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DOCUNENT MUNE ED 345 088 CZ 061 196 TITLE School-to-Work Connecticms: Formulas for Success. INSTITUTION Employment and Training Administration (DOW: Washington. DC. Office of WOrk -Based Learning. PUB DATE 92 NOTE 30p. PUB TYPE Reports - Descriptive (141) EDRS PRICE NFO1/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Education Work Relationship; *Financial Support; Postsecondary Education; Problem Solving; Program Development; =Program Effectiveness; Program Implementation; Publicity; *School Business Relationship; Secondary Education; Work Experience IDENTIFIERS *Partnerships in Education ABSTRACT This booklet offers guidelines on now to set up school-employer partnerships based on how others have planned, organized, operated, promoted, and funded their programs. This document describes the following strategies that work in school-to-work transition: (1) developing and maintaining partnerships; (2) planning: (3) learning; (4) anticipating and planning for problems; (5) funding; and (6) promotion to keep partnerships intact. Descriptions of seven successful high school and three post-high school programs are followed by 16 other sources of helpful information. (NLA) ************************M***************************0*************C** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***:ift*Otft*************************************************************** of Labor U.S. Department Lynn Martin, Secretary Training Administration Employment and Roberts T. Jones, for Employment Assistant Secretary and Training 1932 in this publicatkm is Material contakted in reproduced, and may be the public domain pornission of the fully or partially, without Source credit is Federal Goverrownt. is required. PerMisSiOn requested but is riot any copyrighted required only to reproduce herein. material contained made available to This material will be individuals upon request. sensory impaired 523-0281 Voice phone: (202) MD* 1-800-326-2577 for the Deaf ilefecommunications Device 3 S1214001.-TO-WORIC ONSUCTION: =MSS "' ULAS Knt U.S. Department of Labor Administration Employment and Training Office of WorkBased Learning CONTENTS INTRODUCTION SEEKING SUCCESS Learning What Works. What Doesn't CHAPTER ONE ERSHIPS Developing Them. Maintaining Them CHAPTER TWO PLANNING An Essential Element CHAPTER THREE LEARNING Where Everything Comes Together CHAPTER FOUR 15 PROBLEMS Anticipate Them, Plan for Them CHAPTER FIVE 19 FUNDING Don't Let It Be A Problem CHAPTER SIX 21 PROMOTION It Keeps Partnerships Intact CHAPTER SEVEN 25 SOURCES Programs That Are Succeeding INTRODUCMON EKING SUCCESS Two things have to happen in America. and they have to happen soon. Learning One is that we must educate our young people more effectively. We must What Works, design school experiences that are so relevant, interesting and personally What Doesn't rewarding that students stay in school, stay engaged. and continue to learn. The other is that we must produce many more qualified workers. In particular. we need people who have the skills to function effectively within increasingly sophisticated employment situations. These have lone been important national issues. Now, however they have become urgent national priorities. But for the right things to happen. employers and educators must collaborate in ways they've never done and indeed, for all of society before, since for both of these sectors so much is at stake. It is to meet this dual purpose that the concept of School-to-Work Partnerships has evolved. The School-to-Work movement has actually been under way for several decades. In fact, in the past 10 years it has grown dramatically. with hundreds of active educator-employer partnerships in place throughout the nation. But even at that. things are only just getting started. Although so many nationwide system. programs are in place. we have yet to see a solid To encourage more partnerships. the Employment and Training Admin- istration tETA of the U.S. Department of Labor, has funded numerous CSR. Incorporated programs and studies. One recent study. performed by of Washington D.C.. examined a number of the more successful School- to-Work partnerships throughout the country to determine which factors contribute most directly to their effectiveness. This booklet represents the findings of that effort. It does not attempt to about set forth a model program. Rather. it offers guidelines on how to go setting up school-employer partnerships based on how others have planned. organized. operated. promoted and funded their programs. The intention is to share information about strategies that work. The programs upon which this report is based are highly diversified in served terms of participants. training designs. type and size of populations and geographic distribution. All of them have been in operation at least two validity. years: all have generated outcomes that confirm their A summary listing of these successful programs is included as the final chapter of this booklet. CHAKER 1 ERSHIPS Start a School-to-Work partnership in your community...and good Developing things happen! Them, %Wain* Teachers gain access to real-world learning resources and state-of-the- art vocational expertise. Employers are given a say in what is being Plight Them in school and gain direct access to new, more qualified employees. More students tend to complete school as lessons become more interesting more directly