If we are lucky in our professional journey, people will enter our lives at different stages and profoundly impact how we see and experience our role and work. Mark Comesañas has been one of those people for me. Mark is the Executive Director of My Brother's Keeper Newark, where he is collaborating across numerous Newark schools and nonprofits to build systems of support, and create new pathways for continuing education, job training, and employment.

While Mark is not yet a sitting district leader, he has run an alternative high school in Newark and is currently wrapping up a Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education before pursuing a Superintendent position. During conversation #15, Mark laid out the most critical questions he asks when considering a professional learning partner or approach.

"My role centers on championing the success of boys and young men of color in our city by fostering a collaborative ecosystem where they can thrive and reach their full potential. I'm always on the lookout for ways to improve systems that are designed to serve our communities. But with so many initiatives vying for attention, it can be tough to know where to invest time and resources. My professional learning strategy can best be described through the following 3 questions:

1. What is truly innovative? Does this idea offer something unique that addresses a gap in our current practices and research base? Is there some expertise or approach here that we don’t have already, or that we couldn’t learn and implement based on our own experience and capacity?

2. Will it integrate seamlessly? The best innovations complement our existing mission and vision, rather than adding unnecessary complexity. Ideally, a partner allows us to pilot on a smaller scale before we’re expected to purchase or attempt a full-scale implementation.

3. What is the exit strategy? Sustainability is key. Too many initiatives come and go because they’re too expensive to maintain or the champion for the effort has moved on. Before we begin a partnership, I need to see a clear plan for gradual release, with a defined timeline and supports in place to ensure long-term success.

I've seen the power of this approach firsthand. One example is our partnership with Rutgers University's Joseph C. Cornwall Center which brought research from the Network for College Success out of the University of Chicago. They had a proven model for improving freshman on-track metrics, and we were able to partner in piloting it with a couple of schools here in Newark. The results from the pilot were impressive, so we've been able to continue in scaling it to 5 comprehensive high schools.

What do I believe made this partnership so successful? First, the research base was solid. Second, the model was adaptable and integrated well with our existing systems. Third, there was a clear framework for building school teams and sustaining the work over time."