Abstract of Evaluation Tabulation

Symposium purposes: do you feel these purposes were met?

• 76% believe we identified the region's education and workforce development imperatives.
• 24% believe we crafted a regional education vision, or laid the foundation for doing so; this is in progress.
• 64% believed we learned from the research-based evidence for successes of similar rural regions elsewhere in the US.
• 72% believed we identified regional educational policy issues for which additional research data could be helpful.
• While 76% could see the region described as "meaningful," some indicated uncertainty about the definition in this context.
• 69% feel that regional communications have been established or begun.
• 56% believe the relationship between education and workforce development was clearly defined or begun generally. But we need to hear about economic development priorities and job/wage opportunities in the region, and the needs of the growing Hispanic population. Dialogue needs to be ongoing. One person said that for education to be valued, local jobs have to have a need, and they must offer pay to recognize the preparation.

For future planning, we should:

• bring issues identified to public's attention;
• form small action groups on specific tasks, such as developing place-based assessments;
• structure more in-depth discussion and focus
• establish a clearinghouse for information exchange
• develop a research plan to be implemented (Dennis P--survey)
• distribute the proceedings
• bring in key people from the church community and create a gallery walk of statements developed from this session

Regional educational policy issues for further research:

• immigrant population--ed attainment
• full service school centers--dawn to midnight for community
• obstacles to high school completion
• do a needs assessment: students, business, schools, young adults
• grants for place-based education
• address the achievement gap

Ways to improve the process:

• Combine community stakeholders & educators
• Use the web site for further links to homeschool community
• Half--rather than whole-day meetings
• Encourage representation by Hispanic community