A Checklist for Developing a Partnership Agreement/Contract
Early education partners can use this checklist to assist them in developing a comprehensive agreement that clearly addresses each partner’s roles and responsibilities and many of the elements needed for the partnership to run smoothly. While agreements can and should be reviewed and revised over time, a strong agreement forged early in the partnership lays a foundation for a strong and sustainable collaboration.
A partnership agreement between early education providers contains critical information and clarifying details. Agreements include some standard legal sections, but the language used often sets the tone for a “partnership spirit.” On the following pages, QUILT provides a list of specifics that partners might include in a written agreement, although not every item need be addressed. Agreements vary, reflecting the uniqueness of the partnership. Early education providers can use this document as they develop or review their partnership agreements.
The checklist consists of the following five sections:
2. Partnership Services
3. Fiscal/Resources
4. Systems
- Planning and Decision Making
- Communications
- Oversight
- Recordkeeping and Documentation
5. General Administrative Elements
QUILT – Quality In Linking Together
Early Education Partnerships 2002
| General Information (often introductory) | Not Yet Addressed | Under Discussion | Finalized | Action Steps |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | General statement of the agreement’s purpose | ||||
| 2. | Partners’ affiliations and legal status | ||||
| 3. | Contractual period | ||||
| 4. | Contract amendments, renewal, and termination procedures | ||||
| 5. | Role of each partner’s decision making bodies in the contractual development and approval process | ||||
| 6. | Compliance with local, state and federal regulations and policies | ||||
| 7. | Conflict of interest statements and prohibited activities | ||||
| 8. | Signatures of key parties and date of signing (usually at the end of the document | ||||
| II. Partnership Services | Not Yet Addressed | Under Discussion | Finalized | Action Steps |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. | Number of children served; hours, days, weeks of operation | ||||
| B. | Location of services | ||||
| C. | Each partner’s role in service delivery: child education, child/ family health, mental health, disabilities, nutrition, family services/parent involvement, home visits/conferences, meetings, record keeping, transportation, supervision, oversight | ||||
| D. | Staff assigned to support the partnership; which entity/partner employs and supervises which staff | ||||
| E. | Responsibilities of each partner’s staff | ||||
| F. | Staff schedules | ||||
| G. | Supervision procedures | ||||
| H. | Staff qualification requirements | ||||
| I. | Professional development responsibilities (in-service, training, college courses) | ||||
| J. | Staff selection procedures | ||||
| K. | Annual performance appraisal procedures | ||||
| L. | Provisions for substitutes | ||||
| III. Fiscal/Resources | Not Yet Addressed | Under Discussion | Finalized | Action Steps |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. | Funding and resource commitment of each partner | ||||
| B. | Funding/resources accessed and by which partner | ||||
| C. | Payment per child/per year by partners and payment procedures | ||||
| D. | Contingencies required by partner(s) for payment (child enrollment, attendance, etc.) | ||||
| E. | Funds targeted and/or designated for specific improvements (renovations, salary enhancements, quality issues) | ||||
| F. | Designated responsibilities for: facilities/space, maintenance, repairs, food service, and supplies/equipment (who will retain ownership of equipment when/if the agreement ends) | ||||
| G. | Non-federal share/in-kind services | ||||
| H. | Provisions for collection and non-payment of parent fees | ||||
| I. | Provisions for the loss of revenues (e.g., child care subsidies & parent fees) | ||||
| IV. Systems. A. Planning and Decision Making | Not Yet Addressed | Under Discussion | Finalized | Action Steps |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Role of each entity’s decision making bodies in planning and decision making | ||||
| 2. | Policy Council representation and elections (if Early/Head Start) | ||||
| 3. | Community assessment process | ||||
| 4. | Collaborative, inclusive strategies involving partners’ staffs and parents and the community | ||||
| 5. | Items needing prior approval (items a partner reserves the right to approve) | ||||
| IV. Systems. B. Communications | Not Yet Addressed | Under Discussion | Finalized | Action Steps |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Type, frequency of meetings; meeting participants | ||||
| 2. | Type and frequency of reports | ||||
| 3. | Information exchange (training calendars, personnel policies, position openings, newsletters, etc.) | ||||
| 4. | Work with other agencies and responsibility of each partner | ||||
| 5. | Use of technology, i.e., shared databases for tracking, e-mail, communication, etc. | ||||
| 6. | Protocols for information sharing | ||||
| 7. | Parent communications | ||||
| 8. | Dispute resolution procedures | ||||
| IV. Systems. C. Oversight | Not Yet Addressed | Under Discussion | Finalized | Action Steps |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Notification procedures/follow-up on local, state, and federal monitoring/assessment | ||||
| 2. | Ongoing observation of partnership operations, review of records, written feedback, follow-up | ||||
| 3. | Annual program self-assessments and other reviews | ||||
| 4. | Improvement initiatives (partners’ obligations to each other when the partnership is not progressing as envisioned) | ||||
| IV. Systems. D. Recordkeeping and Documentation | Not Yet Addressed | Under Discussion | Finalized | Action Steps |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Recruitment, enrollment applications and intake | ||||
| 2. | Parent permission procedures | ||||
| 3. | Child screening, assessment and outcomes | ||||
| 4. | Curriculum planning and individualized child plans | ||||
| 5. | Parent contacts, home visits, parent-teacher conferences | ||||
| 6. | Disabilities, medical, dental services | ||||
| 7. | Storage of records and access | ||||
| 8. | Parent partnership plans | ||||
| 9. | Procedures for recording/tracking of services and follow-up | ||||
| 10. | Transfer of information, confidentiality | ||||
| V. General Administrative Elements | Not Yet Addressed | Under Discussion | Finalized | Action Steps |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. | Designated contact person for each organization involved | ||||
| B. | Travel policies | ||||
| C. | Liability/insurance | ||||
| D. | Use of partners’ names (how partners will publicize the services sponsored by the partnership) | ||||
This checklist was developed as part of the QUILT Project – Community Development Institute, Education Development Center, and the National Child Care Information Center. QUILT was funded by the US Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families.
