District-Charter Partnerships (DCP) is an Equity and Excellence initiative led by the Office of School Design and Charter Partnerships. DCP works with offices across the DOE and external partners to create meaningful opportunities for collaboration and the exchange of innovative instructional practices between district and charter schools. DCP does this by:
- fostering relationships between district and charter schools,
- building partnerships that allow schools to share promising practices, and
- creating opportunities for schools to work together on common challenges.
DCP runs six unique partnerships programs that each work to improve teaching and learning and to increase achievement for all New York City public school students.
Watch a video (below or here) to learn more about DCP, and view a map (link at right) to see where collaboration is occurring across the City. Please find more information about each program below.
School-to-School Partnerships
DCP helps schools collaborate with other schools through two programs – Campus District-Charter Partnerships and the District-Charter Collaborative.
Campus District-Charter Partnerships
Campus District-Charter Partnerships (CDCP) aims to enrich student learning by helping co-located schools be more collaborative. CDCP brings co-located school staff together and facilitates meaningful discussions on classroom instruction, how to engage students, working with families, and meeting student needs.
Read more:
- Program Overview: Campus District-Charter Partnerships
- Implementing Campus District-Charter Partnerships: A Case Study of Promising Practices
The District-Charter Collaborative
The District-Charter Collaborative (DCC) aims to improve teacher practices and student outcomes by partnering district and charter schools in professional learning quads that conduct disciplined inquiry around school-based problems. Schools are supported in their collaborative inquiries and by a DCC facilitator and are provided professional development.
Read more:
- Program Overview: The District-Charter Collaborative
- Implementing Cross-Sector Collaboration Through District-Charter Collaborative: A Case Study of Promising Practices
- Testimonial for the District-Charter Collaborative: "I had no understanding of charters before. Just what you see in the news...the negativity...I learned we have the same issues, problems, and strengths and we can learn from each other." – Teacher on a DCC team
Professional Learning Partnerships
Uncommon Impact Partnership
TheUncommon Schools Impact Partnership offers district school leaders the opportunity to participate in Relay Graduate School of Education’s National Principals Academy,which consists of a two-week summer intensive followed by four weekend intersessions throughout the school year where participants work to improve their practices in analyzing student data, effectively supporting theirteachers, and creating a positive school culture. In addition, district teachers and school leaders participate in professional development workshops on Uncommon’s instructional practices.
Read more:
- Program Overview: The Uncommon Impact Partnership
- Testimonial for the Uncommon Impact Partnership: "This is my twentieth year at the DOE, but it wasn't until I went to this training that all the pieces I ever learned about supporting principals and teachers came together. It gelled, everything about being an effective leader." - Teacher Development and Evaluation Coach
KIPP Through College + College Access for All: College Match Partnership
The KIPP Through College + College Access for All: College Match Partnership offers district high school principals and counselors the opportunity to participate in a series of intensive professional development trainings and consultancy-based workshops that have been collaboratively designed by KIPP Through College and the DOE College and Career Planning team. Participants in these sessions learn and apply promising college counseling practices aimed at increasing students’ college completion rates.
Read more:
Achievement First Navigator Partnership
DCP is partnering with Achievement First (AF) Navigator to train and support DOE elementary schools in implementing Math Stories, AF’s conceptual approach to math problem solving. The Navigator team will train staff members at partner schools to support their colleagues in the Math Stories approach and will provide monthly coaching to the partner schools’ math departments.
Read more:
- Program Overview: Achievement First Navigator Partnership
Special Education Partnership
The District-Charter Special Education Partnership provides strategic support to Committees on Special Education (CSEs) and charter schools. The goal of this program is to help CSEs and charter schools expand their capacities to support students with IEPs. As part of the program, CSEs and charter schools receive problem-solving guidance and compliance training.
Read more:
- Program Overview: The District-Charter Special Education Partnership
Impact of District-Charter Partnerships
The following reports and case studies demonstrate the impact district-charter partnerships are having on New York City schools.
- The Collaboration to Advance Teaching and Learning in New York City, Year 1 Evaluation Results
- Implementing Campus District-Charter Partnerships: A Case Study of Promising Practices
- Implementing Cross-Sector Collaboration Through District-Charter Collaborative: A Case Study of Promising Practices
More Information on District-Charter Partnerships
For more information about district-charter partnerships, contact:
District-Charter Partnerships
New York City Department of Education
DCPartnerships@schools.nyc.gov
212-374-646