Tech Thursday: Cradle/Career Conference

How about a cradle to career conference? The CCSSO’s (Council of Chief State School Officers) partners of Knowledge Works and Strive Together are hosting one soon! Common Core is sure to be there!

The Conference:

Titled, “Exploring Communities Convening” and will be held in late March 2015. For the two days (tickets go for anywhere between $500-800 a piece)you’ll get up close look at why your community should align itself to the Cradle to Career Network. Where will this be held? Indianapolis, IN. Who’s leading this CC laden 2 day event? The staff of “Strive Together”. To see the conference agenda: http://www.strivetogether.org/sites/default/files/2015-Exploring-Convening-Agenda-at-a-Glance.pdf

Who/What is “Strive Together”?:

In case you weren’t a follower of mine back in 2014, I’ll provide my original article about not only “ST” (Strive Together) but Knowledge Works as well. Both are partners of the CCSSO (Council of Chief State School Officers); co-copyright owners of the CCSS. (see: https://www.commoncorediva.com/2014/10/24/fom-friday-knowledgeworks-or-knowledge-quirks/) You’ll also want to see the Prevent Common Core article I wrote on them as well from late 2014: http://preventcommoncore.com/?p=1247

Related articles by 2 of my fellow anti CCSS warriors: 
1) http://missourieducationwatchdog.com/public-education-as-workforce-training-is-workkeys-in-your-state/ (*Note: The opening screen shot to her article is the same one I used in the Prevent Common Core article. The only difference is at the bottom left hand corner).

2) http://ladyliberty1885.com/2014/10/24/the-ccsso-unc-nc-and-india/ (*Note, you’ll be able to connect some more dots when you finish this article)

The Communities:

In the picture below, you’ll be able to see the current network of aligned communities involved in this radical agenda for our nation. Why would I say radical? Their two guides you can receive in the mail (at least you could in 2014). One is titled “2020 Forecast: Creating the Future of Learning” (a joint publication with Knowledge Works and Institute for the Future) and “Knowledge Works Forecast 3.0: Recombinant Education, Regenerating the Learning Ecosystem”. (*Note: in my previously published article from above, you can get a more information about both publications.)

So, what do these communities align to? A collective community wide infrastructure. Here’s just one of the pillars, straight from their website:

• Cradle to Career Vision & Scope –  A vision for improving education outcomes for students beginning at birth, continuing into and through secondary and into and through post-secondary schooling until they secure a meaningful career. 

Want to see the rest? Click on the picture below:

I’ve included the 2014 ForsythPromise Annual Report so you can see up close what a “ST” aligned community does.  Forsyth County is in North Carolina. In fact, it is the only NC city to be in Cradle to Career Network. When you access this Report, you’ll see alot of the CCSS buzzwords (ie: rigorous standards, college/career ready, etc.) BUT you won’t see CCSS named specifically. In fact, the only reference to CCSS I could get from “ST”‘s website was the director’s participation in a panel discussion where CCSS was one of many topics. But, as we’ve learned in our anti CCSS fight, just because you don’t see it on the surface doesn’t mean it’s not there. It means you have to look closer. (the Report: Promise-Report-Web )

Related:

The investors of Strive Together are a ‘great’ group of pro CCSS supporters. (see: http://www.strivetogether.org/strive-approach/investors)

To see what the “ST” group thinks about the collective power that’s to be gained by re-authorizing ESEA, http://www.strivetogether.org/blog/2015/02/collective-impact-esea/

To see the 2013 “Strive Together” presentation where I did find Common Core mentioned(I used a general internet search to find this one): Opportunity Youth Session_Convening 2013_1