SC Education and Business Summit June 27, 2007 Jim Reynolds, Total Comfort Robbie Barnett, SC Chamber of Commerce Keith Beall, Total Comfort Greenville Cedric Brown, Total Comfort Columbia Ann Marie Stieritz, REC Start-Up Coordinator REGIONAL EDUCATION CENTERS and BUSINESS COLLABORATION EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2005

South Carolina ranks: 1 st in the nation in improvement on federal math tests since st in the nation in improvement on federal math tests since st in the nation in improvement on federal science tests since st in the nation in improvement on federal science tests since st in the nation in SAT improvement since st in the nation in SAT improvement since nd in the nation in improving teacher quality in 2005 and nd in the nation in improving teacher quality in 2005 and rd in the nation in raising academic standards and improving accountability in rd in the nation in raising academic standards and improving accountability in The Monitor Group. 2 U.S. Department of Education. 3 The College Board. 4 Education Week. The State of Education and Workforce Development in SC:

53% of high school students graduate in four years the nations lowest on time graduation rate in % of high school students graduate in four years the nations lowest on time graduation rate in % of South Carolina adults function at a literacy level at or below the fifth grade 2 56% of South Carolina adults function at a literacy level at or below the fifth grade 2 SC labor participation rates are among the lowest in the United States: 500,000 adults under the age of 65 are not in the workforce. SC labor participation rates are among the lowest in the United States: 500,000 adults under the age of 65 are not in the workforce. 1 Education Week publisher research. 2 National Assessment of Adult Literacy The State of Education and Workforce Development in SC:

Difficulty finding qualified workers to fill jobs with increasingly demanding knowledge and skills sets: - Siemens - Palmetto Health - Venture Industries - Architects, IT Firms, Construction The Impact on Employers

The foundation of economic development is a knowledgeable, skilled workforce: K-12College Adult Workforce Economic Development in SC

Personal Pathways to Success (The Education and Economic Development Act) creates a seamless process for education and workforce development through collaboration among: K-12 K-12 Technical Colleges Technical Colleges 4-Year Institutions 4-Year Institutions Parent Organizations Parent Organizations Workforce Investment Boards Workforce Investment Boards One Stop Centers One Stop Centers Business Community Business Community Civic Organizations Civic Organizations

Key Elements of Personal Pathways to Success Individual Graduation Plans (IGPs) and Majors for all students Individual Graduation Plans (IGPs) and Majors for all students Parental review and approval of plans in 8 th through 12 th grades Parental review and approval of plans in 8 th through 12 th grades Identification and assistance for at-risk students Identification and assistance for at-risk students Expansion of dual credit opportunities to direct more students to college Expansion of dual credit opportunities to direct more students to college Regional Education Centers Regional Education Centers

Regional Education Centers Making the Education and Economic Development Connections

TODAY Making connections among stakeholders is like moving through a maze in which only the most persistent arrive at a mutually beneficial partnership Business Community Pre K-16 Education and Work Force Development Agencies Economic Development Business and Education Partnership

Section (A) of the EEDA [T]he Education and Economic Development Council shall designate regional education centers to coordinate and facilitate the delivery of information, resources, and services to students, educators, employers, and the community.

TOMORROW A match-maker for 100,000 businesses and thousands of educators Economic Development Regional Centers Donations Businesses One Stop Services Teacher Summer Employment Guest Lectures Shadow Programs Other Stakeholders Educators CATE Community Volunteers Students Regional Education Centers coordinate service providers and facilitate customer access.

Regional Education Centers are not additional service providers, but virtual brokers of information and services for students, educators, employers and the community.

School Districts School Districts Colleges Colleges Workforce Investment Boards Workforce Investment Boards Economic Developers Economic Developers Regional Education Center Partners One Stops One Stops Regional Technology Centers Regional Technology Centers Chambers of Commerce Chambers of Commerce Local Not-for- Profits Local Not-for- Profits

Regional Education Centers It s all about partnering in the community to set priorities and leverage funds and initiatives.

CharacteristicsK-12 Workforce Investment Boards Technical Colleges Econ. Dev. Orgs. Adult Education Elected Officials Stakeholder Contributions to a Competitive Workforce

The Regional Education Centers Will: Convene the parties to set targets Convene the parties to set targets Advocate for resources Advocate for resources Monitor progress towards targets Monitor progress towards targets Light fires when progress lags Light fires when progress lags Find gaps in service delivery and facilitate filling the gaps Find gaps in service delivery and facilitate filling the gaps Keep the overall regional perspective in mind Keep the overall regional perspective in mind Bring the voices and interests of all parties to the attention of the legislators Bring the voices and interests of all parties to the attention of the legislators

Progress of Regional Center Start-Ups Progress of Regional Center Start-Ups Two Pilot Sites began in October/November 2006 PeeDee (Florence) – Rural focus PeeDee (Florence) – Rural focus Midlands (Columbia) – Urban focus Midlands (Columbia) – Urban focus The status of REC rollout to other regions is*: Trident – First Meeting: January 25 th, 2007 Trident – First Meeting: January 25 th, 2007 Upper Savannah – First Meeting: April 20 th, 2007 Upper Savannah – First Meeting: April 20 th, 2007 Greenville – First Meeting: May 24 th, 2007 Greenville – First Meeting: May 24 th, 2007 Waccamaw – First Meeting: June 14 th, 2007 Waccamaw – First Meeting: June 14 th, 2007 Lowcountry – preliminary discussions in progress Lowcountry – preliminary discussions in progress Pendleton – preliminary discussions in progress Pendleton – preliminary discussions in progress Upstate Upstate Lower Savannah Lower Savannah Catawba Catawba Santee-Lynches *updated 06/01/2007 Santee-Lynches *updated 06/01/2007

What Will Success for the Regional Centers Look Like?

For Total Comfort it looks like: Keith Beall Cedric Brown

Formation of Regional Education Centers PEE DEE REGION - Ad. Ptner: Florence-Darlington Tech. College - Fiscal Agent: Florence-Darlington Tech. College MIDLANDS REGION - Ad. Ptner: Midlands Education And Business Alliance - Fiscal Agent: Lexington District 4 TRIDENT REGION - Ad. Ptner: Education Foundation (Chas.-Metro Chmbr.) - Fiscal Agent: Trident Technical College UPPER SAVANNAH REGION - Ad. Ptner: West. Piedmont Education Consortium - Fiscal Agent: West. Piedmont Education Consortium

Formation of Regional Education Centers GREENVILLE REGION - Ad. Ptner: Greenville County School District - Fiscal Agent: Greenville County School District WACCAMAW REGION - Ad. Ptner: TBD - Fiscal Agent: TBD