Gerard Robinson

Gerard Robinson Gerard has a account Executive Director at The Center for Advancing Opportunity Washington D.C. Metro Area 309 connections Contact info Center for Advancing Opportunity Harvard University Graduate School of Education About Gerard Robinson is an education, criminal justice, economic mobility, and legislation expert with nearly 30 years of experience spanning the private and public sector. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the Center for Advancing Opportunity (CAO), a Washington, D.C.-based research and education initiative, where he guides the development of evidence-based solutions to the most pressing education, criminal justice, and economic mobility issues in fragile communities throughout the United States. Articles & activity 309 followers Chicago, Before Trump and West Gerard’s profile photo Gerard Robinson Published on LinkedIn Nestled between Democrats’ righteous indignation at Chicago native Kanye West’s embrace of President Donald Trump and the Republicans’ congratulatory high-fives to West for his free thinking on the perils of urban life, there is an age-old game underway: using Chicago for a political narrative. For presidents of both parties, this great city in the American heartland has provided fertile ground for power struggles over class, race, and living space, serving as a litmus test for social policy successes and failures. The recent event in the White House put a spotlight on this perennial role. Regardless of who is in the White House, jobs, crime and education are persistent issues for Chicago. They were back in 1936, when President Franklin Roosevelt congratulated Chicago leaders for their great progress in addressing the city’s closed factories and shaky banks. “And with Chicago,” Roosevelt said, “a whole Nation that had not been cheerful for years is full of cheer once more.” The same was true in 1975, when President Gerald Ford delivered a commencement address at Chicago State University, a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, about its role in “turning around the trend of deterioration and despair, of crime and unemployment, of pollution and bad housing, and of drugs and premature death.” Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama used the Chicago narrative to highlight their national priorities, as well. It is Trump’s turn. While many people kept talking about Chicago, the Center for Advancing Opportunity (CAO) was thinking about how to solve its problems. Based in Washington, D.C., CAO works with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to create evidence-based pathways to move people from promise to prosperity. CAO partnered with Gallup in 2017 to gather data about perceived barriers to opportunity from 6,230 urban and rural residents living in fragile communities in 49 states and the District of Columbia. To obtain deeper qualitative perspectives, Gallup conducted in-depth phone interviews with a nationally representative sample of people living in fragile communities of Birmingham, Chicago, Cleveland and Fresno. So what is a fragile community? CAO defines it as places where residents , no matter their race or ethnicity, face significant barriers to advancement due to a lack of quality educational options, high crime rates, and severely limited economic and social mobility. Chicago has many of these neighborhoods. In Chicago, only 20 percent of residents age 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 34 percent of Americans nationwide. Only 7 percent of householdes in Chicago, compared to 32 percent of the U.S. households, have annual earnings of $90,000 or more. And the CAO/Gallup survey of Chicago residents living in fragile communities produced the following discouraging responses to statements and questions[1]: All children in the area where you live have access to high-quality public schools: 54 percent of respondents disagree or strongly disagree with this statement. All people in the U.S. have access to an affordable college education if they want it. Only 8 percent of respondents agree with this statement, a lower percentage than Birmingham and Fresno respondents. Among the Chicago respondents, 66 percent do not believe they have access to an affordable college education. In the last few years, do you believe crime in your area has increased, stayed the same or decreased? 55 percent of respondents believe crime has increased in Chicago, even though national and local data show that it decreased. Is each of the following a major reason, minor reason or not a reason you would like to move? Chicago respondents’ answers align with those of people living in fragile communities nationwide: 51 percent identified “crime” as the major reason to move out their neighborhood; a “better place to raise children” and “better jobs or business opportunities” were top reasons for 49 percent and 43 percent, respectively. While White House meetings and presidential proclamations may keep using Chicago to invent heroes, heroines and villains, CAO will keep working to understand and address its challenges. That means partnering with HBCUs and the people who live, work or send their children to schools in Chicago every day. [1]Education attainment, household income, and neighborhood relocation data are based on aggregated Gallup Daily tracking results gathered from 598 residents in Chicago from between January – June 2017. For the purposes of this study, the following four criteria were used to select census tracts eligible for inclusion in the sample domain: 1. Employment/Unemployment Rate; 2. Poverty Rate; 3. Education Attainment of Adults; and 4. Composite Score on the Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index. U.S. census tracts were divided into quartiles with regard to recent data in each of the four domains. To be included in the sample, a census tract had to be in the worst-performing quartile in at least three of the four. Three of the cities in which the qualitative research was conducted — Birmingham, Chicago and Fresno — were oversampled to provide enough cases for analysis of subgroups in those communities. 