Jane Grinde and Ruth Anne Landsverk, Coordinators
Row 1: Jane Grinde (NNPS Key Contact, Elizabeth Burmaster (State Superintendent), Ruth Anne Landsverk (NNPS Key Contact), Joseph, and Jill Haglund. Row 2: Julie Allington, Janice Duff, Lita Haddal, Shirley Moutry, Brooke Ackley, and Neldine Nichols. Row 3: Monica Notaro, Andrea Greene, Patricia Bober, and Steve Kretzmann. Row 4: Doug White and Jeff Miller. Not Pictured: Stan Potts, Sharon Strom, and Janice Zmrazek.
Wisconsin’s program is recognized as one of the best-sustained efforts in developing state policies, technical assistance, grants, and other support for schools and districts on school, family, and community partnerships. The Family-School-Community Partnership Team (FSCPT) has developed interdepartmental connections with Title I, Even Start, Title IV, libraries, state PTA, Parents Plus, the PIRC, VISTA/Americorps, and Community Education Association. These colleagues help FSCPT conduct regional training workshops.
In 2000-2001, FSCPT awarded $500 seed grants to 37 schools and districts to help build partnership programs; sponsored VISTA/Americorps volunteers in 40 schools to help organize partnership programs; worked with 12 regional Cooperative Education Service Agencies for professional development to increase outreach to schools and districts statewide; developed website and listserv services; and produced publications on partnerships, including the distribution of 250,000 brochures in three languages to help parents understand Wisconsin’s state academic standards. The leaders note: “We are constantly discovering new ways to work together… in state units that previously had few interconnections.”
Over two years, FSCPT’s regional workshops served over 2000 parents, teachers, school administrators and community members across the state (usually in teams of 4-6) to improve schools’ partnership programs. FSCPT also developed a state-level Parent Advisory Council with Hmong, Native American, Hispanic, African American, and White parents to advise the State Superintendent on matters important to parents. In addition, the FSCPT leaders serve on committees in other DPI departments.
FSCPT in Wisconsin’s DPI has been developing, strengthening, and extending state leadership on school, family, and community partnerships for many years. This work is helping to guide other researchers and states in the National Network of Partnership Schools to understand the scope and potential of state actions to help elementary, middle, and high schools develop better partnership programs. See more about this program on the DPI’s website at: www.dpi.state.wi.us and click on "Of Interest to Families and Communities."
National Network of Partnership Schools (at Johns Hopkins University). . . is your state’s lifeline to the most current research, best practices, and a host of tools and ides that will help your state, school districts, and schools start comprehensive programs of partners, improve as they go along, and blend partnerships into your state’s education infrastructure. … On those days when a fork in the partnership road leaves you feeling uncertain, your friends in Baltimore will be there to listen, offer suggestions, and put you in touch with someone else who understands your quandary. They always return phone calls and answer email.
--Jane Grinde and Ruth Anne Landsverk, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction