Series No.: PA-003

Partners: Indiana State University - Terre Haute local public school districts

Source: PDS Partnership School of Education
Indiana State University
Terre Haute, IN 47809

Note: An interesting feature of this partnership agreement is its provision for two levels of involvement for participating schools. Schools may elect to become professional development schools, with corresponding commitments, or they may choose to become a Learning Alliance Network School, with less precisely defined commitments. Drafters of the agreement caution that, while appropriate for the specified partnership, this agreement may not be suited to other settings.

The undersigned, __________________ a school corporation (hereinafter referred to as the "School Corporation") and Indiana State University (hereinafter referred to as the "University") enter into the following agreement:

1. SCOPE OF THE AGREEMENT. This agreement sets out the responsibilities and rights of the School Corporation, of the University, and a student enrolled in early field experience at the University, such student to be assigned as a pre-student teaching participant in the School Corporation. For ease of reference, the following words have the following meanings:

"Participant" means a University student, enrolled in pre-student teaching professional education course(s), and assigned to the School Corporation for less-than-full responsibility for instruction or instruction-related activities as an obligation of the professional education course(s). Terms such as: observer, tutor, teaching assistant, etc. characterize various types of participants.

"Host Teacher" means a certified teacher in the School Corporation to whom the participant is assigned and who directs the work or activity of the student while he/she is in the School Corporation.

"University Supervisor" or "Course Instructor" or "Clinical Instructor" means the University person who is in charge of the course of study or specific experience for which the Participant is assigned to the School Corporation.

"Professional Development School (PDS)" means a regular elementary, middle, or high school where public school and university personnel work together to facilitate high levels of learning by all children of the school, to promote a better school environment for preparing teachers and other educational professionals, and to create a more supportive site for renewal of and inquiry by experienced teachers, administrators, school service personnel, and university faculty. Through the collaborative efforts of pupils in the school, community members, pre-service educators, practitioners in the school, and university faculty, a PDS becomes an exemplary learning environment.

"Learning Alliance Network School" means any school within the partner districts that is committed to initiate school reform guided by the collaborative efforts of all within the community the school serves. Participation is voluntary.

2. PLACEMENT OF PARTICIPANTS. The placement process is a collaborative process involving the University, building principals, and host teachers.

1. Requests for placement of Participants will be initiated by the University and may be either for an individual student or a group of students. The requests would go to the building principal who would in turn confer with the Host Teacher.

    

2. No teacher will be required to accept a Participant. If a majority of the teachers in a PDS site refuse to accept Participants, the school would no longer be eligible for PDS support.

    

3. No school faculty will be required to accept more participation students than the school faculty believes it can accommodate.

    

4. No teacher will be required to accept more participation students than he/she believes can reasonably be accommodated.

    

5. The University Supervisor or other designated representative of the University shall have access, at all reasonable times, to visit the classroom(s) to which Participant(s) are assigned, in accordance with the policies, rules, and regulations of the local school corporation.

3. PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS. Both parties to this agreement have a right and an obligation to insist on standards of professional decorum on the part of Participants that are consonant with prevailing standards in the school community and the education profession.

Neither party will discriminate in the choice of schools, Host Teachers, or Participants on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, veteran status or sex. Nor shall such opportunity be denied on grounds the University student is blind, deaf, or physically handicapped in some other manner, provided he/she is capable of performing the responsibilities of the position for which the assignment is sought.

4. CONSULTATION FEE. A consultation fee of $____ per Participant shall be paid to each Host Teacher up to a maximum of $____ per semester. The consultation fee will be paid directly to each Host Teacher and will apply to all pre-student teaching participation experience. Participants requiring less than ten (10) hours of participation are not included in the Host Teacher consultation fee. The consultation fee will be considered full payment for the independent services of the Host Teacher who is considered an independent purveyor for the Participant.

5. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL SUPPORT AND POLICIES. In order for a school to qualify as a PDS site: (1) a majority of the faculty of the school must be willing to engage in the process of school reform; (2) a majority of the faculty must be willing to work with preservice teacher education students; (3) a majority of the faculty must be willing to support inquiry, research, and the exchange of professional knowledge; and, (4) each school participating as a PDS site must be willing to allocate a substantial portion of its staff development resources (released-time for teachers, staff meeting times, etc.) to the goals of the PDS partnership. Each local school corporation must be willing to support and emphasize the PDS partnership. Final determination of a PDS site will be made collaboratively by the School Corporation and the University.

The PDS partnership will renew support for a three (3) year period commencing in August 1997. Documentation and evaluation will be conducted throughout the PDS initiative with a report and recommendations for continuation or modification made by May 2000. The initiative will be directed by an Administrative Board composed of the Dean, School of Education, Indiana State University and the Superintendents of school corporations in which PDS sites are located. The Administrative Board will have responsibility for procedural decisions and will be chaired by the Dean, School of Education. The Administrative Board will be assisted by a PDS Steering Committee composed of a representative from each PDS site and University Faculty. The PDS Steering Committee will serve an advisory function to the Administrative Board as well as be responsible for the operation of the PDS partnership.

To support the PDS program the University will provide to each site for each year of the three year program:

1. a block grant of $____ to further the staff or program development of the school; and,
   
2. a fee waiver of $____ semester hours to support staff and program development (to be used prior to the conclusion of the following school year).

In addition, the university will provide for use by the PDS sites a competitive research/inquiry fund of $_____ per year to support school-university collaboratively developed projects.

6. SCHOOL CORPORATION SUPPORT. The School Corporation agrees to match University dollar support for each PDS site within its district for each year of the agreement. This does not include the research/inquiry fund. Additionally, the school district will provide support for a PDS site liaison for each PDS site within the district. The liaison shall be a certificated member of the school and shall be selected by the school.

7. THE LEARNING ALLIANCE. The School Corporation agrees to enter into partnership with the University to form the Learning Alliance. The purpose of the Learning Alliance is to promote enhanced learning environments for all within the partnership. Any school within the school corporation is eligible to participate. Individual schools apply to join the Learning Alliance and must show evidence that (1) a majority of the faculty and the building administration are committed to initiate school reform; (2) a majority of the faculty and the building administration are willing to plan, develop and initiate a program of professional development for all within the school; (3) a majority of the faculty and the building administration are willing to collect data on the effect of their efforts on students and teachers; (4) the school agrees to share the process, activities and outcomes of its reform efforts with colleagues from other schools and the University; and, (5) the school is willing to make a commitment to the goals of the Learning Alliance for a minimum of three years. The Learning Alliance is a voluntary program and no school is required to participate.

8. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISION. This Agreement may be terminated either by the School Corporation or the University by giving the other party one (1) year prior written notice. Modifications of this agreement will require mutual written consent by the University and the School Corporation.

School Corporation

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Indiana State University

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