Case 3: Unf-Lake Shore Middle School Pds Partnership: Moving Along the Continuum to Solve Persistent Dilemmas in an Urban School

Lake Shore Middle School is an urban school located in Duval County Public School District (DCPS) in Jacksonville, Florida. It was selected as one of the University of North Florida’s (UNF) PDS six years ago after undergoing a vetting process to ensure the right “fit” for both institutions. At the onset of the partnership, the Lake Shore leadership team expressed the desire for collaboration to improve middle school student math outcomes and to help improve outcomes for students with disabilities. Once the school was selected, a faculty member with expertise in special education was matched to the school.

UNF and DCPS have both dedicated resources to the PDS network (NAPDS, 2008, Essential 9). These resources resulted in the establishment of new boundary-spanning roles and structures (NAPDS, 2008, Essential 8). For example, each PDS is assigned a faculty in residence (FIR) and a resident clinical faculty (RCF). These positions work across school and university contexts by explicitly connecting the work of PK-12 schools and university teacher preparation programs. These hybrid roles require educators to assume boundary-spanning roles and be active participants in both settings. Ideally, these stakeholders understand the complexities and the culture of both PK-12 schools as well as university teacher education programs (AACTE, 2018; NAPDS, 2008). The RCF and FIR serve as the liaisons between UNF and Lake Shore. These roles are multifaceted. The RCF coordinates the clinical work on site that centers on teacher candidates” work within classrooms and alongside mentor teachers, where they will gain knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to become an effective beginning teacher. They understand both school- and university-based needs and ensure that school-based educators work closely with teacher candidates using evidence-based practices in clinical experiences.