What Is Our Mission?

The Collaboration Education^TM approach provides expert tutoring, mentoring and enrichment to economically disadvantaged, academically struggling K-12 students. These services are provided by retired and other professional educator volunteers engaged through our not-for-profit, registered 501c3 organization.

While schools work hard to provide support and resources to students, and families aspire to provide help and resources at home that contribute to student success, some children still need additional learning help. The reasons can include, for example, interrupted education, family economic challenges, homelessness and newcomer status. The Collaboration Education^TM approach is to work in coordination with schools, families and community organizations to help these children succeed. Activities take place outside of the school day and in a variety of community settings.

With retired educators among its founding members, our organization is specifically structured to recognize, honor and draw on the special skills of its professional educator volunteers to support maximum impact on the struggling children these caring adults serve. The Collaboration Education^TM process also provides an easily accessible and clearly identified way for retired and other experienced educator volunteers, seeking such opportunities, to fully utilize their experience, knowledge and skills.

What makes the Collaboration Education™ approach unique?

While other volunteer organizations provide meaningful activities for students, the Collaboration Education approach is unique in its ability to target specific student content and skill learning gaps as a result of the deep knowledge of teaching and learning brought by its experienced educator volunteers. Since our volunteers have been or are themselves educators, they are most effectively able to engage knowledgeably with classroom teachers and schools to ensure a coordination of efforts that can most directly support the classroom and school’s goals for the student in need. Through partnerships with various colleges and universities, undergraduate and graduate education students also serve as Collaboration Education^TM volunteers, gaining direct experience working with children as they assist experienced professional education volunteers and contribute to the overall positive impact on the children served.

A Whole Child Perspective

Since children’s skill deficits are often related to or compounded by experience gaps, Collaboration Education^TM volunteers also look to provide enrichment experiences that can build children’s background knowledge and get them excited about learning.