Building Sustainable University-District Partnerships for Teacher Preparation

• In Event: The Power of Community: Researching Transformation by Remedying and Repairing Teacher Education

Abstract

This presentation will discuss key elements of the Educator Program (EPP) and District partnership, including governance structures, resource sharing, and collaborative decision-making. A framework for sustainable partnerships will be proposed. Effective university-district partnerships are crucial for transforming teacher preparation, but they can be challenging to establish and maintain (Zeichner, 2010). Our experience offers insights into building sustainable, mutually beneficial partnerships that can withstand leadership changes and shifting priorities.

Our study employed a multi-faceted, longitudinal approach to implement and analyze the partnership structures between the Educator Preparation Program (EPP) and the school district. Drawing on the frameworks proposed by Warren (2018) and Zeichner (2010), we developed a comprehensive methodology to examine the various aspects of our collaboration. We conducted a document analysis of partnership agreements, meeting minutes, and strategic planning documents to understand the evolution of our shared governance structure. This analysis allowed us to track changes in decision-making processes and resource allocation over the three-year period. We implemented a series of surveys and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders from both the EPP and the school district. Participants included university faculty, school administrators, mentor teachers, and teacher candidates. These instruments were designed to assess perceptions of partnership effectiveness, challenges encountered, and suggestions for improvement. Surveys were administered annually, while interviews were conducted at the midpoint and end of the three-year period.

Author

• Angela Schroeder, Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity