Compacts or Business-School Partnerships

Paris and Mason (1995) describe compacts or business-school partnerships:

"Compacts or business-school partnerships are locally developed work-based strategies for increasing academic and occupational achievement in exchange for increased job opportunities and higher education for urban youth. In 1982, Boston formed this kind of public-private partnership between the city's schools, businesses, labor unions and local government. The Boston Compact is designed to motivate students to stay in school and achieve by offering guaranteed employment and financial aid for further education as incentives. Initially, money and jobs were to be supplied by the private sector and schools promised to improve academic achievement and reduce the dropout rate. In 1989, the compact agreement was renegotiated to emphasize high-skill employment for high school youth. Boston's Pro Tech youth apprenticeship program exemplifies the revised collaborative compact effort." (p. 43)

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