Overview

A regional network of cross-sector partners who work together to strengthen educational outcomes.

As a collective impact backbone team, North State Together maintains a delicate balance between the strong leadership needed to keep our counties united toward our common vision, and the invisible “behind the scenes” role that lets each county network own their own success. We know how important place-based solutions are in our rural communities, so our goal is to build capacity for leadership and creativity at the ground level to ensure that each county can set their own goals and priorities based on local needs.

globeAbout Us

People

Kevin O'Rorke
CEO
Jamie Spielmann
Director of Planning and Development
Susan Schroth
Operations Manager
James Crandall
Director of Information Technology & Data Strategies
Kate Mahar
Dean of Innovation and Executive Director of SCAILE

Outcomes

Increased

Postsecondary enrollment, persistence, attainment and corresponding economic outcomes

Decreased

Equity gaps, regional attainment gaps

Increase

In community/economic health and wellness indicators

Key Initiatives

SCAILE (Shasta College Attainment and Innovation Lab for Equity)

SCAILE

SCAILE (Shasta College Attainment and Innovation Lab for Equity) is a project that has evolved from the work of the North State Together Talent Hub, Lumina Community Partnerships for Attainment, and the Innovation Awards at Shasta College and will allow us to support innovation, attainment and equity in our backyard and beyond. 

The goal of SCAILE is to create a place where policy, practice, inquiry and applied research are integrated to foster innovation in educational attainment and the reduction of equity gaps with a spotlight on the changing dynamics of rural communities.  

We believe that if we expand learning systems that are tied to community priorities and include student success strategies that are relevant to local stakeholders, then we will be able to provide more opportunities for postsecondary attainment that lead to positive economic outcomes for individuals and their communities. 

We think of SCAILE as a Strategy Lab and its goal will be to meaningfully support practitioners, stakeholders and researchers/scholars working to unite communities in pursuit of increased post-secondary attainment and the elimination of equity gaps in who pursues college, thrives once enrolled, and completes a credential.

Alliance Project

Another exciting partnership to share (that is a direct result of this work) is the new Alliance Project. The Alliance Project has formally join North State Together to create a culturally responsive community that works for all. Building on our existing local and regional partnerships, including the Umoja program, the Alliance Project is committed to ensuring access to education and to alleviating disparities among our underserved populations in our region, with a specific focus on African American students. By fostering meaningful connections and engagement with community partners we can create positive lasting change.  Under the umbrella of North State Together, The Alliance Project, introduced towards the end of the following video and in the recent Record Searchlight article, https://www.redding.com/story/news/2021/01/20/shasta-colleges-umoja-program-expanding-downtown-redding-2022/4222068001, will be located in the Community Leadership Center expected to be completed in downtown Redding in 2022. 

Click here for the The Alliance Project Flyer.

Broadband Initiative

As was made even more evident through the COVID 19 crisis, connectivity is not a luxury but a necessity to increase cradle to career outcomes for all in the North State. The North State Together team strives to be at the forefront of initiatives and policies that work toward reliable and affordable broadband for all our communities in our region. In 2020, North State Together joined forces with the American Connection Project Policy Coalition to leverage the collective power of over 150 organizations to bring high-speed internet access to all U.S. households with a focus on those in rural areas. NST team members work closely with the North State Planning and Development Collective and the Center for Economic Development, both located in Chico. These organizations have created the Broadband Consortia (https://www.nspdc.csuchico.edu/#/bc) which includes the Northeastern California Connect Consortium and the Upstate California Connect Consortium. 

Partners