How You Can Get Involved As A Employer

What you as an employer can do:

"Kentucky's new education program is hailed as the most comprehensive and groundbreaking in the country. This historic legislation — heralding a renaissance in education reform throughout the nation — has evoked interest and applause from academic, civic, and corporate leaders. Each Kentucky employer has the opportunity to develop a unique plan that supports employee involvement in increasing student achievement."

Kent "Oz" Nelson
Retired Chairman and CEO, United Parcel Service
Chairman and Co-Founder, Partnership for Kentucky

Ask entry-level job applicants for evidence of their high school work.
Use local advertising avenues — newspapers, bank and utility statements, in-house publications, and electronic mail — to inform employees about education issues and how they can be involved.
Host and/or sponsor education forms in your community. Hold brown bag lunch discussions of education issues at your work site.
Offer training to schools in areas such as financial management, budgeting, purchasing, team building, communication skills, data processing, and strategic planning. Provide "on loan" employees to provide resource help.
Support high quality, experience-based professional development for teachers and principals.
Develop and endorse policies and practices that encourage school involvement by all your employees. Urge those who do not have children to be actively engaged in their community's schools. Offer incentives to employees who are involved in education work.
Offer space at your business for parent-teacher conferences and other school meetings.
Take public positions through speaking engagements, op-ed pieces, radio programs, etc., concerning education-related issues and the general well-being of children (i.e., types of skills needed in the work place, employment policies for high school students, the importance of staying in school).
Support and encourage local and state leaders who work for education.
Provide summer employment opportunities for teachers to learn about the "world of work."
Work with schools to produce units of study around business-related topics. Share best practices with school leaders.
Develop work site tours for students that require problem solving, homework assignments, and follow-up enrichment opportunities.