Social Capital and Educational Partnerships: Reciprocity, Altruism, and Self-Interest

Over the past few decades, partnerships between school districts and post-secondary institutions have increased. The primary purpose has been to create and deliver dual enrollment programs for high school students. This case study focused on one partnership between a large school district in California and a private four-year non-profit college. The partnership created a charter school whereby its juniors and seniors can take college courses for college credit and also receive high school credit. The partnership has been perceived to be successful in terms of promoting social capital for its participants, the students impacted, and the community; however, no formal study has yet been conducted to validate these perceptions. In this qualitative study, 15 administrators representing both the school district and the college and five faculty members delivering the courses were interviewed; their perceptions regarding the partnership's success were documented. The data obtained were evaluated to answer the research questions proposed for the study. The framework used was social capital theory, which served as a guide to design the research questions. The data gathered through individual interviews were analyzed and then coded to determine perceptions and conclusions regarding the degree of success of the partnership. The findings revealed a certain degree of success regarding the promotion of social capital. The partnership had a unified focus and shared goals at its inception. However, after the first few years, self-interest took over and communication broke down between the partners of the college and the school district. The school district's interest in supporting the goals of the partnership appears to have waned while the college partners continue to support the partnership. The faculty members remain committed to the program and see the potential that still exists for the partnership's original objectives. It is recommended that the current partners renew communication and meet formally for discuss the issues. One outcome may be the dissolution of the partnership, which would mean the dissolution of the charter school. It is advisable for any potential partners to conduct research regarding characteristics of successful partnerships before formation of such entities.