What is Scientific Learning Community

This introductory chapter provides readers with an historical perspective of the school-university partnership movement in American education covering periods from the early 1800s to 2020. Seven phases of the movement are delineated and discussed. The current landscape of different types of educational partnerships prevalent today in the U.S. are identified and described, along with remarks made about the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for expanded partnerships and research. The chapter concludes with the author's perspective on partnerships, the context and the book's focus on research and partnerships for educational change and improvement. Also, comments are made regarding an emerging trend toward the convergence and alignment of K-12 and higher education (13-16).