State-Local Partnerships for Student and Academic Success: Building Collaboration to Improve Out of School Time Opportunities

Abstract

As the U.S. public education system continues to grapple with significant variation in student, school and system outcomes, it is crucial to identify and assess new approaches to systemic improvement. Facing increasing responsibility for addressing these challenges, some state and local leaders see promise in collaborating with organizations outside the traditional K-12 system to provide supports for children and youth. This capstone describes my doctoral residency work at The Virginia Governor’s Children’s Cabinet leading a project that undertook such a cross-sector and cross-governmental collaboration. Through this effort, known as the Challenged Schools Initiative, the state partnered with city, school system, and community leaders to provide students with increased access to high-quality Out of School Time (OST) opportunities. The capstone details the process of aligning people, organizations, interests and resources around a locally-identified student need and developing a plan to increase OST access and impact. The analysis of my actions as resident and the project’s outcomes highlights the value of policy entrepreneurship and alliance-building for leaders undertaking local- and state-level collaborative efforts. Implications include the importance of an issue-focus and a tangible proposal aligned to a leadership vision—not just an isolated injection of resources--as catalysts for collaborative progress. In addition, I highlight key considerations for replicating a collaborative state-led approach across diverse local contexts.