Name |
Comment |
The Education Industry Association |
This organization (formerly AEPP) draws together a variety of people
interested in providing goods and services to schools. They hold an
annual conference called EdVentures. EIA was, at one time, engaged,
with the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette
University on an initiative called "Teachers Want Choices
Too." That initiative sought to promote new professional avenues
of autonomy, ownership and accountability for teachers. |
Center for Re-Inventing Public Education
|
Directed by Paul Hill at the University of Washington. Hill is the
principal author of Reinventing Public Education (U. of
Chicago Press, 1997). This book is a "must read" for both
proponents and opponents of school choice. Interest areas include:
Choice & Charters; Finance & Productivity; Teachers; Urban
District Reform; Leadership; State & Federal Reform. Lots of
thought-provoking material. |
Center for Teaching Quality |
The organization's motto is "where teachers are central to
improving schools" a sentiment with which CPSR wholeheartedly
agrees. In CTQ's words "Teachers possess vital
knowledge about students and because of this knowledge they
can provide much needed leadership for the changes needed to improve
public education. ... Our public schools need more teachers who act
as change agents in their schools and for their communities having
the knowledge and skill to push and pull an often-calcified school
organization. ... The IEL panel said it best: It is time for our best
teachers to 'get in the game.'" |
National Charter School Alliance |
Formerly the Charter Friends National Network, this
organization supports accountability, facilities financing, and
contracting projects, as well as several other charter-related
initiatives (national conference, networking, media relations,
outreach, and federal policy development). |
Andrew Coulson
|
A former Microsoft employee with an interesting slant on school
choice. Author of Market Education: The Unknown History
(Transaction Publishers, 1999). |
Democratic Leadership Council |
This organization is supported by many centrist (sometimes called
"third way") Democratic politicians and endorses school
choice options for public education, especially charter schools. |
Education Commission of the States |
ECS is a non-profit, non-partisan organization whose mission is
"to help state leaders ... promote improved performance of the
education system." ECS released recommendations on the
governance of education called Governing America's Schools:
Changing the Rules. The recommendations strongly support the
establishment of independently operated, publicly accountable schools
(like charter schools). |
Education| Evolving
|
Another education reform organization out of Minnesota. E|E is a
joint venture of the Center for Policy Studies and Hamline University
in St. Paul. Ted Kolderie, a well-known early charter school
proponent is a senior associate. Many new and interesting reform
ideas can be found here. |
Education Week
|
Weekly newspaper on education, with links to most established
education organizations. Often contains articles on school choice and
other school reform issues. |
EdVisions Cooperative
|
This organization helps educators interested in forming cooperatives
where teachers can assume new professional roles and become directly
involved in owning and operating educational entities. They currently
run the Minnesota New Country School. EdVisions' schools are examples
of teacher-led schools. |
National Center for the
Study of Privatization in Education |
Started in 1999 by Henry Levin (developer of the Accelerated Schools
Project) and based at Teachers College, Columbia University, the
Center provides comprehensive information on the movement to
privatize a growing array of public education services. |
Progressive Policy Institute |
PPI has been described as a politically center-left organization
interested in many issues, among them public education. Representing
what is often called "the third way," it supports that part
of the Democratic Party inhabited by the likes of Bill Clinton and
John Kerry. PPI supports school choice through its 21st Century
Schools Project. |
Public Agenda Foundation |
This organization engages in survey research projects and related
activities on a variety of public policy topics. Education is a major
interest area for them and they have produced several important and
enlightening studies in recent years. |
The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation |
This organization, headed by former Reagan Education Dept. official
Chester Finn, provides a solidly pro-choice, pro-testing, informative
perspective on all things to do with public education. While a little
too conservative for our taste on some issues, they dish out their
views with panache, and have generally held the very sensible view
that everyone, even charter schools, needs to be scrutinized for what
they claim to be doing. Their 2006 Fund The Child proposal
gives strong support to decentralization of districts. |
US Charter Schools |
Funded by USDOE. Contains a great deal of information on charter
schools around the country, with links to many other related sites. |
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