OppNet Mobilizes Educators and Practitioners Around Student Equity and Postsecondary Readiness

On Thursday, August 29, The Opportunity Network’s Career Fluency® Partnerships team held their first Partnerships Convening in New York’s Financial District. Bringing together current and former partners, the team and educators from across the country led in-depth conversations about critical topics that influence their day-to-day work in accelerating postsecondary and workforce readiness in students.

There were 12 organizations from across the country represented at the convening, from The High School for Global Citizenship in Brooklyn to College Track New Orleans to “I Have a Dream” Foundation’s national office. The diversity of Partners that attended helped to generate rich discussion, insight-sharing, and network building.

OppNet’s Partnerships team engaged Partner organizations in two workshops over the course of the day: “Culturally Responsive Teaching: What, Why, and How” and “Engaging Your Community: Conversations for Sustainable Student Impact.” In the first workshop, the OppNet team introduced a working definition of Culturally Responsive Teaching, derived from the work of Gloria Ladson-Billings, Zaretta L. Hammond, and Cherry A. McGee Banks and James A. Banks. Educators were guided through a number of reflective activities aimed at clarifying what being a culturally responsive educator means in today’s changing education landscape, and how to center students in the learning environment thoughtfully. In the second workshop, OppNet’s Partnerships team supported convening attendees develop and refine implementation plans for ensuring all members and stakeholders of their community – students, families, local organizations/institutions, and more – are integrated throughout the work of their organization. This workshop was founded on Dr. Joyce Epstein’s Spheres of Influence Model, the idea that young people grow in three key areas - school, family, and community - and these three spheres must work together to support a student.

As we continue to deepen our institutional commitment to educational equity and postsecondary opportunity for all students, the work of OppNet’s Partnerships team and spaces created like that of the Partnerships Convening will remain critical. Through both, we are able to exchange solutions and clarify a path forward to realize our vision of a nation where college, career, and postsecondary opportunity is abundant.

OppNet Mobilizes Educators and Practitioners Around Student Equity and Postsecondary Readiness

OppNet’s Partnerships team guides educators and organizations from across the country on Career Fluency® innovations and how they can drive postsecondary equity and opportunity for students.