SILVER SPRING, Md. and SALT LAKE CITY, May 10, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Achieving the Dream (ATD) and Franklin Covey Co. (NYSE:FC) today announced an extension of their partnership, which will focus on the implementation of a process, ATD Strategy Execution, Powered by FranklinCovey, that provides technical assistance to network colleges seeking to deepen their capacity in strategy and planning. The process is based upon FranklinCovey's The 4 Disciplines of Execution® (4DX), a strategy execution process that assists organizations in helping them achieve their most important goals.
Achieving the Dream's focus is helping community college students, especially low-income students and students of color, complete higher education credentials with improved skills for better employability and enhanced economic growth for communities and the nation. To do this, ATD has launched a framework that spells out seven capacities, including strategy and planning, that ATD believes are required for colleges to achieve noteworthy advances in student performance. The seven capacity areas include:
- Leadership and Vision
- Data and Technology
- Equity
- Teaching and Learning
- Engagement and Communication
- Strategy and Planning
- Policies and Practices
"Institutional transformation that lays the groundwork for across-the-board increases in student achievement begins when a college embraces a common vision of success," said Dr. Karen A. Stout, President and CEO of Achieving the Dream. "The challenge then becomes executing the vision and strategic priorities. So it's critical to have a system that helps leaders to focus on and achieve their most important goals."
Sean Covey, Education Practice Leader, FranklinCovey, said, "We are honored to partner with Achieving the Dream in bringing this powerful methodology to its network colleges to help them execute their strategic goals, which include such goals as improving retention, increasing degrees earned, lowering costs, and improving student and faculty satisfaction. The 4 Disciplines of Execution is a practical, proven methodology that has helped all types of organizations achieve their wildly important goals. Several postsecondary institutions have already seen great success in applying this process."
The Alamo Colleges, a district composed of five San Antonio-area Achieving the Dream community colleges, saw a 36.8 percent increase in the number of degrees conferred from academic year 2013-2014 to academic year 2014-2015 using The 4 Disciplines of Execution.
Known as ATD Strategy Execution, Powered by FranklinCovey, the process improves consistent execution of critical goals and objectives, increases engagement and morale while improving accountability, and develops an organizational culture of execution.
El Paso Community College, Zane State Community College and Southwest Texas Junior College all have begun using ATD Strategy Execution, Powered by FranklinCovey.
FranklinCovey and ATD announced the partnership at DREAM 2016, ATD's annual student success institute. During the Presidents' Institute, Chris McChesney, FranklinCovey Global Execution Practice Leader and co-author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller, The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals, delivered an executive overview of 4DX
The ATD-FranklinCovey partnership entitles ATD network colleges to a complimentary, onsite, two hour executive overview of ATD Strategy Execution, Powered by FranklinCovey. Additionally, colleges have the opportunity to access the execution operating system and technical assistance at discounted network pricing as a fee-for-service option. Currently, this service offering is available to all ATD network colleges.
Colleges seeking additional information about ATD Strategy Execution Powered by FranklinCovey may contact Laurie Heacock, Achieving the Dream National Director of Data, Technology and Analytics, at lheacock@achievingthedream.org or at 240-450-0075 or Jane Hix, FranklinCovey General Manager, Higher Education, at jane.hix@franklincovey.com or atl 360-383-7220.
About Achieving the Dream, Inc.
Achieving the Dream, Inc. is a national nonprofit that is dedicated to helping more community college students, particularly low-income students and students of color, stay in school and earn a college certificate or degree. Evidence-based, student-centered, and built on the values of equity and excellence, Achieving the Dream is closing achievement gaps and accelerating student success nationwide by: 1) guiding evidence-based institutional improvement, 2) leading policy change, 3) generating knowledge, and 4) engaging the public. Conceived as an initiative in 2004 by Lumina Foundation and seven founding partner organizations, today, Achieving the Dream is leading the most comprehensive non-governmental reform network for student success in higher education history. With over 200 institutions, more than 100 coaches and advisors, and 15 state policy teams - working throughout 35 states and the District of Columbia – the Achieving the Dream National Reform Network helps more than 4 million community college students have a better chance of realizing greater economic opportunity and achieving their dreams.
About Franklin Covey Co.
Franklin Covey Co.(NYSE:FC) is a global, public company (NYSE:FC) specializing in performance improvement. We help organizations and individuals achieve results that require a change in human behavior. Our expertise is in seven areas: leadership, execution, productivity, trust, sales performance, customer loyalty and education. Franklin Covey clients have included 90 percent of the Fortune 100, more than 75 percent of the Fortune 500, thousands of small and mid-sized businesses, as well as numerous government entities and educational institutions. Franklin Covey has more than 100 direct and partner offices providing professional services in over 150 countries and territories.