Chapter 7: Develop District and State Leadership for Partnerships
This chapter includes an introductory article, supplementary information, and several tools for district, state, and organization leaders to increase their knowledge of skills and activities for partnerships. Information is provided on typical costs of partnership programs and sources of funds. Useful inventories will help district and state leaders organize their offices, identify present practices, and facilitate the work of school-based Action Teams for Partnerships (ATPs). Templates are included for district, organization, and state leadership plans.
The CD includes the following information and tools from Chapter 7.
For District Leaders
Lead and Succeed: An Inventory of District Leadership and Facilitation Strategies
Handbook pp. 258–261
The Lead and Succeed inventory assists district leaders for partnerships to identify present or desired strategies and activities to improve district-level and school-based programs of family and community involvement. There are six major district leadership strategies: create awareness, align program and policy, guide learning and program development, share knowledge, celebrate milestones, and document progress and evaluate outcomes. The inventory includes 50 activities from which district leaders may select some (e.g., 10–15) that will enable them to improve district-level leadership and facilitate schools’ partnership programs.
District Leadership Roles
Handbook p. 262
Use this short summary to inform colleagues about how the district will develop its programs and activities on school, family, and community partnerships. Focus clearly on the importance of facilitating the establishment of Action Teams for Partnerships (ATPs) at all schools and on developing school-based, goal-linked practices that engage all families.
District Leadership Checklist
Handbook p. 263
Take steps to increase district leadership on school, family, and community partnerships and to support schools with their partnership programs. Check the boxes when these basic actions are completed.
Sample District Leadership Plan for Partnerships
Handbook p. 264
This sample district plan illustrates how leaders may create a good plan based on a few clear goals and a limited number of activities to attain each goal. The goals and activities reflect major strategies for district leadership in the Lead and Succeed inventory, including a balance between actions at the district level and active facilitation of schools’ ATPs. District leaders may identify their goals and actions and then use the template (below) for a Leadership Plan for Partnerships to schedule activities for the year.
What Do Facilitators Do?
Handbook p. 265
This list guides district leaders for partnership to conduct a few basic—essential—actions to facilitate schools’ ATPs. Review and adapt the list periodically to meet local requirements and expectations.
District Facilitators’ Tasks at the Start of the School Year
Handbook p. 266
District leaders can get off to a good start in the first month of the school year by helping each school’s ATP organize its work. Also, begin the school year by working effectively with colleagues in the district office.
Summary of School Visits
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Keep a record of contacts and meetings with schools’ ATPs, principals, and other groups, and plan follow-up activities to assist each school. Create a cumulative, computerized record of how time is spent on both dis- trict-level leadership activities and direct facilitation of school ATPs.
For State Leaders
States Lead and Succeed: An Inventory for Leadership on Partnerships
Handbook pp. 267–270
The States Lead and Succeed inventory assists state leaders for partnerships to identify present or desired strategies and activities to improve their approaches to school, family, and community partnerships. There are six state leadership strategies: create awareness, align program and policy, guide learning and pro- gram development, share knowledge, celebrate milestones, and document progress and evaluate out- comes. The inventory lists over 40 activities that state leaders may select to improve partnership programs at the state level and in districts and schools throughout the state.
State Leadership Roles
Handbook p. 271
Use this short summary to inform colleagues of ways that state leaders will coordinate interdepartmental pro- grams and activities on school, family, and community partnerships. Discuss the importance of identifying and guiding district leaders for partnerships to work with school-based ATPs to develop comprehensive, goal- linked partnership programs to involve all families.
State Leadership Checklist
Handbook p. 272
Take steps to increase state leadership on school, family, and community partnerships and to support districts and schools. Check the boxes when these basic actions are completed.
Sample State Leadership Plan for Partnerships
Handbook p. 273
This sample state plan illustrates how leaders may create a good plan based on three clear goals and related activities for leadership on partnerships. The goals and sample activities reflect major strategies for state lead- ership in the States Lead and Succeed inventory, including a balance between actions at the state level to set pol- icy on partnerships and outreach to encourage district leaders for partnership to help every school work better with its own students’ families and community partnership. State leaders may outline their broad goals and related activities, and then use the template (below) for a Leadership Plan for Partnerships to schedule activities for the year.
TOOLS FOR DISTRICT AND STATE LEADERS
Template for Districts: Leadership Plan for Partnerships
Handbook pp. 274–275
This form, developed with input from district leaders, may be tailored to meet local requirements. Leadership plans must include and schedule district-level activities that benefit the district as a whole and all families, and facilitative activities that build the capacities of school-based ATPs to implement site-based programs of family and community engagement for student success at all grade levels.
Template for States: Leadership Plan for Partnerships
Handbook p. 276
This form, developed with input from state leaders, may be tailored to meet each state’s requirements. State plans must include and schedule activities that advance state policy on partnerships, disseminate information and guidance to district leaders for partnerships, and enable district leaders to facilitate school-based ATPs to strengthen and sustain goal-linked practices of family and community engagement for student success.
Leadership and Facilitation Strategies for District and State Leaders of Partnerships
Handbook p. 277
This slide defines the six broad strategies that help district and state leaders to organize their work on partner- ships and select activities for developing their partnership programs.
Sample Pledges, Compacts, or Contracts
Introduction to Pledges/Compacts
Handbook p. 278
Sample Parent Pledge
Handbook p. 279
Sample Student Pledge
Handbook p. 280
Sample Teacher Pledge
Handbook p. 281
Sample Administrator Pledge
Handbook p. 282
Pledges are agreements between and among parents, teachers, students, and administrators to work together for student success. The pledges—in parallel forms for all partners—list a few basic responsibilities that iden- tify common goals, shared responsibilities, and personal commitments. Some districts and states ask schools to collect pledges as a “school-parent compact.” The Title I legislative language, however, explains that a com- pact is a detailed plan and schedule of activities to ensure a partnership program. This requirement is better represented by the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships (Chapters 4 and 5). By contrast, a pledge or agreement is a Type 2–Communicating activity within a full partnership plan.
Standards for Excellent Partnership Programs
CD 7_20s (Spanish)
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Research identifies eight essential elements or standards of excellent and equitable programs of family and community engagement. When these components are in place and well organized, partnership programs improve from year to year. This Handbook guides school, district, and state leaders to meet these standards. See how educators, parents, and community partners are working to attain these essential elements at www.part nershipschools.org in the section Success Stories.