Posted on 7/14/08

There’s a radio ad that insists, “When banks compete, you win.” I think that’s true in education too – but when schools, districts and other groups cooperate as well as compete, students and families also win. In this, my final column for the 2007-2008 school year, I want to recognize and honor some of the outstanding collaborations I’ve encountered in the last year.

* District and charter public schools in the North Branch - Forest Lake area combined to put on an evening school choice information fair that hundreds of parents attended. Deb Hinton, North Branch Area Superintendent told me that see saw the fair as a “chance to showcase the wonderful schools and programs we have to offer.” Jackie Saunders, director of the Northern Lights Charter that hosted and helped organize the fair pointed out that it “helped parents make that important choice.” Steve Massey, principal at Forest Lake High School saw the fair as “a chance to get the word out that this is a very good school.” Once again, local businesses helped provide food and drinks.

* The Anoka-Hennepin School District and Anoka Technical College are offering a cooperative program called STEP in areas such as health care, printing, graphic design and law enforcement. Students I interviewed, like Samanatha, 18, told me that she and other STEP students “loved the greater freedom and more hands on learning opportunities offered at STEP. " Matt, another 18 year old explained that “before I came here, I was just sitting in high school classes, not sure why I was there or where I was heading.” STEP classes in graphic design helped Matt earn money, join a graphics firm and consider starting a company of his own.

• Lakeville and Farmington districts worked together to put on a Saturday fair designed to help families do a better job with their youngsters. A vast array of workshops were offered, on everything from understanding dangers as well as opportunities on the internet, to dealing effectively with the change moods and needs of a teenager. I learned an enormous amount by attending a workshop by Barry Caplin, Chief Information Security Officer for Minnesota Human Services. He gave many practical tips about the Internet, including urging parents to remind their youngsters that colleges and prospective employers might well look them up on “Facebook” and “My Space” – so think carefully about what you post about yourself. A number of local service agencies provided information, and several area companies like Target, Dakota Electric and Caribou helped fund the meeting.

Of course, these are only a few of many examples that could be given (and I’d be glad to hear from schools, parents or districts about other valuable cooperative efforts).

We’ve heard a good deal about Minnesota’s school choice programs. Giving families choices among schools can be very valuable. But competition sometimes leads to cooperation. In the examples above, it has. Students and families can gain a great deal from both competition and cooperation.