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Keep Kids Learning

Keep Kids Learning is Forward Janesville’s awareness initiative, launched in 2024, focused on strengthening education and workforce outcomes in the Janesville area. By building shared understanding among employers, families, community organizations and education partners, it reinforces a clear message: strong schools support working families and help local businesses attract and retain talent.

Through Keep Kids Learning, Forward Janesville supports education in four key ways:

  1. Building strategic partnerships
  2. Expanding work-based learning
  3. Championing lifelong learning
  4. Supporting accountable educational funding

Want to stay connected to Keep Kids Learning updates and focus areas?

Fill out this quick form.

Kids Thinking At Desk

Our Partners

Keep Kids Learning is a community effort. Forward Janesville does not do this work alone, and lasting education success requires shared responsibility across sectors.

In that spirit, Keep Kids Learning is supported by strong partnerships with organizations that share a commitment to students, families and the future workforce, including:

Students In the Library

Key partners include:

  • School District of Janesville
  • School District of Milton
  • Studer Education
  • Blackhawk Technical College
  • UW Whitewater at Rock County
  • UW Whitewater
  • Beloit College
  • Edgewood University
  • Forward Foundation
  • Forward Janesville Education Council
  • JOIN Janesville
  • Leadership Development Academy

These partners bring expertise, leadership and on-the-ground insight that help align education priorities with workforce needs and community goals. Together, we are building shared understanding, reinforcing consistent messages and supporting long-term progress for students and the community.

Why Strong Schools Matter

Strong schools help our community thrive. They:

  • Prepare the future workforce
  • Help employers recruit and retain employees
  • Support working families and household stability
  • Attract and retain high-quality educators
  • Serve as major local employers
  • Support local businesses and community services
  • Strengthen the local economy and long-term growth
  • Contribute to stable property values and safer communities
Kids At The Computer

What Keep Kids Learning Does

Keep Kids Learning strengthens community understanding of how education outcomes connect to workforce needs and economic success by:

  • Elevating clear, consistent messages about why education success matters
  • Bringing together employers, schools and community partners around shared goals
  • Highlighting practical ways the community can support student success
  • Focusing attention each year on one education issue where community leadership can make the biggest impact

Annual focus areas

Keep Kids Learning highlights one education issue each year to help the community focus on meaningful, measurable progress.

  • 2024: Fiscal responsibility and school finance 
  • 2025: Investing in school and district leadership
  • 2026: Engaging employers, organizations and families in education success

Who is the initiative for?

Keep Kids Learning is designed for the whole community, including:

  • Employers and Forward Janesville members
  • Parents and caregivers
  • Nonprofits, civic groups and community organizations
  • Residents who care about schools, workforce readiness and local quality of life
Kids Gathering Around Computer

How can the community help?

Education success improves when employers, organizations, families and community groups work together. Community support can include:

  • Reinforcing the value of learning and celebrating progress
  • Supporting families by helping remove barriers when challenges arise
  • Partnering with schools through mentoring, tutoring or career exposure
  • Expanding work-based learning and youth apprenticeship opportunities
  • Sharing information and resources that help families stay engaged

Additional Resources

School funding is complex. To understand why school districts throughout Wisconsin are going to referendum with increasing frequency to fund education, watch this quick video from the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials (WASBO).

In The News

We will share relevant news items here as it becomes available.

Learn more

Want to stay connected to Keep Kids Learning updates and focus areas? Fill out this quick form.

And follow Forward Janesville communications and watch for ways to participate as the initiative grows.