It's known for helping teachers turn creative ideas into real-life projects and for fostering relationships that bring the public and schools closer together.
While the commitment of the Mon Valley Education Consortium is the same, its new name has taken on a broader meaning.
The Mon Valley Education Consortium recently became The Consortium for Public Education, a change that reflects the widening scope and reach of the work of the education fund, says Executive Director Linda L. Croushore and consortium board President James Lenkner.
During a recent gathering to announce the new name, Croushore and Lenkner said that the group's "commitment to all those who work in the public schools as the leaders and champions of children will not change ... every child must receive a high-quality public education to succeed in life. That is not a right for some children, but for all children."
Croushore said the consortium prides itself on constantly growing and evolving,
The organization was formed in 1985, "when we received a check for $5,000 and a challenge from the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and the Mon Valley Commission," Croushore said.
With that money, one room and a start-up staff of two, the group's first project was to restore pride and help the McKeesport Area public schools after the collapse of the steel industry.
Within two years, the organization expanded and helped 19 more school districts in the region and became the Mon Valley Education Consortium.
Today, the central office has 14 staff members, with another 19 in two satellite operations.
The consortium works in six Western Pennsylvania counties and regularly collaborates statewide with other state education funds, agencies, advocacy groups and legislative bodies, Croushore said.
It maintains membership in the Public Education Network, based in Washington D.C., and is composed of Local Education Funds (LEFs) across the nation.
Croushore said the new identity is part of a larger repositioning for the organization that will bring substantial changes over the next three years.
"We will be looking far beyond the schools for appropriate and willing partners," Croushore said.
The major areas of the consortium's focus include a middle/high initiative that strengthens students' experiences from middle school into high school and on to post-secondary education or work; and early literacy, where partnerships among schools, young families and other agencies are needed to make sure children come to school ready to learn.
Croushore said the consortium has been moving toward these changes for some time and has been working to form a long-term strategic partnership with Duquesne University.
Croushore also said the consortium will continue to provide regional professional development opportunities, including the annual Leadership Retreat, and to coordinate the many other smaller projects that have become part of the fabric of the organization over the years.
"Our journey since 1985 has been amazing. However, we believe the future, while daunting, holds even more exciting possibilities. Bold changes are required of everyone to keep up with advances in technology, learning and the world marketplace into which we send our graduates," she said. "There is less room today for failure -- by institutions or by individuals. For us, when it comes to kids, failure is not an option."
