The Council for Corporate & School Partnerships is now accepting applications for the 2005 National School and Business Partnerships Award, which recognizes outstanding examples of collaboration between businesses and schools to improve the student educational experience.  The application for the award is available on the Council's Web site, at http://www.corpschoolpartners.org/. 

In the National School and Business Partnerships Award's inaugural year in 2003-2004, 354 applications were received from 42 states and the District of Columbia.  Applications came from schools of all sizes – elementary, middle, high schools, and school districts – and from all geographical areas – urban, suburban and rural.  Businesses were represented across various industries including health care, automotive, technology and finance.

"Schools and businesses in communities across the nation are blending resources and insight to create a remarkable formula for student achievement," said former U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley, who serves as Chairman of the Council for Corporate & School Partnerships.  "From professional development for teachers, to mentoring for students, to creating a wider range of extracurricular and work-study learning opportunities, these partnerships build on virtually every ingredient for educational success."

Partnerships are judged based on performance in four categories.  The categories include: foundation – how the partnership was initially established; implementation – how the partners work together on an ongoing basis; sustainability – how the partners work to sustain the partnership over time; and evaluation – the impact the partnership has on the business and school communities.  Detailed information on the judging process can be found on the Council's Web site at http://www.corpschoolpartners.org/. 

Founded by The Coca-Cola Company in 2001 to identify, create, recognize and support exemplary partnerships between businesses and schools, the Council for Corporate & School Partnerships serves as a forum for the exchange of information, expertise and ideas to encourage partnerships between schools and businesses to achieve their full potential for meeting key educational objectives.  The Council has created two important school-business partnerships booklets, Guiding Principles for Business and School Partnerships, a report that describes the qualities of some of the nation's most successful school-business relationships and provides direction for schools and businesses that are interested in forming, maintaining or improving successful school-business partnerships.  The second booklet, A How-To Guide for School Beverage Partnerships, is an instructional booklet designed for school officials and business leaders who are interested in engaging in school-business partnerships.              

Partnerships involving kindergarten through 12th grade public schools and/or school districts and businesses are eligible to participate in this awards program.  Applications are due January 28, 2005.

The Council for Corporate & School Partnerships includes the following members:

Chairman
The Hon. Richard W. Riley, Former U.S. Secretary of Education and Governor of South Carolina

Council Members

• The Hon. John Engler, Chief Executive Officer and President, National Association of Manufacturers
• Dr. Susan Fuhrman, Dean, Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania
• Warlene Gary, Chief Executive Officer, National PTA
• Joel D. Herbst, Principal, South Plantation High School
• Dr. Paul Houston, Executive Director, American Association of School Administrators
• Dr. Mike Moses, Chief Executive Officer, Westmark Systems
• Quentin R. Lawson, Executive Director, National Alliance of Black School Educators
• Delia Pompa, Principal Partner, DMP Associates
• Dr. Gerald Tirozzi, Executive Director, National Association of Secondary School Principals
• Brenda Welburn, Executive Director, National Association of State Boards of Education
• Dr. Judith Young, Vice President for Programs, American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance
• Carlton L. Curtis, Vice President of Industry Affairs, The Coca- Cola Company
• John H. Downs, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc.