-like activities. This broad partnership includes Loyola University's College of Arts and Sciences and School of Education, the Cable Access Corporation, the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, state education agencies, and local public and private elementary schools.
Maryland becomes first state to sign on to the Call to Action.
At the impetus of Maryland Governor Parris Glendening and State Schools Superintendent Nancy Grasmick, the State of Maryland formally endorsed and joined the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education and President Clinton's "Call to Action for American Education." By joining the Partnership, the state has committed to a variety of actions to improve education, including: modernizing school buildings; setting high standards in all core subjects and participating in the president's fourth-grade reading and eighth-grade math testing initiative in 1999; helping every student to read well by the end of the third grade; and connecting every classroom and library to the Internet by the year 2000. In addition to the state's participation in the Partnership for Family Involvement, Governor Glendening and Superintendent Grasmick have announced a new collaborative effort of the Family Education Network, the State Education Department, and AT&T that will offer a network of school Web sites through which parents may access information about school activities, tips on completing homework, and details about financing a college education. The Web sites will provide e-mail services so that parents and teachers can communicate with one another. In addition, as part of a state partnership with federal agencies, the Social Security Administration expects to pledge the donation of 10,000 to 14,000 used computers to schools over the next three years.
Mayor and superintendent team up for positive change in Boston.
Boston Mayor Tom Menino and Boston Schools Superintendent Tom Payzant have built a strong partnership between the City of Boston and the community's public schools. Over the past two years, the mayor entered into a ground-breaking agreement with the Boston Teachers Union, increased capital expenditures by 225 percent, and created new "pilot" schools. Menino established a "Blue Ribbon Commission for Community Learning Centers" and charged it with developing a master plan to renovate and construct state-of-the-art school buildings that are accessible to students, parents, and the entire community. The mayor, along with Superintendent Payzant and the Boston School Committee, have developed a comprehensive reform plan for the Boston public schools. In recognition of the high expectations that come with the city's new learning standards, the plan establishes a credible baseline in the effort to restructure and to improve teaching and learning. Menino and the School Committee also launched "Read Boston," an aggressive public/private partnership to ensure that all school children read at grade level by the end of the third grade. Read Boston, which serves as an AMERICA READS CHALLENGE/ READ*WRITE*NOW! pilot site for the U.S. Department of Education, is a broad-based campaign to promote literacy throughout the community and to help families support the instructional experiences of their children.
Rockford to spend summer reading.
Mayor Charles Box of Rockford, Illinois, in partnership with Rockford Public Schools Superintendent Ronald Epps and the city's public libraries, have launched a campaign to organize more than 1,000 volunteers and pair them with children to spend the summer reading. The City of Rockford and the Rockford Public Schools have signed on to President Clinton's "Call to Action for American Education." In particular, they plan to focus on the goal of helping all children read well by the end of the third grade. The Rockford effort, which is built around the AMERICA READS CHALLENGE and its summer component, READ*WRITE*NOW!, will match students in grades 1-3 who are not reading at their grade level with an adult tutor who will read with them for an hour, one day a week, at a specific school library or branch of the public library. Participating students also will be asked to read 30 minutes a day, five days a week, and obtain and use a library card.
State representative speaks up on partnerships in Florida.
During the summer of 1996, Florida State Representative Lois Frankel decided to hold an event to foster community involvement in her district's schools in conjunction with America Goes Back to School. Working with Palm Beach County School District officials and Principal Penelope Lopez, she convened a community meeting at H.L. Johnson Elementary School in Royal Palm Beach. Johnson Elementary was chosen because of its success in attracting community volunteers. During the meeting, Representative Frankel spoke to parents, educators, business people, and community leaders about the importance of family and business involvement in schools. Representative Frankel says that the meeting provided an opportunity for school, business, and community officials to discuss the importance of partnerships.
State of the City in Fort Wayne speaks to literacy.
