Proven Results

CELL has demonstrated expertise leading work that builds educators' capacity, spearheads school-wide policy and practice changes, establishes collaborative networks, and promotes evidence-based practices in education. View a few of our recent projects.

Past Initiatives

 

Collaboration and Partnerships

CELL has experience bringing K-12 schools and districts, higher education institutions, community and industry partners, and state agencies together to accelerate student success. By fostering strong partnerships and sharing resources across the education ecosystem, we create innovative pathways that expand opportunities, align education with workforce needs, and drive sustainable impact across Indiana and beyond.

In partnership with the Indiana Department of Education, CELL launched the Indiana STEM Cadre in 2022. The Indiana STEM Cadre developed and implements collaborative professional development for educators (grades 4-8) across Indiana rooted in research-based practices. CELL hosted a series of forums for educator preparation programs and partnered with Five Star Technology Solutions to continue to develop and implement professional development.

When schools went remote in response to the coronavirus, many districts lacked the technology and educator training to excel at remote instruction. The Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER) sought to equip schools with the resources necessary to move classrooms online. Using federal funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Indiana Department of Education awarded CELL nearly $4.9 million for GEER in June 2020 through two grants. A larger grant funded devices and broadband in nine service centers and 23 school districts in rural areas across Indiana. The second grant funded professional development to improve educators’ capacity to provide engaging and effective online instruction. 

The Results

  • Connectivity – GEER ensured every student from participating districts had access to the internet. Technology infrastructure investments made through local school districts helped bring better internet access to rural areas.
  • One-to-One Devices – Over half of GEER funds went toward purchasing teacher and student laptops. At the conclusion of the grant, most participating districts achieved a one-to-one student-to-computer ratio thanks to nearly 5,000 laptops added through GEER.
  • Preparedness – CELL helped deploy each district’s technology needs within about 90 days, allowing all participating schools to start the academic year in August 2020 equipped for virtual and hybrid instruction.
  • Professional Development – Education Service Centers provided more than 200 educator and administrator trainings across the state impacting over 2,000 participants. Survey data showed teachers found the resources, new ideas and strategies, and technology tools most beneficial to their job. CELL directed a portion of GEER fund toward the Central Indiana Education Service Center (CIESC) for a comprehensive resource hub called Keep Indiana Learning, which has provided professional development to more than 16,500 educators since its launch in September 2020.
  • Networking – CELL regularly brought district administrators together to share best practices, work through issues, and address concerns. Leaders discussed how they were using GEER funds and ways of tackling new pandemic-related challenges. The leadership network created a close-knit cohort for administrators to learn from and collaborate with each other.
  • Coursework Access – GEER funds covered the cost of students taking a total of 1,200 advanced courses between June 2020 and August 2022. The scholarships made some classes available to rural districts for the first time, helping students expand their postsecondary aspirations.
  • Partnerships – CELL’s inclusion of the ESCs accelerated GEER’s impact. The service centers provided valuable insight into the needs of their member districts and helped deploy the technology.

Read the GEER project recap.

CELL secured a Comprehensive Counseling Initiative grant from the Lilly Endowment to develop and implement a successful Comprehensive Counseling Collaborative of Elkhart County (CCCEC). This multi-year collaborative created a network of counselors and provided K-12 counselors with support, coaching, and professional learning opportunities. Counselors learned research-based strategies from national experts and designed ways to put their learning into practice. This initiative included study visits to model sites, expert consultations, and communities of practice. Through this work, participating schools experienced strengthened counseling services, bolstering the resilience and capacity of school counselors. As a result, counselors were better equipped to serve students.

The goal of the Comprehensive Counseling Initiative grant was to encourage public school corporations and charter schools to explore how they help students from elementary grades through high school prepare for academic, career, and personal success.

Read the Comprehensive Counseling Collaborative press release.

CELL partnered with the Indiana Education Roundtable in the creation of the Education Workforce Innovation Network (EWIN), a statewide effort to align education offerings with regional economic opportunities. Under CELL's leadership, EWIN provided grants and technical assistance to awardees. Funding supported research into promising models of education-workforce alignment and design of implementation plans, including Early College (EC) career and technical education centers, Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-TECH), academy models or other customized approaches.

Read the EWIN press release.

School-Wide Practice Change

CELL partners with schools to move beyond isolated strategies and create lasting, school-wide shifts in teaching and learning. By grounding improvement efforts in research and building staff capacity, we help schools align practices, strengthen collaboration, and ensure every student benefits from effective instruction.

The Rural Early College Network (RECN) 1.0 helped rural high schools implement high-quality, sustainable Early College programs through a system of supports, coaching, and a network approach.

Read the RECN 1.0 project recap.

The Urban College Acceleration Network (UCAN) was a funded opportunity for urban high schools to develop an accelerated pathway toward endorsement as an Early College High School.

Educator Development

CELL equips educators with tools and support to bring research into practice. Through professional learning, coaching, and licensing and credentialing opportunities, we help teachers and leaders strengthen their skills, deepen their expertise, and create classrooms where students can thrive.

Teach Dual Credit Indiana expanded Indiana students' access to dual credit coursework by removing financial barriers for teachers seeking the graduate credits required to teach dual credit courses. Administered by CELL, the program funded tuition and textbooks through statewide partnerships with higher education partners. From 2021-2025, almost 700 educators advanced completed more than 3,000 graduate course enrollments, deepening their subject area knowledge and helping schools sustain high-quality dual credit offerings.
STEM Teach Indiana strengthened STEM instruction in K-12 schools and addressed critical shortages of credentialed STEM dual credit teachers by supporting educators in completing graduate coursework aligned to Higher Learning Commission requirements. Over a 12-year period, the program supported more than 2,000 educators who completed more than 4,400 graduate course enrollments in addition to workshops and professional development opportunities, expanding STEM opportunities for students statewide.
Indiana Teachers of English Learners Licensure (I-TELL) funded coursework to enable educators to earn English as a New Language (ENL) licensure and serve as Teachers of Record for English learners across the state.
Grow Your Own programs target high school students or current school professionals that lack appropriate education requirements. These programs engage individuals in teaching specific activities, clubs, and work-based learning to encourage persistence in the teaching pipeline. As part of this work, CELL led a Grow Your Own Teacher Pipeline project.
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