WEEK 4 CASE STUDYThe Scenario ...Pages 629-630The Woodson Foundation, a large nonprofit social serviceagency, is teaming up with the public school system inWashington, D.C., to improve student outcomes. There’s ampleroom for improvement. The schools have problems with truancy,low student performance, and crime. New staff quickly burn outas their initial enthusiasm for helping students is blunted by theharsh realities they encounter in the classroom. Turnover amongnew teachers is very high, and many of the best and brightest arethe most likely to leave for schools that aren’t as troubled.The plan is to create an experimental after-school program thatwill combine the Woodson Foundation’s skill in raising privatemoney and coordinating community leaders with the educationalexpertise of school staff. Ideally, the system will be financiallyself-sufficient, which is important because less money isavailable for schools than in the past. After several months ofnegotiation, the leaders of the Woodson Foundation and theschool system have agreed that the best course is to develop anew agency that will draw on resources from both organizations.The Woodson foundation will provide logistical support andprogram development and measurement staff; the school systemwill provide classrooms and teaching staff.
