In 1997, Dr. Sandi Cole was hired as the Director of the Center for School and Community Integration which included two major projects: one that focused on schools K-12 and one that focused on transition and supported employment. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Cole developed the Center on Education and Lifelong Learning (CELL) with a primary focus on K-12 schools (Transition and Supported Employment would later become the Center on Community Living and Careers).
Since its inception, CELL has created a portfolio of work that has extended to every county in Indiana, reaching thousands of educators, and has included extensive research to inform policy and practice, particularly for students with disabilities.
Funding for the Center’s work has included federal and state grants, educational foundation grants, and contracts with local school districts and community agencies. Our vision, mission and guiding principles have been the lens through which we approach all of our work.