2016 Partnership District Award Winners

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Five districts earned 2016 Partnership District Awards from the National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) at Johns Hopkins University. They are recognized for excellence in organizing their leadership for partnerships and for helping schools’ Action Teams for Partnerships (ATPs) develop, implement, evaluate, and improve research-based, goal-linked programs of school, family, and community partnerships.

The award-winning districts have Leaders for Partnerships who are working to ensure that all families are welcome in all schools. They are guiding school-based partnership teams to develop programs and practices of family and community involvement that help improve student achievement, attendance, behavior, postsecondary planning, and other indicators of success in school. One district (see *) earned Special Recognition and a $500 prize for its work, progress, and promise.

District leaders for partnerships described district-level leadership activities that increased awareness of family and community involvement, aligned actions for partnerships with other district policies for school improvement, and extended family and community engagement in other ways. They also submitted evidence of how they directly facilitate schools’ ATPs to strengthen their schools’ programs of family and community involvement. The activities are included in their Leadership Plans for Partnerships (also submitted). Repeat district winners that earned awards in the past also showed how they improved their programs over time and scaled up the number and/or quality of school-based partnership programs. The districts’ work is guided by the NNPS book School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action, Third Edition (2009, Corwin Press).

The reports from the award-winning districts show that leaders can develop and continually improve “essential elements” of partnership programs: leadership, teamwork, written plans, facilitated action, funding, evaluations, support from colleagues, and networking with NNPS. Some district-level leadership activities are included in Promising Partnership Practices 2016.