University-School Partnerships: An Organizational Evaluation.

Sixteen goal-like statements were developed around P. Reed's contention that university-public school partnerships promote interdependence between groups, a balanced exchange of valued commodities, shared decision making, adaptations to inherent barriers, and an enabling support structure. The questionnaire was pilot tested with members of other partnerships, edited, and sent to all faculty at Weber State University (WSU) in Ogden (Utah) involved in partnerships and to public school teachers (PSTs). From the pilot study, several questions were restated to increase clarity and the instrument was redesigned to emphasize the dual nature of goal-importance and goal-achievement. The instrument was distributed to 12 participants at WSU and 89 PSTs. Responses were received from 50 persons (6 in higher education and 41 PSTs), for a response rate of 50 percent. Respondents reported the relative importance of statements to a partnership and the degree to which statements had been achieved by their respective partnerships. Partnerships at WSU had developed positive relationships. PSTs and university staff can form teams. Specialized knowledge is used as needed. All participants are involved in establishing partnership direction. Although PSTs and university faculty are very supportive of establishing new relationships, progress toward real parity is hindered by their different perceptions of a faculty member's role. University faculty were concerned about individualism and their role as academic free agents; PSTs see themselves as members of a decision making system in which they have more limited control. (RLC)