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We are addressing the intersecting challenges of poor health outcomes, a criticalhealthcare workforce shortage, and the need for purpose-driven, family-sustaining careersfor students—especially in rural Indiana. Our solution is Rural Alliance Zone 32 (RAZ-32), anationally recognized Multi-Sector Collaborative through which students can now graduatehigh school with a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) certification, earn while they learn, andreceive full tuition support from partners like Reid Health. RAZ-32 integrates physicalinfrastructure (Vision Corner, Ivy Tech’s EPIC labs), digital platforms (SchoolJoy, LearnAnywhere), and social supports (wraparound advising, mentorship, and youth leadership),all coordinated through formal, cross-sector governance. This is not a pilot—it’s a scalable,place-based model proving that regional collaboration can transform outcomes forstudents, employers, and communities alike.Meet GabbyGabby Ordonez is a recent graduate and a proud Latina from EastCentral Indiana’s significant-and-growing Hispanic/Latino community.She’s exactly the kind of student Indiana’s future depends on—and thekind too often left behind by fragmented systems. RAZ-32 hastransformed her experience and opportunity."We're all coming together—it’s just the beginning. There are somany different opportunities, and there's always someonehelping."Gabby speaks to the heart of our solution: integration, opportunity, and belonging.3EMPOWER SCHOOLS | LEARNING LANDSCAPES CHALLENGE PHASE 3 APPLICATIONA Multi-Sector Collaborative (MSC) exists as regional infrastructure that unites keystakeholders—PK–12 districts, higher education, employers, as well as civic andeconomic development —around a shared strategy to meet local labor marketneeds and support student success. Unlike temporary programs, MSCs aregoverned through formal agreements, resourced through braided funding, andsustained by measurable outcomes.RAZ-32, the collaborative at the center of our solution, exemplifies thisapproach. It enables students to engage in high-quality work-learn-and-earnprograms without leaving the communities they call home. Rather, they cancontribute to them.From Fragmentation to Foundation: Multi-Sector Collaboratives as theInfrastructure Indiana Needs NowThe narrative, visuals, and scorecard that follow illustrate how we’ve built thegovernance infrastructure needed to organize and sustain the physical, digital, andsocial infrastructures that ensure students, employers, and rural regions can thrive.At the core of this solution is a commitment to serve students furthest fromopportunity—particularly those navigating poverty, cultural and language barriers,and geographic isolation.We center this story in East Central Indiana, one of the most rural regions in thestate, where a nationally recognized Multi-Sector Collaborative (MSC) known asRural Alliance Zone 32 (RAZ-32) has been quietly transforming futures. Throughformal agreements that bring together PK–12 districts, higher educationinstitutions, healthcare employers, and civic leaders, RAZ-32 has developed theinfrastructure needed to realign Indiana’s talent systems from the ground up.Defining the Multi-Sector Collaborative (MSC)

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Why Healthcare, and Why Rural?A Proven Model Gaining Momentum4The challenges we address are not theoretical—they’re life-threatening:Indiana’s rural counties face some of the state’s worst health outcomes, highestpoverty rates, and lowest educational attainment. Students in rural Indiana aremore likely to attend under-resourced schools, live far from health providers, and leavetheir communities for better opportunities—if they can access them at all.Healthcare employers like Reid Health are in crisis. Due to growing demand,workforce shortages, and declining reimbursements, rural hospitals—especiallyDisproportionate Share (DSH) institutions—face closure without a talent pipeline. ReidHealth alone has more than 250 unfilled clinical roles. Read more about the urgentneed for healthcare talent in Indiana by reading our MSC policy memo.Without intervention, entire regions risk collapse. Educational outcomes,employment prospects, and life expectancy in these regions are all interlinked—and allare trending in the wrong direction.These realities demand not just support programs, but structural redesign.What began as a local response is now a statewide proof point. Since Phase 1 of thisChallenge, we have:Grown shared student participation by 400%, with students traveling across districtlines to participate in MSC-designed pathways.Secured over $3 million in public and private investments from employers, counties,and education funders.Earned national recognition: RAZ-32 was selected by the Carnegie Foundation for theAdvancement of Teaching as one of 25 programs nationally to join its Future of HighSchool network.Presented to the Indiana State Board of Education on March 6 to highlight RAZ-32as a model for aligning education and workforce systems.Hosted Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner as the keynote speaker for our Visionin Action convening, where 150+ leaders across PK–20, workforce, and civic sectorscame together to explore how this model can scale across the state.The Case for Regional GovernanceAt the heart of our solution is governance. While traditional funding models focus onisolated programs, MSCs organize infrastructure. They define how stakeholders:collaborate across sectors with formal agreements,align data and funding toward shared outcomes,track progress using tools like our proof point scorecard, andsustain systems change through local ownership.This structure enables regions to move from fragmentation to alignment—where everystudent has a path, every employer has a pipeline, and every community has a future.

