• Program Development
• Partners
• Communications
• Evaluations
• Samples

The Daniels Fund research indicates businesses and schools must have an indepth and open discussion of such issues as goals, expectations, and matching schools’ needs and businesses’ resources. We've provided a sample plan to assist in this discussion.

Components of building a school-business partnership program include:

• Attaining buy-in of school district and business leadership
• Determining staffing and structure
• Developing policies, procedures and guidelines
• Setting up databases of schools and businesses
• Creating evaluation tools
• Establishing communications and recognition activities

Goals
Successful partnerships involve schools and businesses that are clear about their goals for the program. Sample goals follow.

The goals for business and community partners are to:

• Increase the skills and knowledge of the community’s future work force
• Influence public education through increased accountability and trust
• Boost employee morale through meaningful volunteerism

The goals for participating schools are to:

• Increase student achievement through expanded opportunities and partnerships
• Benefit from additional human and financial resources
• Increase partners’ knowledge, understanding and advocacy for public education

Putting Policies in Place
To deal with concerns about confidentiality, commercialism and safety, school districts have adopted policies and guidelines regarding such issues as:

• Distribution of materials with company names
• Signage by commercial institutions at schools
• Gift reporting
• Identification of volunteers in the building
• Background check requirements for those working directly with students

Link to sample policies on background checks


Advisory Council
An advisory council provides overall strategic direction for the program, recruits partners and enhances credibility and visibility in the community. Respected leaders who represent the school district, schools, the business community, government, area foundations, higher education, students and other key sectors should be recruited to serve on the advisory council. Members of the advisory council must also reflect the diversity within the district (e.g., ethnicity, race, gender, ideology, etc.).

Program Staffing
Successful programs have a formal, written personnel structure. Often the partnership project is a joint effort between the school district and the chamber of commerce. Most large school districts have a central program director who coordinates the partnership program. In addition, each school and business has a site coordinator.

The roles of the program director include:

• Oversee and direct the program
• Ensure program goals and outcomes are met
• Lead and manage staff
• Prospect and cultivate strategic partnerships
• Make strategic matches between schools and businesses
• Manage fund raising and budgeting
• Refine the program as needed based on evaluations
• Develop and implement communications and recognition programs
• Develop program policies
• Design training and orientation
• Maintain communication tools

The roles of the school site coordinator include:

• Developing a site-based partnership committee
• Meeting with the business coordinator to set goals and plan activities
• Arranging a site-based orientation for volunteers
• Explaining program to teachers to garner support
• Serving as liaison between the business and school
• Publicizing the program in school publications
• Attending district training and recognition events
• Evaluating the program

The roles of the business site coordinator include:

• Participating in planning meetings to set goals, expectations and activities
• Acting as a liaison between the school and business
• Setting up the volunteer schedule
• Serving as a representative of the business at school events
• Participating in training
• Assisting with monitoring and evaluation

Recognition Programs
Most long-term school partnership programs have some type of recognition mechanism, with school-based and districtwide activities.

Coming to consensus about recognition is significant and helps partners be clear about the public recognition they will receive.

The guidelines must balance concerns about possible commercialism and what is appropriate business recognition in schools. Developing clear guidelines early on will also help to ensure that all businesses – regardless of size and contributions – feel valued and appreciated for their efforts.

Recognition activities include:

• School-based: letters from principal, teachers, students, parents; end-of-year celebrations; certificates and/or photos with students distributed at school events; recognition at assemblies, special events, on school Web site, in school newsletter
• Annual district award for a specific partner (In some districts, both a large and a small company receive a “company of the year” award.)
• Awards for volunteers who donate more than a specific number of hours
• Continuous service award to long-term partners (e.g., five years)
• Certificates, bulletin boards, posters and/or banners to display at the school and/or business
• Annual awards luncheon/breakfast for school and business partnership program coordinators
• Recognition at school board meetings
• The Council for Corporate and School Partnerships, which sponsors an annual national award for exemplary partnerships that includes a monetary prize