25-Year Partnership Models Best-Practices for Collaboration
May 18, Livermore, California – The Tri-Valley Educational Collaborative (TEC) has been serving students of the Tri-Valley since 1991 and is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the organization this year. The Collaborative brings together educators, business leaders and community partners from the Tri-Valley and is a statewide model for best-practice in regional collaboration. The Tri-Valley Educational Collaborative celebrated the organization’s 25th anniversary with an event at Las Positas college highlighting key programs including the Developmental Psychology of Children course pathways and internship programs, summer welding camps and TEC mentorship programs.
TEC is a collaborative forum that evaluates and plans Career Technical Education (CTE) articulation strategies through a regional effort among the following tri-valley educational institutions: Dublin Unified School District, Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District Pleasanton Unified School District, Las Positas College (LPC), and the Tri-Valley Regional Occupational Program (TVROP).
Julie Duncan, Superintendent of the Tri-Valley Regional Occupation Program (ROP), coordinates the Tri-Valley Educational Collaborative. “We have unbelievable programs for students because of TEC,” says Duncan. “Many of the Career Technical Education programs are too expensive to operate in any one district independently, however pooling our resources to offer courses by one District or the College and allow the other members to participate, allows access for all, a program that could not be sustained by any one entity. The partnership has allowed students to receive college credit for more than 30 courses at the tri-valley high schools. Teachers and faculty have been able to create seamless pathways from high school to college because TEC provides professional development and release time to make this happen. Because of the strong CTE partnerships, it has allowed our English and math teachers to collaborate to better prepare our students for college.”
TEC’s Administrative Council is made up of at least one representative from each school district, the Las Positas College and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. TEC hosts four general meetings each year that are attended by 60-100 participants and features a range of speakers including educators and business partners. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has been a key partner in the sustained success of the Tri-Valley Educational Collaborative.
In addition to the general meetings, TEC organizes programs for students including the Developmental Psychology of Children pathway, participation in Livermore Manufacturing Day in 2014 and 2015, Welding Camps in 2015 and 2016 and the GetSet program that facilitates STEM enrichment programs for young women in high school. GetSet is an acronym for Girls Exploring Science and Technology.
“TEC has been around for 25 years because it works,” says Duncan. “It works because the leadership of the Tri-Valley School Districts and Las Positas College has made it a priority.”
“The crowning 25 year achievement has been the start of Middle College High School at LPC,” Duncan continued. “High School students have the opportunity to complete units towards their high school diploma and a college degree.”
“Most of all, TEC brings industry and community together with education to create opportunities for students. Industry wants to see educational organizations leveraging resources and will engage and support collaborative efforts. Together we create amazing opportunities for our community. I can’t wait to see what the next 25 years will bring,” says Duncan.
Representatives from the Tri-Valley Educational Collaborative presented at the annual California School Board Association (CSBA) conference regarding regional collaboration and how other communities could learn from the success of the TEC organization. The session was attended by nearly 100 educators from around the state and is yet another indication that TEC is an outstanding organization that is a model of best practice in regional partnership for educational excellence.
ABOUT TRI-VALLEY EDUCATIONAL COLLABORATIVE
TEC is a collaborative effort that has prepared students for college and careers since 1991. TEC is a collaborative forum that evaluates and plans Career Technical Education articulation strategies through a regional effort among the following education jurisdictional governing boards: Dublin Unified School District; Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District; Pleasanton Unified School District; Tri-Valley Regional Occupational Program; and, Chabot-Las Positas Community College District, Las Positas College. The business and industry representative is Lawrence Livermore National Security.
ABOUT LIVERMORE VALLEY JOINT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD) serves more than 12,600 students in transitional kindergarten through the 12th grade at eight elementary schools, two K-8 schools, three middle schools, two comprehensive high schools, and two alternative schools. The LVJUSD features International Baccalaureate Programmes K-12. The mission of the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District is that each student will graduate with the skills needed to contribute and thrive in a changing world. For more information about the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District please visit www.livermoreschools.com.
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