Case study of the involvement of the business community in the Illinois Partnership Academy in eight Illinois school districts from 1994 to 1997

The purpose of this study is to contribute and expand the knowledge base on initiating and fostering school/business relationships. The core of the academy model is the design and execution of business support that brings realism and credibility to the curriculum. The problem is to examine the involvement of the business community in the planning and development, implementation, daily operations of the academy, as well as the lessons learned about what businesses could and could not contribute to the Illinois Partnership Academy.;Little data has been collected and analyzed about the support business partners contribute to the academy. This research utilizes qualitative case study methodology that incorporates three sources of data collection: review of state documents, survey questionnaire and focus interview group.;The findings presented reflect the types of activities business partners engage in with the academy. In the planning and development stage business partners help, for example, to identify the career theme. During the early implementation stage the academy personnel were engaged with opening the classroom. Shortly thereafter however business partners were needed for job shadowing and the like during the implementation phase. During the daily operations business partners served the academy as classroom speakers for example.;Five themes emerged from the analysis of the data concerning lessons learned about what businesses could and could not contribute to schools. These themes offered survey participants an opportunity to offer advice from their experiences. The themes were: (a) resources of support, (b) purposeful involvement, (c) commitment of time and (d) active communication. The fifth theme was a smorgasbord of ten school/business key advice which were: (a) increase support base, (b) recruit new partners, (c) return favors, (d) don't ask for handouts, (e) secure business commitments, (f) sell the academy and key people, (g) student placements/wages, (h) state/federal support, (i) academy was hard work and (j) media usage.