Chapter 5: School, University, and Community Partnerships: Democratic Dialogue for Change

This chapter describes and analyzes the structural triad of a universityschool-community partnership (one-to-one-to-one) in an urban elementary school using elements of the Slater Matrix (Slater, 2010): purpose, resources, mutuality, resistance to change, positives and limitations of collaborative partnerships. We argue that knowing the limitations/barriers of differing organizational structures and resources is not a determinant of outcomes in less formal partnerships as are: (a) the quality of relationships among partners, (b) the orientation of partnership leadership and stakeholders, and (c) the shared desire to “do the right thing” or to address a civic issue that is a collective concern. Such analysis of the described partnership seeks to ensure the strength and sustainability of future, more formal partnership efforts.