This practice brief from EdPrepLab highlights the partnership between Montclair State University’s Network for Educational Renewal and the Paterson Public School District in northern New Jersey, illustrating how a coherent, transparent structure grounded in mutual accountability can sustain effective collaboration over time. In partnership, the university and district developed a comprehensive professional learning series on transformational leadership that engages school and district leaders in reflective practice, data-informed decision-making, and inclusive approaches to teaching and learning. By centering equity and applying principles from the science of learning and development, leaders are developing tools to create inclusive learning environments and cultivating the conditions for thriving school communities. The partnership offers a model for designing university–district relationships that promote continuous improvement and systemwide transformation.

Citation

Virella, P., Davis, M. R., Brinson, E., Rushing, J., and Yun, C. (2025). District Partnerships for Equity: Montclair State University and Paterson Public Schools Point the Way. [Brief]. EdPrepLab.