| Dear Maureen, |
As we bring you our first issue of Game Changers in 2012, education reformers across the country are making the rounds of their state capitals. While the lengths of legislative sessions vary (click on states on our map for more details), January is early in any state's policy-making cycle.
Now is the time when education advocates are listening for the factors that will shape this year's work--especially the proclivities of their state's policy makers. This means meeting with leaders of their legislatures, state boards and education agencies, reading early drafts of legislation, and attending forums that yield insight into the priorities and concerns of friends and foes.
Where they find allies inside the system, look forward to some bold moves! This week, the PIE Network released a report called, "Seizing the Opportunity: How Education Advocacy Groups and State Policy Makers Work Together to Advance Reform." Written with heavy input from PIE Network members, "Seizing the Opportunity" focuses on the advances possible when policy makers and advocates team up. It provides an inside look at some of the roles advocates have played to reinforce bold policy-making in 11 reform-leading states.
January is also a time when advocates listen for nuance. Words as subtle as "recalibration" or "midcourse corrections" could signal leaders' intentions to soften or outright reverse strong reform policy. And those signs can come even from champions from previous years (especially in election years!). This might mean reformers must do more to defend past gains than advance new policies. Where it's needed, that work is as crucial as the advances we celebrate in this new report.
You'll find more insights into how 2012 is taking shape below. For instance, in Ohio, The Fordham Institute is translating lessons learned from Louisiana's Recovery School for their state. Mississippi First is proposing a new, collaborative model to provide pre-K education to the state's children. And, the National Council on Teacher Quality offers advocates a powerful tool with their 2011 State Teacher Policy Yearbook.
We're eager to bring you more news as the year unfolds. Suzanne Tacheny Kubach
Executive Director, PIE Network |
The PIE Network is Hiring | We are hiring to better meet the needs of PIE Network members and ensure that your good work reaches broader audiences across the nation.
Director of Events and Special Projects Executive Assistant and Office Manager Senior Director, Communications Please feel free to pass on the position descriptions above to qualified candidates. |
Network Jobs and Beyond | Fordham Institute in Washington, D.C. is seeking a Research Manager. The NJ DOE is asking the network for help in filling a Director of Charter Schools position in its new Innovation Department- Stand for Children has a number of openings across the country, including Executive Director in Arizona and Communications Directors in Indiana, Louisiana and Washington.
50CAN has several openings, including Public Affairs managers in Maryland and New York.
Rodel has two open positions, Program Officer- Policy and Senior Program Officer- Communications and Public Engagement. Mass Insight is hiring for a Director of Marketing Communications.
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| | In the News |
Mississippi First released "Leaving Last in Line," an issue brief that describes how Mississippi can provide state-funded pre-K.
Stand for Children Colorado announced the hiring of the organizations new Executive Director Paul Lhevine.
Families working with EdVoice, filed a lawsuit against LAUSD and United Teachers Los Angles for violation of local children's "fundamental right to basic educational equality and opportunity."
Robin Steans of Advance Illinois comments on Illinois' "baffling" Race to the Top loss.
TN governor appoints SCORE to review how well the state's new teacher evaluation system is working MinnCAN credited with helping Minnessota win Race to the Top funding for early learning |
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