Pete Taylor Partnership of Excellence Award

During his tenure as chairman of the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC), Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Pete Taylor played an important role in the establishment of partnerships between military installations and school districts serving military-connected children. In recognizing Gen. Taylor's dedication and work toward assisting military children, the MCEC® Board of Directors established the Pete Taylor Partnership of Excellence Award at its annual conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in July 2004. The award, to be given annually, may represent a single project in which the military installation(s) and the school district(s) participated, or it may be a summation of the entire program between a military installation(s)and the school district(s) which serve the installation(s).

Application Deadline: May 1 of each year

Click here for a pdf of the 2005 Partnership of Excellence Award Recognitions.
Click here for a pdf of the 2006 Partnership of Excellence Award Recognitions.
Click here for a pdf of the 2007 Partnership of Excellence Award Recognitions.
Click here for a pdf of the 2008 Partnership of Excellence Award Recognitions.

About the Partnership of Excellence Award:

This award was established in 2004 by the MCEC Board of Directors to encourage and promote the outstanding partnerships that exist between military installations and school districts. Whereas, the leadership and the relationship between the local command and the school administration are institutionalized in formal partnerships, this award is designed to foster the sharing of lessons learned and to recognize that truly "goodness starts at the local level."

Who Can Apply:

The application must be a joint submission by the installation and the local school system. It is recognized that in some communities there are partnerships drawing from more than one military installation or school system.

Scope of the Award Application:

This award may represent a single project in which the military installation(s) and the school district(s) participated, or it may be a summation of the entire program between a military installation and the school district(s), which serve the installation(s).

Application Requirements for a Single Project:

Each partnership written submission must:

  • Clearly show the submission is a joint effort.
  • Include letters from the command and the school superintendent.
  • Include documentation and examples of formalized, regular opportunities for collaboration and sharing (e.g., meetings, task forces, or committees).
  • Give examples of success or testimonies from recipients of the project's benefits.
  • Show the project included a cross-section of the civilian/military community.
  • Explain the direct effect this had on students served.

Application for Total Installation/School District:

  • Written application should include all checked items above as well as:
  • Be illustrative of joint efforts and models between the schools and the military installation (this can also be at a school or unit level).
  • Give specific examples of the partnership's local plan, including history, goals, objectives, on-going efforts, and short-term efforts or initiatives.
  • Show evidence of sustainability during times of stress (e.g., deployment, budget challenges).
  • Include examples of the collaboration for the improvement of school transitions as well as the overall academic and school experiences for military children as well as all students.

Submission Requirements:

  • Written submission with supporting documents may not exceed 15 pages; all documents must be in 11 point type or greater.
  • Supporting documents may include: Local Action Plan, letters from community leadership, testimonials, newspaper articles.
  • Written submissions must be mailed to MCEC by the deadline in order to be considered.

Process:

  • A MCEC Committee will review the applications and select semi-finalists.
  • Partnerships that have been selected for the final round will be interviewed either on the telephone or through an Interactive Counseling Center (ICC) Conference.
  • Site visits may also be scheduled.
  • Winners are recognized at the annual MCEC conference.

Military (1) and school (1) representatives from the winning Partnership of Excellence community will be brought to the MCEC annual conference and presented with the award. All finalists will be featured in the On the Move magazine and on the MCEC web site. All finalists will be provided with Partnership of Excellence recognition documentation.