Everyone is a learner
We are a non-profit educational service agency, committed to reaching and educating learners of all ages, and experienced in working with educators to help students learn and succeed.

Founded in 1974, we are governed by representatives from our 37 member school districts in Hampshire and Franklin Counties. We work with children, youth and adult learners; families; schools, districts, and educators; and community members in the Pioneer Valley and across Massachusetts to create and improve educational opportunities both in and out of the classroom and ensure that every child has the opportunity to achieve their full potential.

Students are at the heart of our work.
We are a community of innovative and effective professionals dedicated to improving education. We know that everyone is a learner from the day they are born, and we know how to create classrooms and other environments in which every learner can flourish. We know how to reach, inspire, support and educate children, youth and adults, and we help others to do the same. CES directs major initiatives in Early Childhood, Special Education, After School Programs, Professional Development, Educator Licensure, Technology in Education, Social Justice in Education, English Learner Education, and the education of vulnerable youth.

Our Mission and Values

Mission
Our mission is to develop and foster educational excellence and opportunity for all learners through collaboration and leadership. We are a community of innovative and effective professionals dedicated to improving education. We know that everyone is a learner, and we know how to create classrooms and other environments in which every learner can flourish. We know how to reach, inspire, support, and educate children, youth and adults, and we help others to do the same. 

We believe:

• The common thread through all our work is that obstacles to learning can be overcome, and once that happens, learning is natural for everyone.
• The emotional and social development needs of children and youth must be addressed if they are to succeed in school, and consequently, in life.

The principles and practices of social justice, equity and inclusion are foundational to our organization.
They have always been critical to our mission. To guide that work, we have adopted four principles as an organization:

• A culture of community and care
• Equity and Inclusion
• Self-awareness and Growth
• Action and Transformation

Working for Social Justice and Equity

CES is committed to the belief that everyone is a learner, and to our mission to develop and foster educational excellence and opportunities for all learners through collaboration and leadership.

Social Justice and Equity work has always been critical to that mission. We understand that all forms of oppression are damaging. As we at CES set our sights on understanding and taking action together to challenge racism and support equity, we also commit to making our work intersectional by taking on sexism, classism, heterosexism, youth oppression, transgender oppression, religious oppression, ableism, sizeism, and more. We are doing this work pro-actively and purposefully, with the intent of positive outcomes, and because we need to. In doing so, we are building capacity to support and assist schools, and districts responding to their educators' and students' needs with an increased and intentional focus on matters of bias, social justice, and equity.

Join Us in This Work!

Our mission is to develop and foster educational excellence and opportunity for all learners through collaboration, and leadership. We believe that obstacles to learning can be overcome, and once that happens, learning is natural for everyone.

Social Justice and Equity - Creating a Community of Care
Social Justice and Equity work is central to our mission. We understand that all forms of oppression are damaging. We are taking action together to challenge racism and support equity, we also commit to making our work intersectional by taking on sexism, classism, heterosexism, youth oppression, transgender oppression, religious oppression, ableism, sizeism, and more. We are doing this work proactively and purposefully, with the intent of positive outcomes, and because we need to.