Teacher professional partnerships
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Teacher professional partnerships (TPPs) are formal entities, organized under law partnerships, cooperatives, limited-liability corporations, etc.), that are formed and owned by teachers to provide educational services. TPPs may enter into contracts in which an entity (such as a school board) delegates them the authority to arrange for the administration and management of entire schools, a portion of a school or to provide some other educational service. Teachers are in charge and they manage or arrange for the management of the schools and/or services provided. The school district is not managing the school; nor is a district-appointed single leader in charge (e.g. a principal).
In 2006, ten operational teacher professional partnerships served 21 chartered schools throughout Minnesota, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and in Fall River, Massachusetts. This is up from seven TPPs serving 14 schools in 2004. The oldest of these, EdVisions Cooperative in Henderson, Minnesota has been operating since 1994. Three operational partnerships serving private schools are located in Northern California.
TPPs are responsible and accountable for producing high-performing learning communities. The contracts with schools allow for owners of the TPP to control their own work inside the school, which can include determining curriculum, setting the budget, choosing the level of technology available to students, selecting their colleagues, monitoring performance, hiring administrators to work for them, and setting their own salaries.