Education First is a seasoned team of trusted advisors to the leaders responsible for delivering what many Americans want most: public education that effectively prepares all students for success in college, careers and a world of constant change.
We partnered with the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) and the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) to lead a statewide effort to develop registered apprenticeships (RAPs) in teaching. Our role in the work has included facilitating a Working Group of senior leaders at multiple state agencies to identify policy direction and guidance, synthesizing relevant research, and designing and launching a pilot strategy. We are developing a statewide framework and toolkit that details the process, governance, funding, and policies for launching, scaling and sustaining a system of RAPs in teaching across California.
Education First created a five-year blueprint to help IDEA strengthen its well-regarded “to and through college” program both in regard to the program’s overarching priorities and goals, and its feasibility at scale. We analyzed longitudinal data by graduation cohort for college readiness, enrollment, persistence and completion; met with 150+ students, parents, alumni, school leaders, educators and faculty at multiple IDEA schools and postsecondary institutions; and reviewed IDEA initiatives for academic preparation, college advising, knowledge and access, and programming supports for alumni enrolled in college.
We conducted a landscape scan of career pathway intermediaries in New York City (NYC) and identified best practices from other large urban districts. Our research informed a set of recommendations to help NYC develop a robust, coherent intermediary infrastructure to facilitate the student connections and employer engagement required for strong work-based learning opportunities and career-connected learning for NYC students.
WIth the Oregon Student Success Center at OCCA, Education First helped reform developmental education for all state community colleges. In partnership with Student Success Centers in Arizona and Washington, Education First provides a learning series for faculty and system leaders to improve student degree completion.
