Two-Generation Strategies in Education: A Roundtable

On October 14, 2011, 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 LBJ School of Public Affairs (University of Texas at 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 applicable 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 in integrating two-generation education strategies across policies and systems, highlighted program models, and promoting a research agenda around this emerging concept.

With many participants coming to The Aspen Institute from beyond Washington, Ascend — in partnership with FCD and RMC — hosted a dinner on October 13, 2011, 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, the three spoke passionately about their foundations' investments in moving vulnerable families beyond poverty, and they shared the personal stories that spurred each toward a career in philanthropy:

 

 

Below are links to the presentations of roundtable participants.

Nisha Patel, Ascend at The Aspen Institute

A Framework for Two-Generation Strategies
Data slides produced by Child Trends

Christopher T. King, Ray Marshall Center, University of Texas at Austin

Investing in Children and Parents: Fostering Dual-Generation Strategies in the United States
 

Ariel Kalil, University of Chicago

The Digital Promise: Harnessing Technology and Innovation in Two-Generation Education Investment Strategies

P. Lindsay Chase-Lansdale, Northwestern University

Defining a Research Agenda: Dual-Generation Education