Case Study: Spartanburg Academic Movement achieves improved educational attainment and a stronger workforce pipeline with Vitality

Spartanburg Academic Movement - Customer Case Study

Spartanburg Academic Movement (SAM) is a countywide collective-impact initiative in Spartanburg, SC, tackling low educational attainment—only 19.2% of adults held bachelor’s degrees in 2008 versus a 27% national average—and the linked economic and health inequities. The Vitality Institute (Vitality) featured SAM in its "Beyond the Four Walls" community health case study, documenting SAM’s mission to raise educational outcomes and build a skilled workforce pipeline.

Vitality describes SAM’s implementation of Collaborative Action Networks (CANs), a six‑indicator cradle‑to‑career evaluation framework, and business partnerships (notably with BMW) that provide Lean Six Sigma training to strengthen CANs’ problem-solving and efficiency. The case study highlights measurable practices—using countywide data to target drivers like early childhood health and kindergarten readiness—and a concrete goal of reaching 40% bachelor’s degree attainment by 2030, outcomes Vitality tracks in its report.

Spartanburg Academic Movement