[Partnerships] due date change of cp a/n assessment

[John Breen]

Cathy,   I have been following the CP dialog. In response to your
initial question, I think the delay is beneficial because it temporarily
relieves an already burdensome workload. Increased funding would help
but more time is needed also. It is a fallacy to think that tasks can be
stacked on tasks and then good research can be accomplished. 
	One powerful impact on community planning is that our partner agencies
also have their share of meetings, mandates, funding requirements,
staffing changes and impending deadlines. My guess is that all programs
have strong community interconnections but meeting new and often
changing verifications of partnership is time not well spent. Especially
when future requirements are vague. I'm on the phone and email with
these folks often but we can rarely have a formal meeting. However,
those varieties of contacts reveal a continuing community wide coalition
with optimistic goals and plans, but too often undermined by
bureaucratic mandates and multiple layered compliance burdens, the
cycles of which are often counter to others. 
	I would suggest that the start of the five year planning cycle be set
to begin with the start of the next five year grant cycle for efficient
coordination and use the next three years to build an infrastructure of
understanding of our common needs, goals and requirements. At the same
time, build on current expertise to establish and utilize first rate
telecommunications and Internet use among community and state wide
partners. By that I mean audio and visual group meeting capabilities,
effective email use and active web pages for every program. Why
shouldn't Massachusetts take a leadership role in harnessing technology
for learning? I would offer the June 4, 5 & 6, 2002 development
workshops at MCLA in North Adams as an opportunity to review and
redesign community plans in correlation with projected DOE requirements
which may be available at that time. There will be a census workshop as
part of the program. There will also be workshops on email techniques
and distance learning. At present the schedule is Tuesday, June 4,
Distance Learning Day, Wednesday, June 5, ABE~ESOL Development Workshops
Day and Thursday, June 6, Diversity Day & International Fest. John
	

Cathy Gannon wrote:
> 
> Hi Community Planning Coordinators et al,   I am wondering what effect the
> postponement of the community planning assessment of assets and needs has
> had upon the work of your partnership.    Are you progressing as you had
> originally planned?  How have you changed your assessment plan because of
> the extra time available?  Has everything gone on the back burner?  Does the
> extra time necessarily mean a better assessment ?
> 
> We (all of us on this list!) are interested in how you are handling this.
> 
> Cathy Gannon
> 
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