Partnerships and Systemic Work

PARTNERSHIPS & SYSTEMIC WORK

Group picture of CEP engaging in work with parnters

CEP has participated in over 20 collaboratives and established partnerships with more than 110 high schools, over 80 community colleges and universities, and more than a dozen community-based organizations. These dynamic partnerships enable systemic change, align college access efforts with academic and career pathways, and develop comprehensive, student-centered ecosystems of support across the K-16 continuum.

During the 2022-2023 year, CEP had formal partnerships with over 200 high schools, over 70 community colleges, over a dozen community-based organizations, and was actively engaged in over 20 collaboratives. One new initiative that CEP formally joined was the Bay Area K-16 Collaborative(link is external), which was one of the California grants awarded to thirteen CERF regions across the state, and included UC Berkeley, Chabot-Las Positas Community College District, CSU East Bay, San José State, and San Francisco State as Co-PI's. Together, the Bay Area K-16 Collaborative will focus on student retention and seamless transitions between educational institutions; inclusive front doors and effective onramps to college, including early college preparation for youth; institutional change efforts to reduce barriers to equitable degree completion and career entry; inclusive student supports coordinated across the network of partners including unified school districts, community colleges, universities, and employers; and deeper connections with industry, including the expansion of work-based learning for students. The Bay Area K-16 Collaborative worked on the following goals for the planning year.

  • Dedicate time to think through how we support OUR students through organizational culture shift and increased access

  • Determine needs and priorities, especially for the Bay’s most vulnerable students, to be addressed in the implementation proposal 

  • Design Community of Practices by Pathway (Healthcare, Education, and Engineering/Tech) and by topics such as Concurrent Enrollment, Data Agreements, and Work Based Learning while addressing alignment opportunities at systems levels

  • Further engage stakeholders as Community of Practice members, including industry partners and employers

  • Study promising practices such as the Fresno K-16 Collaborative