National Network for
Educational Renewal
Membership Process

1. Members
   1. Membership in The National Network for Educational Renewal (NNER) is held by partnerships between P-12 schools and institutions of higher education that have evidenced ongoing commitment to the mission of the NNER.
   2. To maintain membership, individual settings must:
      1. Show evidence in annual reports of their continued commitment to and progress toward the Agenda for Education in a Democracy and toward the NNER Statement on Equity. (Amended 2/7/04)
      2. Pay dues by the date established by the NNER Governing Council (Governing Council).
2. New Members
   1. The Governing Council and its individual members are expected to respond to requests from interested P-12/higher education partnerships about the Agenda for Education in a Democracy (Agenda) and the process for admittance to the NNER.
   2. P-12/higher education partnerships may petition the Governing Council for membership.
   3. The Governing Council will post current application procedures on the NNER website. Due dates for proposals will be July 1 for Fall consideration and December 1 for Winter consideration.
   4. The Governing Council may admit to membership only those partnerships that demonstrate the presence of the following conditions in their settings:
      1. A commitment to the principles of the Agenda for Education in a Democracy demonstrated by specific actions taken by the partnership over a period of at least three years, and written commitments to the Agenda from the president or provost (or equivalent executive) of each higher education institution and the superintendent of each P-12 partner.
      2. Evidence of participation by a representative each from P-12 schools and the arts and sciences and professional education faculties of higher education (the “tripartite” responsible for school and teacher education renewal) in an NNER-approved leadership program.
      3. A Professional Development Plan to assure a critical mass of members of the tripartite who have deep understanding of the principles of the Agenda, and evidence that the plan is in place and functioning.
      4. A written statement indicating how the setting would contribute to the diversity of the NNER and deepen the conversation about, and inquiry into, the Agenda for Education in a Democracy.
   5. The Governing Council will decide on the application by taking into account the evidence relative to the criteria in paragraph II D along with the capacity of the NNER to integrate the setting into the NNER and the Agenda.
      
3. Application for Membership
   1. The partnership setting shall obtain application guidelines from the chairperson of the NNER Governing Council.
   2. The partnership setting shall send three copies of a written application for membership to the chairperson of the NNER Governing Council. The application must include the following information:
      1. Evidence that the requisite conditions set forth in Paragraph II D are present; and
      2. Letters from the president or provost (or equivalent executive) of each higher education institution and the superintendent of each P-12 partner indicating the commitment of the leaders and their respective boards or commissions to participation in the NNER.
   3. The chairperson shall forward the application for review to two or more members of the Council who may convene a review team from member settings. The reviewers’ responsibility is twofold:
      1. To ensure that the applicant meets the requisite conditions for membership; and
      2. To facilitate the application process so that the Council may give the applicant a full and impartial review.
   4. The reviewers shall consider the application, seek additional information as needed, and then present the application and one of the following recommendations in writing to the Council at the Council’s next available meeting:
      1. Accept the setting for membership based upon consideration of the criteria stated in paragraph II D and E and the evidence available for review;
      2. Request additional information and/or a site visit at the setting’s expense prior to a decision to accept or deny membership;
      3. Defer a decision and suggest steps that the setting might take;
      4. Deny acceptance of the setting for membership based upon consideration of the criteria stated in paragraph II D and E and the evidence available for review.
   5. The Council may accept the recommendation of the reviewers or adopt a different action based on the evidence of whether or not the applicant meets the conditions.
   6. The chairperson communicates in writing the Council’s decision to the applicant with a copy to members of the Council.
   7. A partnership that is denied acceptance may ask for a site visit at its own expense, and its application may be reconsidered if the Council agrees to the visit.
      
      
4. Orientation of New Member. The chairperson shall designate, through mutual consent, persons from one or more member settings to welcome and orient persons from the newly-admitted setting into full participation in the NNER community and the Agenda for Education in a Democracy.

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