Chancellor Carmen Fariña’s signature inter-school visitation program is doubling in size in the 2015–16 school year. Under the Learning Partners Plus program, 71 additional schools will work together to strengthen classroom practices.

The program matches “host” schools, which have an area of expertise, with “partner” schools, which are often in the midst of a leadership transition. It underscores Fariña’s belief in educator-driven professional development that emphasizes collaboration, not competition or ranking, to improve schools.

“Great educators are the foundation of a great school system, and by empowering our principals and teachers to share strong practices, we are developing the expertise they need to succeed,” Fariña said in announcing the expanded program on July 16.

Learning Partners Plus grew out of the Learning Partners program, which was launched as a pilot in April 2014 and expanded to 73 schools at the start of the 2014–15 school year. The two linked programs will serve more than 82,000 students in 146 schools.

In the Plus version, 10 host schools that participated in the first iteration of the program are being paired with five to seven schools across the city. All school levels are represented. Principals, assistant principals and teachers from partner schools will visit host schools at least five times a year.

All 146 of the Learning Partner schools will receive Department of Education funding to have up to three model teachers, the new teacher leadership positions created in the 2014 UFT contract to give innovative and effective teachers the opportunity to be instructional leaders in their schools.

Both host and partner schools in the Learning Partners Plus program will receive a $5,000 allocation for program activities. Master principals at the 10 host schools will receive a $25,000 raise.

The program is partially funded by grants from the Wallace Foundation.