By Juli Metzger—
MUNCIE, IN—Embedded career coaches at Muncie Central High School, a new Freshman Academy and a 10 point jump in the graduation rate were among highlights at a recent gathering of community stakeholders focused on The Opportunity Blueprint: 2030, a five-year community-wide strategic plan.
“The better we can make our school system, the better our community’s going to be as a whole,” said Eric Grim, assistant superintendent of Muncie Community Schools. “And we’ve been very fortunate with all these partnerships over the last few years to celebrate a lot of those wonderful wins.”
About 250 gathered at the Horizon Convention Center last week to mark the next chapter of Cradle to Career Muncie, a transformative work that began in 2018.
Opportunity Blueprint: 2030 is a written plan shaped by more than 150 community stakeholders working together and representing a cross-section of interests. It lays out a path toward stronger education outcomes and better long-term employment opportunities.
Muncie Central High School principal Chris Walker is pictured speaking at the Opportunity Blueprint event. Photo provided.
“Our objective is that everyone in our community has a livable wage,” said George and Frances Ball Foundation President and CEO Thomas Kinghorn.
Postsecondary completion rates at Ivy Tech Muncie are up 40 percent since 2020. At Muncie Community Schools, out-of-school suspensions are down almost 35 percent in just two years.
“It’s not enough just to get a high school diploma, or to get maybe even a college degree or some sort of credential,” Grim added. “Our goal is to turn that work into a livable earning wage that supports your family and the community for the rest of your life.”
Third-grade reading scores at Muncie Community Schools are up 14 percent since 2022, a statistic that caught the attention of StriveTogether, the national organization supporting Cradle to Career initiatives like the one in Muncie.
“It’s important to celebrate our wins. This is hard work, and everyone deserves to see the great work across the community coming together,” said Kortney Zimmerman, senior program officer for George and Frances Ball Foundation.
The Opportunity Blueprint: 2030 is designed to complement the school district’s efforts, providing a roadmap for support and transformation both inside and outside the classroom.
Click here for a downloadable copy of the report.
