Program Context and Supports for Authentic Partnership

• In Event: Authentic Cross-Institutional Partnerships for Leadership Preparation: A Role-Diverse Dialogue About Partnership Initiation

Abstract

For Perspectives, Modes of inquiry, Data sources/evidence, and Scholarly significance, please see above.

Purpose. This paper lays out the context for our endeavor, namely how the three-way partnership for leadership preparation between a high school district, a state agency, and a university came about. Baked into this description is an outlining of the supports that were afforded to us, both intentional and happenstance, that others may want to draw upon.

Substantiated conclusions. Mutuality is crucial to all partnerships; overlap in the motives of each potential partner must exist for this level of collaborative work to succeed. In this authentic partnership involving three institutional partners, reaching goal convergence was multifaceted. The district’s primary goal was to prepare the next generation of homegrown school leaders. The state agency held as primary the goal of building district-level capacity of engaging in continuous improvement to ultimately improve outcomes for LTELs. The university’s goal was to maximize its relevancy, currency, and community responsiveness, as well as increase the recruitment of potential candidates. Recognizing that all partners had different goals, the formation of the partnership was semi-organic and layered. To support the partnership and achievement of each partner’s respective goals, investments and distribution of resources were critical. As one partner stated, “Everyone has skin in the game.”

Authors

• Michael Matsuda, Anaheim Union High School District

• Manuel Colon, Anaheim Union High School District

• Aida Molina, California Collaborative for Educational Excellence

• Lisa Kirtman, California State University - Fullerton