A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

The Corporate Imperative: A Business Guide for Implementing Strategic Education Partnerships-1999

STEP 2: ASSESS YOUR COMPANY'S INVOLVEMENT IN
BUSINESS-EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS

Corporate educational initiatives/approaches are programs, practices and policies that:
  • contribute to education/school systems, businesses and the community
  • support and create opportunities for employee involvement
  • recognize the national priority areas

The following diagram describes the current landscape of corporate involvement in education.

The Corporate Imperative

Become an Employer of Choice

Companies have found that corporate policies and programs that make it easier for employees to balance their work and home lives create tremendous benefits in terms of recruitment, retention, loyalty and productivity. Although some companies may have initiated work/life policies and programs as an employee support, it is now apparent that work/life initiatives add business value.

Systemic Educational Change/School Reform

The same is true of corporate educational approaches. Corporate sponsored educational approaches provide tremendous benefits to communities, businesses, schools and employees. However, they also add business value by directly contributing to a company's organizational philosophy and business goals.

Corporate educational approaches include:

You may find that your company is more involved in one or two approaches.

Worksheet 2: Assess Resource Donations

PURPOSE

To assess your company's educational activities in the area of resource donations.

QUESTIONS TO ASK

Worksheet 2: Assess Resource Donations

Who
(name/department)		 What
(describe activity)		 Why
(purpose/rationale)		 Current Status/Outcome Obstacles/Barriers
Work-life manager Job shadow Provide exposure to various medical careers Great internal and external public relations, new way to interest and possibly recruit workforce entrants Distracting to some professional staff and patients, difficult to coordinate
1.       
2.       
3.       
4.       
5.       

Upon completion of this worksheet, you will more fully understand your company's involvement with resource donations.

It is not unusual for companies to begin their education initiatives by giving resources to schools. Resource donations can include grants or other moneys; equipment and supplies; and access to corporate knowledge and skills. Has your company provided computers, printers, scanners, Internet access, scientific laboratory equipment, books or other reference materials? Are you offering challenge grants for students and teachers interested in developing programs or products that promote excellence in education? Are you providing subsidies for conferences or training programs that build expertise in reading, math, and college preparedness? Do you offer scholarship programs for students entering college? Do you have employees who assist your education partners in developing after-school programs and recreation programs?

See the Addendum page for Case Examples: Resource Donation.

Worksheet 3: Assess Business-Education Programs

PURPOSE

To assess your company's educational activities in the area of Business-Education Programs.

QUESTIONS TO ASK

Worksheet 3: Assess Business-Education Programs

Who
(name/department)		 What
(describe activity)		 Why
(purpose/rationale)		 Current Status/Outcome Obstacles/Barriers
Public relations Homework hotline which provides daily homework and classroom activities Increase home-school communication Well-used by parents, appreciated by teachers, positive company recognition, building block for further relationships Costs, non-parent employees want to be involved in educational approaches
1.       
2.       
3.       
4.       
5.       

Upon completion of this worksheet, you will more fully understand your company's involvement with business-education programs.

Over the past two decades, thousands of businesses and companies across the country have formed alliances with public schools. These alliances are quite varied and include business-school partnerships, school-to-work programs and on-site schools. Programs that promote community volunteerism in the educational arena such as mentoring and literacy supports have been implemented. Business-school alliances typically establish relationships between companies and schools that are primarily targeted toward the schools. Has your company enlisted employees to volunteer as math and reading tutors? Do you provide financial support for ongoing literacy programs that link college students with children in after-school programs? Are you offering internships that will help students make the transition from school to work? Does your company have a summer jobs program? Have you established a computer lab where parents and their children can learn to use the Internet together?

See the Addendum page for Case Examples: Business-Education Programs.

Worksheet 4: Assess Stakeholder/Community-wide Collaborations

PURPOSE

To assess your company's educational initiatives in the area of stakeholder/community-wide collaborations.

QUESTIONS TO ASK

Worksheet 4: Assess Stakeholder/Community-wide Collaborations

Who
(name/department)		 What
(describe activity)		 Why
(purpose/rationale)		 Current Status/Outcome Obstacles/Barriers
Community relations Community education center Increase educational opportunities for students and parents Operating under capacity Needs to recruit more students and parents, needs to be seen as welcoming by the community
1.       
2.       
3.       
4.       
5.       

Upon completion of this worksheet, you will more fully understand your company's stakeholder/community-wide collaborations.

Stakeholder/community-wide collaborations involve a wide range of invested participants who work together to promote educational improvements. Stakeholders can include businesses; school teachers, administrators and other school personnel at both the district and local level; children, parents and other family members; community groups such as civic organizations; community mental health and social service organizations; and religious groups. Collaborations go through different stages of evolution, but usually begin with relationship building and mutual goal setting. Sometimes a community needs assessment is used to determine direction and focus. It is helpful if stakeholders can articulate their objectives and negotiate which programs, practices and policies will accomplish what they hope to achieve.

Involving a larger constituent group broadens the focus of the approach and has the potential to create longer-lasting approaches that can be sustained over time. Community partnerships, which have the most impact, offer a long-term commitment to the educational approach as well as to relationship building among key stakeholders. The importance of developing trust and mutual respect between partners cannot be minimized nor can it be rushed. Participants must be committed for the "long haul" to be able to negotiate how to best meet mutual goals.

Has your company developed relationships with local schools and the community which focus on educational improvement? Have you identified community partners with similar business goals, values and organizational philosophies? Are your educational approaches linked with stakeholder groups that share your vision of business education partnerships? Are you working with organizations that are involved with students and their families? Have you talked with your local YMCA or a Boys and Girls Club about joint projects? Are you involved with community colleges, state universities or private institutions that offer community-based programs for non-matriculating students?

See the Addendum page for Case Examples: Stakeholder/Community-wide Collaborations.

Worksheet 5: Sum Up Your Company's Educational Efforts

PURPOSE

To summarize your company's educational approaches. Review your responses on Worksheets 1-4. Now that you have gathered information about your educational approaches, answer the following questions. This will help you to move forward by determining the "big picture" of your company's approaches.

QUESTIONS TO ASK

Worksheet 5: Sum Up Your Company's Educational Efforts

Educational Approach People/ Departments Rationale Status Outcomes/ Measures Successes Obstacles/ Barriers
         
         
         
         
         
         
         

Upon completion of this worksheet, you will have assessed your company's educational approaches.

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[Step 1: Create a Corporate Environment that Supports Educational Involvement] 		[Table of Contents]
[Step 3: Link to Business and School Objectives]