The EdRedesign Lab

We are thrilled to share some photos from last week's Project on Municipal Innovation (courtesy of PMI). The session explored how #cradletocareer and #placebased strategies could combat poverty and enhance opportunities for families in underserved neighborhoods. Our Executive Director, Rob Watson, participated in a panel on the importance of place in these strategies, while our Deputy Director, Tauheedah Jackson, Ed.M., discussed points of entry into this work alongside senior fellows Dr. Russell Booker and Sonali Nijhawan, moderated by our Founder, Paul Reville. Keep an eye out for the next episode of #DataSmartCityPod, which will highlight this session: https://lnkd.in/dJ_a8JBR Harvard Kennedy School Harvard University Harvard Graduate School of Education Blue Meridian Partners Poughkeepsie Children's Cabinet City of Poughkeepsie Monroe Nichols City of Tulsa Richard Raya Alan C. Libby Schaaf

Honored to partner with Harvard Kennedy School and Prof. Stephen Goldsmith for this year's first Project on Municipal Innovation (PMI) convening! This iteration of PMI focuses on exploring how #cradletocareer #placebased strategies can break cycles of poverty, revitalize neighborhoods, and expand opportunities for young people and families in neighborhoods where policies and practices have created roadblocks to opportunity and prosperity. Additionally, the convening examines the unique role that mayors and city leaders can play in advancing cradle-to-career approaches and specific municipal actions that create enabling conditions for young people and families to thrive. This morning, our Executive Director Rob Watson presented on the panel "Why Focus on Place and Neighborhoods? Thinking About C2C and PBPs" alongside Josh Davis from StriveTogether, Ben Lewis from Purpose Built Communities, and Christian Rhodes from Harlem Children's Zone. Later this afternoon, our Deputy Director Tauheedah Jackson, Ed.M. will discuss points of entry into the work, alongside two of our current By All Means Senior Fellows, Dr. Russell Booker from Spartanburg Academic Movement and Sonali Nijhawan, Immediate Past Director, AmeriCorps State and National. The panel will be moderated by our Founder and Faculty Director Paul Reville. #municipalinnovation #communityempowerment Harvard Graduate School of Education Harvard University Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative Blue Meridian Partners Cecilia Gutierrez Alan C. Child Poverty Action Lab (CPAL) Richard Raya Libby Schaaf Julie Allen

What does it look like when a city truly listens to its young people and builds a system around their voices? In Poughkeepsie, NY, the answer is the Poughkeepsie Children’s Cabinet, a nonprofit backbone organization that works with an array of partners to expand the landscape of supports and opportunities for children, youth, and families. Discover how the Cabinet is transforming communities from cradle to career. Authored by EdRedesign's Michelle Sedaca, M.A., our Spotlight—"We Get to Make the Future What We Want It to Be”—highlights the Cabinet's strategic partnerships and programs that weave together prominent networks, key initiatives, and yield major investments. In just a few years, the Cabinet and its partners collectively have: ✔️ Expanded early childhood care seats by 110% ✔️ Launched PK B.A.Y., a youth-led advisory board  ✔️ Secured $3.9M+ in new federal, state, city, and philanthropic investments ✔️ Reduced chronic absenteeism  ✔️ Created a 10-year plan to connect 5,000 youth annually to pathways for upward mobility    Poughkeepsie is part of EdRedesign’s By All Means and Success Planning communities, leading the way for small cities with big visions. Learn more about Poughkeepsie's journey by reading the second Spotlight in our series: https://bit.ly/4iIvve6  #EdRedesignSpotlight #Poughkeepsie Harvard University Harvard Graduate School of Education Harvard Kennedy School Lynne Sacks Jill Roche Gomez Yvonne Flowers Rob Watson Tauheedah Jackson, Ed.M. James Watson Kylynn Grier, MSW Poughkeepsie Children's Cabinet City of Poughkeepsie Poughkeepsie City School District Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce Robert Rolison Dyson Foundation The Wallace Foundation Children's Funding Project Harlem Children's Zone StriveTogether Ampact City Connects Purpose Built Communities EveryDay Labs Karen Mapp Todd Rogers Woodlawn United The Basics, Inc. The Art Effect

