Introduction Over the last several years, educational partnerships have proliferated across the country. Some have become vehicles for fundamental education reform. Others have delivered services to students and faculty to improve education or student outcomes, whether or not schools are attempting systemic changes.
Partners undertaking joint endeavors with schools also vary greatly.
Partnership relationships are built among schools and social service agencies, cultural institutions, businesses, industries, and institutions of higher education. From 1989 to 1994, OERI provided funding to educational partnerships that have a variety of educational improvement goals in public elementary and secondary schools. Our goal was to determine the impact of the funded partnerships, both on educational organizations and the community, and to find the processes and structures associated with positive impacts. Successful partnerships are characterized by an exchange of ideas, knowledge, and resources. Partners form a mutually rewarding relationship to improve some aspect of education, and the relationship must be based on the identification and acceptance of compatible goals and strategies.