This paper is intended for use by district and charter representatives interested in establishing a new collaboration or in increasing the effectiveness of an existing collaboration. The paper presents our methodology, an overview of the nature of district-charter collaborations, and a framework based on lessons learned from leaders involved in various capacities over the last fifteen years of these efforts.

The framework focuses on six factors critical to enabling a successful collaboration:

❯ Identify the Motivations for a District-Charter Collaboration

❯ Identify and Articulate a Theory of Change

❯ Identify Desired Outcomes from the Start

❯ Create Conditions for Success

❯ Anticipate and Plan for Potential Challenges

❯ Go for a Quick Win Early to Energize the Collaboration

At the end of each section, we present a set of reflective questions we believe charter and district leaders should ask themselves to enable successful collaboration.

Access the publication here. Safal Partners worked on this as part of its contract to operate the National Charter School Center.