Flight 1599 to Newark April 6, 2012

I am on the first flight out of the West Texas town of El Paso to Newark, NJ. I spent the past 48 hours immersed in an intensive learning experience that included meetings with El Paso political leaders, university presidents, district superintendents, school and non-profit leaders, and parents and students. The “Newark delegation” included nine philanthropic colleagues participating in Grantmakers for Education’s Urban Study Tour.  The next stop on the tour is Newark in May and Oakland, California in the fall.  

I am on the first flight out of the West Texas town of El Paso to Newark, NJ. I spent the past 48 hours immersed in an intensive learning experience that included meetings with El Paso political leaders, university presidents, district superintendents, school and non-profit leaders, and parents and students. The “Newark delegation” included nine philanthropic colleagues participating in Grantmakers for Education’s Urban Study Tour.  The next stop on the tour is Newark in May and Oakland, California in the fall.  

Sometimes I think that the best place to think or write is on a plane or a train. It’s like being locked in your office, strapped to your desk, with nothing but a laptop, a diet soda and some pretzels.  The theme of the Grantmakers for Education study tour is Collaboration. Collaboration in this case is between funders and school districts, districts and universities, and non-profit providers and schools.

As we toured schools and met with local leaders I couldn’t help thinking about how the El Paso contingent would experience Newark when they arrive in May. Will they observe the range and level of collaboration that we experienced in El Paso? What will they be thinking about on the trip from New Jersey to Texas?

What is crystal clear is that successful collaborations are not accidents, casual, or the result of nice people who want to do nice things together. The collaborations we observed were structured and intentional. They were formed around negotiated agreements. There were mechanisms for solving the inevitable problems that arise. They unfolded and becamestrong slowly and steadily over a period of years. The Early College high school we visited has a close relationship with the University of Texas El Paso. Dual credit courses and cross campus offerings, discounted tuition as well as other programs and initiatives are all grounded in core beliefs about access and excellence. In fact, access and excellence was the sub theme of the entire experience. It seems as though the professionals participating in the tour had found a way to embrace both, and they did not seem to think that they are mutually exclusive. University professors embrace teaching and high school teachers maintain rigor and high expectations. 

The final observation I wish to make is the noticeable absence of finger pointing. We did not hear a lot of blame assignment for the challenges many residents find themselves facing. They are playing the hand they were dealt, and do not seem to be wasting energy on demanding another deal from another deck.

Implications for our work? We need to be more intentional in setting expectations, goals, and benchmarking progress against them. The long-term sustainability of all reform efforts will hinge on collectively embracing core values that support access and excellence. We have to get over the blame game and create another narrative that will support high achievement for all.