The University of South Carolina Upstate is partnering with Spartanburg County colleges, businesses and nonprofits on Movement 2030, a new county-wide initiative to help Spartanburg children and families succeed, no matter their circumstances.
Led by the Spartanburg Academic Movement (SAM), Movement 2030 aims to improve school readiness, post-secondary degree attainment, and neighborhood outcomes for thousands of Spartanburg County residents. It has raised $100 million from local, regional, and national funders, which is expected to unlock another $120 million in public and private capital over the plan’s seven-year implementation period.
“Movement 2030 is the culmination of decades of collaboration by diverse partners throughout Spartanburg. With its launch, we mark the beginning of a generational shift for our community,” said Dr. Russell Booker, CEO of SAM. “By aligning efforts and holding ourselves accountable to clear measures of progress, not only will we improve the lives of thousands of neighbors, we will also be a beacon to the nation of a community where everyone can thrive.”
The community-led initiative has two primary tracks that are critical drivers of upward mobility. The first seeks to increase the percentage of Spartanburg children who are kindergarten ready from 49% to 65%. The second seeks to increase the percentage of high school students who enroll in post-secondary programs to 70%. Movement 2030 is also investing in efforts to increase school readiness and academic progression in the Highland and Northside communities by 15-30%.
“We know education has a ripple effect, transforming not just the lives of students, but also those of their families and the generations that follow,” said USC Upstate Chancellor Bennie L. Harris. “We are proud to support Movement 2030 by providing educational opportunities to everyone, no matter where they are in life. In doing so, we improve upward mobility for Spartanburg residents and strengthen the economic health of our region.”
By supporting and aligning existing local efforts around school readiness, post-secondary attainment, and programs in the Northside and Highland neighborhoods, Movement 2030 expects to reach 60,000 people over the next seven years, including 7,000 young people.
“Our focus at USC Upstate will be on ensuring students have the financial and academic resources they need to complete their degrees,” said Dr. Pam Steinke, provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs. “Whether a student is transferring from a two-year college, entering college for the first time, or coming back to college after stopping out, we want their experience to be as seamless and positive as possible. That means providing them with the coaching, tutoring, and aid that will help them stay on track to graduation.”
Movement 2030 is funded in part by Blue Meridian Partners’ Place Matters portfolio, which provides capital to local organizations that lead place-based partnerships, as well as national organizations that support the success of those partnerships, such as Spartanburg Academic Movement partner StriveTogether. Spartanburg is one of three communities across the country receiving funding from Blue Meridian this fall.
Movement 2030 is also backed by regional and local funders, including but not limited to the Duke Endowment and the Mary Black Foundation.
To learn more about Movement 2030, including how to access school readiness and post-secondary resources, please visit movement2030.org.
Written by USC Upstate.