Education City Examples: Business Partnerships

Corpus Christi, Texas
(population 277,454)

The local education fund in Corpus Christi, Citizens for Educational Excellence (CEE), has formed a committee that looks specifically at high school reform issues within the city.  Members of the committee are from the city manager’s office, local school districts, local two and four year colleges, and local businesses.  This committee has begun an initiative in one high school, Moody High School, which gives ninth grade students an opportunity to go through a mock interview process, develop a professional portfolio, and understand what skills they need in order to be successful in the workplace. 

Over thirty business partners participate in the process.  Business participants give students a job description that is relevant to the community before the interview so they can see what skills and educational attainments are required for the job.  Teachers and staff at the school create interview questions that the employers ask the students and prepare the students for the interview process.  The intent is that, whether students go on to work or postsecondary education after high school, they will know how to fill out a job application and how to go through the interview process.  Students are immediately provided feedback after their interviews.  Throughout their high school career, students have a number of opportunities to continue this type of professional development, including portfolio development, job shadowing and externship programs. 

This initiative has opened up communication between businesses and teachers.  Each entity has been learning what skills and types of education are needed in order to adequately prepare students for the workforce.  As a result of these conversations, teachers have been able to adapt their curriculum to meet the needs of the local businesses and the businesses have shared this information with other members of the business community. The city manager's office acts as the facilitator for this program.  It works in partnership with over thirty local businesses and the teachers and staff of Moody High School.

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Dublin, Ohio
(population 31,392)

Dublin's Central Ohio Research Network (CORN) connects the city's education and commerce sectors for collaborative and development purposes. Made up of 1,600 miles of high-speed broadband network, Dublink - the optical fibre routes - allows for researchers, students, and doctors to work remotely while engaging in research and professional duties. Doctors can assist patients across the state and school children can experience virtual field trips while communicating with teachers and peers in the process. The program aims at increasing technology sector jobs and encouraging partnerships between university and commercial enterprises. The program won a 2006 award from the International Economic Development Council in the category of Special Event.

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Hermiston, Oregon
(population 13,154)

Three times a year the schools, in conjunction with the Hermiston School District, the City of Hermiston, and the Chamber of Commerce honor two outstanding students from each public and private school in the area.  They are recognized at the “Breakfast of Champions” sponsored by McDonalds and other area businesses.

Each honoree and his or her family are introduced by their teacher or principal.  The teacher tells why this individual was selected.  The honoree is given a framed certificate by the Mayor of Hermiston and a picture is taken of the student, family, and staff.  This picture is then posted on the school’s website.  Other surrounding smaller school districts are also included.  These communities include Stanfield, Echo, and Umatilla. Hermiston City Council also gives special recognition to outstanding athletic accomplishments and inductees into the National Honor Society.

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Independence, Minnesota
(population 3,236)

There is an awards program that takes place at the end of each year.  Local businesses, banks, the Lions Club, the American Legion, and private donors in recognition of memorials give large scholarships to seniors.  The scholarships total about $55,000 and go to about 180-200 students.  Students receive between $600-1000 in scholarships that must be used for vocational school or a college program.

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Phoenix, Arizona
(population 1,321,045)

Since 1991, the Phoenix Youth and Education Commission – a 35-member board appointed by the mayor and city council to work on issues pertaining to youth and education – has annually coordinated the Principal for a Day program.  The program gives business and community leaders the opportunity to play the role of “principal” during one school day in Phoenix elementary, middle, and high schools.  “Principals” are encouraged to take part in the schools administrative functions and interact with teachers, students, and other school staff. 

The program aims to provide an opportunity for business leaders to understand the public school environment and related educational issues, foster partnerships between businesses and schools, and create awareness for the necessary workplace skills for student success.  Since its inception, over 1,000 businesses and community leaders have participated in the program and numerous partnerships between businesses and schools have been developed.  The Principal for a Day program is sponsored by Merrill Lynch and coordinated in partnership with Valley Leadership, a local non-profit organization.

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Spartanburg, South Carolina
(population 39,673)

The Spartanburg Youth Council identified the need to have more businesses involved in youth issues. Out of the business’ focus groups came two major recommendations: 1) To engage the business community, a well-respected business leader must be in the forefront, and 2) Requests for support must be very specific.

The CEO of a restaurant chain with corporate offices in Spartanburg was identified as the business leader to be the spokesperson for youth.  The City of Spartanburg Mayor and the United Way President approached the CEO who accepted the challenge. He personally visited ten businesses to ask if they consider adopting a school or park.  The restaurant chain for which he serves as CEO adopted a local elementary school.  Other businesses and organizations are continuing to adopt schools.

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Springfield, Illinois
(population 111,454)

In early 2006 Springfield, Illinois Mayor Davlin, his Economic Development Office and other local leaders agreed that a renewed focus on the opportunities and challenges of the local marketplace and economy needed to be addressed.  Out of the following discussions, a partnership with the City of Springfield, the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce and the Sangamon County Board developed. 

The Quantum Growth Partnership initiative, or Q5, is a strategic alliance of public and private interests to transform economic development throughout the county.  The partnership is responsible for creating, overseeing and implementing a 5-year, $4.3 million strategic economic development plan.  This effort seeks to create 4,500 new jobs, promote smart growth, cut minority unemployment in half, provide a highly educated workforce, and capture and create emerging economic opportunities.

In partnership with Q5, the Business/Education Partnership of Sangamon County works with the educational community, the business community and other stakeholders to provide the highly skilled, literate and productive workforce necessary to support a successful economic development environment.  Program initiatives include providing online college scholarship information, researching alternative instructional models for middle schools, coordinating student internships and job shadowing for high school students.

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St. Petersburg, Florida
(population 248,232)

The Mayor’s Mentors & More program, which was launched by the mayor’s office in 2002, encouraged city employees to take time during their work week to mentor a child in the local schools.  However, as the program grew, more mentors were needed, so the Mayor got local businesses involved.  Today, there are over seventy corporate partners that are involved with the schools – each school has one or more corporate partners. 

Corporate partners are involved in their schools in a number of different ways.  They help out by volunteering as mentors or tutors.  They provide resources through financial support, equipment donations, gift certificate donations, and fundraising on behalf of the school.  They are also involved in strategic planning by developing ways the business can aid the school through internship programs or leadership support for school staff.

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