9 Likes Like Comment Share See all articles No alt text provided for this image The Cornhusker State’s skill-based approach to criminal justice reform - AEI Gerard shared this 4 Likes 1 Comment See all activity Experience Center for Advancing Opportunity Executive Director Company NameCenter for Advancing Opportunity Dates EmployedDec 2017 – Present Employment Duration1 yr 9 mos LocationWashington D.C. Metro Area • CAO is a Washington, D.C.-based research and education initiative whose mission is to develop evidence-based solutions to the most pressing education, criminal justice, and economic mobility issues in fragile communities throughout the United States. • Manages a five-year budget of $26 million as well as full-time staff and consultants. • Awards scholarships worth up to $7,500 a year to undergraduates attending public or private HBCUs, and fellowships worth up to $40,000 a year to HBCU graduates p... See more American Enterprise Institute Resident Fellow in Education Policy Studies Company NameAmerican Enterprise Institute Dates Employed2015 – 2017 Employment Duration2 yrs • The American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C. is a public policy think tank committed to expanding liberty, increasing individual opportunity and strengthening free enterprise. ... See more UniversityNow, Inc. Vice President of Partnerships Company NameUniversityNow, Inc. Dates Employed2013 – 2014 Employment Duration1 yr • Served as a Trustee of Patten University, a regionally accredited higher education institution located in Oakland, CA, and managed by UniversityNow, Inc. • Patten University partners with the Prison University Partnership to offer an A.A.... See more State of Florida Commissioner of Education Company NameState of Florida Dates Employed2011 – 2012 Employment Duration1 yr • Managed the Department of Education and its staff of 3,000 employees, including the Chancellors for K-12 Education and the Division of Florida Colleges. • Approved, for the first time in 10 years, new achievement level scores for grade... See more Commonwealth of Virginia Secretary of Education Company NameCommonwealth of Virginia Dates Employed2010 – 2011 Employment Duration1 yr • Advised Governor Bob McDonnell in the development and implementation of Pre-K-20 education policy in Virginia. • Partnered with the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation to support the U.S. Dep... See more Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) Program Director // President Company NameBlack Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) Dates Employed2005 – 2010 Employment Duration5 yrs • Managed a budget of $4 million and a full-time staff of 15 employees and 30 consultants. • Provided leadership to national, state, and local education and public policy initiatives. ... See more University of Arkansas School Choice Demonstration Project (SCDP) Senior Research Associate Company NameUniversity of Arkansas School Choice Demonstration Project (SCDP) Dates Employed2006 – 2007 Employment Duration1 yr • Supported a longitudinal study in partnership with Westat Research Corporation to compare the impact school choice has on student achievement for low-income students enrolled in traditional public schools, public charter schools, and private voucher schools. ... See more Marquette University Institute for the Transformation of Learning Senior Fellow Company NameMarquette University Institute for the Transformation of Learning Dates Employed2004 – 2006 Employment Duration2 yrs • Secured foundation funding to partner with College Summit, Inc. to prepare urban and first-generation students for the transition from high school to college. • Testified before the Wisconsin and Minnesota legislatures regarding education policy. Alliances for Quality Education Consultant Company NameAlliances for Quality Education Dates Employed2001 – 2004 Employment Duration3 yrs • Developed education programs for schools and universities. • Conducted workshops for service providers. District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) Legislative Liaison Company NameDistrict of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) Dates Employed1999 – 2000 Employment Duration1 yr • Worked for Superintendent Arlene Ackerman. • Prepared the superintendent and staff for policy and budget hearings before the District of Columbia City Council and the Subcommittee on the District of Columbia. U.S. House of Representatives Intern Company NameU.S. House of Representatives Dates Employed1999 Employment Durationless than a year • Assisted the Subcommittee on the District of Columbia chaired by Tom Davis (R-VA). Virginia General Assembly Intern Company NameVirginia General Assembly Dates Employed1998 – 1999 Employment Duration1 yr • Worked in the Office of House Delegate Mary T. Christian (D-Hampton). Children’s Academies for Achievement Executive Director Company NameChildren’s Academies for Achievement Dates Employed1995 – 1997 Employment Duration2 yrs • CAA was a New York City-based nonprofit organization focused on at-risk youth. • Represented CAA before local, state, and national policymakers St. Peter’s College Teacher Company NameSt. Peter’s College Dates Employed1995 – 1997 Employment Duration2 yrs • Taught courses on logical reasoning and African American history to Jersey City and Newark public school students that participated in a Saturday and summer Pre-College Academic Program. California State Legislature Senior Fellow Company NameCalifornia State Legislature Dates Employed1992 – 1993 Employment Duration1 yr • Public policy fellow in the Office of Senator Bill Leonard (R-Upland). Marcus Garvey School Fifth Grade Teacher Company NameMarcus Garvey School Dates Employed1991 – 1992 Employment Duration1 yr • Taught English, geography, reading, writing, and other subjects at this private inner-city school in Los Angeles, CA. Show fewer experiences Education Harvard University Graduate School of Education Harvard University Graduate School of Education Degree NameMaster of Education Field Of StudyEducation Policy Analysis Dates attended or expected graduation 1994 – 1995 Howard University Howard University Degree NameBachelor of Arts - BA Field Of StudyPhilosophy Dates attended or expected graduation 1987 – 1991 El Camino College El Camino College Degree NameAssociate of Arts - AA Dates attended or expected graduation 1984 – 1987