In his State of the City Address last year, Fort Wayne Mayor Paul Helmke announced the creation of a literacy commission. The commission includes parents, teachers, education experts, pastors, directors of literacy programs, and business leaders. During its first meeting, the mayor charged the commission with drawing up a literacy plan or vision for the Fort Wayne community. He noted that the vision should include recommendations for preparing children to learn by the time they enter school. He pointed out that while the area offers many literacy programs and services, they often are not coordinated and do not reach individuals in need. The literacy commission developed a resource guide to all of the literacy programs available in the area. After examining the current programs, the commission determined where there were gaps in service and made recommendations about how to fill them. In addition, the commission examined barriers to literacy and ways the community could implement a coordinated plan to overcome the obstacles.
Businesses make education their business in Bennington, Vermont.
To increase overall interest and active participation in the education of its children, the Bennington, Vermont, school district enlisted the aid of local business, religious, and community organizations. More than willing to offer their support, organizations such as the United Way, the Bennington Rotary Club, the Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce, Hemmings Motor News, and the Better Bennington Corporation take to heart the idea that "Better Education Is Everybody's Business." Hemmings Motor News encourages its employees to take scheduled time off with pay to volunteer in their children's school or in local academic activities. This organization has received accolades for its commitment to education and to the community.
Mattel, Inc. works "hand in hand" with schools.
Mattel instituted a school-related excused absence policy that encourages all employees to get involved in schools by providing 16 hours of paid leave during the year. In addition, the Mattel Foundation has begun the "Hand in Hand" program in eight cities across the country. As a result of financial assistance provided by this program, the Chicago public school system organized a Parent Summit with over 1,000 parents in attendance. In November, "Hand in Hand" organized "Take Our Parents to School Week" to encourage widespread participation in school activities and school reform initiatives.
Pizza Hut says BOOK IT!
This year, Pizza Hut has continued its sponsorship of the READ*WRITE*NOW! summer reading and writing challenge by providing the U.S. Department of Education with 1.5 million pizza certificates to reward children who complete the program. Pizza Hut has also continued a long-term commitment to family involvement in children's learning through its BOOK IT! National Reading Incentive Program. The program, which rewards children for meeting their reading goals with praise, recognition, and pizza, encourages parents to become reading partners with their children. Now in its twelfth year, BOOK IT! reaches more than 22 million elementary school children.
ACT helps kids "realize the dream."
ACT and the National Career Development Association (NCDA) developed "Realizing the Dream," a program to involve parents in their teenager's educational and career planning. This program gives parents the knowledge, resources, and motivation to help their children make successful career plans. A workshop introduces "Realizing the Dream" to parents of middle school and high school students, and resource materials are provided to help families progress step-by-step through the career planning process over the following months.
GTE goes live for college for employee parents and their students.
The GTE College Planning Seminar is an all-day Saturday seminar that provides more than 3,000 employee parents and students with information on the college admissions process and how to obtain financial aid. The interactive teleconference originates from GTE's headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, and is broadcast live to 40 business unit and office locations around the country for GTE employees. In some locations, the seminar is open to other community members as well.
Mobil Corporation "SAYS YES."
Mobil underwrites a train-the-trainer teacher training model that enhances the teaching of family math and science programs in 15 elementary schools in the Dallas Independent School District. Developed and delivered by the National Urban Coalition, the SAY YES curricula upon which teachers are trained is designed to be a fun, inquiry-based, hands-on, cooperative, and self-paced instruction. Over 120 teachers have been trained to instruct parents or responsible adults in family math and family science teaching technology.
Hewlett-Packard shares expertise.
Hewlett-Packard has recruited employees in sites across the United States to volunteer as Hewlett-Packard Science Partners in 29 U.S. elementary school districts engaged in a three-year Hands-On-Science curriculum reform effort. In addition, Hewlett-Packard is recruiting 3,500 employees to serve as Hewlett-Packard E-mail Mentors to 5th- through 12th-grade students and teachers who are engaged in a variety of math and science activities.
IBM Corporation helps "reinvent education."
