Working With School-University Partners

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: Scholar to Scholar: A Collaboration Between Practitioner Scholars, Researchers, and Organizational Stakeholders

Abstract

Texas A&M University’s College of Education and Human Development has had a 28-year history of working in partnership with Aldine Independent School District. This has occurred under four supportive superintendents and deans. TAMU and AISD have been, most recently, in a partnership related to school turnaround which is funded by the TAMU President and the U.S. Department of Education, SEED Grant. Therefore, the focus of this paper is to share how a principal and the TAMU director of the SLI worked together to turn around a school in Aldine ISD.

In this project, the College’s Education Leadership Research Center and the Center for Research and Development for English Language and Literacy Acquisition have worked with the Leadership Teams (principals, assistant principals, counselors, and instructional skills specialists) with intensive leadership coaching and with adding instructional interventionists. In addition, TAMU has provided external root cause analysis (RCA), work with the Campus Improvement Plan, a Principal’s Academy, and additional time with a personal coach, and Summer Leadership Institutes.

AISD has provided additional support on the campus from the central curriculum teams, Area Superintendent monitoring and support weekly, and professional development for targeted needs as identified in the RCA and the CIPs. A second-year principal from one of the schools recently stated her gratitude for this partnership, “We were able to prepare for a new school year by attending the SLI with my staff. It was a turning point for us to become one. We left rejuvenated and many have sent emails with ideas for the New Year. The principal and TAMU director of the SLI, will share 15 tips learned for turning around a school. This AISD School turned around.

Authors

• Donna M. Druery, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Jennifer Price, Aldine Independent School District

• Beverly J. Irby, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Rodolfo Gaytan, Texas A&M University - College Station