Watershed Advisors

Let’s face it: The problems that have the biggest impact on kids’ classroom experiences are also some of the most challenging problems to solve. It can be easy for big changes to get lost between policymakers in the statehouse and students’ classrooms due to the complexities of local control, siloed departments, and different funding streams…..just to name a few. And it can feel daunting to know where to even begin! With so many competing demands, we’ve found that it’s essential to have a clear process for taking on complex work.

"People should be able to bloom where they’re planted – whether by choice or circumstance." I was moved by this statement by Deidre Deculus Robert, Esq. at the National Summit on Rural Child Care last week. In too many rural communities, families are forced to uproot for opportunity. And child care is a barrier keeping many from building a life, career, and future for their families right where they are. A clear takeaway from the Summit can be captured by Susan Gale Perry's remark: "rural communities are not a monolith." Communities must be empowered to solve their own problems in ways that respond to their unique context. Too often, states try to tackle the challenges of quality, supply, access, and affordability for rural areas from capital cities instead of empowering local leaders who know their communities best. To achieve impact in access to high-quality child care in rural communities, we have to think about incremental, community-driven solutions. It requires leaders who creatively address child care supply challenges—like co-locating child care in churches or community colleges. They tackle transportation barriers by partnering with local transit options or organizing carpools. When it comes to quality, they’re rolling up their sleeves, making sure every provider has the support to improve year-over-year. They ensure that no provider is left behind in the push for higher quality. They’re pulling together coalitions of local businesses, community leaders, and other partners to raise funds, knowing that investing in child care is investing in the community’s future. It’s these scrappy, community-driven efforts that drive lasting change. When local leaders are empowered, rural communities can build high-quality child care systems that meet the needs of families where they are. This reminds me of the work my former colleague Pheriche Perkins is leading at the Pointe Coupée Early Childhood Coalition. Pointe Coupée is one of Louisiana’s most rural parishes, where 55% of families fall below the ALICE threshold. With child care costs skyrocketing—up 11% since 2018—families are paying upwards of $17,000 a year for two kids in care. But, PCECC is making change in a rural community possible. Through their efforts to use CLASS-based coaching, Conscious Discipline, and Tier 1 curriculum implementation, PCECC has improved quality across the board. By supporting teacher PD and empowering directors with ongoing teacher support grants, they have stabilized teacher turnover to 20%, well below the state average of 40%. And they have redirected $1.7M in taxpayer dollars toward ECE through Louisiana’s School Readiness Tax Credits since 2016. And Pointe Coupée ranks 2nd of all parishes in the state for infant/toddler access, based on the 2023 Kids Count Data Profile from Agenda for Children. Pointe Coupée is living proof that families can indeed bloom where they’re planted—with a little help from those who believe in making the improbable possible.

Join us in welcoming Michael Wiktorchik to our team as Manager of Financial Operations! Michael is a seasoned finance leader with a rich background in financial modeling, strategic forecasting, and process improvement. His career spans mid-sized companies and startups, where he has successfully implemented strategies to boost profitability and streamline operations. Michael is based in the Greater Philadelphia area. When he's not at his desk, he enjoys coaching baseball at his alma mater, playing golf, and cheering on the Philadelphia sports teams. #WeAreWatershed

We had planned to use this space this week to write about cell phone bans in schools, which is one of the buzziest back-to-school topics of the year. That was before we saw screenshots of texts between children cowering in their classrooms and terrified parents powerless to help them.

We're closing out the work week with some exciting news: After a successful summer fellowship with Watershed Advisors, Tziporah Tiller is joining our team full time as an analyst. In this role, she'll be focused on projects related to accountability and measurement. A former sixth-grade English language arts teacher, Tziporah brings to our team impressive collaboration and problem-solving skills and a passion for educational equity, racial justice, and public policy. She is based in Houston. Join us in extending her a warm welcome! #WeAreWatershed

We're excited to spotlight senior analyst Michael Bock! Michael is a self-proclaimed "data nerd" and policy wonk who loves thinking about how to leverage policy, programs, and funding to maximize the impact of public services and improve the experiences of students and their families. Michael joined our team in February 2023 after serving as the Director of Teaching and Learning Support Services at the Louisiana Department of Education. In that role, he provided strategic planning, policy, and research support for key initiatives connected to literacy, diverse learners, early childhood, academic content, school improvement, and teacher certification. Prior to that, Michael was the Early Childhood Accountability Manager and managed the state’s innovative early childhood accountability system through the COVID-19 pandemic. He also has experience working in schools, philanthropic foundations, and local government. Asked what led him to a career in the education sector, Michael said, "Improving access to high-quality education is at the center of two things I care deeply about: making a 'ding' that positively impacts others and finding ways for the public sector more efficiently deliver on promises to the people it serves. There's no shortage of opportunities and new things to learn!" Michael is proud to call New Orleans home, and when he's not working, you can find him bouldering or cooking. Thanks for all you do, Michael! #WeAreWatershed

We’re taking a brief break from our regular deep dives on the issues for a back-to-school check-in: Do you have a rose, bud, or thorn to share this fall?

Indiana is doing something intrepid: bringing high school education into the 21st century. Earlier this year, Indiana  Secretary of Education Katie Jenner proposed an updated diploma plan for the state’s high school students that will allow them to choose their own pathways without being sorted into “college-bound” vs. “non-college-bound” kids. This is big.

Everything really is bigger in Texas, including the gains made by schools participating in rootEd Alliance's effort to boost postsecondary outcomes for students in rural communities. rootEd Alliance collaborates with regional partners to place dedicated college and career advisors in rural high schools to help students develop and achieve plans for life after graduation. Over the last year, college enrollment among students who attended schools participating in #rootEdTexas increased by over 25%, and 81% of students are now on a pathway to family-sustaining wages, compared to 41% of all working 21- to 24-year-olds currently earning a family-sustaining wage. Watershed's Tim Shade, Delaina LaRocque, Cameron Stokes, Jennifer Mendez, Nazirah Purnell and Robert Algarin recently traveled to Abilene to celebrate the program's success and to plan for an even stronger future🤠