Bill Ellis of the city and Carol Cleveland of the Kent School District updated the council on partnership work to expand STEM, career-technical education (CTE) and industry pathways for students. Cleveland said the district and city engaged a consultant for a landscape analysis and established a joint vision for advancing STEM and a set of system-building priorities including partner management, communications and a data-tracking platform.
District staff reported several near-term accomplishments: selection of a partnership-tracking software, baseline counts of volunteers and partnerships, launch of after-school STEM clubs (spring pilots reached about 115 students across six teachers and five schools), and plans to expand clubs in fall to additional schools. Cleveland and staff said the district launched a Core Plus aerospace and advanced manufacturing program at Kent Meridian this fall with two sections (~48 students) and worked with AJAC and industry partners on teacher professional-development sessions and site visits to functioning apprenticeship programs.
Nick Shetty and district staff described outreach to employers through a Kent Valley employer table and Kent Chamber connections; staff said employer engagement brought 20230 CEOs and employer representatives to roundtable sessions and helped recruit speakers and apprenticeship opportunities. The district said next steps include expanding partnerships to all 44 schools over one to three years, tracking returns on partnership investment, addressing transportation for after-school activities where possible, and seeking sustainable funding and additional facilities to scale CTE programs. Council members thanked staff and asked for continued outreach to parents, chambers and community partners.