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MARIETTA - Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel earlier this month announced the launch of Ohio's Regional Education Partnerships; a statewide initiative to help children get a strong start in life, stay on track through school, and prepare for college, training, or entering the workforce. The partnership includes organizations from the seven regions of Ohio, including Building Bridges to Careers in Marietta.
"Ohio's future depends on the success of our young people," said DeWine. "By working together, we will identify challenges sooner, connect families with the support they need, and create more opportunities for Ohio's next generation."
The Regional Education Partnerships designated 12 regional partnerships that "will bring together local education leaders, employers, workforce organizations, and other community partners to proactively identify and address the most pressing challenges facing young Ohioans as they progress through school and into the workforce," according to a news release.
The initiative is meant to provide a framework for these organizations to work together directly, and use a data-driven approach to identity where support is needed most. It aims to support students of all ages starting at the preschool level and continuing to college readiness and career exploration.
Learn to Earn Dayton will serve as the statewide technical provider for the initiative, chosen for its experience in assisting schools, local organizations and community leaders of the Miami Valley with turning shared data into coordinated action to improve outcomes for young people. Regional partners will regularly share and review local data to understand how young people are progressing from early childhood through education and into the workforce.
These new Regional Education Partnerships provide communities with a common structure for identifying the most significant local challenges, coordinating action, and measuring progress over time, according to the release.
The Regional Education Partnerships initiative was introduced as House Bill 312, during the 135th General Assembly, by Reps. Andrea White, R-Kettering, and Tom Young, R-Washington Township, before being enacted through Senate Bill 208, sponsored by Sen. Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson.
These Regional Education Partnerships will be led by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Children and Youth and the Ohio Department of Higher Education.
"When an entire community pulls in the same direction, we create more opportunities for people and build a stronger future for Ohio,” Tressel said, according to the release.
A representative of Building Bridges to Careers was not immediately available for a comment.