Collaborative approaches to complex public problems are increasingly being used by public, private, and non-profit organizations. Unfortunately, many collaborative endeavors fail to materialize or end prematurely. The strategy development process is crucial to success. However, frameworks to inform and assess collaborative strategies are lacking. This book develops, describes, and assesses a new strategy development tool called the collaborative assessment framework (CAF). Although the CAF can be applied to any issue that requires a collaborative response, it was applied to one of the most important issues in governance today: the academic success of our children. The book starts by demonstrating the substantial impact that crime and poverty have on academic achievement. The CAF then demonstrates the flaws in current approaches, informs ideal strategies, and provides a path to close the gap between them.

Robert A. Rose DPA, MPA, BS is a sergeant with a large sheriff's department in Southern California. He has over 20 years of experience serving disadvantaged communities. Dr. Rose is also an adjunct professor at California Baptist University (Riverside, CA) where he teaches public administration, political science, and criminal justice courses.