Higher Expectations Showcases Local Innovations at 2025 National StriveTogether Convening
More than 70 networks from across the country gathered in Atlanta for the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network Convening. Each year, this convening brings together members of the StriveTogether national network, education members, nonprofits, businesses, and civic partners committed to transforming systems so every child has the opportunity to succeed.
Higher Expectations for Racine County was proud to be part of the conversation, with four members of our team presenting alongside national partners. From building sustainable FAFSA supports to elevating parent leadership, our team shared lessons from Racine and Kenosha that are helping to shape the national movement for systems transformation.
The Wisconsin Partnership Receives Praise for Historical Early Childhood State Budget Wins
The convening kicked off with a spotlight on the impact of our statewide efforts through The Wisconsin Partnership. Both StriveTogether President and CEO Jennifer Blatz and keynote speaker Sally Kohn called out the Wisconsin Partnership for its leadership in advancing early childhood education policy.
This recognition follows a historic win earlier this summer: the inclusion of a $330 million investment in early care and education in Wisconsin’s 2025–27 state budget. Through the advocacy of the Wisconsin Partnership and hundreds of partners across the state, these funds will help stabilize child care providers, reduce waitlists, lower out-of-pocket costs for families, and create a new $65 million school readiness program.
Empowering Families: The Impact of Parent Grade Leads on School Culture and Success
Community Engagement Manager Leanna Jones highlighted how Racine’s Parent Grade Leads (PGLs) are creating meaningful connections between families, schools, and community partners. Her session showed how PGLs have become a powerful force for equity and student success, and how Racine Unified School District’s Knapp Elementary has embraced the framework as part of its culture of engagement.
Building Sustainable FAFSA Support for Postsecondary Enrollment
Leslie Lukas, communications consultant for Higher Expectations, joined Brandon Morris of Building Our Future to share the story of the FAST FAFSA initiative. Together, Racine and Kenosha counties launched a cross-community FAFSA support effort powered by local student talent, strong postsecondary partnerships, and a shared goal of boosting postsecondary enrollment.
Ballot Initiatives: What Works and How
Executive Director Elizabeth Erickson joined Shannon Powell of StriveTogether and Jody Bloyer of Racine Unified School District to share insights from the recent RUSD referendum campaign. The panel discussed what it really takes to support a ballot measure, what 501(c)(3) organizations can legally do, and the role of 501(c)(4) advocacy. The session provided practical lessons on raising revenue to scale outcomes work and strengthening community support for education.
Taming the Firehose: Sharing Best Practices for Managing Data
Data Impact Manager Ben Taft partnered with Phillip Ferrari from Learn to Earn Dayton to co-lead a workshop on managing overwhelming streams of data. Participants shared common challenges and developed actionable solutions for building cross-sector connections and using data more effectively across the StriveTogether network.
Racine Unified School District’s Janell Decker Honored with the Cheryl Broadnax Award for Innovation and Results
One of the most meaningful moments of the convening was celebrating Racine Unified School District’s Janell Decker, Deputy Chief of Assessment, Curriculum & Instruction, who received the Cheryl Broadnax Award for Innovation and Results.
This award, presented each year by Cheryl’s family, honors a school district leader who embodies Cheryl’s courage, innovation, and curiosity while advancing more equitable outcomes for students. Higher Expectations nominated Janell for this recognition, and we are thrilled to see her impact honored on a national stage.
Since 2017, Janell has transformed how RUSD approaches student achievement by embedding continuous improvement practices across the district. From co-designing a framework with educators and Higher Expectations to creating the Early Literacy Data Dashboard and expanding data-driven practices into middle school math, her leadership has built a sustainable culture of collaboration and continuous learning in Racine.
Congratulations again, Janell!
