This educator and executive director of a major corporation's educational partnership program describes the different roles business can play in K-12 schools. That's the answer some school administrators give me when I ask them how a partnership with business might be most helpful to their districts. As an educator who has worked on both sides of school-business partnerships, I understand why educators are tempted to think this way. Although schools and businesses are very different types of organizations, schools can learn important lessons from successful businesses and have compelling reasons to want to do so.
Businesses also have an obvious interest in education.
The need for a highly trained and well-educated workforce has never been greater, and more businesses are beginning to understand that they can play a role in reaching this goal. For decades, Merck has provided schools, colleges, and a variety of education programs with contributions, grants, and the time and talent of its employees. Ten years ago, Merck management decided that a more focused and long-term commitment of resources was required. Because we believe that teachers are the single most important school factor in improving student performance, MISE programs focus on professional development and other kinds of support for the classroom teacher. With the formation of MISE in 1993, Merck set aside 10 years of funding, thereby acknowledging the challenges inherent in this work.