SIG Mission, Vision, and History
Preamble
The development of the School-University Partnership Research (SUPR) SIG's updated vision and mission statement was a collaborative, member-driven process that began in spring 2025, when the leadership team initiated discussions and shared scholarly readings to establish a theoretical foundation. Over the summer of 2025, leadership members worked asynchronously to draft individual vision and mission statements, which were presented and reviewed at the September 2025 leadership meeting. Artificial intelligence tools were then used to synthesize the multiple drafts into a cohesive consolidated statement, which core leadership members carefully refined to ensure the language was timeless, inspirational, and reflective of the organization's inclusive identity.
The refined statements were subsequently shared with the broader SIG membership via an online survey in late 2025 for feedback and input. Following the receipt of member feedback, SUPR SIG leaders convened on February 19, 2026, to review all responses and incorporate the recommended changes into the updated vision and mission statement. As a next step, leadership shared the revised document with the full membership, and the finalized statement was published on the SUPR SIG webpage, hosted by AERA, in advance of the AERA 2026 Conference.
The updated vision and mission of the SUPR SIG is intended to be a living, fluid document — one that honors the rich legacy of the Professional Development Schools (PDS) movement that laid our foundation in 1995, while boldly forging a new and expansive path for the future of school-university partnership research and practice. This document reflects an ongoing commitment to growth and collective ownership, recognizing that our understanding of inclusive, equitable partnership work must continue to evolve in response to the diverse voices and experiences that shape our field. To that end, the SUPR SIG will create meaningful opportunities — through webinars, publications, and collaborative dialogue — to engage current and former members and leaders in refining and firmly articulating a shared vision and mission that truly belongs to all.
Vision
The SUPR SIG works towards the renewal of educational practice through the dissemination of cutting-edge research and practices on school-university partnerships that creates democratic outcomes for students and educators across P‑12 educational settings.
Mission
The SUPR SIG is a community of international P‑12 educators, university faculty, and researchers committed to advancing the study of school-university partnerships. Through collaborative inquiry, we are dedicated to leading partnership research, strengthening equitable connections between schools and universities, and disseminating evidence-based practices.
SUPR SIG’S Aims
With roots firmly established by the Professional Development Schools (PDS) movement in 1995, the SUPR SIG aims to positively impact school-university practices and research across four interconnected pillars:
1. Facilitating Partnerships and Collaboration
• Supporting the development and sustainability of diverse school-university partnerships across P‑12 educational contexts and partnership models.
• Creating opportunities for educators and researchers, across the globe, to organize and conduct joint initiatives that foster collaborative inquiry and shared learning.
• Engaging schools, universities, and communities as equal partners in addressing authentic problems of practice.
2. Advancing Partnership Research
• Promoting, sponsoring, and conducting research on school-university partnerships, including their design, implementation, outcomes, and impact.
• Encouraging innovative research that examines partnership effectiveness, equity, and transformative potential.
• Generating new professional, academic, and community-based knowledge that advances the field of school-university partnerships.
3. Building Community and Professional Growth
• Providing a vibrant, inclusive community that supports members across P‑12 schools, higher education institutions, and community organizations.
• Creating spaces for meaningful engagement, critical dialogue, mentoring, and exchange of diverse perspectives on partnership work.
• Facilitating professional learning opportunities, including reflection, critique, and dissemination of partnership practices and research findings.
• Strengthening the pathways and development of partnership scholars and practitioners in educational leadership and related fields.
4. Communicating and Sharing Best Practices
• Disseminating evidence-based practices and innovative approaches to school-university partnership development.
• Facilitating scholarly exchange through conferences, publications, and collaborative networks.
• Influencing practice and policy by showcasing effective partnership models and their contributions to educational improvement and student learning.
SIG HISTORY
The School-University Partnership Research SIG (SUPR SIG), formerly the Professional Development School Research (PDSR) SIG that began in 1995, underwent a name change in 2022 to better encompass diverse school-university partnership models.
The purpose of the SUPR SIG is to provide individuals engaged in research about school-university partnerships with a forum for discussion and a space for mutual support. The SUPR SIG encourages thoughtful and rigorous research which emanates from a variety of theoretical perspectives and utilizes many different investigative approaches and methods, while remaining faithful to the core principles of the PDS movement influenced by the Holmes Group in the 1980s (Holmes Group, 1986, 1990), the National Network for Educational Renewal, and the Research Practice Partnership initiatives. The SUPR SIG facilitates and encourages opportunities for inquiry, reflection, critique and collaboration among school-university partnerships representing all levels of the educational process and from all types of institutions and settings committed to improving PK–12 and educator development in higher education.