2027 WI State Education Conv

Sessions Speakers Exhibitors Floor Plan

Building an Active Chamber-District Partnership for Student Success (Room 102 A/B)

In today’s economic landscape, aligning K-12 education with regional workforce development is critical. This session explores the systemic, data-driven partnership between the School District of Janesville and Forward Janesville (the local chamber of commerce). Attendees will discover how this active coalition moves beyond traditional, passive advisory committees to bridge the gap between business needs and classroom outcomes. Participants will learn how to leverage business-backed capital, like the "Brightspots Grant," to fund targeted professional development that yields undeniable academic returns—including accelerating elementary literacy growth to 166% of the median. Presenters will provide actionable blueprints for aligning district strategic goals with community economic indicators while maintaining public trust. School board members and administrators will leave with practical, proven toolkits to replicate this high-impact, public-private synergy in their own districts.