1Workforce Innovation Networks I: Expanding the Reach
Workforce Innovation Networks—WINs—has been awarded
approximately $5 million in federal funding to improve the economic
prospects of job-seekers and workers while meeting employers'
needs for skilled workers at the entry-level and above. WINs will
soon announce its process for distributing part of the funds to
cutting-edge employer organizations around the country, improving
their ability to serve their members and their communities.
WINs will use the new funds in three major ways:
To improve
public policy related to workforce development;
To increase
the number of local employer organizations playing an
intermediary role in workforce development; and
To
expand these efforts to state-level partnerships
Launched in 1997, WINs is a collaboration of JFF with the Center
for Workforce Preparation of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and
the Center for Workforce Success of the National Association of
Manufacturers. (more)
Want to find out more about WINs? The partners will make a presentation
at the National Association of Workforce Board’s 2003 Forum,
March 2-4. NAWB represents business-led workforce boards that
plan and oversee state and local workforce development and job
training programs. For more information, go to: http://www.nawb.org
4Boston Workforce Development Initiative: City Announces Support, Funds
On January 17, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino joined with the
Boston Foundation’s Paul Grogan to announce the city’s
support for the Boston Workforce Development Initiative. This
five-year effort is bringing together local and national funders
and other important stakeholders to significantly enhance and
expand workforce development in the city. The initial funding
goal is to secure $5 million in the first year as a step toward
raising at least $25 million over five years. The mayor pledged
an initial city investment of $1.5 million.
The initiative working group includes representatives of the
city, the Boston Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Citizens
Bank, the City of Boston, Fleet Charitable Trust Services, the
Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation, Grants Management
Associates, the Hyams Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation,
and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay. Jobs for the Future is
a consultant to the initiative.
5Policies for Accelerating Advancement: Pennington Contributes to New Brookings Book
Brookings Papers on Education Policy, 2003 features a
chapter by JFF CEO Hilary Pennington. "High schools today
must meet the dual challenge of preparing all students to function
at higher levels and performing better for those least well served,"
Pennington writes. She outlines how secondary school reform efforts
can address the difficult transition from high school to postsecondary
education and work.
Edited by Diane Ravitch, Brookings Papers on Education Policy annually provides the latest thinking from nationally recognized
experts on policy issues affecting grades K-12. The 2003 volume
looks at high school reform. (more)
YEAR UP: The Winter 2002 edition of Commonwealth Magazine profiles this technology-oriented education and job-training program
for high school graduates, along with its founder, Gerald Chertavian,
an entrepreneur who has put the fruits of the stock-market bubble
to good use. JFF is helping YEAR UP to develop a financially and
politically viable growth strategy.
WWW.GIVEKIDSGOODSCHOOLS.COM: The Public Education Network has
started a citizens campaign based on the idea that every child
has a right to a world-class education. "Public education is a
cornerstone of a successful democracy, and the key to the future
strength of our communities. We believe providing every child
with access to the best possible education means making sure each
child gets a good teacher." For more information go to: http://www.givekidsgoodschools.com.
OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THE INTERMEDIARY NETWORK: Founded through
the School-to-Work Intermediary Project, a collaboration led by
JFF and New Ways to Work, this national association provides valuable
connections for peers across the country, inspiring new ideas,
supporting innovation, and defining quality practices. Leadership
meetings, working committees, and annual institutes move members
toward an increasingly ambitious vision for work to ensure the
success of youth. Members include school-to-work partnerships,
workforce boards, youth councils, local education foundations,
independent non-profits, chambers of commerce, business-education
partnerships, and others. Act now to be eligible to send a team
to the next Intermediary Network Institute, April 9-10. For more
information, go to: http://www.intermediarynetwork.org or contact New Ways to Work, 707.824.4000.
7In the News: Rhode Island Moves to Personalize All High Schools
The January 15 edition of EDWEEK reports that the Rhode
Island Board of Regents has endorsed a plan "to transform the
way its students experience high school by fostering more personalized
school climates." According to EDWEEK, "by 2005, all school
systems must put in place strategies for ensuring Ômore personalized
learning environments,' such as by creating smaller schools-within-schools." Read
the EDWEEK article
As Rhode Island moves forward, its schools can draw ideas and
inspiration from the Metropolitan Career and Technical Center—the
Met—a unique, state-funded high school in Providence. Forty-Three
Valedictorians, by JFF's Adria Steinberg, tells the story
of the first Met graduating class.
And for more information on the Met, go to the Web site of The
Big Picture, a nonprofit that designed and provides support to
the school: http://www.bigpicture.org/TheMet.htm.
Workforce Innovation Networks I: Expanding the Reach
Go back to top
