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NJAPIE PARTNERSHIP SURVEY REPORT
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A successful statewide survey includes the work of many people. The NJAPIE Partnership Survey is no exception. The following individuals and organizations are gratefully acknowledged for their assistance: Stephanie Harakal, Survey Manager The Survey Committee: Patricia Petracco, Chair Terry Evanko Jo Ann Dow Fern M. Mills Aleta You, Executive Director, New Jersey Association of Partners in Education Board Members, New Jersey Association of Partners in Education Staff Members, New Jersey Association of School Administrators NJN Public Television and Radio, for supplies and photocopying support Printing courtesy of Public Service Electric and Gas Company Acknowledgments | NJAPIE Mission and Goals | Officers and Board of Directors | Full Table of Contents | Executive Summary | Highlights | History | Findings | Partnership Characteristics and Activities | Benefits of Partnerships | Resources Needed for Partnerships | NJAPIE's Role | Conclusions | Recommendations | References |
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NJAPIE MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the New Jersey Association of Partners in Education is to develop and maintain an alliance of business/education partnership programs, volunteer programs, organizations, associations and individuals. The goal of this organization is the establishment of a state network of partnerships that will improve the quality of New Jersey's schools and the academic and social development of students. NJAPIE GOALS
Today's students need to understand how knowledge and skills gained today prepare them for tomorrow's careers. At the same time, businesses and institutions need a better prepared workforce. NJAPIE is committed to the development and support of partnerships that meet these needs. Acknowledgments | NJAPIE Mission and Goals | Officers and Board of Directors | Full Table of Contents | Executive Summary | Highlights | History | Findings | Partnership Characteristics and Activities | Benefits of Partnerships | Resources Needed for Partnerships | NJAPIE's Role | Conclusions | Recommendations | References |
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NEW JERSEY ASSOCIATION OF PARTNERS IN EDUCATION OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS Executive Director
Acknowledgments | NJAPIE Mission and Goals | Officers and Board of Directors | Full Table of Contents | Executive Summary | Highlights | History | Findings | Partnership Characteristics and Activities | Benefits of Partnerships | Resources Needed for Partnerships | NJAPIE's Role | Conclusions | Recommendations | References |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Officers and Board of Directors Partnership Characteristics and Activities
Groups represented Longevity of partnerships Length of involvement with partnerships Education's involvement in partnerships Primary purpose or goal of partnerships Level of involvement with the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Geographic locations
Most important benefit - Respondent organizations Estimated expenses - Respondent organizations Major benefits - Partner organizations Estimated expenses - Partner organizations Resources Needed to Develop and Sustain Partnerships
Resources needed to sustain and/or improve partnerships New partnerships needed
Helpful activities Most helpful activity Important issues to be addressed Acknowledgments | NJAPIE Mission and Goals | Officers and Board of Directors | Full Table of Contents | Executive Summary | Highlights | History | Findings | Partnership Characteristics and Activities | Benefits of Partnerships | Resources Needed for Partnerships | NJAPIE's Role | Conclusions | Recommendations | References |
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In 1994, the New Jersey Association of Partners in Education (NJAPIE) developed a database and produced a publication listing New Jersey educational partnerships. The database included mainly partnership names, locations, and contact information. What was not included was information on why a specific partnership was formed, what benefits were derived from the partnership, where resources were obtained, when the partnership was established, how long the partnership had been in existence, and who participated in the partnership. In an effort to expand what is known about educational partnerships in New Jersey and to gain new information on the role NJAPIE should play in supporting these educational partnerships, a new survey was planned and conducted in 1998. This report, along with information on the NJAPIE Web site at http://dimacs.rutgers.edu/~njapie, are the result of that survey. A picture of a wide diversity of partnerships with common threads of support for education and the Core Curriculum Content Standards, especially workplace readiness and school-to-career efforts emerged from the survey. The main partners for most partnerships included schools and businesses, but there were often several other partners included along with these main partners. Partnerships are big business. Although many respondents failed to include financial data in their responses, the total of cash and in-kind expenses that were reported totaled more than $28 million. The survey met its goal of getting responses from partnerships that have been in existence for a number of years and from people who have been actively involved in the partnership over a period of time. The majority of responses indicated involvement for three or more years in both cases. The goal of getting responses from partnerships from throughout the state was also met. Information on individual partnerships, their purpose, and contact information, plus information on partnerships in general is included on the Web site given above. A number of different benefits are realized through educational partnerships. The main themes delineated seem to be career preparation, community outreach, outside expertise and personnel, financial support, additional social services, increased networking, and support for education and for the partnership in general. Recognition for an organization and access to a targeted audience were also listed as benefits. Although funding is an important aspect of both establishing and sustaining a partnership, the ability to network with other organizations is even more important when establishing a partnership. Once the partnership is established, the focus on networking drops and the need for communication between partners becomes more important. The need for personnel to carry out the partnership is as high as the need for networking when establishing a new partnership and becomes even more important in sustaining the partnership. Increased commitment to the partnership also rises as the partnership continues. Support for the partnership from others in the participating organizations, from administrators and high level corporate sponsors, and from the community are important, but to a lesser degree for establishing and for continuing a partnership. This support may be in the form of release time, training, personnel on loan, or interaction with people who have needed expertise. Because each partnership is different, it is difficult to determine one or two main resources that are needed for all partnerships. What is critical to one partnership is not deemed to be a high need by another. For the most part, suggestions for new partnerships mirror what is already being done. To some degree, this supports the few respondents who felt that existing partnerships should be expanded rather than trying to establish new ones. The partnerships that are included in this survey are looking for assistance in expanding and improving what they are doing and this is an area where NJAPIE can be of assistance. According to respondents, the most important assistance that NJAPIE can supply is the database developed in conjunction with the survey. The information in the database will be available from a central NJAPIE location or clearinghouse. It will also be available on the NJAPIE Web site as a listing of partnerships that includes contact information and the purpose of each partnership. Other information also will be on the Web site in a more generalized format rather than associated with specific partnerships. NJAPIE workshops, conferences, and awards are of less importance to respondents, but they serve as a vehicle for addressing partnership issues. They are also important to the organization as a way of making others aware of the association and the contributions it can make. The issues raised are the issues that NJAPIE has always addressed -- how to establish a partnership, locating funding sources, and involving business in a partnership. Supporting and expanding existing partnerships, identifying potential partners, and garnering support from staff and administration are other issues. Inviting businesses to give the business perspective on partnerships, offering effective ways to communicate and collaborate with partners, and showcasing successful models are issues that may need more exposure than in the past. In summary, the survey validates the efforts made by NJAPIE in the past and indicates a direction to be pursued in the future. With the help of the educational community and partnerships throughout New Jersey, the survey will remain a living document that will continue to gather and disseminate information for many years. Acknowledgments | NJAPIE Mission and Goals | Officers and Board of Directors | Full Table of Contents | Executive Summary | Highlights | History | Findings | Partnership Characteristics and Activities | Benefits of Partnerships | Resources Needed for Partnerships | NJAPIE's Role | Conclusions | Recommendations | References |
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HIGHLIGHTS
- Support for partnership activities - Benefits for students - Financial support - Support for post-secondary education - Recognition for the organization - Specific identified audiences
Acknowledgments | NJAPIE Mission and Goals | Officers and Board of Directors | Full Table of Contents | Executive Summary | Highlights | History | Findings | Partnership Characteristics and Activities | Benefits of Partnerships | Resources Needed for Partnerships | NJAPIE's Role | Conclusions | Recommendations | References |
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HISTORY In 1997, the NJAPIE Board of Directors formed a Needs Assessment Subcommittee to determine how to proceed in order to obtain information to be used in guiding future organizational endeavors. Initial recommendations from the sub-committee were presented at the June 18, 1997 Board meeting. Reaction to the initial recommendations and the subsequent direction given to the subcommittee resulted in a proposal for a survey on educational partnerships to be developed and administered by a graduate student. Initially, the target sample was to consist of approximately 200 people, known to be leaders within the school or business communities, higher education, or community-based organizations currently involved in partnerships with schools. Ideally, the survey participants, to be suggested by Board members, would represent all three regions of the state (north, central, and south), reflect a cross section of the various kinds of partnerships in the state, and have direct knowledge of the issues related to partnership development. Later, it was decided to send the survey to the membership of NJAPIE in addition to the target group. By the September 11, 1997 Board meeting, a proposed budget and anticipated time line were developed and a graduate student was selected to perform the research. Receiving approval from the Board to proceed with the survey, the committee worked with the graduate student to develop a cover letter and pilot version of the survey. In early November, this pilot effort was sent to all Board members and two or three others with an interest in educational partnerships. Based on feedback received from the pilot, plus input from the Board at their meeting in January of 1998, the survey and cover letter were updated to their final form. By the March 12, 1998 Board meeting, personalized cover letters and surveys had been sent to the target group and a slightly modified, generic cover letter and survey was sent to each NJAPIE member. A total of 57 useable surveys were received as a result of this mailing, a return rate of 15%. Preliminary findings from the completed surveys were reported at the Board meeting held on June 3, 1998. At that meeting, it was decided that a second mailing should be done to increase the response rate. As a result of the second mailing, and including the useable surveys returned in the pilot phase, a final total of 81 surveys were received, an overall return rate of 22%. By the September 17, 1998 Board meeting, survey results were tabulated and a draft of the final report was presented to the board. Revisions based on feedback from that meeting plus input from survey committee members were incorporated into the report. The final report was presented at the December 17, 1998 Board meeting. Acknowledgments | NJAPIE Mission and Goals | Officers and Board of Directors | Full Table of Contents | Executive Summary | Highlights | History | Findings | Partnership Characteristics and Activities | Benefits of Partnerships | Resources Needed for Partnerships | NJAPIE's Role | Conclusions | Recommendations | References |
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FINDINGS Partnership Characteristics and Activities Educational partnerships can involve many different types of organizations with the stages of a partnership ranging from initial planning to well-established, long-term relationships. This section of the NJAPIE survey gathered information about the general characteristics of organizations and the partnership activities in which respondents are involved. Question: What groups are involved in this partnership? In order to identify the various types of organizations included in New Jersey partnerships, survey respondents had a choice of six types of organizations (School, Business, Community, Preschool, Higher Education, and "Other"). Eighteen of the 63 different combinations possible are revealed by the survey. The most frequent combinations, with the percent of partnerships in each, are listed in Table 1. Table 1. The Six Most Frequent Combinations of Partners in an Educational Partnership
In addition to the specific categories, the survey revealed a wide variety of "other" organizations involved in partnerships. The 41 responses listed can be summarized as (1) foundations, (2) associations, (3) museums/science centers, (4) groups related to the arts, (5) broadcast organizations, (6) hospitals, and (7) government/social agencies. One respondent also listed Senior Citizen Clubs, which might be considered community groups, but were considered under the category of "other" for the purposes of this survey. As might be expected in a survey of educational partnerships, all partnerships included an educational organization, with 80 of 81 partnerships including a school or schools and 44 of the partnerships including higher education. The frequency with which each of the six categories of organizations is included in an educational partnership is seen in Figure 1.
If we look at the number of partners in each partnership, we see that the majority of partnerships have between two and four partner organizations as illustrated in Figure 2.
Question: Which group do you represent?
Over half (44 of 81 or 54%) of the respondents represented schools. The distribution among the six choices can be seen in Figure 3. It should be noted that three respondents indicated multiple answers to this question. By reviewing the remainder of the survey responses, it was determined that one respondent worked most closely with the school system, one with the business community, and one with a foundation ("other"), and they are reported under those categories rather than as they responded. Question: How long has the partnership been in existence?
From the chart in Figure 4, it is easy to see that most of the partnerships included in this survey have been in existence for three years or more. And if we look at the chart in Figure 5, we see that most of the people who responded to the survey have been with their partnership for three or more years. One person indicated that the partnership has existed for three or more years, but they are new to it. Five respondents indicated at least a year's experience with their partnerships, but that their partnerships existed before they became involved. And one respondent left the question blank. Since one of the purposes of the survey was to include participants who "have direct knowledge of the issues related to partnership development," the survey seems to have met this goal. Issues related to partnerships will be revisited again, at a later point in this report. Question: How long have you been involved with the partnership?
Question: What is education's involvement in this partnership? For 16 partnerships, only one school was involved. For another 10 partnerships, multiple schools, ranging from a low of 2 schools to a high of 16 schools were involved. Nineteen respondents reported involvement of a single school district ranging in size from 2 - 18 schools. Seven partnerships involved multiple districts, up to 80+ in the case of the partnership with a professional theater company. Six respondents reported countywide involvement of schools. Four survey responses indicated multiple county involvement ranging from 2 - 7 counties. And 17 partnerships reported statewide involvement, with one of these responses indicating involvement on the part of hundreds of schools. Two respondents indicated that they were involved in multiple partnerships and were unable to answer this question. From these results, we see that the bulk of the partnerships responding (52 or 64%) deal with a single school, a single district, or the state as a whole. Question: Briefly describe the primary purpose or goal of this partnership. While there is great variety in the answers given to this question, there are certain themes that can be seen. The dominant theme, school-to-career preparation or workplace readiness, will recur again later in the survey. What might be considered sub-themes to workplace readiness include programs to prevent students from dropping out of school and programs that provide social services, including child care. A second theme, of support for education, was also very evident in the survey. The sub-themes in this strand include general enrichment, cultural enrichment, open communication, enhanced technology, parent involvement, and general support for education. Partnerships that support personal and professional development could be considered a third theme, although they also provide support for educational endeavors in general. Question: What level of involvement does this partnership have with achievement of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards? If every educational partnership in New Jersey was involved, to a maximum degree, with achieving each of the Core Curriculum Content Standards, each standard would have a maximum score of 405 (81 responses x 5 points). The actual scores for each of the eight standards are given in Table 2. Again, these responses support workplace readiness as an overwhelming concern for the educational community and those they partner with. Table 2. Support For Achievement of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards
Question: In which geographic area(s) of New Jersey does this partnership take place? Another goal of the survey was to include representatives of "organizations that are located in the three regions of the state (north, central and south)." As can be readily seen from Figure 6, all three regions are well represented. Since the greatest population density is in the northern part of the state, it was expected that the proportion of partnerships from the northern region would be the largest, and the survey supports this. Moving southward through the state, we see that the next biggest block of surveys came from the central region, and the smallest block from the southernmost part of the state. In addition, the number of surveys that indicated they are statewide partnerships is approximately the same as the number returned from the central region.
Acknowledgments | NJAPIE Mission and Goals | Officers and Board of Directors | Full Table of Contents | Executive Summary | Highlights | History | Findings | Partnership Characteristics and Activities | Benefits of Partnerships | Resources Needed for Partnerships | NJAPIE's Role | Conclusions | Recommendations | References |
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Benefits of Partnerships Different groups enter a partnership for different reasons. This section of the survey deals with the benefits experienced by the partners in a partnership. Question: Please list each of the major benefits that YOUR organization has received or expects to receive from this partnership. Many of the benefits revealed by this question can easily fit into several categories or are closely related. Nonetheless, several themes were evident. One of the main benefits revealed by the survey was support for school-to-career efforts including career awareness activities, career preparation through apprenticeships and training, and actual job placement as a result of the partnership. Dropout prevention activities and additional social services mentioned in the results might also be considered as contributing to school-to-career success. Another strong benefit of partnerships was enhanced support for the activities included in the partnership. The support comes from school staff and administration, from business partners, and from the community. As a result of this support, partnerships were able to achieve recognition for their programs, which translates into increased parent involvement and increased support for education in general. Schools also developed new, or expanded existing community outreach activities. A specific example of this support for education includes enhanced technology received through partnerships. However, given the current climate supporting technology enhancement, it was somewhat surprising to see that only three partnerships listed this as a benefit. A somewhat related benefit is support for non-academic activities for students. Another area mentioned is benefits to students. Partnerships can allow students to interact with the general public, improve student self-esteem, benefit from the mentoring provided by business partners, display increased motivation, improve grades and test scores, improve behavior, decrease their use of alcohol and other drugs, use less violence, and hone their observation, life, and thinking skills. And last but not least, as one respondent observed, "The knowledge that kids are learning more and more joyfully." Financial support is sometimes the first benefit looked for in developing a partnership. While financial support is an important benefit of partnerships, it is not the most important aspect of a partnership, and it did not always manifest itself with actual dollars. The provision of video or other equipment, or use of new or additional facilities may also be considered financial support as it decreases a school's outlay of funds or provides items that otherwise are unobtainable. Support for students interested in post secondary education is another benefit revealed by the survey. Such support takes the form of college credit for high school seniors as well as scholarships for students. Professional development, personal development, access to targeted audiences, networking in general, and additional personnel and expertise including leadership are other benefits revealed by the survey. Question: Which ONE benefit is most important to YOUR organization? As might be expected, different partnerships feel that different benefits are the most important to them. The main themes expressed as the most important benefits are career preparation, community outreach, expertise, funding, networking, social services, and support for the partnership and for education in general. Question: Please estimate the expenses incurred by YOUR organization in connection with this partnership. Almost half of the respondents left this question blank or gave answers that could not be quantified. Nevertheless, amounts ranging from $40 to $7 million in cash expenses were reported for a total of $18,302,790. In-kind expenses reported ranged from a low of $100 to a high of $1.5 million for a total of $3,052,400 and an aggregate total of $21,355,190 for cash and in-kind expenses. Question: Please list each of the major benefits that your PARTNER organization has received or expects to receive from this partnership. The major benefits received by partner organizations, according to survey respondents, closely parallel those given above by the survey respondents for themselves. However, perhaps because the partner organizations were most often the non-educational partner, there were two noticeable differences. The first of these is a greater number reporting recognition for their partnership efforts as a significant benefit. Another is the identification of what might be called a "target audience." For example, the partnership might expose new technology to potential users, might facilitate selling services needed for products used in the partnership, or might be a test site for new technology. Question: Please estimate the expenses incurred by your PARTNER organization in connection with this partnership. Estimates for cash expenses incurred by partner organizations ranged from $50 to $1 million for a total of $2,655,750. In-kind expenses ranged from a low of $500 to a high of $3 million for a total of $4,029,100 and an aggregate total of $6,684,850 for cash and in-kind expenses. Acknowledgments | NJAPIE Mission and Goals | Officers and Board of Directors | Full Table of Contents | Executive Summary | Highlights | History | Findings | Partnership Characteristics and Activities | Benefits of Partnerships | Resources Needed for Partnerships | NJAPIE's Role | Conclusions | Recommendations | References |
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Resources Needed to Develop and Sustain Partnerships Many different resources are needed in order to establish and maintain a successful partnership, with some resources more important than others. This section of the survey addresses these resource needs. Question: What resources are needed to help you ESTABLISH an educational partnership? Please RANK your responses in order of importance. The two resources listed most often as the most important resource needed to establish an educational partnership were the ability to network with other organizations and people to actually do the work of the partnership. Funding for the partnership was slightly less important, but still in the top three. The fourth most often listed resource was support from others in the partnering organizations. Also listed, with less frequency, were administrative support, leadership, and time to devote to the partnership, which all received equal billing among the most important resources needed to establish a partnership. Other resources listed included publicity, training, people with needed expertise, available students, understanding the needs of a school system, willingness to listen and share ideas, and a willingness to try new strategies. Resources listed as second, third, fourth and fifth most important resources needed include most of the resources already listed as first choices. In addition, respondents listed the use of facilities and successful models to follow as resources needed to establish a partnership. Question: What resources are most helpful in SUSTAINING and/or IMPROVING an educational partnership? Please RANK your responses in order of importance. Once a partnership is established, the resources needed to sustain and/or improve it seem to shift somewhat. Networking, which was so important to establishing a partnership, decreased dramatically as a number one ranked resource when