Developing 'A Guide to Agricultural Education Advisory Committees: Development, Uses, and Transitions'

Authors

• Christine Schuler, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

First Advisor

Becky Haddad

Committee Members

Troy White, Matt Kreifels

Date of this Version

4-2026

Document Type

Project

Citation

A research project presented as part of ALEC 996

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Lincoln, Nebraska, April 2026

The guide may have been updated after submission to Digital Commons. Please contact for the updated version. 

Comments

Copyright 2026, Christine Schuler. Used by permission

Abstract

This project developed a practical guide to support agricultural education advisory committees in their development, use, and long-term sustainability. Strong school-community partnerships are essential to effective agricultural education programs, particularly in small, rural communities where programs serve as connections between the school and local industry. Advisory committees play a critical role in maintaining these relationships, yet many agricultural educators lack clear, accessible resources to guide this work. This project addressed that need by creating a comprehensive, practice-based guide established from research and professional experience.

This guide started from a review of literature on school-community partnerships, advisory committees, and agricultural education programs. Existing tools and resources were analyzed. Input from agricultural educators, university faculty, and a local advisory committee informed the content focus. The resulting guide is organized into sections, including purpose, committee development, operations, roles and responsibilities, and practical tools.

The final product provides clear structures and strategies to help educators build and sustain effective committees. This project contributes a usable resource for agricultural educators that can also be used by administrators, teacher-preparation programs, and state leaders hoping to strengthen community-connected education. Future work should focus on evaluating the implementation of the guide and expanding support for advisory committees across diverse programs.

Advisor: Becky Haddad