| There is a growing need for effective collaboration between for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. The problem addressed in this study was that it is not clear how to evaluate the effectiveness of the collaboration of the leadership of a public-private partnership and its potential impact on the intended outcomes. One area where this collaboration is extremely important is in the charter school movement. While methods exist for evaluating the overall performance of charter schools, approaches for evaluating the effectiveness of collaborative efforts among the leadership teams in public-private partnerships are not prevalent. This is critically important because a collaborative management environment among charter authorizers, charter school board members, and the senior leadership team of the school management organizations is one of the essential elements for the success of charter schools.; The purpose of this case study was to develop a framework to evaluate the effectiveness of collaborating leadership teams at Rochester Leadership Academy Charter School (RLACS) in Rochester, New York, and National Heritage Academies (NHA). Research questions focused on whether the espoused leadership model was used, if the leadership model in use was successful, and whether the strategic visions of the collaborating organizations were altered.; Collaborating leadership team members for NHA and RLACS were interviewed. Third party evaluations of consultants and the chartering entity were scrutinized. The NYS English Language Arts and Math proficiency tests for fourth and eighth graders were collected for analysis.; The researcher found the espoused theory of leadership differed from the leadership model in use in areas of shared vision and parental involvement. The model in use was not successful in executing the school design, and academic standards were not achieved. The strategic visions of the collaborating organizations were not realized.; Collaborative leadership teams should meet periodically to engage in discourse, evaluating their own and other team members' behavior. Use of the framework developed from this study will promote positive social change by providing a foundation for other charter schools in developing collaborative partnerships and may be beneficial where privatization is being introduced to improve choice or social services. |
