Fall, 1999 No. 7 National Network of Partnership Schools
Issues
and InsightsNew Partnership Awards Will Recognize
Excellent and Permanent ProgramsJoyce L. Epstein, Director
The National Network of Partnership Schools is helping schools, districts, and states turn policies into actions on school, family, and community partnerships. The Network has grown from 234 schools, 35 school districts, and 7 state departments of education in the fall of 1996 to over 1151 schools, 136 school districts, and 12 states this fall.
Most Network members are improving their partnership programs from year to year. Some are making dramatic progress toward permanence. Their programs are on-going, expected, and essential components of school organization and school improvement. The National Network of Partnership Schools will initiate annual Partnership Awards to recognize schools, districts, and states that demonstrate excellence and permanence in planning, implementing, supporting, evaluating, and continuing their programs of partnership.
Partnership School Awards will recognize schools in the Network that: have a well-functioning action team of teachers, parents, and an administrator; write and implement annual action plans for partnerships; include all six types of involvement and link activities to school improvement goals and student success; address challenges to reach all families; conduct end-of-year evaluations; increase support for partnerships in the school and community groups; create a welcoming school climate; demonstrate how partnership programs can be maintained through transitions in school or district leadership; and meet other criteria that will be specified in the call for applications.
Partnership District Awards will recognize districts/areas/clusters in the Network that: have a clear leadership structure (e.g., district facilitator or coordinator); write and implement annual leadership plans for district/area/cluster-level activities; facilitate the work of schools’ Action Teams for Partnerships; link family and community involvement to school improvement goals; increase support for partnerships among district, state, school, family, and community colleagues; conduct end-of year evaluations and activities; demonstrate increased and improved district policies, budgets, and practices of partnerships from year to year; and meet other criteria that will be specified in the call for applications.
Partnership State Awards will recognize state departments of education in the Network that: have a well-functioning Leadership Team for Partnerships including colleagues from various departments and state organizations; write and implement annual leadership plans for improving statewide partnership activities and for increasing the number and quality of district and school programs of partnership; link family and community involvement to state goals and state assessments; build support for partnerships among state, district, school, and family leaders; conduct end-of year evaluations and activities; and meet other criteria that will be specified in the call for applications.
Applications for Partnership Awards will be sent to all Network members in February 2000. The staff will review applications, check information, and select the Partnership Award winners for the 1999-2000 school year. Honorees will receive an award and will be celebrated in the fall 2000 issue of Type 2, on the Network’s web site, and in national and local media.
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