The Evolution of a University/Inner-City School Partnership

Abstract

The factors that hindered and facilitated the development of a collaborative partnership between a university and inner-city public school are described using ethinographic and interview data sources. The main deterrents to the partnership's success included differences in the perception of project goals by university and school staff and the many unscheduled changes at the school site and with project participants. At the end of the first school year, positive outcomes included the development of innovative teaching strategies and collaborative relationships among the teaching staff as well as improvements in the university teacher training program. The authors suggest that partnership is a developmental process and that each proposed partniership be studied closely to determine what strategies will most likely effect change given the parameters of the situation.