SUNY Chancellor, Clinton Community College President Launch Cradle to Career Network

Plattsburgh – State University of New York Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher and Clinton Community College President John E. Jablonski today launched a cradle-to-career network that brings together regional civic organizations, school districts, colleges, and elected officials in a commitment to improve the education pipeline in Clinton County.

With the launch of the Clinton County Workforce Development Roundtable, a rural community in the U.S. joins Strive Network for the first time. Strive is an evidence-based educational reform initiative that has improved student success in greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky school districts since it was created in 2006. Specifically, Strive has produced positive trends in college and high school graduation rates, fourth-grade reading and math scores, and the number of preschool children prepared for kindergarten.

“Establishing a cradle to career network and obtaining the deep but necessary commitment from all involved is no small task; but the challenges are ultimately overshadowed by the rewards that these networks bring to communities and students,” said Chancellor Zimpher. “A continued pledge to take best practices to scale across the region will positively impact the education system here and improve student success at every level. I commend President Jablonski and his partners for bringing this opportunity to Clinton County.”

“This is such an exciting time not only for Clinton County but for the entire North Country region and all of New York State,” said President Jablonski. “By working together to identify what programs are working best for students and widely adapting those programs, this new collaborative is certain to enhance the education we are providing students now and in the future. I thank Chancellor Zimpher for her leadership and congratulate every member of the Workforce Development Roundtable on today’s hard-earned launch.”

Strive Managing Director Jeff Edmondson said, “Strive is about helping communities work together to lift up and drive investment toward what really works for kids. We have found in our work with sites across the country that one key to success is having a core group of respected community leaders from across sectors step up and commit to working together over the long term to support every child, from cradle to career. It’s clear that Clinton County has this important asset and we look forward to supporting their future efforts."

Johanna Duncan-Poitier, SUNY Senior Vice Chancellor for Community Colleges and the Education Pipeline, said, “We are thrilled that SUNY and the dedicated members of the Clinton County Roundtable are able to be Strive Network’s first rural community in the country. Their continued commitment, combined with the community’s support, is certain to improve the education system in this region and help local students achieve more in school, in college, and eventually, in the workforce.”

Members of the Clinton County Workforce Development Roundtable include: Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce, The Development Corporation, North Country Workforce Investment Board, and K-12 and higher education leaders engaged in cross-sector collaboration to improve the education pipeline. 

Strive, which was co-created by Chancellor Zimpher, has increased academic achievement as well as kindergarten preparedness and college graduation rates in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky over the last five years.

Since its inception in 2006, Strive has generated real, large-scale improvement in the education pipeline in greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. In Cincinnati’s public schools over the last five years, 8th grade math scores have gone up 15 percent, and college enrollment has increased by 10 percent. At Northern Kentucky University and the University of Cincinnati, graduation rates for students from the local urban high schools have increased by 10 and 7 percent, respectively. There have been additional improvements in the number of preschool children prepared for kindergarten, in fourth-grade reading and math scores, and in high school graduation rates.

Strive’s success has compelled many regions across the country to replicate or adapt the concept, including several communities in New York State, where SUNY has taken on a leadership role. In addition to the North Country network, SUNY is establishing a series of systemic and sustainable regional education networks across the state and bringing together partners who have committed to the concept in Albany, Harlem, and Rochester.

Like Strive, the New York networks will brings together leaders in Pre-K-12 schools, higher education, business and industry, community organizations, government leaders, parents, and other stakeholders who are committed to helping children succeed at every stage.

Strive recently received national acclaim in a report, Striving for Student Success: A Model of Shared Accountability, by Education Sector, an education policy think tank based in Washington, D.C.

About the State University of New York

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States, educating more than 467,000 students in more than 7,500 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses with nearly 3 million alumni around the globe. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu