National Council for Community and Education Partnerships

“The Bylaws were amended on September 26, 2017 Changes included: ARTICLE II DIRECTORS Section 2. Number. The Board of Directors shall be comprised of "At-Large Directors and "Constituent Directors" (together, "directors"). The Board of Directors shall consist of two Constituent Directors, and the remaining number of the Board of Directors (which number shall be set from time to time by the Board of Directors) shall be At-large Directors. The total number of directors shall not be less than seven. The Constituent Director seats shall be reserved for one state-level Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs ("GEAR UP") ARTICLE VI GENERAL PROVISIONS Section 1. Members. The Corporation may create such classes of "membership," such as contributing members or honorary members, as established by the Board of Directors; however, such persons shall not have the rights of "members" under the District of Columbia Nonprofit Corporation Act of 2010.”

“The 990 is reviewed by the President & CEO. The 990 and the required schedules are distributed to each of the NCCEP's directors for their review before the returns are filed with the Internal Revenue Service.”

“All officers, directors, and key employees are required to complete and sign a conflict of interest disclosure form annually. The directors must recuse themselves from voting on any issue where there may be a conflict. The Board secretary monitors any apparent conflicts. This policy is part of the employee handbook.”

“The Board of Directors completes a biennial salary survey using outside consultants and/or resources to ensure that executive compensation is commensurate and reasonable. The President & CEO then evaluates the salaries of all the staff in relation to their accomplishments and their annual performance. The President & CEO considers salary ranges for each position using job responsibilities and market criteria to determine an individual's compensation.”

“NCCEP maintains copies of the organization's tax and not-for-profit information in its offices and is prepared to make this information available upon request.”

“NCCEP maintains copies of its governing documents, conflict of interest policy, and financial statements at its offices in the District of Columbia which it will make available to the public upon proper notice and a reasonable request.”

“Confident that education paves the way to social equity, NCCEP advances college access through advocacy, training, and research. To fulfill this mission, NCCEP establishes community-education partnerships, strengthens research-based college access programs, and develops tools and resources to provide educational opportunities for all students. One of NCCEP's primary functions is to serve as an intermediary organization for public agencies, private and corporate foundations, and their grantees. Most significant of these efforts is the federally funded Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) initiative for which NCCEP serves as the national technical assistance provider, annual conference convener, and voice in Washington DC. NCCEP works to elevate and encourage replication of GEAR UP's best practices and facilitates opportunities for GEAR UP to implement program models that hold the promise of increasing student success, graduation rates, and postsecondary enrollment.”

“During the NCCEP/GEAR UP Annual Conference, NCCEP holds both the Youth Leadership Summit (YLS) and the Parent Leadership Institute (PLI). The YLS is a youth leadership program that implements a student-focused curriculum, blending leadership development with life skills and strategies for increased learning. Offered during the NCCEP/GEAR UP Annual Conference each July, GEAR UP students who participate in the YLS have the opportunity to experience a professional conference while interacting and learning with other students from around the country. Most importantly, students develop critical leadership skills that enable them to better the education and career continuum as well as serve as change agents in their communities and schools. The goal of the Parent Leadership Institute (PLI) is to cultivate a group of parents and family leaders with a greater capacity to promote positive change in their children, school, and community, and to move forward an agenda that centers on making college possible for all students. The PLI is delivered in partnership with the Texas Valley Communities Foundation. The PLI includes a variety of skill building and networking opportunities for parents and family leaders involved with state or local GEAR UP partnerships. For nearly 20 years, NCCEP has been convening the GEAR UP community to share best practices, create ongoing relationships, and refine educational strategies.”

“Most recently, NCCEP partnered with national and regional associations and private industry to implement the following programs. GEAR UP College and Career Readiness Evaluation Consortium: The College and Career Readiness Evaluation Consortium (CCREC) is a collaboration of 13 GEAR UP state grantees. The purpose of the Consortium is to foster collaboration among its members; demonstrate the impact of GEAR UP across local, state, and national levels of implementation; and build a culture of evidenced-based assessment and decision-making. Texas Region One Education Service Center Leadership Development Program: NCCEP partnered with Region One Education Service Center GEAR UP: Ready, Set, College! to implement professional development for educators serving GEAR UP students throughout the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. Institute focus areas included Transitioning to College and supporting Transitions, Retention, and College Access. Both events featured various local, regional, and national experts. District Leadership Institute: The District Leadership Institute (DLI) is an innovative program for the GEAR UP community to maximize the talent and leadership serving in GEAR UP schools and deepen connections between GEAR UP and school and district leaders to facilitate the best possible outcomes and support for students. The 2016-17 DLI included 37 district leaders that received five full days of professional development (starting with two-days of training at the Annual Conference), plus additional coaching and peer-to-peer support throughout the year. DLI helps facilitate a close working relationship between school and district leaders, GEAR UP directors, and their staff. First in the World (FITW): NCCEP serves as the external evaluator for a U.S. Department of Education First in the World (FITW) grant through Delaware State University. The four-year experimental research study will provide a College Match-and-Fit Tool for high school students in Delaware as they pursue postsecondary education. Partners for the project include ACT, the American Council on Education's American College Application Campaign, and the National Student Clearinghouse. Evaluation Consulting Services: In 2017 NCCEP provided Evaluation Consulting Services to many organizations: Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, Iowa Student Aid Commission, Eastern Oklahoma State College, New Hampshire College & University Council (NHCUC)/Campus Compact for New Hampshire/New Hampshire GEAR UP, and the McNair Educational Foundation. The Evaluation Consulting Services were tailored according to the clients' needs such as: Consultation on data collection and tracking, formative and summative evaluation, and research design. Assisting with bridging best practices of the College and Career Readiness Evaluation Consortium (CCREC). Assisting with the integration of postsecondary enrollment data tracking and migration to a more robust data system. Implemented an experimental research study on postsecondary retention to assist students in their community with increased postsecondary. Assisting in creating a formative evaluation framework to strategically align program services. Providing trainings to GEAR UP personnel on program evaluation, common service definitions, data organization, data management, and data tracking systems implementation; use of unique identifiers to link data; and developed site specific strategies for preparing data for analyses and reporting; training personnel on the importance of GEAR UP evaluation and strategies that can be embraced to promote success and sustainability in the school district and community. Career & College Clubs: Career & College Clubs is an academic enrichment program that uses peer?to?peer learning to prepare students for success. The foundation of Career & College Clubs is a curriculum focused on college and career readiness that also develops positive academic behaviors and social emotional skills. Developed in 2007 by the nonpr”

“Kresge Foundation Grant: GUALA Funding from the Kresge Foundation supports programs to sustain and increase the federal investment in college access. Kresge funding supports NCCEP's GEAR UP Alumni Leadership Academy, a 12-month program designed to train and engage GEAR UP alumni in advocacy and leadership, and work toward creating positive change in education policy for their younger peers.”

“NCCEP's Finance Committee is responsible for oversight of the audit, including selection of the independent accountant. The process is consistent with prior years.”