Pontiac’s Common Agenda Is To Inspire Economic Mobility
Outcomes focused on Cradle to Career Readiness form the bedrock of our community’s revitalization
It truly is an exciting time to be living in Pontiac! Every day, we learn about new programs, events, initiatives, and organizations working hard to transform our community into a vibrant and thriving city. These folks aren’t looking to the past for inspiration: They’ve got our future within their sights, and they’re collaborating to help Pontiac realize a rich, equitable, and balanced ecosystem within which all of us can flourish.
The Pontiac Collective Impact Partnership is, above all, a convener: Our skilled team collaborates across civic, community, private, and non-profit groups to help streamline these efforts and create meaningful, data-driven outcomes for our citizens.
Focusing on Cradle to Career Readiness
Education arguably has one of the most positive impacts on individual and community development, so we’re making 2024 all about it. We’re excited to partner with our fellow changemakers to achieve a bedrock community goal:
60% of Pontiac’s Workforce Achieves Post-Secondary Success by 2030
Attaining a college degree can profoundly impact an individual’s economic prospects — in fact, median earnings amongst 25- to 34-year-olds in the US increase by 55% between those with a high school education and those with a Bachelor’s degree.
But, we’ve got our work cut out for us. Currently, just 20% of our workforce has achieved an Associate’s degree or higher.
To close this gap, we have to start at the beginning! Working with our partners, we’ve identified targeted results that will help us, as a community, develop our students in ways that prepare them for post-secondary success and give them the tools to be competitive in the economy of the future.
Here’s an overview of our targets and where we’re currently at, if available.
Kindergarten Readiness
Target: All youth under the age of five who live in the city of Pontiac are participating in a kindergarten readiness program
Early Grade Reading
Target: All students who attend an elementary school in the city of Pontiac are proficient in literacy after completing the third grade
Current: 13.6%
Middle School Math
Target: All students who attend a middle school in the city of Pontiac are proficient in math after completing the eighth grade
Current: 12.8%
High School Graduation
Target: All students who attend a high school in the city of Pontiac graduate with a High School diploma
Current: 61.1%
Post-Secondary Enrollment
Target: Eliminate the gap between High School graduates in the city of Pontiac and those in the state of Michigan who are enrolled in a post-secondary program within one year of graduation
Current: 27% in Pontiac compared to 61% in the state of Michigan
Post-Secondary Success
Target: Eliminate the gap between Pontiac residents and the rest of the Michigan population over the age of 25 who have received a college degree or industry-recognized credential
Current: 14% in Pontiac compared to 31% in the state of Michigan
Employment (Career Readiness)
Target: Eliminate the gap between Pontiac residents and the rest of the Michigan population ages 16 – 19 who are employed
Current: 11% unemployment rate in Pontiac compared to 6% in the State of Michigan
To learn more about the partners who are focused on each of these targets or find out how you can join the movement, we’ll be holding regular meetings throughout the first quarter of next year. Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed about upcoming events! We cannot do this work without you.