Creating Schools at Work Sites.

Consider this scenario: A corporation or a group of smaller companies approaches you as superintendent with an offer of free facility space, utilities and maintenance services to operate a school on or near its property for the children of the employees.

The school district would provide the teachers and aides, books and curriculum materials and school equipment. Before- and after-school care and summer enrichment are added to create all-day, year-round programming.

It's no illusion or farfetched notion. The merging of business and public education to form a work-site partnership school, or satellite learning center, evolved nearly 10 years ago, thanks to the vision of then-Dade County, Fla., Superintendent Joseph Fernandez and the ingenuity of American Bankers Insurance Group in Miami. When Fernandez pleaded his cause--the plight of overcrowded schools--before the area's Chamber of Commerce, the insurance company's chief executive, Kirk Landon, eagerly responded. Three months later, ABIG opened the nation's first corporate-sponsored public school kindergarten on its grounds.

Almost a decade later, the school's success is evidenced by the expansion of its work-site school, which now serves 235 children in kindergarten through 5"' grade. Major businesses nationwide are following suit, among them 3M, Hewlett-Packard, Target, Honeywell Space Systems, NationsBank, Orlando Regional Healthcare Systems and a collection of t9 employers in downtown Des Moines. As of this fall, 30 work-site partnership schools are operating around the country.

Operating Rules

Because of the limited student enrollment, the burden of a work-site school on the school district is modest. The work-site school typically is affiliated with the nearest public elementary school with that school's principal supervising the partnership school. For some activities, such as field trips or special programs, the children are transported to the nearby elementary school.

The work-site school reduces strain on the public school system by supplying physical space, utilities and custodial services, thus saving taxpayer dollars. PTA participation is increased at the neighborhood school through the addition of the work-site parents. For most schools this means not only greater involvement but also the potential of greater fund raising to support the neighborhood school. Children at both schools have the opportunity to visit the workplace and learn more about that environment.

Most of the partnership schools start with kindergarten and add a grade level each year, generally up to 3rd grade. This marks the end of early childhood education and represents a logical transition point in academic terms, according to Sarah Sprinkel, early childhood program specialist for the Orange County, Fla., Public Schools. "We believe that [4th gradel is time to be at their own school. Peer group socialization is more powerful then."

All traditional school board rules and regulations apply to the operation of a partnership school with one exception. When a parent leaves the employment of the company, the child may remain enrolled in the school until the end of the next marking period. Then the student is transferred to a neighborhood school. Other exceptions may be implemented through contractual arrangements between the school district and the corporate sponsor, concerning matters such as school hours, curriculum or permission for children of work-site teachers to attend the school.

Since these schools are formed contractually and do not need legislation to implement them, they can be developed in any state or school district. Each de tail can be negotiated and spelled out in the contract between the district and the sponsoring corporation.

Multiple Benefits

What is the impact on the sponsoring corporation? Corporate America is learning quickly that a school at the work site can reduce employee absenteeism, tardiness and turnover. At ABIG, absenteeism declined by 50 percent and tardiness is virtually non-existent. At Hewlett-Packard, which hosts a 111-student school in Santa Rosa, Calif., the turnover rate of parents who work at the location is 99 percent lower than that of the company's overall workforce.

The Radisson Twin Towers Hotel and Convention Center in Orlando reports approximately 98 percent of its employees said they would not leave their jobs while their children were attending the 36-student partnership school located on site.

Having a work-site school also can be a great recruiting tool. Minneapolis-based 3M indicates one reason it is listed among the 100 best companies nationwide for working women is its partnership school, which this fall has 43 students in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten.

Both parent and child benefit from the arrangement. On-the-job stress is reduced because the child is nearby. The employee focuses more on work and gives the employer greater productivity. With the school often just an elevator ride away, the parent is easily available for a teacher conference, a special classroom program or a child illness. Parents and children can sit side-by-side during lunch breaks.

In addition, the child gains an awareness of the parent's job and the commute to work becomes a special time in the relationship. The addition of the parent to the child's educational team is an immeasurable benefit.

Mary Anne Ward is president of CorporateFamily Schools, 2229 Butler Bay Drive North, Windemere, Fla. 34786.