Attention Harvard University students: Join us for an evening of mentorship and inspiration with EdRedesign's By All Means Senior Fellows, Tuesday, April 1, 7:00–8:30 PM EST. EdRedesign is proud to co-host "The Power of Mentorship in College & Beyond" with Winthrop House and the Center for Public Service and Engaged Scholarship at Harvard College. This exclusive event gives Harvard students the unique opportunity to engage in small group discussions with our By All Means Senior Fellows, national cradle-to-career #placebased leaders dedicated to educational equity and systems change:   Dr. Russell Booker, CEO, Spartanburg Academic Movement   Richard Raya, CEO, Marin Promise Partnership   Sonali Nijhawan, Immediate Past Director, AmeriCorps State and National (2021–2025)   Alan C., Founder & CEO, Child Poverty Action Lab (CPAL)   Libby Schaaf, Interim Executive Director, Emerge California; 50th Mayor of Oakland, CA Dinner will be provided, and each Senior Fellow will facilitate a roundtable discussion with a small group of 4–6 students.  Space is limited, and registration is required. Location details will be shared with confirmed participants. Open to Harvard undergraduate and graduate students only. Harvard Graduate School of Education Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School Latinas Unidas de Harvard The Harvard Crimson Harvard Business School Harvard Divinity School

EdRedesign’s Institute for Success Planning is thrilled to present Session II of our 2024-2025 Success Planning Virtual Learning Series. Mark your calendars for an engaging session featuring Christan Shelton, EdRedesign Cross-Sector Leadership Advisor & Harvard Graduate School of Education Doctoral Candidate (Ed.L.D.), along with our Institute for Success Planning’s Community of Practice teams from Chelsea, MA, Dayton, OH, and Orlando, FL. 📅 Date: Thursday, March 27, 2025 🕒 Time: 12:00pm - 1:30pm EST 🖥️ Virtual Session: “We Have a Story to Tell” - Empowering Communities to Tell Their Stories of Impact Discover the transformative power of storytelling in strengthening community initiatives! This session will delve into a project that empowers local communities to embrace storytelling, enabling families, youth, and partner organizations to share narratives of progress and positive impact more effectively. The experiences of our pilot communities—Chelsea, Dayton, and Orlando—will shed light on how storytelling can be integrated into cross-sector, #placebased fields, ultimately informing the development of a tailored Storytelling Toolkit. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from Chris Shelton’s leadership and the inspiring storytelling journeys of our community partners. 👉 Access the virtual session directly by clicking this zoom link (no registration required): https://lnkd.in/dZ_7rCGE #Storytelling #CommunityEmpowerment #SuccessPlanning Harvard University Harvard Kennedy School Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative Harvard Alumni for Education Partnership for After School Education (PASE) Partnership for the Future of Learning Partnership for Student Success Omega CDC Learn to Earn Dayton Chelsea Public Schools Almudena G. Abeyta, Ed.D. City of Orlando Tauheedah Jackson, Ed.M. Julie Allen Lynne Sacks Michelle Sedaca, M.A. Rob Watson Denisse Arias Caitlin Hernandez Gustavo Luna

Real change starts close to home. Our Executive Director Rob Watson had the incredible opportunity to present on the panel "Community Power: How Local Initiatives Transcend Politics" at #SXSWEDU yesterday with three other trailblazers in the #placebased partnership field: Josh Davis from StriveTogether, Jillian Spindle from Mission Economic Development Agency, and Arti Doshi from Harlem Children's Zone. The panel explored how local partnerships are transforming communities and supporting families through cross-sector collaboration, education, housing, and health. When local community leaders unite, they can overcome political divisions to create vibrant, thriving communities for ALL children and families. #CradletoCareer #PlaceBasedPartnerships #SXSWEDU Harvard Graduate School of Education Harvard University Harvard Kennedy School Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School

At #SXSWEDU 2025, discover how place-based partnerships strengthen communities by supporting students and families from cradle-to-career. In "Community Power: How Local Initiatives Transcend Politics" on March 5th, our Executive Director Rob Watson and leaders from StriveTogether, the Mission Economic Development Agency, and William Julius Wilson Institute at Harlem Children's Zone will share how local organizations create lasting change through collaborative efforts across sectors. 📅 March 5, 2025 | 2:30–3:30 PM CT 📍 Austin Convention Center, Room 12AB ✅ CPE credit available Add it to your schedule ➡️ bit.ly/3EMcsAp Harvard Graduate School of Education Harvard University Harvard Kennedy School Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School Arti Doshi Josh Davis Jillian Spindle Tauheedah Jackson, Ed.M. Julie Allen