relevant to them. And the community begins to see a reduction in social problems as school drop-out rates go down and employment increases. In short, when public and private-sector partners combine their respec- tive resources, skills and self-interests to provide a better, more relevant educational experience for young people. everyone gains. Partnerships are generally formed at the community level. usually around a single school district. Employers contribute job-related criteria tor inclusion in classroom curriculum. They provide on-the-job training, tours, presentations, prac- tice job interviews.., funding, mentors, superv isors. equipment. supplies... community contacts... and of course part-time and permanent jobs at non-subsidized wages. Educator partners deliver instruction, provide scheduling and program development expertise. facilities, logistical support and limited funding. Often they perform the necessary accounting, record-keeping and project oversight functions. Other local partners including city and county governments, family assistance organizations, chambers of commerce. labor, trade and profes- sional associations broaden the resource base considerably and draw public attention to partnership activities and objectives. Often they function as program facilitators or "brokers:" their negotiating role is most helpful in dealing with inevitable "turf problems. But as obviously beneficial as such collaborations are in truth they are challenging and, at times, rather trying undertakings. The assumption is that totally separate sectors of society, driven by wholly different orienta- tions and motivations, will interact smoothly, effectively. And this, any as sociologist knows, is expecting the near impossible. Still, so much has been tried and much good has come of it. A great deal has been learned about what does. and doesn't. work. These insights increase the likelihood of success flr new partnerships, their partner Hrticipants and, most assuredly, their many young benefactors. 3 generally means faster decision-making and Tune, Effort and Commitamt working within a more flexible calendar Partnerships do not occur magi- than is typically the case in most school cally. Rather, they require consider- systems. able time, effort and commitment. Partmn must allow for the fact Here are a number of "Keys For 3 that much time is required Por the Success" that new partnerships formulation of stable, lasting should consider partnerships. Creating strong, durable partnerships in- Partners should develop a clear, evitably requires a great deal of time. Much shared vision of intended out- of this is expensive time because of the 1 comes and should be partial- significant Mvolventent and commitment lady sensitive to one another's required of upper-level managers. espe- individual objectives. cially during the initial implementation Before anything happens. there must be phases. Moreover, continuous readjust- -- as a result of careful, thorough negotia- ments will be required throughout the life a genuine understanding among tion of the partnership in order to keep it oper- partners regarding expected outcomes. ating efficiently. A good School-to-Work These expectations should. in fact, be writ- partnership may take as long as seven years ten down, formalized. to develop to maturity, with occasional up- When developing these objectives it and-down cycles along the way. is important that the short- and long-term 4 needs or each participating partner be Partnerships must foster served. Prognims that focus on disadvan- climates of negotiation and cooperation. taged youth. for example. also help schools maintain steady attendance levels, aid em- Frequently. partnerships create inde- ployers in meeting affirmative action goals. pendent oversight entities or seek the assis- and help community service organizations tance of outside organizations to function achieve greater efficiencies with their al- as brokers. Such third-party players can ways-too-limited resources. foster a win-win intention and reduce the appearance that any one partner is serving 2 Educators should adopt a a vested interest. Generally. the broker's private sector industry perspec- role is to see that focus is held on two tive. issues: student needs and everted out- This is a very ctitical point. Evidence comes. By continually emphasizing needs and outcomes, and by conducting discus- clearly indicates that the educational part- sions so that compromises and solutions ners in most successful programs tend to develop what may be termed a -private always support the stated mission, partners inevitably bmadr., their motivations be- sector perspective." that emphasizes per- yond their own self-interests. formance. They readily accept their role as the main service-providing player on the Developing the partnership partnership team with responsibility for around a single $_nool or school carrying out learning mandatesestablished system eases the burden of by the partnership. They do not assume administration. unilateral control. They do show a readi- ness to deal with acconntability issues and While pannerships function effectively an inclination to negotiate and seek con- with an array of employer participants, it is sensus when problems arise. advisable to limit educationalpanicipation One important aspect of this perform- to a single school district or system so only ance perspective is a commitment to time- one educational entity