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Indiana, like many states, faces a set of urgent, interconnected challenges: worseninghealth outcomes, a persistent healthcare workforce shortage, and limited access tofamily-sustaining, purpose-driven careers for students in rural communities. Thesechallenges are particularly acute for students who are low-income or Hispanic, andthey are intensifying in the face of sweeping state budget cuts to education, publichealth, and workforce development.Empower Schools, through our Rural Alliance Zone 32 (RAZ-32), has developed andtested a solution: Multi-Sector Collaboratives (MSCs). These collaboratives providethe regional governance infrastructure needed to braid together physicalinfrastructure (e.g., Vision Corner Learning Center, Ivy Tech’s EPIC HealthcareSimulation labs), digital infrastructure (e.g., Learn Anywhere, SchoolJoy, IndianaCareer Explorer), and social infrastructure (e.g., embedded advising, youth policyfellowships, cross-sector mentorship). Together, these elements create a trulycohesive learning infrastructure that supports student success and strengthenslocal economies.This model is already delivering results. In RAZ-32, students can now graduate highschool with a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) certification, earn while they learn, andpursue clear pathways to higher credentials such as Registered Nurse or NursePractitioner—all with tuition support from employer partners like Reid Health. Theseintegrated pathways are housed within purpose-built infrastructure and governedthrough formal agreements between school districts, employers, higher educationinstitutions, and local leaders.5INTRODUCTION: CLOSING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN STUDENTS AND OPPORTUNITYImportantly, this momentum comes at a time when Indiana’s public systems are understrain. In April 2025, the General Assembly passed a budget that reduced or eliminatedfunding for Career Coaching Grants, READI, manufacturing readiness, workforce training,and regional economic development. Higher education and public health also facedsignificant cuts. As one workforce leader described it, “It will take everyone a little while tofigure out the new normal.”RAZ-32 offers more than a program—it offers a path forward. Through braided public-private investment, formal governance structures, and aligned accountability, MSCs canhelp regions build what the state can no longer fund alone: a sustainable system ofopportunity that connects students to college and career, meets labor market demand,and supports economic vitality.Our submission outlines a refined, community-informed program model, with strongearly results, clear demand for statewide replication, and a practical roadmap for long-term sustainability. With deep local roots and alignment to state and national priorities,MSCs represent not just a promising approach—but a necessary one.This model works. Now it’s time to scale.Rural Indiana faces converging challenges: shrinking populations, healthcare workforceshortages, and limited student access to career-aligned opportunities. Over half of schooldistricts enroll fewer than 2,000 students, and most are losing enrollment. In the most impactedcounties, healthcare jobs declined by 2.7%—even as over 75% of Reid Health’s openings requirelicensure. Meanwhile, only 49% of rural Gen Z youth believe they can find a good job in theircommunity, compared to 68% of their urban peers. Without new infrastructure, these gaps willwiden—putting schools, employers, and communities at risk. Read more about the needs here.

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6 Multi-Sector Governance Infrastructure & Rural Alliance Zone 32Governance Infrastructure: From Fragmentation to FoundationAt the center of this model is governance—the infrastructure that enables all othersto take root and thrive.MSCs are grounded in formal, cross-sector Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) thatalign K–12 districts, higher education institutions, employers, and civic and economicdevelopment leaders around shared goals, investments, and accountability. Theseagreements do more than clarify roles—they embed co-ownership of student outcomesinto the foundation of each collaborative.By distributing power, sustaining momentum, and embedding innovation, thisstructure transforms what would otherwise be siloed efforts into coordinated,community-driven systems. Governance isn’t a backdrop—it’s the foundationthat makes integration possible and progress sustainable.PART I: OUR COHESIVE LEARNING INFRASTRUCTUREIndiana doesn’t need more fragmented programs. It needs durable, integrated systemsthat deliver access, alignment, and impact—for students, employers, and communitiesalike. That’s what Multi-Sector Collaboratives (MSCs) offer: a cohesive learninginfrastructure that brings together physical, digital, and social experiences under a sharedregional governance framework.Through Rural Alliance Zone 32 (RAZ-32), we’ve prototyped and refined this model in EastCentral Indiana. The result is a place-based, student-centered approach that has improvededucational experiences, expanded economic mobility, and supported regional vitality—particularly for low-income and Hispanic students. Empower’s MSCs don’t just deliverservices—they build connected systems designed to last.What follows is a deeper look at how each layer of infrastructure—governance, physical,digital, and social—is integrated and activated through RAZ-32 to create a seamless andstudent-ready learning ecosystem.

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7Student ReflectionGabby on AccessFrom the beginning, our focus hasbeen on ensuring rural students likeGabrielle Ordonez can now buildpurpose-driven, family-sustainingfutures in their own communities. We can strive for what we want toaccomplish, so expanding this andallowing other students toachieve their dreams is reallygreat!"As RAZ-32 Founder &Board Member, ChadBolser, Chancellor atIvy Tech notes:“The opportunitiesat 18 years old arecompletely differentbecause of thismodel... Thatavailability ofpathways justwasn’t there twoyears ago.”Digital Infrastructure: Tools That Connect and PersonalizeDigital tools power much of the coherence across districts. Students use SchoolJoyto explore career interests, build portfolios, and map personalized learning plans.But its value goes even deeper: SchoolJoy enables educators and work-basedlearning leaders to co-create individualized training plans, develop sector-specificlesson plans, and guide project- and inquiry-based learning that connectsclassrooms to careers. It functions as a secure data wallet, allowing students totrack their strengths, interests, and values alongside academic records, work-basedlearning experiences, and employment history. The platform can auto-generateresumes, support students in collecting ratings and letters from teachers, coaches,mentors, and employers, and provide educators with actionable insights for real-time guidance.Platforms like Indiana Career Explorer andAscend Indiana’s Modern ApprenticeshipPlatform (MAP) ensure students can connecttheir learning to high-demand, paid opportunitiesin their region. Ivy Tech’s virtual and hybridcourses bring dual-credit and certificationpathways directly to students, regardless ofgeography.Behind the scenes, our region is building astrategic data infrastructure aligned to Indiana’sManagement Performance Hub (MPH) andinformed by our participation in the CEMETS iLab,an international applied research and design labfocused on helping regions align education andemployment systems through evidence-basedpractices. Our LPN pathway—developed inpartnership with Reid Health, Ivy Tech, andmultiple districts—is now being used as a flagshipmodel by iLab Indiana to inform replication acrossthe state, with support from the IndianaDepartment of Education, Commission for HigherEducation, and Ivy Tech. Additionally, we arepartnering with the Data Quality Campaign toexplore policy strategies that will embed Multi-Sector Collaboratives into Indiana’s longitudinaldata system, enabling transparent return-on-investment tracking across public and privatesectors.RAZ-32 leverages community-rooted spaces designed for hands-on learning. TheVision Corner Learning Center in Union City—established with city leadership andReid Health--serves as a hub for healthcare simulations, student-run enterprises,and dual-credit courses. Ivy Tech’s Learn Anywhere classrooms connect students tocollege coursework without geographic barriers, while EPIC simulation labs offerindustry-grade healthcare training. Across the region, school districts and sharedspaces like the RIASEC career exploration lab at ECESC give students access toimmersive learning environments—made viable through joint planning,transportation strategies, and employer-aligned curriculum.Physical Infrastructure: Relevance, Access, and Shared Use

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PART II: WHAT WE'VE LEARNED THROUGH PROTOTYPINGThe development of Multi-Sector Collaboratives (MSCs) within RAZ-32 has beenshaped through two years of local design, real-world testing, and continuouslearning. Grounded in a commitment to systems change—not just programmaticinnovation—we’ve refined four core pillars: pathway design, governance, digitalintegration, and student supports.Through our partnership with the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, we are alsoembedding the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Talent Pipeline Management(TPM) approach across our collaboratives. This strategy positions employers as notjust end-users of talent, but as proactive co-designers of the pipeline—and vitalsources of social capital. For students furthest from opportunity, especially thosewithout access to influential networks, this approach opens up real relationshipswith people who control access to careers, credentials, and opportunity. TPM allowsus to treat employer engagement not as episodic exposure, but as sustained,equitable connection.Programs like Ivy Tech’s CareerLink further bridge the gap between explorationand attainment, helping students access coaching, paid internships, and jobplacement—all grounded in the relationships cultivated through our MSC model.Integration at Work: A Seamless Student JourneyTogether, these elements form a cohesive system. A student might explore careersin SchoolJoy, get matched to a Modern Apprenticeship at Reid Health, take dual-credit classes through Learn Anywhere, and receive daily support from a Boys &Girls Club mentor—all while regional partners monitor their progress throughshared data dashboards and governance structures. This is what we mean by acohesive learning infrastructure: a seamlessly connected, deeply human, future-ready ecosystem.Before RAZ-32, Gabrielle Ordonez faced limited postsecondary options. Her schooloffered just three career pathways, and none provided work-based learning oraccess to meaningful healthcare credentials. Like many rural students, she believedsuccess would require leaving home. Today, Gabrielle and her peers can earn whilelearning, supported by employer-paid tuition and mentorship from healthcareprofessionals in her community. This change reflects the power of MSCs to alignaspiration and access—and to show rural students what’s possible withoutrequiring them to leave their communities behind.RAZ-32’s growth reflects the impact of this infrastructure. Since launching thecollaborative, shared student enrollment across participating districts has grown by400%—from 16 to 80 students engaged in cross-district pathways. And pathwayaccess has scaled from 3 programs at one school to 18+ regionally aligned careerpathways serving over 5,500 students.8Social infrastructure is what makes the system human. Multi-Sector Collaboratives(MSCs) embed caring adults and wraparound services in schools—career coaches,work-based learning guides, community center directors, and cross-sectormentors—who build trust and guide students through exploration and attainment.These roles are not add-ons; they are part of a coordinated approach to advisingthat connects students to purpose-driven pathways with clear labor market value.We prioritize healing-centered practices and culturally relevant celebrations—likeUnion City’s Fiesta, which honors the region’s growing Latino community andreinforces student identity, belonging, and dignity.Social Infrastructure: Human Relationships and Wraparound Support

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9RAZ-32 Leader ReflectionChancellor Chad Bolser said, "In the last few years, you've seen atransition of resources towards talent; talent is the most importantthing that employers have to ensure their operation runs well...there'snow an urgency to create that talent..If you're going to have the verybest culture and operation you can have, you have to have strongtalent and you have to retain that talent." This is changing therelationship between all sectors.We learned early that to truly align education and workforce needs, employersmust be co-designers—not just end-users. Through our partnership with ReidHealth, we co-developed a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) pathway that braidsacademic learning, clinical practice, and paid work-based learning. ConcordCommunity Schools adjusted academic schedules and mobilized partners to ensurestudents could participate in real-world training. This coordination showed us thatsustained employer engagement is critical for both relevance and feasibility.This healthcare pathway, launched through RAZ-32 and housed at the Vision CornerLearning Center, has already earned statewide praise—including from IndianaSecretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner, who leads PK–20 education and publiclycelebrated the program in her weekly update. The model is now being adapted forreplication across the state by the Indiana Department of Education, Ivy TechCommunity College, and iLab Indiana.To support employer engagement, we now provide mentorship training, schedulingcoordination, and co-development tools that reduce friction and enhanceconsistency across work-based learning experiences.Employer Activation & Co-Led Pathway DesignRegional Governance and Formal StructuresRAZ-32’s backbone is its formal, regional governance infrastructure. Built throughmonths of community design sessions, we created cross-sector Memorandums ofUnderstanding (MOUs) that align school districts, higher education, employers, andlocal governments around shared outcomes. We tested various approaches toconvening, data sharing, and decision-making—and refined a flexible yet durablegovernance toolkit. The result is a model that balances local context with structuralaccountability and serves as the core architecture of our MSC expansion strategy.Digital Learning and Equity of AccessOur work emphasized that digital access alone isn’t equity—it must be matchedwith aligned systems and supports. We prototyped digital tools like SchoolJoy,which allows students to build personalized learning plans, receive feedback frommentors, and generate resumes and data portfolios that combine school records,work-based learning experiences, and endorsements from trusted adults.Educators use SchoolJoy to align lesson plans to sector pathways, develop project-based learning, and support real-time advising. Ivy Tech’s hybrid courses extendcollege access to rural learners, while Indiana Career Explorer and AscendIndiana’s Modern Apprenticeship Platform (MAP) directly link students to in-demand careers.Behind the scenes, we’ve partnered with CEMETS iLab—a global leader ineducation system reform—to guide the creation of regional data systems alignedwith Indiana’s Management Performance Hub (MPH). With support from Data

