Catherine Jordan
Program Manager
Catherine Jordan is Program Manager of SEDL's Afterschool, Family, and Community program. This program area includes three national initiatives: the National Center for Quality Afterschool, the National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schools, and the National Coordination Center for Parental Information and Resource Centers (PIRCs). As AFC program manager, Ms. Jordan directs these initiatives, serves as budget authority and spokesperson; leads the design, development, and production of research-based education products and services, including training and conferences; provides leadership and oversight for research initiatives; and maintains communication with sponsors and funders. She also serves on the SEDL Management Council.
Contact Information
You may contact Catherine Jordan at 512-391-6523
Ms. Jordan has extensive experience in the areas of afterschool and expanded learning, family and community involvement, community development, and collaboration tools and strategies.
- Afterschool and Expanded Learning: Ms. Jordan has been involved with national afterschool and expanded learning programs since 1999, when she joined the National Center for Community Education’s National Training Task Force for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLCs). Currently, Ms. Jordan leads SEDL’s National Center for Quality Afterschool, which provides assistance, training, and tools to help state and local practitioners develop high-quality, research-based programs to promote academic achievement. Ms. Jordan also oversees the Center’s Virtual Academy for Afterschool, which offers a series of online, interactive professional development courses.
- Family and Community: Since 1998, Ms. Jordan has led SEDL’s research and development activities related to home, school, and community partnerships. She currently directs SEDL’s National Center for Family and Community Connections With Schools, which provides research-based information, resources, and training to help improve family and community involvement in ways that boost school readiness and student achievement, particularly among traditionally underserved groups.
Ms. Jordan also leads SEDL’s National PIRC Coordination Center, which serves the nation’s 62 PIRCs by improving service delivery and providing access to training and research-based materials on how to increase parental involvement in ways that support student academic achievement.
Ms. Jordan’s previous work at SEDL includes leading a national research and development initiative to identify afterschool practices that promote academic enrichment. The results led to the development of the award-winning Afterschool Training Toolkit (2008). This online toolkit provides research-based practices, lessons, videos, and resources to support academic enrichment in afterschool and expanded learning programs.
Ms. Jordan also led a national research and development initiative addressing models for linking schools, families, and communities in ways that improve student achievement. This work culminated in the publication of Creating Collaborative Action Teams: Working Together for Student Success (2000), which provides tools and resources that educators can use to develop a partnership between home, school, community, and students at the local level.
Prior to joining SEDL in 1998, Ms. Jordan served as executive director for the McLennan County Youth Collaboration—Communities in Schools, Inc., in Waco, Texas, where she managed a 100-member community, school, and family partnership. In this position, she developed the nationally recognized “Lighted Schools” afterschool program as part of the Pew Charitable Trust’s Partnerships for Civic Change. Her previous work history includes serving as the director of operations for the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation’s Waco Center for Youth and as deputy executive director for the Heart of Texas Council of Government. Ms. Jordan began her career as a classroom teacher at Robinson High School in Robinson, Texas. Education
Ms. Jordan holds a BA in history and journalism from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and an MAT in public service administration from Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. SEDL Publications
- Connection Collection (2009)
- Afterschool Training Toolkit: Building Quality Enrichment Activities (2008)
- What Works? Common Practices in High Functioning Afterschool Programs: The National Partnership for Quality Afterschool Learning Final Report (2008)
- Beyond the Building: A Facilitation Guide for School, Family, and Community Connections (2006)
- Readiness: School, Family, & Community Connections (2004)
- Diversity: School, Family, and Community Connections (2003)
- A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement (2002)
- Emerging Issues in School, Family, & Community Connections (2001)
- Creating Collaborative Action Teams: Working Together for Student Success (2000)
- Thriving Together: Connecting Rural School Improvement and Community Development (English) (2000)
- Jordan, C. (2009). Expanded learning programs—afterschool, summer school, community school—are school improvement strategies. SEEN Magazine.
- Huang, D., Jordan, C., & Shankland, L. (Spring 2008). Promising research-based practices in afterschool science programs. The Afterschool Review.
- Building family and community partnerships with afterschool programs to increase student achievement and participation. Presentation at U.S. Department of Education 21st Century Community Learning Centers 2009 Summer Institute, Nashville, TN. Jordan, C. (2009, July).
- Practices that engage parents and promote partnerships. Expert Panelist, Pennsylvania Department of Education Parent Information and Research Center, Harrisburg, PA. Jordan, C. (2009, June).
- Quality in afterschool: practice in action. Pre-Conference, Johns Hopkins University Summer Learning Conference, Chicago, IL. Jordan, C. (2009, April).
- Quality in afterschool: practice in action. Pre-Conference, National Afterschool Association, New Orleans, LA. Jordan, C. (2009, April).
- Building effective parent involvement for your school and program. Presentation at Parental Options and Information Project Director Conference, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC. Jordan, C. (2008, December).
- What does a high-quality afterschool program look like? 21st CCLC Cycle 5 Professional Development Workshop, Texas Education Agency, Austin, TX. Jordan, C. (2008, September).
- Using promising practices to create high-quality academic programming. Presentation at 2008 Summer Institute, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Dallas, TX. Jordan, C. (2008, July).
- Communicating 21st CCLC data/results to your stakeholders. 21st CCLC Professional Development Workshop, Texas Education Agency, Austin, TX. Jordan, C. (2008, February).
- Facilitative leadership for 21st CCLC project directors. 21st CCLC Professional Development Workshop, Texas Education Agency, Irving, TX. Jordan, C. (2008, February).
