THREE CRITICAL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN LOOKING OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT TO INCREASE LEVERAGE AND CAPACITY FOR IMPROVEMENT
Christina Kishimoto, published in the December 2022 edition of AASA School Administrator.
The demands on school leaders never have been more complex or demanding. They escalate, taking us further from the core mission of teaching and learning, while the needs of the communities that our schools serve never have been greater.
The definition of access to learning has expanded to include all community and family conditions that affect educational outcomes, including health care, mental health, food security, safe housing, family stability, technology access and transportation. While the school is an important hub for community engagement in matters related to the wellness and education of children, the pressure to address noninstructional matters has become overwhelming.
What is clear is that education leaders need better ways to address these needs that do not require building everything in-house. One of the best opportunities is to use external partners, through public-private partnerships, that can better leverage school districts’ capacity and policy positioning for more transformational changes.