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10 Quality Campaign, we are also strategizing how MSCs can become a key lever forimproving Indiana’s longitudinal data system to better measure outcomes andreturn on investment across sectors.A cohesive system isn’t complete without student agency. Through RAZ-32, we’veembedded caring adults—career coaches, Boys & Girls Club leaders, and mentors—into schools. But we’ve gone further, empowering students themselves to shapethe systems around them.We launched a Youth Policy Fellowship, a paid leadership experience wherestudents researched, proposed, and advocated for policy reforms. Fellows workedalongside legislators, educators, and workforce leaders to draft real legislativelanguage and influence MSC design. Their input is now shaping how we definesuccess and equity across the state.As one fellow shared:“When students see that their voice leads to actual change, everything about howthey engage with school shifts.” Indiana Youth Policy Fellowship - role descriptionFeedback Loops and Continuous ImprovementOur work is driven by feedback—from students, teachers, employers, and families.We use surveys, focus groups, and design sprints to continuously improve MSCoperations. These insights informed our Proof Point Scorecard, which now servesas a shared progress monitoring tool across all sectors.Gabby on Achievement“Our communityis shaping intosomething reallygood and it onlycontinues to bebetter; as morepeople comehere it will openthe door to moreopportunities."Student ReflectionStudent Engagement and SupportsFrom Programmatic to Systemic ChangeThe LPN pathway launched through RAZ-32 ismore than a promising initiative—it is astructural demonstration of how integratedgovernance, employer co-design, and alignedinfrastructure can shift outcomes. Theprogram enables students to graduate highschool with an LPN certification, earn whilethey learn, and stay connected to theircommunity. It has attracted over $3 million inpublic-private investment and was celebratedby Dr. Jenner in her statewide platform as amodel for high-quality pathways.RAZ-32 is not an isolated case. Ourprototyping has laid the foundation forstatewide scale. Key engagements include:Vision in Action Convening: Hosted 150+ leaders to tour infrastructure,engage with students, and co-design future partnerships.Cross-District Enrollment Growth: Increased participation in shared pathwaysby 400%—from 16 to 80 students—validating demand and readiness.Policy Prototyping: Built a statewide coalition that drafted legislation to codifyMSCs and enhance data transparency through MPH.Youth Voice Integration: Embedded student recommendations intolegislation, pathway design, and regional governance.

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11PART III: REACH, IMPACT, AND SCALABILITYThe Rural Alliance Zone 32 (RAZ-32) prototype is not just working—it is layingthe groundwork for systemic change.Grounded in Urgency, Positioned for GrowthIn early 2025, Indiana passed a biennial budget marked by sweeping cuts to K–12education, workforce development, and economic development. Career CoachingGrants were halved. OWBLA and Career Scholarship Accounts were defunded.Training grants were consolidated or reduced. Meanwhile, READI funds wereeliminated, and critical tools like the Skills Enhancement Fund and IEDC’s siteacquisition resources were zeroed out. Higher education and public health alsofaced deep reductions.These cuts hit rural Indiana hardest—confirming that state-level systems alonecannot meet the scale or complexity of need. In response, we are advancing aregional strategy that prioritizes local infrastructure, shared governance, andemployer activation.This is not siloed innovation. It’s system redesign.As we move from proof to scale, our vision is clear: Indiana can lead the nation inaligning education and workforce systems through regional Multi-SectorCollaboratives (MSCs) that deliver tangible results for students, employers, andcommunities.The Scale of the Need: Indiana’s Heartland DistrictsAcross Indiana, 160+ “Heartland Districts” are navigating the same interlockingchallenges of healthcare deserts, workforce shortages, and declining youthopportunity. These districts are often multi-county, facing consolidation pressuresand economic decline.Yet they are also sites of resilience. RAZ-32 shows what’s possible when ruralregions are equipped with shared infrastructure and decision-making power. Inpartnership with IDOE and a growing coalition of education, workforce, andemployer leaders, we’ve mapped demand and readiness across these regions. Thenext wave of MSCs is already forming.A Path Forward: Codifying and Scaling MSCs Across IndianaWe are advancing a state policy proposal that would:Formally recognize and fund MSCs as regional intermediaries;Tie funding to shared metrics, credential attainment, and employmentoutcomes;Integrate MSC data into Indiana’s longitudinal data system (MPH); andEstablish a backbone organization to provide technical assistance, sharedservices, and training statewide.This policy is the product of broad coalition-building, early drafting, and direct inputfrom MSC leaders, workforce boards, and state education officials. It ensures MSCsare not one-off pilots—but a lasting part of Indiana’s economic and talentinfrastructure.

