SCHOOL-UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS AS CHANGE AGENTS - ONE SUCCESS STORY

Much has been written about school/university partnerships and the degree of success or failure which they have met. The Learning Consortium, a partnership between six organizations (two Universities and four school districts) was established in 1988. Since that time the Consortium has been a conduit for change in all members. A number of factors can be attributed to the success of the partnership. These include long-term commitment, the effect of early successes, stable finances, credibility of the university faculty and the collegial model for managing activities, and decision-making. In particular, three trends can be noted in the pattern of change implementation in organizations. Consortium activities have mobilized a critical mass to implement change; the joint activities have tended to build on and develop previous activities to become organic extensions rather than ad hoc programs; the partners have used Consortium initiatives as starting points for system change.