We are excited to launch our Spotlights—a research series highlighting Success Planning and cross-sector collaborative action initiatives that provide insights that can inspire, engage, and inform other communities looking to design, plan, implement, and scale Success Planning initiatives. Our first piece, authored by Lynne Sacks, Research Director at EdRedesign, and Aundrey Page, focuses on Every Child and Family is Known, a multi-agency initiative in New York City designed to provide personalized support systems for children and families living in shelters. In NYC, one in eight public school students has experienced homelessness, and tens of thousands spend time in shelters each year. Recognizing this urgent need, city leaders came together to break down silos and build a coordinated support system, ensuring that every child and family is truly known and connected to the resources they need to thrive. NYC has been a member of EdRedesign’s Institute for Success Planning (ISP) Community of Practice since 2022, under the leadership of Tauheedah Jackson, Ed.M., Deputy Director. The Community of Practice provided a framework for designing, planning, and implementing the Every Child and Family is Known initiative. Every Child and Family is Known pairs Caring Adults with no more than three children and their families living in shelters, connecting them to services and resources to help them thrive. Key takeaways from this initiative:  💡 Leveraging trusted relationships through a “Caring Adult” model  ➡️ Connecting families to critical services and opportunities  🔎 Using data-driven strategies to tackle chronic absenteeism and other systemic challenges  🎢 Showcasing how cross-sector collaboration can drive impact at scale  This initiative is part of a growing national movement to rethink how communities support their most vulnerable children and families. NYC’s approach offers valuable lessons for policymakers, educators, and advocates working to close opportunity gaps.  Read the full Spotlight to learn more: https://lnkd.in/dm8vHfX5 #EdRedesignSpotlight #NYC Harvard University Harvard Graduate School of Education Harvard Kennedy School Joshua Laub Christopher Tan NYC Department of Education NYC Administration for Children's Services

On Wednesday, February 12 MassINC and Urban Edge Housing Corporation hosted "School Centered Neighborhood Development: From Theory to Action" to explore how schools and neighborhood partners can work together to advance holistic community development. Our Executive Director Rob Watson moderated a panel with Carol Naughton, CEO of Purpose Built Communities, Kristin McSwain, Director of the Office of Early Childhood for the City of Boston, and Vanessa Calderon-Rosado, CEO of IBA - Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción. Together, they shared strategies for how schools can support neighborhood development and how neighborhoods can lift up schools in a way that improves outcomes for students, families, and residents of the entire community. Key takeaways included: 1. Schools as Community Anchors: Investing in school-centered development supports quality housing, safe spaces, and economic opportunities, with successful models showing the importance of community-driven planning. 2. Cross-Sector Collaboration: Effective neighborhood development requires partnerships across sectors like education, housing, and local government. Collaboration maximizes resources and overcomes systemic barriers. 3. Lessons from Successful Initiatives: Integrating school improvements with community investments fosters lasting change. (Photos courtesy of MassInc. Policy Center) Harvard University Harvard Graduate School of Education Harvard Kennedy School Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative

Congratulations to Tulsa's Leadership and ImpactTulsa! We are thrilled to congratulate Mayor Monroe Nichols and Deputy Mayor Krystal Reyes on the significant step forward for Tulsa's future with the creation of the Mayor's Office of Children, Youth, and Families (MOCYF). By signing the executive order, the city is committing to a brighter future for their community's children, youth, and families by investing in their economic mobility and well-being. The new office aims to align cross-sector efforts and mobilize community resources, with ambitious plans to improve the lives of 15,000 additional youth by 2030, ensuring that more than a 100,000 youth in Tulsa thrive. MOCYF will lead initiatives to address challenges such as family eviction and enhance cooperation across city departments through the Tulsa Children's Cabinet. We applaud our partner ImpactTulsa, who will head this groundbreaking office and start its transformative work in early March. Their dedication to systemic change through data alignment and cross-sector collaboration is key to the success of this initiative. A special congratulations to Ashley Harris Philippsen, Executive Director of ImpactTulsa and a Fellow in EdRedesign's Fellowship for Cradle-to-Career Partnership Leaders. We are thrilled to partner with Ashley and ImpactTulsa! #TulsaLeadership #ImpactTulsa #EconomicMobility Denisse Arias Rob Watson Julie Allen Tauheedah Jackson, Ed.M. Harvard University Harvard Graduate School of Education Harvard Kennedy School City of Tulsa Tulsa Regional Chamber FOX23/KOKI