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With enabling conditions in place, Empower can support:10–15 additional MSCs;Over 100 school districts;More than 25,000 students annually;Career pathways in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, logistics, andeducation.Projected Reach by 2028Scaling Through Existing InfrastructureWe will braid and expand existing assets to support this scale:Regional Education Service Centers as MSC conveners;Ivy Tech’s statewide footprint to anchor credential access;Digital platforms (SchoolJoy, Indiana Career Explorer, Ascend MAP) fornavigation and data;CEMETS iLab and Data Quality Campaign partnerships to modernize MPHintegration and build the case for return on investment.12National Recognition and LeadershipWhy It Works—And Why NowRAZ-32 works because it is rooted in place and purpose. From Vision Corner’stransformation to the co-designed LPN pathway with Reid Health and Ivy Tech, itembodies what’s possible when communities, employers, and educators align. Andit works now—because the policy window is open, the need is urgent, and ruralcommunities are ready.This model blends Indiana’s values of local control, community leadership, andeconomic pragmatism. It builds—not burdens—by using shared data, distributedpower, and strong returns for students and employers alike.In May 2025, Empower Schools was selected by Bloomberg Philanthropies to lead abreakout session at its national convening on youth pathways. Our session—Supporting the Both/And of College and Career—highlighted the MSC strategy as anationally significant model for integrated learning, scalable public-privatepartnership, and rural innovation.Summary Impact to DateRAZ-32 has grown cross-district student participation by 400%, from 16 to 80students;Over $1.5 million in blended investment has been secured;Secretary Katie Jenner has spotlighted RAZ-32 in her March 28 Weekly Update,and keynote our Vision in Action convening;Our MSC model is embedded in the Indiana State Board of Education’sconversations and statewide policy design.This is not siloed innovation. This is systems-building—designed for scale, and already underway.

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13PART IV: SUSTAINABLE FUNDING PLANThe success of Multi-Sector Collaboratives hinges not just on strong ideas—but onsustainable, aligned investment. From inception, our funding strategy has beenbuilt around shared ownership, diversified revenue streams, and long-termresilience.We are advancing legislation to create a dedicated state grant program for MSCstied to clear outcomes and co-governance, while simultaneously expanding sharedservice models to reduce regional costs and increase access.A Braided Funding ModelOur approach aligns with the interdisciplinary nature of this work. We braidresources from:1. Public Sector – Local, Regional, and StateNext Generation School Improvement Grants (IDOE)Local funding from school districts, municipalities, and county governmentsWorkforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) streamsState-funded dual credit and Ivy Tech’s Learn Anywhere infrastructure2. Employer Investment$600K+ in in-kind support from Reid Health (equipment, staff, clinical access)Sponsorships from manufacturing and healthcare employersPaid youth apprenticeships and student employment aligned to careerpathways3. Philanthropy and GrantmakingPast and current support from Walton Family Foundation, Siegel FamilyEndowment, and ECMCIn-progress proposals to Joyce Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and NewAmerica’s PAYALocal funders and community foundations supporting start-up and scale-upEmpower is also exploring pooled impact funds and fiscal sponsorship modelswith national intermediaries to build long-term fiscal resilience.Securing the Future: State PolicyOur proposed legislation will:Establish recurring grant funding for MSCsSupport a backbone organization for TA and shared infrastructureTie funding to performance outcomes and equity metricsRequire integration with Indiana’s SLDS for transparency and tracking

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Paths to Continued SustainabilityOver the next three years, we will:Build out shared services models across MSCs for operations, evaluation, andlearningEmbed fiscal planning into regional development strategiesAlign to emerging federal workforce and postsecondary investmentsTrain collaborative leaders in diversified funding, ROI analysis, and grantstrategyRisk ManagementTo manage fiscal volatility:We’ve built local match requirements into MOUsEmbedded work into existing institutions (e.g., Ivy Tech, ESCs)Designed governance to flex with policy and funding shiftsEngaged philanthropic partners to support multi-year continuityIn SummaryThis is not stopgap funding—it’s structural investment. We are building a modelthat is financially sustainable because it is locally grounded, regionally coordinated,and aligned to both public good and private sector value.Regional data leads (often hosted by service centers or districts) coordinatecollection, cleaning, and submission.Empower Schools compiles and analyzes trends across collaboratives andprovides coaching.Partners like CEMETS iLab, Ascend Indiana, and Ivy Tech help build dashboardsand synthesize insights.Students and families are actively engaged in reviewing reports and shapingfuture questions—especially through the Youth Policy Fellowship.Who Is InvolvedContinuous Learning and ImprovementWe believe data must serve the people who generate and are affected by it. Eachregion will receive an annual “MSC Impact Report” disaggregated by race, income,and geography, which is reviewed in public settings. These reports drive:Resource reallocationProgram redesignPolicy advocacyWe will also convene an annual statewide gathering for all MSCs to share data,celebrate progress, and recalibrate.Long-Term Vision: Linked Data for Public GoodWe are advancing a bill that would codify Multi-Sector Collaboratives into state lawand formally integrate their data into Indiana’s SLDS via the ManagementPerformance Hub. This would:Institutionalize measurement of MSC outcomes at the state levelImprove statewide ROI tracking for public investmentsEnable robust cross-agency collaboration to meet workforce and equity goals14

