The Secondary Education program at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) completed its second year of partnerships with local public secondary schools. During the 2003-04 school year, SIUE partnered with two schools. Prior to the second year of the partnerships, data regarding student perceptions of their experiences during the pre-student teaching and student teaching semesters were collected via anecdotal conversations conducted throughout the year. Focus groups conducted with each cohort and with students from non-partnership placements examined student teachers' perceptions of their experiences during each phase as well as alignment of expectations and experiences for each phase; relationships and communication with cooperating teachers, the School of Education, and advisors in the Office of Clinical Experience and Certification Advisement; and preparedness for each phase of the pre-student and student teaching experience. Overall, virtually all of the partnership students felt their yearlong experience was beneficial. The quality of support partnership and nonpartnership student teachers received from their cooperating teachers varied considerably. Partnership students liked the quality of the seminars conducted throughout the year by university coordinators, but wanted more time to learn about classroom management and lesson planning before beginning their student teaching. (SM)