2011-12 Annual Report - Partners in School Innovation

Together with our school and district partners, weproduce a shared commitment to provide access,opportunities and sustainable change for each and everystudent.“I have been a board member at Partnersfor eight years, and in that time seen theorganization meaningfully increase its impact forthe most underserved of students. 70% of ourpartner schools over that period have achievedgrowth between 5 and 10% points in a singleyear for students reading at grade level, and animpressive 25% of our schools have achieveddouble-digit growth.Who We AreWith an almost 20-year history of achieving lastingoutcomes for underserved public schools and districtsin urban areas, Partners is a national model forhigh-impact work to eliminate the achievement gap.Our work helps scaffold alignment within and acrossthe public school system to ensure that everyone isworking together toward the common goal of improvedstudent achievement.The organization was founded in 1993 by JulienPhillips, a former Peace Corps volunteer and McKinsey& Company partner, and Kim Grose, a Rhodes Scholarand social justice advocate, to create systemicimprovements in low-performing public schools. Sinceour inception, our dedicated staff has partnered withteachers and leaders in 70 public schools to acceleratestudent achievement. In 2011-12, we partnered with16 schools.Our staff of education professionals embodies theprinciples and practices we use in work with our districtpartners. We strive to be the change we seek. Our stafffocuses on results, and we are continuously learningand improving, holding ourselves and one anotheraccountable for outcomes. We collaborate using systemsof professional learning and operate with a clear Theoryof Action. We do this because we believe that it is theonly way we can maintain fidelity to an approach toschool and district transformation that has at its corehigh-quality leading, teaching and learning.What that tells me is that we are ready to takeon the challenge of becoming significant in theeducation reform arena - not just for California,but nationally. I believe we are exceptionally wellpositioned now to do that.”– Eric O’BrienBoard Chair, Partners in School InnovationThe power of the Partners approachto school and district transformationlies in our people.33 Staff Members79%187 Total Years of Teaching Experience150Have an Advanced DegreeTotal Years of School and DistrictReform Leadership Experience2011–12 Annual Report 5