CONCLUSION

Louisville's community partnerships are transforming lives for adult learners and, in many cases, their families. This transformative power emanates, however, from a very pragmatic source—the community's thorough assessment of its strengths and weaknesses and the partners' refusal to be deterred by lack of funds, jurisdictional boundaries, or daunting challenges. This "can-do" community puts community needs first and finds creative ways to meet them. As Julie Scoskie, director of JCPS adult education, says, "Our greatest accomplishment is our students' success."

Louisville's partnerships did not happen overnight. They were built over many years, as trust, long-standing relationships, and the recognition of common goals grew. The partners took time to learn what each organization had to offer and how each could meet its own needs through collaboration. With the Workforce Education Initiative stepping in to bring greater coordination and focus to the partnerships, the community is poised to "go higher" toward its goal of a "quantum change" in education levels and workforce preparation among its residents.