In 1997, Dr. Sandi Cole was hired as the Director of the Center for School and Community Integration, which included two major projects: one focused on K–12 schools and one 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 education. The transition and supported employment work later became the Center on Community Living and Careers (CCLC).
Under Dr. Cole’s leadership, CELL established a strong statewide presence and built a robust portfolio of work that extended to every county in Indiana, reaching thousands of educators. The Center’s efforts included research, consultation and planning, professional learning, and partnership with schools and communities to inform policy and practice—particularly in service of students with disabilities.
Funding for CELL’s work has included federal and state grants, educational foundation support, and contracts with local school districts and community agencies. Throughout this period, the Center’s vision, mission, and guiding principles served as the lens through which its work was designed, implemented, and sustained, grounding CELL’s reputation as a trusted partner to educators and leaders across Indiana.
Following Dr. Cole’s tenure and building on the strong foundation she established, Dr. Pennie M. Gregory was appointed Director in 2025. The Center on Education and Lifelong Learning continues its long-standing commitment to strengthening systems, instructional quality, and outcomes for students with disabilities. Dr. Gregory brings more than two decades of experience across classrooms, school districts, state education agencies, and federal systems, with leadership grounded in connecting policy, practice, and day-to-day work.
Building on CELL’s history of statewide impact, her leadership emphasizes leadership capacity, system coherence, and clarity around roles, authority, and coordination across educational contexts. Under her direction, CELL continues its core work in consultation and planning, professional learning, and research-informed practice—supporting schools and communities in identifying needs, developing strategic improvement efforts, and strengthening educator practice in ways that align research, policy, and local priorities.
This chapter reflects continuity rather than departure. CELL remains rooted in the belief that sustainable improvement depends on adult capacity, well-defined roles and decision rights, coordinated effort, and coherent systems. The Center’s work continues to focus on aligning leadership practices and system supports across classrooms, districts, and state contexts to ensure consistent, high-quality learning experiences for Indiana’s children and youth across PreK–12 education.
Today, CELL stands as both a steward of a strong legacy and a place of disciplined imagination. The Center’s work invites educators, leaders, and partners to expect more of our systems—and of ourselves—on behalf of Indiana’s children and youth. What emerges here is not a collection of projects, but a shared commitment to clarity, responsibility, and possibility, grounded in care for the people and communities we serve.