Learn about how to engage a diverse set of partners, implement effective consultation practices, and build and sustain working relationships. Partnerships are important at every level to accomplish goals for students but they require leadership, effective communication tools, and ongoing attention.


  • girl (4yrs) on swingset

    8/12: Strengthening Year-Round Out-of-School Programming

    Join this session to get ideas about “building back better.” Presenters will share resources and practical ideas to capitalize on this summer’s partnerships to improve and expand out-of-school programming as students return to formal schooling. Whether you are from a community organization or school district, join us to learn from communities that are working to make the most of summer learning as they plan for a comprehensive out-of-school experience in the coming year.

    Video Session Summary

  • Father takes selfie while son holds a basketball on head

    8/12: Engaging Educators, Families, Students in Planning Summer and the Return to School

    Learn about the innovations employed by the Cleveland School District for a “whole child whole community” recovery from the pandemic. The authentic and intentional, trust-based partnership between school district administration and the teachers union has seen the disruptions throughout the pandemic as opportunities to innovate. Some new strategies include student ambassadors who are engaging their peers in returning to school as well as parent ambassadors and family engagement leaders. The district is poised to implement lessons from summer programming in the return to school.

    Video Session Summary

  • Business people sitting at office desk, putting puzzle pieces together, finding solution, high angle view.

    8/12: Establishing Data Sharing Agreements Between Community Based Organizations and Schools

    Learn from the experiences of state, district and community leaders how to develop effective agreements. The Boys and Girls Clubs have been working on crafting state-level and local agreements for building cooperation for the purpose of data and information sharing.

    Video Session Summary

  • A group of kids in a classroom raise their hands

    7/8: Partnerships for Family Engagement in High-Needs Communities

    The Hillsboro school district has worked for many years to create parent leadership and collaborative opportunities for BIIPOC parent groups and built strong parent Advisory Councils that are actively engaged in consultation on education planning.

    Video Session Summary

  • Two men shaking hands

    6/24: How to Use NSLA’s Community Indicators of Effective Summer Learning Systems (CIESLS)

    This tabletop discussion provided guidance on how to use the National Summer Learning Association Community Indicator Framework to improve program delivery.

    Video Session Summary

  • Close up of a student's foot while sitting at a desk

    6/24: Creating Authentic Partnerships with Historically Marginalized Families and Communities

    This tabletop discussion offered strategies for partnering with historically marginalized stakeholders, both during the summer and into the next school year.

    Video Session Summary

  • A group of teachers having a discussion

    6/10: Creating a Collaborative Site Climate

    This tabletop discussion explored strategies for creating a supportive climate for summer learning and enrichment for students of different ages.

    Video Session Summary

  • Teacher talking with students in a school hallway

    6/10: Best Practices in Youth Mentoring

    This tabletop discussion explored different mentoring models and how they can help students through periods of disruption.

    Video Session Summary

  • Portrait of a young Native American girl

    5/27: Tribal Consultations: Building a Foundation for Partnership

    This tabletop from the 5/27 Virtual Session examines the importance of effective consultation between states, schools, and tribes to improve outcomes for Native students.

    Video Session Summary

  • Teacher and student building a robot

    5/27: In It Together: Maximizing Partnerships Between Education and Workforce to Support High School Students

    This tabletop discussion from the 5/27 Virtual Session explores options for using funding from the U.S Department of Education and the Department of Labor for youth summer employment and work-based learning.

    Video Session Summary

  • Close up of handshake

    5/27: Building School-Community Partnerships to Advance Equity 

    This tabletop discussion from the 5/27 Virtual Session examines efforts to advance equity through student and family engagement in program planning and strategic community partnerships for summer learning and enrichment.

    Video Session Summary

  • group of girls wearing masks picking up trash

    4/27: Meeting Whole Student and Family Needs Through Collaborative Partnerships at School

    This tabletop discussion from Day 2 of the National Convening on 4/27 examines how two organizations partnered to provide wraparound services to support student achievement.

    Video Session Summary