ELT Initiative

Expanding and redesigning the school day provides an opportunity to engage arts and cultural institutions, after-school and youth development programs, colleges and universities, health and mental health agencies, and local businesses in your educational program. Such partners can provide expertise, resources, and educational opportunities that enrich and expand what the school alone is able to offer.

For example, some ELT schools have engaged local Boys & Girls Clubs and YMCAs to offer activities such as swimming, sports, karate, and physical fitness. Schools have partnered with cultural organizations to provide specialized art, music or theater programs. Colleges and universities have offered support in the area of professional development and teacher training, and local businesses have provided volunteers and mentors.

In some cases, partners operate programming during a window of time that allows teachers to meet for professional development or collaborative planning; in other cases, community partners and teachers work side-by-side to co-create and implement programming together. ELT provides an opportunity for schools to more actively engage the community as partners in teaching and learning.

Below we outline four key steps for forging integrated partnerships between ELT schools and external organizations, institutions, and agencies. Click on each step to learn more.

• Step 1 – Identifying Areas Where Partners Can Support the ELT Redesign
• Step 2 – Identifying Possible Partners
• Step 3 – Selecting Partners
• Step 4 – Assessing and Managing Partnerships