INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

CENTER FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SINCE 1991, THE CENTER FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT (CWD) HAS HELPED PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR LEADERS PROMOTE CAREER READINESS AND SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONS TO ADULTHOOD FOR ALL YOUTH - WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES AND OTHER DISCONNECTED YOUTH - BY INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF AND CONNECTIONS AMONG ALL STAKEHOLDERS IN THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM. CWD'S RESEARCH, TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND MATERIALS FOCUS ON: "ASSISTING EDUCATORS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS, EMPLOYERS, AND POLICYMAKERS IN BRIDGING SCHOOL AND WORKPLACE, LEARNING AND EARNING; "ESTABLISHING STANDARDS, ASSESSMENTS, AND TOOLS TO IMPROVE QUALITY, CONNECTIONS, AND COLLABORATIONS; "IMPROVING THE INVOLVEMENT AND RELATIONSHIP OF EMPLOYERS TO LEARNING AND TRAINING ENTERPRISES AND THE BROADER WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM; "ASSISTING YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES IN NAVIGATING THE ROAD TO ADULTHOOD, FROM SCHOOL TO ADDITIONAL EDUCATION, CAREERS AND INDEPENDENT/COMMUNITY LIVING; AND, "PROMOTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF CAREER PATHWAYS FOR YOUTH SERVICE PROFESSIONALS. SOME MAJOR INITIATIVES OF THE CENTER FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INCLUDE: THE READY TO ACHIEVE MENTORING PROGRAM (RAMP) - FUNDED BY SEVERAL GRANTS AND LED BY THE INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP (IEL), RAMP IS BEING IMPLEMENTED ACROSS THE COUNTRY BY STATE AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS WITH EXPERTISE IN MENTORING, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, JUVENILE JUSTICE, AND DISABILITY. THE RAMP MODEL USES A COMBINATION OF GROUP, PEER, AND ONE-ON-ONE MENTORING TO PROMOTE THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION OF RAMP YOUTH TO EMPLOYMENT, CONTINUED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AND INDEPENDENT LIVING. YOUTH PARTICIPATE IN WEEKLY CAREER PREPARATION-FOCUSED GROUP MEETINGS, INCLUDING PEER-SUPPORTED GOAL SETTING AND EXPLORATION OF CAREERS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH (STEM). EACH YOUTH MEETS REGULARLY ONE-ON-ONE WITH A MENTOR TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT AN INDIVIDUALIZED MENTORING PLAN (IMP). MENTORS ARE CARING ADULTS RECRUITED FROM THE COMMUNITY, SCHOOLS, EMPLOYERS, AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. YOUTHS' FAMILIES, TEACHERS, AND SUPPORT NETWORK ARE ENGAGED IN CAREER FAIRS, COLLEGE VISITS, AND EXTENDED LEARNING ACTIVITIES. WHILE IN RAMP, YOUTH HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASSESS AND EXPLORE THEIR OWN CAREER INTERESTS; DEVELOP A PLAN AND SET GOALS FOR THEIR TRANSITION; CREATE A RESOURCE MAP OF THEIR COMMUNITY'S HIGH-TECH INDUSTRIES; GAIN WORKPLACE SOFT SKILLS; BUILD RESUME-WRITING AND INTERVIEWING SKILLS; INTERACT WITH EMPLOYERS AND EXPERIENCE A VARIETY OF WORK SETTINGS; GIVE AND RECEIVE PEER SUPPORT; TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GROUP AND PERSONAL LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES; DESIGN AND BUILD A HIGH-TECH-RELATED TEAM PROJECT, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY HAVE FUN

