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The article discusses the ways in which U.S. school districts can build partnerships with local businesses to benefit both parties. The author looks at the impact of state budget cuts on school district finance in 2011 and 2010, as well as Florida's Manatee County Public School district with comments by School Board Chairman Harry Kinnan about the impact of budget cuts and the role of business partnerships. Topics include the development of a web-based application to facilitate business-school partnerships in Manatee County, Florida, by Dawn Allen, the district's community involvement coordinator, as well as the implementation of business internships with students in Virginia's Newport News Public Schools.

The article focuses on the partnership of the Hillsborough County Public Schools with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Tampa, Florida. It mentions superintendent of the school district Mary Ellen Elia who announced that the district's goal is to augment student achievement, increase graduation rates, and ensure college and career readiness. It adds that the Gates Foundation has committed 100 million dollars for seven years to aid the district's efforts to strengthen teacher effectiveness. Moreover, it outlines the five core stragetic initiatives of the Gates Foundation.