Center for Advanced Learning: Shared Vision to Reality

1
Center for Advanced Learning Shared Vision to
Reality

• Bill Lesh, Regional Coordinator
• Mt. Hood Regional Education Consortium
• Renee Sessler, Reynolds School Board of Directors
• Kathy Ruthruff, Gresham-Barlow Board of Directors

2
Presentation Framework(for those who need an
organizing scheme!)

• Background
• Development of Regional Center Vision
• Current Reality
• Lesson Learned in the Partnering Relationship

3
The Way We Were

• Eight Independent School Districts
• Three Alternative Schools
• One Community College
• Some Partnerships with Business and Industry
  within each School Setting
• Rapidly Growing School Population

4
Developing the Vision

• Core of like-minded people who empower themselves
  to develop a process to bring independent silos
  into a conversation.
• Opportunities for change via national and state
  education reform movements along with significant
  industry development of national skill standards.

5
Developing the Vision Cont.

• None of the individual school districts have the
  capacity to create this initiative on their own.
• Charter school legislation provided the impetus
  and planning resources to further the initiative.

6
Initial Vision for the Center

• Enhanced, specialized learning environment
• Courses based on professional standards
• Students linked with community based experiences
• Courses linked to CAM completion and future
  educational options

7
Vision Initial Programs of Study

• Medical/Health
• Information Technology
• Pre-engineering/advanced manufacturing

8
Navigating the Waters

• Examine your demographics
• Gather data focused on the future
• What do your stakeholders really want?
• Be committed to clear communication and a
  consistent agenda

9
Navigating the Waters

• Identify Key Issues
• Governance
• Logistics
• Curriculum design and delivery
• Quality Assurance
• Is everyone still on board?

10
Center for Advanced Learning A continuum of
engineering opportunity
Industry Input
Certificate of Advanced Mastery 11-12
Certificate of Initial Mastery 9-10
HS Diploma
Associate Degree
Bachelors Degree
Masters Degree
Gresham Barlow
OIT U of P PSU OSU U of I WSU
I E CAM Charter School Center for Advanced
Learning
Mt Hood Community College
Reynolds
Centennial
Consortium of HS School Districts
Job/ Internship
Career
Subject Matter Experts
Student flow
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Survey the Landscape

• Are all key players included?
• Are all concerns being discussed at the table?
• Do they have the will to follow through?
• Are we all focused on improving educational
  opportunities for our young people?

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Genuine Collaboration

• Lets describe it!
• It is having a shared vision and a shared
  ownership by top level decision makers.
• It is a willingness to give up some of your own
  turf notions to gain a larger opportunity.
• It is CEOs sending their Lieutenants to each
  planning session.

13
Real Life

• You wont progress as fast as you want.
• Quality Takes Time
• Find a seasoned and successful grant writer.
• Keep your elected officials informed.
• Dont be afraid to ask for help.
• When help arrives, be clear what you want.

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Nuts Bolts

• Define roles responsibilities
• Create a realistic timeline
• Dont be afraid to create from whole cloth
  (industry national standards)
• List all the reasons grades 11 12 need to be
  more meaningful
• Invent from that list!

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Crucial Next Step

• It is not about place
• It is about program