Wayne County has been selected to join Harvard University’s 2025-26 Institute for Success Planning Community of Practice, becoming one of six new communities nationwide invited to participate.
The initiative, led by the EdRedesign Lab at Harvard Graduate School of Education, connects local leaders with resources to help young people thrive through personalized Success Planning—an approach that links students with caring adult Navigators to co-create individualized plans for support and growth.
Wayne County joins a cohort of 15 total communities, including returning members from cities such as Birmingham, Oakland, and Salt Lake County, and fellow new members like Rochester, Flint, and Wilmington. The selected teams include leaders from schools, local government, health agencies, and community-based organizations working to improve outcomes for children and families.
“Success Planning is about fostering positive relationships, nurturing potential, and building clear and accessible pathways to success for ALL children and youth,” said Tauheedah Jackson, Director of the Institute for Success Planning and Deputy Director of EdRedesign.
The two-year program begins this July with an in-person workshop at Harvard and includes a planning year followed by an implementation year. Participants will gain tools to design and scale strategies aimed at tackling chronic absenteeism, housing insecurity, and other barriers affecting student success.
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