A MODEL FOR INTERAGENCY COOPERATION BETWEEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY/JUNIOR COLLEGES IN THE DELIVERY OF COMMUNITY EDUCATION SERVICES (KANSAS, MINNESOTA, NEBRASKA, NORTH DAKOTA)

The purpose of this study was to develop a model for interagency cooperation between community/junior colleges and public K-12 schools in the delivery of community education services. The processes of interagency cooperation were determined to be: needs assessment, goal setting, program planning, program implementation, and program evaluation. The Survey of Interagency Cooperation was developed to assess the extent of (1) actual and (2) desired cooperation. Data were collected from governing board members, chief administrators, and line administrators in 117 K-12 schools and two-year colleges within Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and North Dakota. Responses were compared by (a) actual versus ideal, (b) type of institution and (c) type of position. The findings and conclusions were: (1) Cooperation between community/junior colleges and public schools existed, but key decision-makers in both agencies supported increased cooperation. (2) Support for cooperation is necessary from chief administrators, governing boards and the community-at-large. (3) Written cooperative agreements, an excellent means of initiating cooperation, should include a (1) plan for resource allocation, (2) funding agreement, (3) designated communication channels and (4) plan for serving future needs. (4) Informal needs assessment channels should be maintained throughout the process. (5) Cooperative goal setting, especially assignment of fiscal and administrative responsibility and determination of the agency most able to meet the need, should be accomplished by administrators with assistance from the advisory council. Possible services are educational courses and recreational activities for adults plus community development activities. (6) Cooperative program planning should include all planning aspects, especially public relations, curriculum development and staffing. (7) Cooperative program implementation should include all aspects of implementation, from scheduling to supervision. (8) Program evaluation input should be obtained from program participants, advisory council and administrators. These conclusions were used to construct a model for cooperation between public schools and community/junior colleges for the delivery of community education services