considered for sustaining and/or improving a partnership. This may be because once a network is in place, it ceases to be considered a resource and simply becomes background or a part of the structure of the partnership. At the same time, communication between and among partners became more important to the partnership. It may be that networking decreased in importance as alternate ways of interacting became more important. The other resource ranked number one for establishing a partnership, people to actually do the work of the partnership, was ranked number one slightly more often for sustaining the partnership. Commitment to the partnership also appeared as a number one choice, whereas it did not seem as important initially. Funding as a resource for sustaining and/or improving an educational partnership also gained slightly in importance for sustaining and/or improving partnerships. Support from participating organizations was listed as the number one resource needed only about half as often as it was for establishing the partnership. This type of support may have become the norm as partnerships progressed and was therefore not identified as a needed resource. The need for administrative support, however, was chosen slightly more often. Awareness and recognition of the partnership also rose slightly as a number one ranked resource. The need for evaluation appeared in the response to this question as did the need for facilities to be used by the partnership. The need for "culminating activities" was also mentioned under this question. Question: What types of new partnerships would be beneficial to your organization? Please be specific. Approximately a third of the beneficial partnerships envisioned would be with businesses and partners who could provide funding. Others indicated partnerships with specific groups such as elementary schools, child care agencies, parents, community organizations, hospitals, service providers, higher education, foundations, and special education. Still others indicated that partnerships that can provide career preparation, enhance education in some way, include training, enhance technology, provide some type of specialized expertise, or supply material contributions other than funding would be beneficial. Mentoring relationships, intergenerational partnerships, and non-traditional collaborations were also listed. Finally, two of the respondents felt that extending current partnerships is more beneficial than establishing new ones. Acknowledgments | NJAPIE Mission and Goals | Officers and Board of Directors | Full Table of Contents | Executive Summary | Highlights | History | Findings | Partnership Characteristics and Activities | Benefits of Partnerships | Resources Needed for Partnerships | NJAPIE's Role | Conclusions | Recommendations | References |
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The Role of NJAPIE One of the purposes of this survey is to determine the future role of the NJAPIE in supporting educational partnerships in New Jersey. The questions in this final section of the survey address this purpose. Question: Were you aware of NJAPIE before receiving this survey? If yes, through what source(s)?
There are many ways in which the partnerships indicating an awareness of NJAPIE in Figure 7 have become aware of the organization. Some respondents serve on the NJAPIE Board, some are members, and some are NJAPIE award winners. Others have attended NJAPIE conferences and workshops, have had contact with a member of the organization, or have received an NJAPIE newsletter or other print material from the organization. And two respondents indicated they became aware of the organization through doctoral research. Question: What NJAPIE activities would be most helpful to you? Table 3. NJAPIE Activities In Descending Order Of Usefulness To Educational Partnerships In New Jersey.
Please note that the total exceeds 100% because respondents were encouraged to select those activities that they felt would be helpful. Other activities suggested included:
Question: Which ONE activity listed above would be most helpful to you? Starting with the most helpful activity, the responses in descending order of importance were:
Question: What are the most important issues related to partnerships that could be addressed through the above activities? The issues identified as important to be addressed through NJAPIE activities validated what is currently being done rather than identifying a host of new issues to be addressed. Respondents are interested in identifying potential partners, establishing new partnerships, and supporting and expanding existing partnerships. They would like more business partners to be involved and they are seeking additional avenues of funding. The business perspective on partnerships, how to garner administrative support, more effective communication, and effective ways of networking and collaborating are other issues they would like addressed. Increased awareness of the needs that can be addressed through partnerships and ways in which partnerships can support education were additional issues. Sharing information and resources and showcasing successful partnership models are also important. Acknowledgments | NJAPIE Mission and Goals | Officers and Board of Directors | Full Table of Contents | Executive Summary | Highlights | History | Findings | Partnership Characteristics and Activities | Benefits of Partnerships | Resources Needed for Partnerships | NJAPIE's Role | Conclusions | Recommendations | References |
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CONCLUSIONS Educational partnerships in New Jersey, as represented by this survey, are distributed throughout the state and include a diverse range of organizations with schools and businesses most frequently listed as partners. Most partnerships include multiple partners and have been in existence for at least several years. Partnerships include people with long-term commitments to the partnership as evidenced by the large number of respondents who have been with the partnerships for several years. While the reasons for partnerships are as varied as the partnerships themselves, they cluster around the themes of support for school-to-career activities and general support for education. A minor theme of support for personal and professional development was also seen. The relationship of partnerships to achievement of the Core Curriculum Content Standards leaned strongly towards support of Workplace Readiness although there was support for all of the standards. Specific benefits received by partners were more diverse and at the same time almost all benefits mentioned supported education in one way or another. Students were not always the direct recipients, but the benefits listed made it clear that students were the ultimate recipients of partnerships. Although funding was not always listed as the prime benefit of a partnership, the fact that approximately half of the survey respondents reported a grand total of over $28 million in expenses connected with these partnerships, makes educational partnerships an important enterprise. With the variety of partnerships included in this survey, it is not surprising that many resources are identified and there is a wide disparity in listing which is the most important resource for establishing a partnership. Several resources listed most often as important to establishing a new partnership are the ability to network with other organizations, personnel to carry out the partnership, funding, and organizational support. Sustaining and extending partnerships require committed people to work with the partnership and funding to support it. Administrative support and awareness of and recognition for partnerships are a secondary strand of needed resources. It was also heartening to see that evaluation and culminating activities were included as needed resources. In literature relating to these issues, Sanders (1992, p. 3) says, "Evaluation gives direction to everything that we do when changing and improving school programs." Kouzes and Posner, in their 1995 book The Leadership Challenge, talk of "encouraging the heart." By this, they mean both recognizing the contributions that have been made and celebrating what has been accomplished. By incorporating these elements, participants are rewarded and strengthened to continue. Encouraging the heart can be done inexpensively and the rewards can be substantial. It is a resource that should not be overlooked. Acknowledgments | NJAPIE Mission and Goals | Officers and Board of Directors | Full Table of Contents | Executive Summary | Highlights | History | Findings | Partnership Characteristics and Activities | Benefits of Partnerships | Resources Needed for Partnerships | NJAPIE's Role | Conclusions | Recommendations | References |
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RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the last section of findings, which concern the role of NJAPIE, it is obvious that a statewide database of information on partnerships is viewed as the most important activity that NJAPIE can undertake to support partnerships in New Jersey. A central, stable, physical location, augmented by information accessible from the NJAPIE Web site, plus newsletters and other publications, is a logical distribution mechanism for such information. Some training can be accomplished through periodic regional workshops and state conferences. Such events also provide the opportunity to honor award winners, distribute printed information, and meet potential new members face-to-face; all activities that increase the visibility of the organization. This is not to say that NJAPIE must organize all such conferences and workshops. A more efficient and effective avenue might be to piggyback on other conferences. NJAPIE might be represented with an exhibit or a workshop presentation or both. Sharing sessions and sessions that spotlight successful models are other possibilities. In this way, scarce resources may be used wisely to reach many potential new members while supporting the partnerships already identified by NJAPIE members. In addition, NJAPIE needs to reach out to foundations and businesses as well as to schools in order to increase awareness of the NJAPIE organization, to increase understanding of partnership needs, and to increase the pool of potential partners. A full listing of partnerships including contact information can be found on the NJAPIE Web site at http://www.njapie.org Additional existing partnerships are encouraged to be included in the database developed in conjunction with this survey by downloading, completing, and returning the survey located on the NJAPIE Web site. Acknowledgments | NJAPIE Mission and Goals | Officers and Board of Directors | Full Table of Contents | Executive Summary | Highlights | History | Findings | Partnership Characteristics and Activities | Benefits of Partnerships | Resources Needed for Partnerships | NJAPIE's Role | Conclusions | Recommendations | References |
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Copyright © 1999 by the New Jersey Association
of Partners in Education, Inc. Phone: (609) 599-2000, ext. 123 |
© Copyright 1999-2007, NJAPIE, All rights reserved
