Investing in Career Pathways for Regional Workforce Success Three Straight A Fund Projects with Workforce Connections

1. 1
Investing in Career Pathways for
Regional Workforce Success
Three Straight A Fund Projects with
Workforce Connections
February 25, 2015

2. Today’s Panel
Panelists:
 Dessa Augsburger, Director, Talent Connections,
Columbus Chamber of Commerce
 Stacia Edwards, Ed.D., Associate Vice President,
Workforce Strategy, Columbus State Community
College
 Pamela Noeth, Ph.D., Director of Powerful Practices,
Battelle for Kids
Moderator:
 Erin Joyce, Director of Powerful Practices, Battelle for
Kids

3. Ohio’s Straight A Innovation Fund
 Ohio’s biennial education budget dedicated $100
million in FY14 and $150 million in FY15
 Grants must be used for projects that significantly
advance one or more of these goals:
 Increased student achievement;
 A spending reduction in the five-year forecast or positive
performance on other fiscal measures established by the
Straight A Fund Governing Board (italicized portion added
for FY 15);
 Greater share of resources directed into the classroom; and
 Use of a shared services delivery model that demonstrates
increased efficiency and effectiveness, long-term
sustainability and scalability (added for FY15).

4. Ohio’s Straight A Innovation Fund
 Central Ohio Compact (FY 2014 and FY2015)
 Ohio Appalachian Collaborative (FY 2014)
 Young Entrepreneurs Consortium (FY 2015)

5. Central Ohio Compact
 18 School Districts
 1 Higher Education Partner
 Expanding Number of Business and Community Partners
 Expand postsecondary options for students and close workforce talent
gaps that exist across the region.
 Develop and deploy an infrastructure to automate task of matching
individual students with the adults best qualified to help them
succeed.
 Provide critical performance data for specific (internal and
community based) educational opportunities, matching
organizations, employers, schools and students in the ways that
matter most.

6. Ohio Appalachian Collaborative
 27 School Districts
 9 Higher Education Partners
 Networked 6-12 grade blended learning and dual enrollment
system designed to:
 Help students be more engaged in their learning and access
blended learning and dual enrollment opportunities around
four pathways: STEM, arts and communications, business
and entrepreneurship, and health/human services.
 Support districts in aligning education improvement
initiatives, leveraging resources, and collaborating and
sharing ideas to make everyone’s work better.
 Enhance communities by giving students access to learning
opportunities that will prepare them for jobs needed to
contribute to local economies.

7. Young Entrepreneurs Consortium
 12 School Districts
 3 Career and Technical Centers
 4 Higher Education Partners
 12 Business and Community Partners
 The goal of the Young Entrepreneurs Consortium is to
increase student achievement by building a robust
education-to-employment model, impacting grades 6–
14, exposing students to an array of business and
technical pathways, work-based learning experiences,
and leverage project-based learning that can prepare
them to compete in the 21st century global economy.

8. Today’s Discussion
 Roles and perspectives
 Needs and benefits
 Communications and outreach
 Collaboration and expectations
 What’s next
 Questions and Answers

9. Learn More
 Central Ohio Compact
http://innovationgenerationohio.com/
 Ohio Appalachian Collaborative
http://portal.battelleforkids.org/oac
 Young Entrepreneurs Consortium
http://www.youngmindsgreatfutures.org/