NASP posits that partnerships are created through which processes?

• A. Shared problem solving and decision making, plus increased two-way communication
• B. Partnerships arise from formal mandates only
• C. Partnerships depend on standardized testing outcomes
• D. Partnerships are unnecessary

Answer: (A)

Partnerships grow from people working together to solve problems and make decisions, with information flowing back and forth in both directions. When teams engage in shared problem solving, joint decision making, and open two-way communication, relationships build, trust increases, and everyone aligns around common goals. This collaborative process is exactly how NASP describes partnerships: they emerge from active, reciprocal collaboration rather than from mandates alone, or from data outcomes by themselves. Mandates may require collaboration, but they don’t automatically create enduring partnerships. Standardized testing results don’t in themselves form collaborative bonds, and saying partnerships aren’t needed contradicts NASP’s emphasis on working with families and school staff. So the combination of shared problem solving, joint decision making, and two-way communication best explains how partnerships are created.