Partnerships: Building on Our Strengths & Seizing the OpportunitiesRon FielderAESD Annual ConferenceApril 2-13 --- Olympia/Tumwater, Wash

Greetings & Observations

Some History

Deep Respect & Appreciation

Excitement & Optimism

“ESDs as national leaders in next generation models of

service, innovation, & collaboration”

Overview

The Context

Emerging Trends

Examples from the Field

ESA Leadership Expectations

Value of Partnerships

The Who & What of Partnerships

ESAs & Partnerships: A “core competence”

The Context Why Context is Important?

Demographics, Demographics, Demographics!!

Workforce Crisis -- Talent!

Declining Public Dollars

4 Generations in Workforce

Proliferation of 20th Century Solutions

Blaming People

The Cost of Education—K12 & Higher Education

Partisanship: right/wrong, black/white, either/or

Success = Complacency

Disruptive Technologies…..now in education!

Anti-government, anti-union……..

In Schools: Time was the Constant – Achievement the Variable.

International competition

The Coming Jobs WarJim Clifton – Gallup

The Ten Findings/Demands

Job Creation – The New Currency of All World Leaders. “The number one social value in the world is my job.”

Job Creation Can Only Be Accomplished in Cities – “….it is as local as politics.”

Three Key Energy Sources of Job Creation: 1) Top 100 cities, 2) Top 100 Universities, 3) 10,000 local tribal leaders.

Entrepreneurship is Far More Important Than Innovation – “It is better to invest in entrepreneurial people than in great ideas.”

America Cannot Outrun Its Healthcare Costs – “Every leader must put physical fitness at the core of everything they do or surrender!”

Education: Whole Cities Need To Declare War On Their Drop-out Rates – “The fate of our Nation depends on it.” (student spirit & hope)

We Must Double Our Number of Engaged Employees.

Customer insight/centricity is critical.

Every Economy Rides on the Back of Small to Medium Sized Businesses.

Triple Our Exports in the Next Five Years – 20X In The Next 30 Years!

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Trends Focus on Efficiency

Focus on Innovation – now everywhere, even poorest slums

Focus on “design”• TED• Clinton Global Initiative• Design Methodology• “Design has become the engine of innovation,

giving mere ideas, shape & substance……turning ideas into solutions

Systems Thinking / Interactive Design

Ackoff / Gharadjedaghi

Eastern Iowa Corridor

Knowledge: Access & Tools

Content: Free & High Quality…….no longer the sole property of the teacher & professor! 24/7 for all! (ITunesU, Coursera, Khan Academy, TEDed, etc.)

Achievement is the Constant – Time is the Variable

Focus on Competency – Standards Based – Personalized Learning

Focus on Certification & Endorsement Not Seat Time

More College Credit in High School

Parents Want Choice & Individualization for Children

Changing Roles for Educators

KnowledgeWorks – New Roles

Personal Education Advisor

Learning Fitness Instructor

Edu-vator

Assessment Designer

Learning Journey Mentor

Higher Education under Fire……

“Flipping” or “Flipped Classrooms”

Regional Action/Innovation Networks

Renewed Focus on Shared Services

School Building focus on: RTI, PLCs, Direct Instruction, Authentic Intellectual Work……

Increasing/Expanding Partnerships & Collaboration

Partnerships: The Role of the ESD

Catalyst

Convener

Facilitator

Designer

Participant

Evaluator

Partnerships with…….

Local Schools/Districts

Local For-Profit and Not-for-Profits

Colleges & Universities

Other ESDs/ESAs

State Department of Education

State Associations

Regional/National Vendors

Types of Partnerships

Person to Person

Organization to Organization/s

Public/Private

Various Types of Public Organizations, i.e. schools, city/county government, libraries, child care organizations, etc.

Who Partners?

Individuals: employees, community members, local school officials, elected officials, business & non-profit officials.

Teams/work groups/disciplines

Boards

Organizations

La Piana Partnership Matrix

From Greater Autonomy to Greater Integration

Collaboration

• Decision making remains w/indiv. Orgs

• No permanent organizational commitment

Strategic Alliance

• Involves a commitment for the future

• Shared decision making

• Agreement driven

Corporate Integration

• Involves changes to corporate control and/or structure, including creation and/or dissolution of one or more organizations.• Joint Venture Corporation• Merger / Acquisition• Management Services Organization• Parent/Subsidiary Organization

Susan Caldicott /Thomas EdisonCompetencies of Innovation

Mastermind Collaboration

• Recruit for Chemistry & Results

• Design Multi-disciplinary Collaboration Teams

• Inspire An Environment of Open Exchange

• Reward Collaboration

• Become a Master Networker

Keys to Partnerships Be Someone Others Want To Partner With

See What Others Want and Need Out of the Partnership

Study the Emerging Literature About Partnerships…..i.e. La Piana & others………..there are techniques & processes from which to learn.

Establish Prior Mutual Expectation

Frequently Review the Partnership Parameters

Evaluate the Effectiveness of the Partnership

Some Examples

CESA 1

GWAEA Eastern Iowa Compact “Education For the

Innovation Age” – handouts Vollmer – Great Conversations Training New Public Library – Early Childhood STEM / Science Kits / Co-location Pearson Power School

In Washington……..

ESD 105 – Instruction Rounds Project w/ Harvard & Richard Elmore

Puget Sound ESD – Project to Lower the Achievement Gap – a committed partnership with some districts

ESD 112: website & STEM Partnership

ESD 113: Personnel Cooperative

Closing Thoughts…….

“Legacy” Through Partnerships

Ackoff: Work, Play, & Learning

Life Is Too Short to Drink Cheap Wine!• Or too short to……………..

• “waste a single moment”• “not to savor the beauty around us”• “for loneliness”

Thank You

Ron Fielder

Clinical Professor

Education Policy & Leadership Studies

College of Education

University of Iowa

ronald-fielder@uiowa.edu 319-350-4765