BACKGROUND: The City of San José and its partner school districts serving the residents of the City are both driven to support a high quality of life for children and their families. With goals mutually intertwined it behooves both the municipal and educational systems to work together and support the educational, developmental, and economic growth of our community. In 1997, a broad coalition of leaders created a framework to help formalize an ongoing working relationship between the City and its local school districts and established the Schools and City Collaborative (S/CC).

PURPOSE: The mission of the S/CC is “to develop sustaining partnerships to maximize resources to serve our children, families, and the community”. The Schools and City Collaborative was established as a formal relationship between the City of San José and the local school districts serving San Jose residents to ensure positive communication and address areas of common interest.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: A formal body comprised of school district superintendents, City of San José elected officials, and City of San José department heads convene on a quarterly basis and operate under the following guiding principles:
1. Focus on the long term benefits of families and students of the City of San José;
2. Operate in a cooperative manner which leverages the strengths of both the City and the school districts;
3. Work in a pro-active manner with open and honest dialogue;
4. Focus on 3-6 mutually identified priorities, with established measurable outcomes;
5. Be understanding of each systems challenges and constraints;
6. Be committed to results and be innovative in its solutions;
7. Utilize our collective strengths to have a strong advocacy voice; and

GENERAL PROVISIONS:
A. A coordinating board herein identified as the Schools and City Collaborative, has been established to oversee the implementation of the identified goals and objectives of the S/CC.

The Superintendents of all School Districts serving San José Residents; the Mayor of the City of San José; various City of San José elected officials as appointed by the Mayor; a representative from the City Manager’s Office; and the directors of City departments as identified by the City Manager’s Office – at a minimum but not limited to Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services; Housing; Transportation; Planning, Building and Code Enforcement; Police; and Library.

The S/CC is co-chaired by the Mayor and an annually selected school Superintendent, selected for the upcoming Fiscal Year by general consensus of the S/CC members present at the last meeting of previous Fiscal Year. The S/CC meets, at a minimum, four times per year (September, December, March and June). And on an annual basis the S/CC will establish and/or update a written and measurable work plan that is based on its top 3-5 mutually identified priority areas. The S/CC will report its progress through an identified City Council Committee at a minimum of once per year as managed through the City Manager’s Office.

CURRENT COLLABORATION EFFORTS:
• School Safety
• Safe Routes to Schools
• Safe School Zones
• Teacher Recruitment and Retention
• Joint Use and Neighborhood Services
• Homework Center evaluation and recommendations
• Coordinate future planning and strategies such as the General Plan Update

LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT MEMBERSHIP: