In reading through this list of steps, you may feel some frustration at the repeated refrain, "Take time to. . ." When people come together with a purpose, they generally want to act, to generate momentum toward their intended goal. And, in fact, achieving a balance between preparation and action is perhaps the greatest challenge in collaborative work. Many groups hurry through the preparatory stages, only to have things fall apart because of unclear expectations or poor planning. Other groups bog down in preparation, becoming so comfortable in talking about issues or so grandiose in their planning that they never quite get mobilized.

The strategy suggested earlier, of combining long-term planning and development with small, manageable achievements, is the best way most groups have found to maintain a balance in the early stages of collaborative work.

Every recommendation that you "take time" – whether for goal-setting, for learning collaborative skills, or for planning – is grounded in some group’s experience of failure, and in another’s success. There is no quick solution, and, as SEDL’s Cathy Jordan concludes, "You can’t get things done just by meeting once a month." The time and energy required are sizeable—but the payoffs are equally substantial.

The Southwest Educational Development Laboratory offers tools and strategies that can help school-community collaboratives to run smoothly and to make significant, long-term contributions to both community and school. SEDL resources include a guide and materials for starting a Collaborative Action Team. This process provides a practical response to the question, "Just exactly how do you collaborate?" Now undergoing testing and refinement in 22 sites across Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, the Collaborative Action Team process brings teams of school, home, and community representatives together to define a common vision and agree to share responsibility for achieving a mission they help identify. They learn to work together sharing programs, space, and students. Now, rather than competing with each other they collaborate to improve results for their community. For a limited number of sites, SEDL also provides ongoing training and consultations.

T.B. Hoffer & J.S. Coleman, Changing families and communities: Implications for schools. In B. Mitchell & L.L. Cunningham, Eds., Educational leadership and changing contexts of families, communities, and schools. 89th yearbook, part 2, pp. 118-134. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1990.

R.J. Hustedde, Developing leadership to address rural problems. In N. Walzer, Ed., Rural community economic development, pp. 111-123. New York: Praeger, 1991.

M.W. McClure, B.A. Jones, & E. Potter, Beyond consensus: Mapping divergent views of systems and power in collaboration. In J.G. Cibulka & W.J. Kritek, Eds., Coordination among schools, families, and communities: Prospects for educational reform, pp. 379-401. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1996.

Bruce A. Miller & Karen J. Hahn, Finding their own place: Youth in three small rural communities take part in instructive school-to-work experiences. Charleston, West Virginia: Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools, 1997.

U.S. Department of Education, Putting the pieces together: Comprehensive school-linked strategies for children and families. Washington, D.C.: Author, May 1996.