Welcome to LEED – Linking Education and Economic Development.

I am pleased and very proud that LEED has been the Sacramento City Unified School District’s partner over the last seven years in the extremely important initiative, e21 Students First.  Together, we have released the “Report to the Community on the Education for the 21st Century High School Redesign Initiative: 2002-2007 and Beyond.”  The report highlights the redesign accomplishments, lessons learned, ongoing challenges and ways in which the community can help support the district, high schools and students.

LEED’s partnership with the district began in 2001, when LEED was successfully identified as the intermediary between the district and two other critical partners – the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Carnegie Foundation of New York, which combined to invest over $12 million in the transformation of Sacramento City’s comprehensive high schools.

Today, LEED’s scope of work is defined as “aligning education to meet regional workforce needs.”  In a competitive, global innovation economy and with our current workforce rapidly reaching retirement age, it is essential that we educate and train every student to be prepared for success in school, at work and for life.

The transformation of Sacramento City’s high schools from six comprehensive schools into 42 distinct, theme-based choices most certainly benefits students and also benefits our community’s workforce needs and economic objectives.

Employer and community partnerships require a significant investment of time and of money – but they do pay off.   From 2003 to 2007, under e21, business and community partnerships have increased from 175 to more than 300, serving more than 11,000 of the district’s 14,000 high school students.  During that same period, internships have increased from just less than 600 to over 1700.

It takes a partnership of dedicated, committed individuals and organizations to make transformational change like this not just possible but enduring.   So, please read through the report and be a part of sustaining this critically important effort.

Sincerely,

David N. Butler
Chief Executive Officer