Education coalition gets $1 million to improve programs

The Community Education Coalition is receiving a nearly $1 million dollar grant for its Economic Opportunities through Education Network.

The national nonprofit Strada Education Network announced the grant of $997,000 yesterday saying it would support the coalition’s efforts in workforce training for adult learners, expansion of Ivy Tech Community College IT programs, and fund college / career success strategies to improve education for low-income adults and the area’s growing Latino population.

The Community Education Coalition was selected from hundreds of applicants in the competition. Strada Education Network announced the competition last year to prioritize investment in working adults who need to increase their skills in a shifting labor market and in disconnected youth who are neither working nor in school.

The Community Education Coalition announced that the money would support efforts including:

• College readiness initiatives for students and families to promote educational success and a college-going culture, focused on high demand STEM careers.
• Latino college and career coaches for middle and high school students.
• New or expanded Ivy Tech Information Technology education programs at four Ivy Tech Community College sites Batesville, Lawrenceburg, Columbus and Madison.
• An IUPUC and Ivy Tech Columbus. project  to increase college retention rates through instructor-driven, student-delivered approaches, and leverages outcomes based professional development models.
• Expanded support for workforce training for adult learners. Jennings County Adult Educational Center, McDowell Education Center and River Valley Resources will be able to increase the number of adult learners enrolling and completing credentials.