Educators and policymakers worldwide are reimagining teacher preparation through the lens of the science of learning and development (SoLD). This blog series, based on insights from EdPrepLab’s World Café webinars, highlights global strategies for aligning teaching practices with what we know about how students learn best.

How are university–school partnerships built—and how are they sustained over time? At Vanderbilt, we have been asking this question as we launch our first university–school collaboration. We were fortunate to explore it alongside educators from Australia, South Africa, and the United States during EdPrepLab’s World Café, Creating Meaningful Partnerships and Communities in Teacher Preparation.

University–school partnerships in teacher preparation offer opportunities to leverage the strengths of both schools and universities to create learning experiences that are active, constructive, and reciprocal. Several key themes emerged from this conversation that continue to inform our own partnership.

Identify the Experts Who Should Be at the Table

Building meaningful partnerships between universities and schools requires a diverse group of people with expertise. School leaders and educators understand their students and daily realities. Family and community members bring insight into the aspirations and needs of the children. University partners should approach the work with a learning mindset, not as outside experts. Influential individuals—those with credibility and the ability to bridge systems—are essential to drive and sustain momentum.

At Vanderbilt, we saw the power of one influential teacher who became a cornerstone of our university–school partnership. As a veteran teacher who taught a related arts course that connected students to the community, she had the trust of colleagues, students, parents, and community members. When she started to collaborate on our community-building efforts, the whole project gained momentum.

Often, trust develops outside formal meetings—in hallway conversations, after-school events, or informal chats. These moments help surface concerns around power, roles, and expectations. Program leaders should ask, “Who is missing at the table?” in order to ensure that all voices—especially historically excluded ones—are present is not just strategic, but essential for equity.

Listening as Partnership Practice

Effective partnerships begin with listening. It’s critical to spend time in the community, learning its context before launching any programs. Without this foundation, partnerships risk being disconnected from real needs. By combining data with direct conversation, we can build relevant, reciprocal relationships. Professor Eva Zygmunt and Wilisha Scaife’s 16-year initiative in Muncie, Indiana, is a model of this kind of community-embedded work. When candidates are placed within communities, learning with and from families, the experience becomes transformative—not transactional.

At Vanderbilt, this insight helped us pivot. Initially, we described the school at the center of our university–school partnership as a “lab school.” Over coffee and dinners with families and community partners, we learned this language evoked fears of their children being treated as research subjects. By listening, we shifted our approach, dropping “lab” from any description of the school and fostering deeper trust.

Moving at the Speed of Trust

Sustaining a partnership requires ongoing communication, transparency, and adaptability. Partnerships often begin with a set vision, but realities on the ground may demand new directions. Flexibility—in people, structures, and goals—is essential. This adaptability is only possible through shared decision-making and regular dialogue. A shared framework, like the Science of Learning and Development (SoLD), can provide a common language that can be operationalized within the partnership. Trust also grows from consistent, small acts: sharing data, showing up, and inviting feedback. As one participant in the World Café said, “You can only move at the speed of trust.”

At Vanderbilt, we built communication structures that support this. Collaborative planning meetings help faculty and teachers codesign lessons and share expertise. A joint steering committee—with district leaders, school administrators, and university faculty—helps us understand each other’s systemic constraints and find shared solutions.

Ongoing Learning and Development

Continuous reflection keeps partnerships aligned and effective. Successful collaborations regularly revisit their goals, assess both outcomes and processes, and adjust as needed. This is especially important during moments of transition—such as changes in leadership or funding shifts.

Sustainable partnerships require not only sound operational plans, clear objectives, and champions who will carry the work forward, but continuous improvement as well. This kind of work is relational and requires routines that foster connection, even during challenging times. When schools and universities honor each other’s perspectives and invest in reflection, their partnership can move beyond a single project to become a lasting, community-rooted relationship.

Strong partnerships aren’t built in a day—they’re built through shared purpose, deep listening, and trust earned over time. When universities show up as learners, not leaders, and invest in relationships with schools and communities, teacher preparation becomes more grounded, more relevant, and more powerful. These partnerships don’t just strengthen programs—they transform them.

Heather Johnson is Professor of the Practice of Science Education at Peabody College at Vanderbilt University.