The two private faith-based institutions, the K–5 school and the university,
began work together on February 2, 2003. Preparation and
preplanning for the project included selecting university faculty to
participate in the project; discussing budget implications for the university;
completing a review of the literature on school reform; assessing
the needs of the K–5 school in terms of student achievement,
curriculum, and staffing; and designing a plan for intervention.