NCEA Core Values
We Believe:
Members
NCEA's members include community education directors or coordinators at the local school district level, and those in organizations that provide a range of eduational services to children, youth and adults. Others are school superintendents, state department of education administrators, education professors in colleges and universities, community college administrators, members of state and local school boards and advisory councils, and state legislators.
What is Community Education?
Community Education is the educational philosophy that underlies community schools and other community education settings that advocate for and implement the creation of opportunities for community members—individuals, schools, businesses, and public and private organizations—to become partners in addressing community needs. Community Education is most easily recognized in the community school, a facility that is open beyond the traditional school day for the purpose of providing academic, recreation, health, social services, and work-preparation programs for people of all ages.
Organizational Renewal Grant
The NCEA was at a pivotal moment in its history when self reflection and the development of a comprehensive action plan could jumpstart the organization into being a true voice and leader for community education. It was increasingly apparent that education in this country is in trouble; that the traditional models of teaching and learning in schools require partners and new resources. It is apparent that more and more communities are endangered given the disparities they are experiencing with those with multiple resources. It is a combination of factors that suggests that community education can, and should be an active partner to improve conditions of learning and living.
NCEA was ready to take a leadership role in mobilizing current and potential community educators to truly look at how education can strengthen our communities. NCEA is invested in this vision to redefine our focus to build leaders of Community Education. With this in mind, a yearlong process was announced during the 41st Annual NCEA conference in November 2006, to host a series of dialogs at the local, state and national levels. Thanks to the generous support of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, following are the cumulative efforts for these historic meetings and the development of a Strategic Plan, which will guide the Association into a rich future.
NCEA Strategic Goals:
1. Generate awareness and understanding of the principals of Community Education.
a. Identify and develop partnerships with a diverse array of organizations.
b. Develop and implement a comprehensive marketing plan including current marketing practices.
c. Develop and implement yearly media and communications plans.
d. Promote National Community Education Day nationwide.
2. Build a diverse and sustained membership.
a. Align membership dues structure with member benefits.
b. Develop and launch a yearly membership campaign.
c. Develop and implement a membership survey.
d. Develop and implement a corporate and civic membership program.
e. Identify and develop partnerships with organizations and businesses not traditionally associated with Community Education.
3. Strengthen state capacity building relationships between NCEA and state organizations.
a. Develop and implement a cooperative state/national membership program.
b. Facilitate greater influence with legislators, increase membership, and resources available to state associations.
c. Provide complete lifecycle support for state based legislative advocacy through research and guidance via best practices.
4. Be identified as the leading source of guidance and information to support school and community collaboration strategies for local, state and federal policymakers.
a. Develop a concise legislative platform that can be mobilized at the national, state, and local level.
b. Cultivate additional sources of funding for the advocacy of Community Education.
c. Collect an inventory of existing state level legislation as well as a database of ongoing legislative activity at the state level.
d. Develop grassroots advocacy programs.
e. Advance legislation to connect learning to quality of life including economic development and environment sustainability.
5. Assume leadership in providing training and professional development opportunities relevant to Community Education.
a. Disseminate best practices by expanding existing and creating new professional development programs.
b. Create and develop legislative services including training and other support services.
c. Develop and implement “How-To Kits” for annual events.
d. Provide support and resources for participants in National Community Education Day.
e. Develop an accreditation (CEU) process.
f. Train and empower community educators as legislative advocates in all levels of government.
6. Actively pursue new initiatives that support and enhance our mission and core values.
a. Establish NCEA as a viable resource in the rural revitalization movement
**Proposed addition – draft, not yet board accepted:
7. Embrace and promote community school models as an efficient mechanism for integrated service delivery while encouraging and supporting other service delivery strategies.
Considerations for Change
We will:
- Adopt only programs or services consistent with our mission and core values.
- Respect the past as we move forward with new ideas.
