With this themed issue of "Educational Considerations" focused on using university-district partnership academies to prepare leaders for educational settings, it is important to consider the value of this model in socially diverse environments and especially the potential for native nations to use this approach for training emerging…

In this article, the Kansas State University Chair of the Department of Educational Leadership reviews the strong history of his department's university and public school partnerships and the impact these partnerships have had on leadership preparation programs. Almost 30 years ago, Kansas State University foresaw the power of partnerships with…

A former school superintendent who is now a university professor uses her experience in these partnership roles to describe how Kansas State University's collaboratively designed master's academy leadership preparation models merging theory and practice came about over fifteen years ago, and how it has evolved since then.

This article investigates district-level administrators' perceptions regarding the value of the partnership academies. The article uses input from seven district administrators who provided feedback regarding the value of the district and university partnership, specific benefits to the district, the differences between participants who envision…

The 1983 publication of "A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform" (National Commission of Excellence in Education) "initiated the longest sustained period of attention to public education in the nation's history and ignited a new wave of interest in teacher preparation" (NRC, Committee on the Study of Teacher…

Considering how long societies have been educating their youth, the history of teacher education is relatively brief. From the first teacher education innovation in the 17th century through those of the late 20th century--de la Salle, the American normal school, the flood of student teachers into public schools after World War II, the student…

The purpose of this article is to share the history of one Professional Development School (PDS) partnership in an effort to help others reflect, set visions, and move forward into a new educational future. The emergence, development, and continuation of this partnership was dependent upon finding ways to create a growth-oriented environment,…

It is well documented that successful Professional Development School (PDS) initiatives are contingent on trusting relationships between the university and school districts. Over the past 25 years, continual efforts have been made by the Kansas State University (KSU) PDS to minimize notions of status while maintaining mutually beneficial goals and…

For a quarter century, Kansas State University's College of Education has supported a Professional Development School (PDS) model involving professional collaboration with selected public school systems across Kansas. In that time, this relationship has proved to be an instrumental vehicle for educational change. The state of Kansas' adoption and…

Generalizing about school district-teacher education program relationships across the long history and broad landscape of teacher preparation in America can prove challenging. However, if partnerships imply stable, long-term, mutually beneficial arrangements characterized by shared decision-making and resources, even a relatively cursory scan…

This article provides a history of the Professional Development School (PDS) movement in Kansas, as well as the major influences and challenges ahead as partnerships continue to grow and adapt. Mercer and Myers highlight the Kansas State Department of Education's (KSDE's) engagement in dialogue about the professional learning continuum of licensed…

The Manhattan, Kansas, public school system made a concerted effort to improve an already effective school system. The IDEA School Improvement Program provided training and materials to members of the school community to facilitate team and skill building. (JOW)