Ascend

Two Generation Strategies in Education: A Roundtable

On October 14th, Ascend hosted the second in its roundtable series on Two-Generation Strategies, "Two-Generation Strategies in Education," which followed the program's launch in March 2011. Developed in partnership with the Foundation for Child Development (FCD) and the Ray Marshall Center for Human Resources (RMC) at The L.B.J. School of Public Affairs (University of Texas, Austin), the roundtable was an opportunity for policy experts, researchers, and program leaders from around the country to engage in an in-depth dialogue on two-generation strategies as they apply to education (in particular, early childhood education and postsecondary education). Specifically, those gathered at the table - representing programs, institutions, and foundations from Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Oklahoma, and Texas - discussed opportunities and challenges for integrating two-generation education strategies across policies and systems, as well as for lifting up program models and promoting a research agenda around this emerging concept. With thought leaders from both the early childhood and postsecondary spheres sitting alongside researchers and on-the-ground innovators, the roundtable offered a space for vigorous debate, idea exchange, and collaboration across sectors and areas of expertise.

With many participants coming to The Aspen Institute from beyond Washington, Ascend, in partnership with FCD and RMC, hosted a private dinner on October 13th featuring a panel discussion on philanthropy moderated by NPR's Michel Martin. "The View from Philanthropy: Why Two-Generation Strategies?", featured Letty Bass, Executive Director of Chambers Family Fund; Mimi Corcoran, Director of the Special Fund for Poverty Alleviation at the Open Society Foundations; and Alandra Washington, a Deputy Director at W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Offering insight into each of their respective portfolios - which include Ascend - the three spoke passionately about their foundations' investments in moving vulnerable families beyond poverty, as well as shared the personal stories that spurred each toward a career in philanthropy. All three were active participants in the following day's roundtable, exemplifying the way in which Ascend seeks to be hub and point of learning for its philanthropic partners.

A Framework for Two-Generation Strategies
Nisha Patel, Ascend at The Aspen Institute
Data slides produced by Child Trends

Investing in Children and Parents: Fostering Dual-Generation Strategies in the United States
Christopher T. King, Ray Marshall Center, University of Texas at Austin

The Digital Promise: Harnessing Technology and Innovation in Two-Generation Education Investment Strategies
Ariel Kalil, University of Chicago

Defining a Research Agenda: Dual-Generation Education
P. Lindsay Chase-Lansdale, Northwestern University