1. Creating a Partnership from the Top Down/Bottom Up: Collaborative Approaches for Implementation The Talawanda Schools/Miami University Partnership

2. Talawanda School District: Partner with Unique Characteristics Oxford Township -- includes City of Oxford, surrounding rural area, and Miami University Milford Township (Darrtown) Hanover Township (West Hamilton and McGonigle) Reily Township (Reily)

3. Miami University: Partner with Unique Characteristics Ohio’s “selective” public university High achievement profile Most students white, middle/upper class 60:40 female-male @16,500 students, mostly undergraduates @400 new teachers graduate per year

4. Past Voter Support for Talawanda Schools Prior to consolidation in the 60s, Townships passed 25/26 bonds and levies Following consolidation, townships have not passed a single bond or levy(34/34) Recent string of failed bond issues forced closing of an older elementary building and the strained merger of three schools into two

5. Partnership Possibilities Emerge Receptive governing bodies in place for the first time Mutual interests served by a formal partnership agreement Key political factors arise: perceptions of school district’s underperformance; removal of valuable resources (open admission for Talawanda graduates to the Oxford campus)

6. Key steps toward partnership *sign partnership agreement *create governing structure (a new bureaucracy) *enlist key personnel *create mission and agenda *begin public activities including meeting and designing programs

7. Three key commitments of the partnership 1)Cultivating on-going, institutional support for the partnership 2)Building curricular connections between and among university and school-based classrooms, students, and teachers for the enhancement of student learning and teacher development 3) Engaging in creative, connective activities for expanding the partnership