is the point of con- In successful programs. schools lines. tact for all partners. It facilitates commu- learned to show a "quick turn" responsive- nication tremendously. and a single set of ness when bringing training on-line. This books and administrative procedures makes 4 speak favorably about the program and far easier the Noe-school-system program share credit for its success is reinforced. involving multiple to admin i ster than those partnership systems. In a case in which one must come from Commitment involves 16 school systems, just one ad- 8 the very top levels of partkipat- ministers and operates the program. ins us ganizations. of A genuine commitment to the matter Employers of al/ sizes and types 6 making the scho)1 experience more should be included in School-to- meaningful. more relevant and more ef- Work partnerships. fective for all concerned must ori?inate Large employers are usually better able from the top levels of partner o. Ice lin- responsi- to handle the added supervisory tions... and must grow both horizontally bilities associated with School-to-Work and vertically within all partner organiza- on-the- programs. and generally have more tions if partnerships are to be truly success- job training slots to offer. Small businesses. ful. This may be the most important lesson look to partner- on the other hand, often learned from studying established pro- ships as a source of part-time workers. And grams. while students might not receive as much In the best programs. commitment typi- structured training within small-employer cally comes from the CEO or at least from varied contexts, they generally gain more within the employer a senior vice-president work experiences. Smaller businesses also organizations, from top elected officials on gain from partnership involvements by the public sector side, and from the super- extending their influence and networks. intendent or president of a school system or community college. Unwavering in its pur- Partnerships must foster open. 7 suit of the common mission, this top-level honest, and frequent communi- commitment confers appropriate status and cation. visibility upon the partnership. The most successful partnerships are But while decision-making authority rests characterized by candid communication at for main- at upper levels, the responsibility all levels, often on a daily basis. regarding taining contacts, generating support, and all aspects of program activity and policy. making operational decisions must extend New ideas are routinely encouraged. If an vertically and then horizontally within aH idea is rejected. partners are urged (ex- participating organizations as programs difficul- pected) to rework it, indicate the of the pro- mature. In this way, ownership ties with it, and offer suggestions about experi- gram and pride in the outcomes are how it could be made useful. This behavior is enced at all levels, and commitment produces feelings of ownership. contribu- further extended and solidified. all collaborat- tion and commitment within and the inclination to ing organizations How to Develop A Schod.to.Work Partners* First, set up a committee which includes representatives of all known stakeholder organizations; assign it the task of giving initial form and substance to Ow partnership. Be sure to structure initial meetings as free-flow discussion sessions. Talk about target groups. levels of commitment and involvement. geographic boundaries, and potential resources. See that all representatives join in the discussions. Formulate the mission of the Partnership; describe the idea clearly in a page or two. Be explicit about proposed outcomes, including the benefits that would accrue for each partner. Focus on rather than means. emis Develop a structure for the partnership. Consider such factors as membership criteria (who should represent each stakeholder organiza- tion), levels of commi.ment required. and ruks that govern participant interaction and dealings with the public. Establish regular meeting dates and elicit leadership. Draft and sign Memos Of Understanding that divide tasks and responsibilities among the participants. Again involve all Resolve to continue the dialogue. stakeholders. Establish and maintain such linkage mechanisms as Advisory Commit- tees and Boards of Directors, fund-raising programs. sub-committees, etc. These will help sustain and extend the partnership. Write the School-to-Work program. Establish goals. measurable objectives, time frames, resource allocations, expectations, roles and responsibilities, etc. Again, formalize the plan within a document that stakeholders can sign. Be sure to develop program alternatives and consider the probability for success of each. Divide the program into phases with clearly differentiated beginning, midway and mature program activities and objectives. Develop an aggressive outreach campaign speak to community groups; participate in civic events and projects; connect with governmen- tal offices; advertise the program to potential partners and participants. Provide frequent progress updates to media sources, gover nment agencies. target groups, partners. and other interested parties. Continually review and revise the program. Include all stakeholders in an ongoing evaluation process and strive for consensus in all decision making. Check regularly with partners regarding their perceptions of progress. Recognize that revision is necessary for continuing growth.