DEVELOPING COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS TO IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Abstract

This study employed a three-phase recursive qualitative data collection and analysis approach to examine ways public schools and religious organizations can develop more collaborative partnerships. Seventeen members from schools, religious organizations, and community agencies located in the Southeastern United States served as the key informants. To avoid misinterpretations, I employed participatory action research (PAR) strategies to capture the unique insights of various key informants from different professions and members from differing ethnic and cultural groups faced with the challenge of educating African American learners with special needs. Data was collected via researcher field observations, key informant interviews, and a focus group interview. These data sources enabled the researcher to capture informants' perspectives and viewpoints on key issues they believe impact the quality of learning outcomes for African American learners. Data analysis revealed four key themes: (a) the need for character and moral education, (b) parental apathy and lack of involvement, (c) the need for improvement in school climate, and (d) the need and potential benefit of collaborative partnerships between public schools and religious organizations. There was an overall consensus among informants from each subgroup that collaborative partnerships between public schools and religious organizations provide a viable option to effectively address these and other challenging issues. A researcher designed Three-tiered Collaborative Model was developed to assist schools and religious organization engage in a more participatory and collaborative process to better serve learners with special needs.