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But what’s possible now is bigger.With Learning Landscapes support, we can codify this infrastructure across Indiana.We can link every rural region to talent, purpose, and prosperity. We can ensurestudents—especially those furthest from opportunity—aren’t just prepared forcollege or career, but for both. For life. For leadership. For a future they help build.We’re ready. The infrastructure is ready. The state is ready.LET’S BUILD WHAT COMES NEXTwithin RAZ-32, we scaled our pathways work and impact: coss-district studentparticipation grew 400%we secured over $1.5M in investment from employer and civic/economicdevelopment partnersThe Indiana State Board of Education celebrated the MSC model as a replicablesolution for Indiana districts, particularly as rural districts strive to ensure theirstudents access the new high school diploma--particularly the Enrollment andEmployment seals and Honors+ seals.Indiana Secretary for PK-20 Education, Dr. Katie Jenner, publicly celebrated ourMSC model and the LPN pathway and keynoted our Vision in Action conveningNational spotlights—from Bloomberg Philanthropies to Carnegie Foundation—have affirmed our workThis work is student-centered, regionally anchored, fiscally responsible, andready to scale.We invite Learning Landscapes—and Indiana’s leaders—to helpus build what comes next.Codify this model into lawScale it across 10–15 new regionsBuild statewide infrastructure for student success and economic vitalityNow, with support from Learning Landscapes, we are ready to go further:What began in East Central Indiana as an urgent, place-based experiment hasgrown into a blueprint for transforming how rural America connects students,employers, and systems.In a time of cuts, fragmentation, and growing divides between student needs andsystem design, our solution offers coherence, connection, and hope.Multi-Sector Collaboratives like RAZ-32 are more than partnerships—they areinfrastructure. Not in metaphor, but in function. They organize how students movethrough systems, how employers build pipelines, how data shapes decisions, andhow communities stay whole.RAZ-32 and our broader Multi-Sector Collaborative strategy are not just programs.They are durable infrastructure—organizing how opportunity flows, how systemsalign, and how communities build shared futures.In just two years:CONCLUSION: FROM PROOF TO POSSIBILITY—TO POLICY AND PRACTICE15

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THE LOGIC MODELProgramStatusInitial Pilot: Piloted with 1 Ivy Tech Campus, 1 employer partner (Reid Health) and 1 multi-district collaborative (RAZ-32)Phase 1 of Learning Landscapes Challenge: Secured funding that enabled Empower Schools and representatives from RAZ-32 (Reid Health, Ivy Tech, school district leaders) totake our pilot model on a global stage through the CEMETS Education Reform Lab in Switzerland to to refine our vision of creating a more permeable education system withpreeminent experts in the field.Phase 2 of Learning Landscapes: With insights from Learning Landscapes and global experts in education and workforce alignment, we are focused on expanding the initiativeacross more multi-district collaboratives and more pathways via sustaining policy that we’re developing Phase 3 Learning Landscapes: We are solidifying RAZ-32 as a replicable proof point and finalizing a scalable Multi-Sector Collaborative model—integrating digital, physical, andsocial infrastructure—while advancing sustainable public funding strategies and testing real-world implementation to position this community-rooted approach for regional andstatewide expansion.ProgramGoalsProgram Level Goals: Through our pilot Multi-Sector Collaborative RAZ-321) Student Goal: Increase student enrollment and completion rates in healthcare pathways and nursing apprenticeships, particularly within RAZ-32 and Ivy Tech partnerships;enhance economic mobility for all students, particularly Hispanic and low-income students, by providing access to purpose-aligned careers in healthcare. 2) Community Goal: Improve healthcare outcomes for Randolph County residents, addressing the healthcare desert by increasing access to quality care through a robusthealthcare workforce.3) Employer Goal: Through RAZ-32 and its partnerships, Randolph County will establish a sustainable, locally sourced healthcare workforce, addressing the local shortage byincreasing the number of qualified healthcare professionals and creating a steady healthcare talent pipeline for employers. Systems Level Goals: Through replication of multi-sector collaboratives and incentivizing policy1) Student Goal: Every Hoosier students access high-quality, diverse pathways, for career-and-interest aligned pathways *regardless of zip code*.2) Community Goal: Expand equitable access to essential services and enhance community wellbeing across Indiana by addressing regional workforce shortages in multiplesectors (e.g., healthcare, technology, manufacturing). Communities will benefit from a locally sourced, skilled workforce capable of meeting evolving needs, improving overall qualityof life, and driving regional economic mobility.3) Employer Goal: Every employer across Indiana benefits from a sustainable, homegrown talent pipeline that is responsive to their industry’s needs. By fostering deeperconnections between education and employment systems, employers will see increased alignment between workforce skills and market demand, leading to improved productivity,reduced talent shortages, and long-term economic stability across diverse sectorsInputs Activities Outputs OutcomesFormal Agreements established viaMOU that clearly demarcate roles andresponsibilities for all parties involvedso that all have shared accountabilityfor individual outcomes that lead toregional economic growthSustaining governance structuresestablished via MOU that driveinnovation, responsiveness to studentand evolving community needs RAZ-32 and Vision Corner MOUsComprehensive, cohesive operations,programming, and finances RAZ-32 Collaborative ProofpointDevelopment Scorecard: Thepurpose of the scorecard is to set ahigh bar for rigor and impact acrossall domains (e.g. ops, governance,programs, etc.)Funding for Empower Schools tooperate as expert partner forcommunities Funding for programming to advancecommunity engagement efforts and Participants(s): RAZ-32 students,families, school districts, employerpartner (Reid Health), higher educationpartner (Ivy Tech), Empower SchoolsActivity: Build a strong pathway(Healthcare) within a specific multi-sector collaborative (RAZ-32) - withinthat pathway and in response tocommunity needs, we are addressingthe need for bilingual healthcareworkers: Ivy Tech Richmond hired abilingual nursing instructor and we’reworking with Ivy Tech central office oncreating a healthcare translatorcredentialParticipant(s): Elkhart County students,families, school districts, employerpartners, higher education partners,Empower SchoolsActivity: Partner with Elkhart County’sschool districts to build out careerpathways, including an Early ChildEducation pathway Micro/LocalProgrammatic Change: Strong programnursing apprenticeship via RAZ-32 inpartnership with Ivy Tech to increase REIDHealth talent pipelineStudent Impact: RAZ-32 nursing pathway:a) students get credential/qualified toserve in healthcare, b) students accesshigh-wage healthcare career enablingthem to be economically mobileStudents can get increased wages andadd unique value by being bilingualcertified through our healthcaretranslator credential via Ivy Tech Employer Impact: Reid Health benefitsthrough a steady pipeline oftalent/healthcare leadersReid Health better serves theirHispanic/ELL patientsROI in talent pipeline co-creationImproves on their Community NeedsAssessments metricsCommunity Impact: East Central Indianabenefits through access to quality Cont. Short TermLong TermMicro/LocalOutcome: Increasedenrollment andcompletion rates, andcredential attainment inhealthcare pathway andnursing apprenticeshipsamong RAZ-32 students.Measure: Track thenumber of studentsenrolled inhealthcare pathwayand nursingapprenticeships andthe completion ratesand credentialattainment via IvyTech Micro/LocalOutcome: Improvedeconomic mobility forstudents, particularlythose who are Hispanicand low-income.Measure: Evaluatepost-apprenticeshipwage increases andthe number ofstudents obtaininghigh-wage positionsin healthcare.Outcome: Positivereturn on investment(ROI) in talent pipelineco-creation for ReidHealth.

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programmingStipends for our RAZ-32 and VisionCorner Youth Advisory CouncilleadersNursing apprenticeship completionincentive fundingEquipment and Supplies to furtherbuild out Vision Corner, provide moredigital tools including more laptops andhot spots for rural students to completecoursework at home; needed materialsfor healthcare pathways and nursingPost secondary credentials partner PD for pathways teachersApprenticeship completion statements Contractual - housing legal fees andadditional insurance needed to hostnursing apprenticesTravel - for partners to get to/frommeetings in East Central Indiana andacross the state as we work to build outreplication strategies Exemplary visits, e.g. take anothergroup to CEMETSActivity: Partner with HorizonEducation Alliance (HEA), ElkhartCounty’s well-established educatorand workforce intermediary (whoworks in close partnership withElkhart County’s school districts) onHEA’s initiatives: a) high-quality earlychildhood education, b)comprehensive counseling programsupporting the socio-emotional well-being and career-readiness of everystudent, c) support and expand careerexploration initiatives and careerpathways, including youthapprenticeships healthcare, addressing the regionalhealthcare desertMeasure: Evaluatethe retention rates ofRAZ-32 nursinggraduates employedat Reid Health overtwo years.Outcome: Improvedability for Reid Health toserve Hispanic/ELLpatients through aculturally competentworkforce.Measure: Assesspatient satisfactionscores amongHispanic/ELLpatients pre- andpost-hiring ofbilingual graduatesfrom the program.Micro/LocalOutcome: Improvedeconomic mobility forstudents, particularlythose who are Hispanicand low-income.Measure: Evaluatepost-apprenticeshipwage increases andthe number ofstudents obtaininghigh-wage positionsin healthcare.Outcome: Positivereturn on investment(ROI) in talent pipelineco-creation for ReidHealth.Measure: Calculatethe reduction inrecruitment costsand turnover ratesattributed to theRAZ-32 partnership.Outcome: Enhancedmetrics in Reid Health’sCommunity NeedsAssessments.InputsActivitiesOutputsOutcomesMacro/Statewide Outcome: Every Hoosierstudent gains access tohigh-quality, diversecareer pathways alignedwith their interests,regardless of zip code.Measure: Monitorthe number ofdiverse careerpathwaysestablished acrossthe state and thedemographic data ofstudents enrolled inthese pathways.Outcome: Everyemployer in Indianabenefits from asustainable and skilledtalent pipeline.Measure: Assessemployersatisfaction andengagement levelsthrough surveysmeasuring thealignment ofworkforce skills withindustry needs.Macro/Statewide Outcome: Communitiesacross Indiana benefitfrom sustainable policiesthat enhance workforcedevelopment.Measure: Evaluatethe implementationof supportive policies(e.g., funding forapprenticeships) andtrack changes inemployment ratesand economicindicators inparticipatingcommunities.AssumptionsBlending the education system and employment systemensures students are gaining high-value, transferable skillsfrom K-12 to entry in the workforce“Makes abilities required on the labor market available, thussecuring the volume of labor, quantitatively and qualitatively,that is necessary for prosperity and social development(human capital)”Linkage between education and employers enables studentsmore choice and autonomy in shaping their own biography,their relationship to their environment and life in thecommunity (individual control ability) to lead to an efficienteconomy, that effectively matches students’ strengths andinterests to economic opportunity and labor market needsExternal FactorsChallengesFunding: We will need to secure ongoing funding to advancecommunity engagement efforts and programmingEmployer and Educator collaboration: It is critical thatemployer and education partners co-collaborate to ensurestudents are positioned to achieve academy and transition topostsecondary and both employer and education institutionneeds are met (employers are connected with a quality talentpipeline and educators can provide academic and holisticstudent developmentRegulatory Compliance: State and federal regulations cancreate barriers for innovative programming and requiresignificant administrative effort to maintain compliance (e.g.working with Nursing Accreditation Board to align pathways withindustry standards and compliance)Support for Pathways Teachers: It is crucial that we supportteachers through professional development as we develop andexpand new and existing pathwaysMacro/StatewideSystems Change: We (Empower Schools)replicate multi-sector collaboratives whichare incentivized via statewide policyStudent Impact: Every Hoosier studentsaccess high-quality, diverse pathways, forcareer-and-interest aligned pathwaysregardless of zip code.Employer Impact: Every employer benefitsCommunity Impact:Proof points andsustaining them through policyLinkage between education and employers enables studentsmore choice and autonomy in shaping their own biography,their relationship to their environment and life in thecommunity (individual control ability) to lead to an efficienteconomy, that effectively matches students’ strengths andinterests to economic opportunity and labor market needsLinkage increases social participation, including the aspect ofsocial cohesion (equity)Permeability - through our multi-sector, multi-districtcollaboration, we are ensuring that students experience nodead ends, but have multiple opportunities throughout theirPK-12, higher education, and careers to reflect, assess, andchoose their careerOpportunitiesState Line Boundary: The geographical proximity to otherstates may provide opportunities for collaboration andrecruitment across state lines, especially if regulationsallow for cross-state licensure for healthcare professionals(e.g. East Central Indiana is on the border of Ohio)Community Partnerships: Strengthening partnershipswith local community organizations and employers canenhance internship and job placement opportunities forstudents, fostering a better alignment between educationand workforce needs.Federal Shift Towards Work-Based Learning: Increasingfederal support for work-based learning programs alignseducational outcomes with workforce needs, presentingopportunities for innovative partnerships between schools,employers, and community organizations.

