Coalition for Engaged Education

The Coalition for Engaged Education was founded in 1995 by Paul Cummins, the academic visionary who had co-founded the innovative Crossroads School in Santa Monica. Cummins established the organization to make high-quality educational opportunities accessible for diverse students from under-resourced communities. The organization's first venture was New Roads School in Santa Monica. Today, Coalition for Engaged Education specializes in serving youth impacted by the foster and juvenile justice systems through individualized case-management, academic, vocational, arts classes, community events, and leadership development.

The organization specifically supports youth between the ages of 14 and 24: The C/HOPE program works with justice-involved teenagers and young adults during and after incarceration, and the C/FORWARD program guides youth during the transition from high school to college. The organization also offers an array of other services, including C/STRENGTH, which uses exercise and sports to build community and to support mental and physical health.

The Coalition for Engaged Education produces significantly higher graduation and employment rates and lower recidivism rates than the national average for justice-involved and foster youth. In fact, the organization has been recognized by the Rand Corporation as having the lowest recidivism rate of any program in Los Angeles County.