Through "Reinventing Education," an ambitious, $25 million grant program in K-12 education, IBM has formed partnerships with eight school districts and two states interested in using technology to support their school reform efforts. Through their program, IBM will reach well over a million children and their families. IBM also has a number of family-friendly policies and programs, including the Individualized Work Schedule program, which gives employees flexibility with their work day; LifeWorks, IBM's dependent care consultation and referral service, which provides employees with advice on their children's education; and Education Today, a publication, supported by IBM and dedicated to helping parents become actively involved in their children's education.
BellSouth rings bell for school technology.
The CEO of BellSouth announced the company's commitment to provide Internet access and training to 4,000 schools across the Southeast. BellSouth will provide the schools a complete package that addresses every requirement for offering service--from school infrastructure, to technology, to curriculum and teacher training. Available to schools across the company's nine-state operating region, the program will provide inside wiring kits, volunteer support for installation, equipment, staff, Internet accounts, and training videos. BellSouth expects to contribute 5,400 BellSouth employee volunteers to implement the project; $25 million worth of BellSouth services; and $600,000 in school grants from the BellSouth Foundation.
Examples of Community, Cultural and Religious Organizations Helping to Improve Education
Chicago forms a Back-To-School Partnership.
An energetic staff member from the Chicago Academy of Sciences created a Chicago Goes Back to School committee composed of local members of the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education including United Airlines, the National PTA, Youth Guidance of Chicago, and others. These groups organized family involvement activities around a different theme each month of the school year. The first activity, in late August, was designed to help parents see that the "dreaded" science fair experiment can be fun and educational for parent and child.
Shiloh Baptist Church spreads its wings in the District of Columbia.
Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., has developed several programs that coordinate the services a church can provide and that involve church members in serving the needs of the local community. In addition to adopting a local public elementary school, the church provides for a math academy for children staffed by parish volunteers, and with the neighboring Washington Hebrew Congregation co-sponsors a program for pre-adolescent boys. Through these projects, Shiloh Baptist promotes family and community involvement in support of children's learning throughout the school year. Plans are underway to expand this effort by partnering with other community and religious organizations in Washington, DC.
Spalding University shows its spirit for schools.
Spalding University, a Catholic university located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, took the message of America Goes Back to School to the university community and beyond. The university began by forming a broad-based organizing group for their back-to-school kick-off, which featured a rally complete with buttons, balloons, and cheerleaders. High school students, college students, educators, parents, and local business leaders cheered on education at the rally. In addition, local, state, and national educators spoke on the value of community involvement and the need for families and communities to develop a long-term working relationship. Spalding University has formed a unique partnership with two Catholic high schools in the city, keeping the back-to-school spirit alive year-round.
Faith communities join hands in Jackson, Tennessee.
Faith communities in Jackson, Tennessee, came together in partnership to support children's learning in a very tangible way. In the third year of their program, 250 adults from 23 churches offered tutoring to 350 children each week. The program connects with the local school system through a homework hot line. Also, the faith communities have expanded the partnership to include local businesses which support and participate in the program. One of the program's founders enthusiastically champions such partnerships for their small price tag coupled with the big impact they can have on the life of a community.
United Methodist Church serves neighbors in Atlanta.
Grant Park Aldersgate United Methodist Church is located in a predominantly Hispanic area in the inner city of Atlanta. To meet the unique needs of the community, Grant Park Aldersgate created the Hispanic Outreach Center. Funding for this entity comes from the church through donations, and volunteers from the United Methodist Georgia Conference partially staff the center. With programs for both Hispanic children and adults, the center provides classroom space and education materials to maintain an after-school tutorial program that meets three days a week for students in grades K-6 and to operate a weekly program that teaches English as a second language to adult Hispanic women.
Religious leaders urge Arizona to go back to school.