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Vision in Action and Healthcare Pathway & Nursing ApprenticeshipOverviewVision in Action: Driving Workforce Innovation & Education TransformationHealthcare Pathway and Nursing Apprenticeship Overview of Policy and PracticeProofpoint ScorecardState Board of Education SBOE MeetingSBOE Announcements PageSBOE SlidesIDOE Linkedin postMulti-Sector Collaborative Hard DriveOverview & Advocacy MaterialsBill draft: Indiana Multi-Sector Collaborative Policy_January2026Multi-Sector Collaboratives policy aim summary and keydetailsMulti-Sector Collaboratives *draft* Policy Memo Champions & Key Collaborators Kick-off slide deckOur Champions + Target Heartland School Districts to focuson in MSC replication efforts Analyses informing this bill and implementation of proposedMSC replicationFunding Stream AnalysisEducation & Workforce Development/Employment MetricAnalysisBuilding Momentum Rural Innovation Series Podcast S04E05 - Rural Innovation Series | Aaron Black, Superintendent,Randolph Eastern School CorporationS04E12 Rural Innovation Series | Lauren Marie Hall Riggins,Director, Empower SchoolsS04E01 - K-12 to Career: How Community Colleges are AcceleratingWorkforce Development | Chad Bolser, Katie Lash18RESOURCESIn partnership with:

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Not started or needs to be redone In progress, not there yet or on track but not done Completed, strong evidence Not applicable Access &Engagement Persistence &Completion Employment in Family- Sustaining Wage Roles Category Metric Signiﬁcant increase in students accessing shared pathways (CTE, dual credit, WBL,apprenticeships), particularly among underrepresented students Signiﬁcant increase in students completing pathways with deﬁned outcomes (e.g., CNA CCMA LPN) Increase in students securing jobs in their trained ﬁeld with earning potential meeting or exceeding regional self-suﬃciency standards Rating Aligned Framework(s) GPS Access; Perkins 1S1, 3S1; READI Talent Supply Perkins 5S1; WIOA MSG; GPS Credential Completion WIOA Earnings; READI Median Wage; GPS EmploymentOutcomes Student Outcome Metrics WE NEED TO DRIVE ACTION TO ACHIEVE THESE IMPACT METRICS FOR STUDENTS, EMPLOYERS, AND REGIONS. Directions: Assess the current state of your Multi-Sector Collaborative using the scorecard below. The rating section should be scored as follows: This Proof Point Scorecard is designed to assess the health of a Multi-Sector Collaborative’s governance infrastructure—the backbone that organizes, activates, andsustains all other infrastructures to drive outcomes for students, employers, and regions. Using this tool to guide scaling and replication eﬀorts will help ensure deeper,more expansive impact across communities statewide and nationally. Achieving meaningful results for students, employers, and regions requires focused action—and thisscorecard helps identify where that action is most needed to advance shared impact metrics.WE NEED TO COORDINATE RESOURCES EFFICIENTLY AND ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS ONGOING TO ENSURE GROWTH, SUSTAINABILITY, AND IMPACT OF OUR EFFORTS. WE NEED TO MAINTAIN A COHESIVE LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE TO ENSURE STUDENT EXPERIENCE IS STRONG. This is a snapshot of our Scorecard, which is the foundational tool for driving action, evaluation, and impactthat we have prototyped and finalized as part of Phase 3 of the Learning Landscapes Challenge. The headlines“We Need” statements are expanded upon and bring cohesion, and focus to this vital implementation tool. See here for a link to Full Multi-Sector Collaborative Proofpoint ScorecardMulti-Sector Collaborative Proof Point Scorecard Snapshot

Empower Schools Phase 3 Learning

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