CENTER FOR FAMILY, SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS, IEL HAS ASSISTED SCHOOLS, COMMUNITIES, AND OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN BUILDING INTENTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS THAT ACHIEVE BETTER RESULTS FOR EVERY YOUNG PERSON, FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD TO ADULTHOOD. THE CENTER'S RESEARCH, POLICY, AND NETWORK DEVELOPMENT FOCUSES ON: "IDENTIFYING AND CONDUCTING RESEARCH ON SCHOOL-COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS; "CULTIVATING NETWORKS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL COLLABORATIVES TO IMPROVE PRACTICE, SHARE SUCCESSES, AND IMPROVE RESULTS FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES; "DEVELOPING POLICIES AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT THAT SUPPORT JOINT ACTION TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES. MAJOR INITIATIVES OF THE CENTER FOR FAMILY, SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY INCLUDE: THE COALITION FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, IN OPERATION SINCE 1997, IS A NATIONAL ALLIANCE THAT BRINGS TOGETHER SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO ADVOCATE FOR SCHOOLS AS CENTERS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES, WITH PURPOSEFUL RESULTS-FOCUSED PARTNERSHIPS AT THEIR HEART. WITH THE SUPPORT OF A STEERING COMMITTEE REPRESENTING EDUCATION, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, HIGHER EDUCATION, CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, IEL HAS HELPED TO MAKE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS CENTRAL TO REFORM. MORE THAN 150 COMMUNITIES NOW HAVE MAJOR COMMUNITY SCHOOL'S EFFORTS AND ARE PART OF A LEARNING COMMUNITY OF LOCAL INITIATIVES. THROUGH THE COALITION, IEL IS LEADING EFFORTS TO HAVE FEDERAL AND STATE POLICY BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL STRATEGY. TOGETHER WITH ITS COALITION PARTNERS, IEL HAS DEVELOPED A RESULTS-FRAMEWORK AND EVALUATION TOOLKIT FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND CONDUCTS RESEARCH ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND HOW THEY ARE FINANCED. THE COALITION FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS ALSO HOSTS AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE WHICH ATTRACTS A DIVERSE ARRAY OF PRACTITIONERS, ADVOCATES, AND POLICYMAKERS LOOKING TO DEEPEN PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY. DISTRICT LEADERS NETWORK ON FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT (FCE) - THE DISTRICT LEADERS NETWORK ON FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT (DLN) IS A GROUP OF 225 INDIVIDUALS IN DISTRICT-LEVEL LEADERSHIP POSITIONS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OVERSIGHT OF OUR DISTRICT'S FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT (FCE) INITIATIVES. DLN IS A PEER-DRIVEN KNOWLEDGE NETWORK DESIGNED TO ENGAGE MEMBERS AS BOTH EXPERTS AND LEARNERS THROUGH A NATIONAL STRUCTURE TO SUPPORT MEMBER CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES. THE NETWORK IS UNIQUE IN PURPOSE, FUNCTION AND DESIGN AND IS GROUNDED IN THE BELIEF THAT THROUGH DLN, MEMBERS CAN INCREASE THEIR COLLECTIVE CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT A SYSTEMIC APPROACH TO FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, RESULTING IN MORE CONSISTENT PRACTICE ACROSS DISTRICTS, GREATER SUSTAINABILITY, AND MEASURABLE IMPACT ON STUDENT OUTCOMES AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT. MEMBERSHIP IS GRANTED EXCLUSIVELY TO THOSE WHO ARE TASKED WITH OVERSIGHT OF THEIR DISTRICT'S ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS. COMMUNITY SCHOOLS X FAMILY ENGAGEMENT CONFERENCE - CSXFE - IEL HAS HOSTED ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCES FOR OVER 20 YEARS, WHICH HAVE CONTINUED TO GROW IN ATTENDANCE. MOST RECENTLY, THE COALITION FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HAS CREATED A JOINT CONFERENCE, WITH PHILADELPHIA, PA, BEING THE HOME OF THE EVENT IN JUNE 2023. WITH MORE THAN 4,000 ATTENDEES, THIS WAS IEL'S LARGEST CONFERENCE TO DATE. CSXFE IS DESIGNED TO CATALYZE COLLABORATION AND ACTION THROUGH COMMUNITY SCHOOL & FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS AND ADVOCATES WITH A RENEWED COMMITMENT. PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE WHO BELIEVE ALL CHILDREN DESERVE A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE AND OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN AND THRIVE WILL COME TOGETHER TO DISCUSS PRACTICES, PARTNERSHIPS, POLICIES, AND PROVISIONS THAT TRANSFORM SYSTEMS THAT ACHIEVE AND SUSTAIN RESULTS.