“Typically, we invite over 200 different partners. This is where some decisions get made.”
Salvador Lopez is President and CEO of KConnect, a collection of Kent County organizations dedicated to creating systemic change.
“This is where the network gets updated on a lot of the good work happening in our community across our network.”
This year’s Accountability Partners Council is focusing on early childhood development.
“We’ll also be talking about 3rd grade reading and the proficiency and the importance of that and 8th grade math proficiency as well and the importance of ensuring that all children have the tools that they need to be proficient in math, one of the biggest indicators for college and career access.”
When it comes to ensuring students are successful from cradle to career, Lopez would give Kent County a C-minus.
“We have a lot of amazing people moving into Kent County. They are bringing degrees with them and their careers. However, we need to focus on the pipeline of children that are growing up here to make sure that we have a strong future ahead of us.”
KConnect’s efforts have led to a 35% increase in Black educators and a 30% increase in Latine educators during a time when many DEI initiatives are being scaled back or abandoned under federal pressure.
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