StriveTogether
Model & Strategy
StriveTogether works with communities to improve education outcomes by helping them aggregate, analyze and utilize data more effectively and by helping community actors operate in a collaborative way. Education in the U.S. is program rich, but system poor – despite the massive amount of resources spent on disjointed education efforts, communities have yet to achieve desired student outcomes, nor have we witnessed systemic, sustainable change within the education system. StriveTogether’s proven expertise, effective resources and nationally recognized collective impact approach enables communities to create local education ecosystems to support children and youth from cradle to career.
Built on lessons in 53 communities, StriveTogether’s Theory of Action helps local partnerships build and sustain civic infrastructure by engaging the community, eliminating disparities, focusing on continuous improvement and aligning existing resources. StriveTogether helps communities unite stakeholders around shared goals, measures and results in education. StriveTogether supports these communities through network activities, tools and strategic assistance aligned with a nationally-recognized Theory of Action. Network outcomes include kindergarten readiness, early grade reading, middle grade math, high school graduation, postsecondary enrollment and attainment.
Until 2017, Jeff Edmondson led StriveTogether and was the founding executive director of the StrivePartnership. Jeff now serves as Executive Director of Community Mobilization at Ballmer Group. Prior to founding StriveTogether, Edmondson was the founding executive director of the StrivePartnership in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, a partnership of postsecondary, K-12, business, philanthropic, non-profit, and civic organizations aimed at increasing education outcomes for students throughout the region. StrivePartnership is one of the most notable collective impact initiatives and Edmondson has drawn on the work of the Partnership to develop StriveTogether and the national Cradle to Career Network.
Jennifer Blatz serves as president and CEO for StriveTogether, where she oversees the organization’s operations and strategy for accelerating the progress of cradle-to-career partnerships to change systems and improve educational outcomes. Prior to her work with StriveTogether, Jennifer worked closely with StriveTogether Founder Jeff Edmondson to launch StrivePartnership, a cross-sector, cradle-to-career partnership serving Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky and one of the most notable collective impact initiatives in the country.
IMPACT
StriveTogether’s “Cradle to Career” Network includes nearly 70 cross-sector partnerships working to create more equitable systems and attain better outcomes for every child. The Network impacts more than 13 million children, including more than 9 million children of color across 30 states.
Each network community is progressing through a continuum of gateways as they build and sustain civic infrastructure, known as StriveTogether’s Theory of Action. Today, 11 Network members are in the “Emerging” gateway, 42 are in the “Sustaining” gateway and 15 are in the “Proof Point” gateway.
StriveTogether is entering into year one of a new strategic plan in which network members are working toward an ambitious five-year goal to accelerate the progress of at least 24 communities to reach a new, elevated Systems Transformation gateway in which they demonstrate evidence of outcomes improving, disparities closing, and a deeper level of engagement with adjacent sectors such as housing, health, transportation, and human services to transform systems.
StriveTogether News
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It’s time to reimagine our systems and design a nation that works for all of us. In the newest episode of… https://t.co/iemP8q1CFF
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RT @RichardRaya1: Thanks to @StriveTogether for giving us the conference we needed. We re-filled our cups by connecting to others working f…
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RT @colleenmaleski: We do the work for the children, for the future where all of them have opportunities. It is education that is so transf…
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RT @SimonTheTam: "The cost of inaction far exceeds the costs of intervention," says @JenBlatz on the long game of transforming systems #con…
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"This is the work of our generation." - @JenBlatz #convenec2c
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RT @writerswordz: We need the voice of those who will be impacted by the policy at the table-Rosie Castro. @castrocountry #convenec2c @Stri…
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RT @tmaidong: When you committed to a Vegas trip but you have to catch the last @StriveTogether plenary to hear @JulianCastro speak...then…
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"Ultimately, it is education that will build us toward a better world," says @JulianCastro #convenec2c
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"You're either table or or on the menu," @Rey4sa quoting an old activist adage #convenec2c
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“We’re all in this together as a community, and we rise and fall together.” - @juliancastro #convenec2c
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RT @colleenmaleski: You must always have the voice represented of those impacted by the policy you're creating. @castrocountry #convenec2c
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"You must always have the voice of those that are always impacted by the policy that you are creating because they… https://t.co/Jky8FgiW1R
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RT @colleenmaleski: Change is almost always incremental but it adds up and we make progress. In this moment in time, we have a coalition an…
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"Do something" - @castrocountry #convenec2c
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RT @Suite417: Generational strength, grace, and empathy are on full display during this conversation with @JulianCastro @rey4sa @castrocou…
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RT @Suite417: Policy might just be my love language. Let's all take a seat at these tables. #convenec2c https://t.co/Jh0fL3R4Yg
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.@JulianCastro and @castrocountry are all smiles as @rey4sa talks about the honorific of "hell raiser" that Julian… https://t.co/CJ6T3sxd4I
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"The problem is too often of times communities replicate the same exclusion and mistakes. We must be as inclusive a… https://t.co/PhjZ5Eqcwf
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A reminder from @castrocountry on the importance of representation and seizing power #convenec2c
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"You have to have faith in this work." - @castrocountry #convenec2c