What Is The Partnership?
The Business/Education Partnership of Sangamon County was developed in late 2005 by an ad hoc committee of community leaders convened by the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce. Through its deliberations, mission and vision statements were drafted, as well as agreements reached to hire an executive director and to appoint an advisory board.

The Partnership is county wide, covers K-12 and higher education, and includes both private and public schools. Dr. Allan Woodson, formerly associated with the Springfield Public Schools, the Illinois Association of School Boards, and the University of Illinois at Springfield, serves as the executive director.

Lugene Finley, Jr. Chairman of the Board			Allan Woodson Executive Director

OUR MISSION

To be an effective advocate for educational programs and initiatives that contribute to a competent workforce.

To be recognized as a leading force in enhancing the quality of education in Sangamon County.

To have created a linkage among educational institutions, businesses, and other resources in the region.

To have the resources required to effectively carry out the partnership’s programs.

How Are We Organized?
An advisory board meets bi-monthly and is comprised of an Executive Committee and five standing committees: Major Initiatives; Partners In Education; Programs; Public Policy; and Marketing.

What Are We Doing?
Major Initiatives

• Helping develop a comprehensive, multi-stage program to build relationships between employers, educators, and training providers to promote collaboration, communication, and effectiveness in the delivery of training services for the local metropolitan area workforce.
• Researching alternative instructional models designed to boost the achievement scores of middle school students within identified demographics.
  

Partners in Education

• Working with large companies or small businesses to “partner” with an individual school through volunteering their personnel for mentoring, tutoring, and/or providing financial support (purchase of school supplies, offsetting field trip transportation costs, etc.)
  

Programs

• Establishing job search workshops utilizing the combined expertise of local business human resource managers and State of Illinois employment placement professionals to provide job seekers with (1) tips on interviewing and (2) information on potential links to employers with job vacancies to fill.
• Developing job shadowing programs where middle school and high school students interact directly with an employer for a single day; there is no remuneration involved.
• Designing student internships programs where high school students work in salaried or non-salaried jobs at a business under the supervision of the employer to learn first hand about the company product, employer expectations of the hired workforce, job qualifications, etc.
• Providing comprehensive information on financial assistance (on-line scholarship information), occupations, and education.
• Developing a directory of business people willing to speak about their work to students.
  
  

Public Policy

• Issuing position statements on matters related to educational public policy.
  
• Seeking direct input from labor organizations, businesses, and community social service agencies via interaction with educational interests through educational forums.
  
• Tracking state and federal legislation that may/will impact education within Sangamon County.

Marketing

• Hosting a major annual community event to highlight the “State of the Schools” in the greater Springfield metropolitan area.
  
• Developing and distributing internal and external communications that focus on best practices and other positive attributes.