An ecumenical group of religious leaders sponsored last year's "Arizona Goes Back to School." They have worked closely with public school and school board leadership on the local and state levels to organize a partnership between communities of faith and the public schools in Arizona. Religious leaders and public school advocates unveiled the new partnership with an event honoring current and retired teachers from the Phoenix area for their work with local youth. The participating teachers remarked how rarely they and their colleagues receive such an honor and what a tribute it was not only to teachers but to American education.
National Council for Jewish Women sets table for partners.
The local affiliates of the National Council for Jewish Women work closely with schools in their communities to identify and address barriers to more effective home-school partnerships by convening teams of parents, teachers, and community members. Out of these team meetings grow customized activities that often result in a commitment to work together to ensure that local schools are the best they can be for each and every student.
Miami creates forum to discuss violence.
The Unitarian Universalist Society in Miami gathered prominent people in the community to serve on a panel to initiate a dialogue among parents, teachers, students, and high school counselors about the root causes of violence. This Conflict Resolution Symposium opened the doors of communication in their community on this important issue.
Lunch program at local church takes off.
First and Central Presbyterian Church, located in downtown Wilmington, Delaware, sponsors a series of lunchtime seminars for employees of area businesses, many of which feature the importance of being involved in children's education and the ways in which working parents can do this. Building on the seminars, the church, the school system, and the businesses involved decided to start an after-school tutoring program using the church facilities. The school system trains employees of area businesses and church members to serve as tutors.
Partnerships sprouting up in Detroit.
When leaders from the Interlochen Center for the Arts and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America met at an America Goes Back to School meeting last year, they decided to join forces to help provide arts workshops to Detroit children and youth. Interlochen is mobilizing its substantial network of area alumni to work with students at local Boys and Girls Clubs. Alumni also will offer performances and workshops at the new Museum of African American History in conjunction with the Museum's exhibit schedule and educational programming. Interlochen plans to work with YMCAs and the Detroit Institute of Art as well.
Utah Festival Opera Company sponsors contest for kids.
Upon each visit, the Utah Festival Opera Company (UFOC) Educational Ensemble asks students to create an original project, such as a picture, poem, essay, costume, or set design, based on the opera program they witness. During the school year, 25 students were chosen as winners and were awarded tickets to attend a UFOC performance of their choice with their parents. At the performance, the winning students and their families received a special tour of the theater and an opportunity to meet the artists. The Ellen Eccles Theater also displayed the winning entries in the lobby for the duration of the UFOC season.
Six thousand commit to Oakland 2000.
Six thousand people attended the "Oakland Goes Back to School" kick-off rally, which was planned by the city and school district of Oakland, California, to celebrate the start of a new school year and to highlight the commencement of Oakland 2000, a program to help preschool children be ready for kindergarten in the year 2000. The rally also focused attention on the district's technology plan, which includes a provision to connect all schools to the Internet, and on the development of the schools as community centers, an integral part of the city's Youth Policy Initiative.
Camp Birmingham kids tackle books by the thousands.
More than 1,700 children participating in Camp Birmingham, Alabama, read over 35,000 books during the summer of 1996 as part of READ*WRITE*NOW!, an initiative of the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education and now a summer component of the AMERICA READS CHALLENGE. In early September, the district held a rally to celebrate the summer's reading accomplishments and to kick off the new school year. The mayor issued a proclamation to commemorate "America Goes Back to School" week. Following the back-to-school rally, volunteers continued to sign-up, and coalitions held workshops and back-to-school seminars.
Maryland legislators go back to school with the arts.
In October, 1996, the Maryland Legislators Go Back to School with the Arts campaign took 78 Maryland legislators and many other leaders into schools to experience the vital role of the arts in education. The Arts Education in Maryland Schools Consortium, a statewide partnership dedicated to advancing the cause of the arts as basic to education, initiated the campaign. Legislators and other leaders viewed a video that outlined the contribution of the arts to academic success and participated with students in arts activities and shared what the arts have meant in their own education and life. Photos from the visits were presented to legislators, used in publications, and displayed in the Lowe House Office Building. The legislature later approved the appropriation measure supported by the campaign organizers.
