Column: The President's Message
A Lesson from the Three Musketeers
Jim Giovannini
By: Jim Giovannini
Published: March 18, 2011
During EIA’s highly successful EI DAYS a few weeks ago on Capitol Hill, the word “quality” was mentioned to me more than once. In fact, I had numerous members and even a few non-members ask about EIA’s push for quality in the industry. I quickly found myself explaining the numerous activities and agendas EIA has hosted and followed over the years that promoted quality in education and within our industry.
I am not going to give you a laundry list of our accomplishments and accolades in a brief newsletter article. Instead, I am going to make you a promise and ask for your commitment to the cause. We owe it to every student we serve, every family that counts on us, to have systems in place that assure quality services that truly build skills and help families through the maze that is the “education gauntlet” in America. If we don’t regulate ourselves and insure quality services and learning, two things will happen: the government will find a way to regulate us and our industry as a whole will crumble.
Because of NCLB, our industry was pushed to into the limelight for the first time. Because of ESEA reauthorization, we are being held accountable. This is an unique time and a watershed moment. Together, EIA member companies need to take a sincere look at their inner workings, from back office policies to curriculum choices and delivery methods. We must be sure we are doing all we can to give the for-profit education sector a solid reputation.
We asked for this opportunity and now it is here. We fought to gain access to principals, superintendents, and LEAs in order to effectively and strategically partner with them for the good of all students. Our wish was granted over a decade ago. Now we must take it to the next level. EIA, for its part, will do all it can to bring together the very best companies as members, whether small or large, to positively represent our industry. By working and planning together, we can push our industry to the leading edge in education.
In other words, it’s all for one and one for all!
Published: March 18, 2011
During EIA’s highly successful EI DAYS a few weeks ago on Capitol Hill, the word “quality” was mentioned to me more than once. In fact, I had numerous members and even a few non-members ask about EIA’s push for quality in the industry. I quickly found myself explaining the numerous activities and agendas EIA has hosted and followed over the years that promoted quality in education and within our industry.
I am not going to give you a laundry list of our accomplishments and accolades in a brief newsletter article. Instead, I am going to make you a promise and ask for your commitment to the cause. We owe it to every student we serve, every family that counts on us, to have systems in place that assure quality services that truly build skills and help families through the maze that is the “education gauntlet” in America. If we don’t regulate ourselves and insure quality services and learning, two things will happen: the government will find a way to regulate us and our industry as a whole will crumble.
Because of NCLB, our industry was pushed to into the limelight for the first time. Because of ESEA reauthorization, we are being held accountable. This is an unique time and a watershed moment. Together, EIA member companies need to take a sincere look at their inner workings, from back office policies to curriculum choices and delivery methods. We must be sure we are doing all we can to give the for-profit education sector a solid reputation.
We asked for this opportunity and now it is here. We fought to gain access to principals, superintendents, and LEAs in order to effectively and strategically partner with them for the good of all students. Our wish was granted over a decade ago. Now we must take it to the next level. EIA, for its part, will do all it can to bring together the very best companies as members, whether small or large, to positively represent our industry. By working and planning together, we can push our industry to the leading edge in education.
In other words, it’s all for one and one for all!
About the EIA President
Jim, along with his business partner Patsy Prince, has established learning centers throughout the Chicago area that meet a vital need in the communities in which they serve: the need for quality private individualized tutoring that builds students’ skills as well as self esteem. As Academic Tutoring Centers grew over nearly two decades, so did Jim’s vision as to whom he could reach with his passion for learning. Each year, Academic Tutoring Centers serves thousands of students and employs hundreds of teachers. The experience in guiding the expansion of his own business prepared Jim to assume leadership roles in national organizations such as The Education Industry Association (EIA) and the Education Industry Foundation (EIF). Jim currently serves on the Board of Directors of both organizations and is the current EIA president.