Projects in PK-20 Education

The Community Building Institute (CBI) specializes in managing complex planning processes in educational settings where establishing and facilitating an authentic collaborative process is a key to success.  CBI has worked with school districts and citywide coalitions focused on PK-12 transformation as well as targeted initiatives such as dropout prevention and college completion, comprehensive summer strategies, and afterschool coordination.

CBI also has helped national education organizations and coalitions work together to make progress on tough issues.  Sample projects are listed below.

Community-Wide Plans

  • Strategic Plan and Master Education Plan, District of Columbia Public Schools.  CBI, in partnership with KSA-Plus Communications, facilitated the planning process and co-authored the foundation-laying strategic plan, the Declaration of Education:  Keeping our Promise to the District’s Children.  With an expanded team, we designed, lead, and managed a community-wide civic engagement process helped DCPS develop its widely acclaimed Master Education Plan.  While the plan was developed under Superintendent Janey, Chancellor Rhee and now Henderson continue work to fully implement the Master Education Plan.
  • Citywide Education Plan, Detroit.  CBI, with the support of the Skillman Foundation, served as co-project director for the development and implementation of a transformative citywide plan for all students in Detroit.  Potapchuk facilitated consensus building among members of Excellent Schools Detroit, the diverse citywide coalition, designed and managed the civic engagement process, and provided strategic advice.  As of May 2010, the coalition had raised almost $50 million for plan implementation. CBI worked in partnership with KSA-Plus Communications and the Parthenon Group.
  • Strategic Plan, Newark Public Schools.  CBI co-led the development of the 2009-13 Strategic Plan for Newark Public Schools.  CBI facilitated a wide variety of meetings including cabinet retreats, meetings among principals, community and stakeholder meetings.  CBI also designed and managed the civic engagement process.  The new superintendent recently indicated she will continue to support the implementation of this plan.

Other Projects

  • Double the Numbers Coalition, Washington, DC.  CBI, with the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, served as the lead consultant for the community-wide coalition working to double the numbers of DC public high school students who complete college within five years.  Potapchuk, in partnership with KSA-Plus Communications, co-authored, Double the Numbers for College Success: A Call to Action for the District of Columbia, which propelled the effort forward.
  • Strategic Planning and Repositioning.  CBI has facilitated numerous strategic planning and repositioning efforts for local and national organizations including the Coalition for Community Schools, National Center for Community Schools, Pre-K Now, DC VOICE, Community Foundation for the National Capitol Region, Graham Road Elementary School (Fairfax, VA), and the Columbia Heights Educational Campus (DC).