Chapter 2: Connecting The Dots: Program Coordinator as School-District-University Partnership Facilitator

This chapter provides a visual framework of the role of Educational Leadership Program Coordinators (PCs) within the context of a school-district-university partnership. The example upon which this framework is based is the work of PCs within a College of Education at a large university in the southeastern United States. The Educational Leadership Department offers Masters of School Administration (MSA) and Doctor of Education (EdD) programs for K–12 leaders at the school and district levels. The programs serve a large, mainly rural area and partner with approximately 30 school districts and the individual school units therein.

The School-District-University Partnership Framework for Leadership Development outlined herein models the partnership between university leadership preparation programs, K–12 schools and school districts, and the PCs whose responsibilities include managing and fostering the partnership in service to the educator students training to become leaders. The chapter explains each aspect of the partnership from recruitment of students to the projects completed in districts to serve the needs of students, families, and staff to the graduation of highly qualified leaders with ongoing feedback from districts for improvement of the higher education programs and the partnership. PCs in this role work to bridge the gap between higher education leadership preparation programs and K–12 school districts’ needs. PCs navigate a unique position to ensure the needs of students, districts and the university are met. Structures and systems that support and hinder these partnerships are discussed.