Representatives from three intermediary organizations provided a brief overview of their work. Stacey Denaux , Executive Director, The Education Foundation, Charleston, SC, said that eighty-five percent of the residents in her area view career preparation as the number one priority of public education. The Chamber of Commerce has emerged as a leader in improving the quality of public education, which is now a major focus of its mission. The schools had been at a loss on how to communicate with employers about the help they needed, and employers had been at a loss on how to communicate with educators about the skills they really need. Now the Chamber serves as the interpreter and translator between the education and employer communities.
Funding comes from various public and private sources.
CATF provides a great deal of professional development, especially to help math and science teachers understand how to use contextual teaching and learning. CATF also provides scholarships to help students attend college, and they hold college and career fairs where employers can develop stronger relationships with colleges and universities. Elaine Mondschein , Executive Vice President, The Learning Exchange, Kansas City, indicated that The Learning Exchange, founded in 1972, manages and staffs the STW intermediary. The original mission of The Learning Exchange was to enable educators to imagine, investigate, and create new educational strategies to help students achieve. The Learning Exchange develops quality programs for students as well as learning opportunities for teachers.