Education Policy Leadership Consortium®

(Kansas, Missouri, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania)

“Finding ‘Common Ground’ in our Educational Policy”

2024-25 Advanced Education Policy Leadership Program (Advanced EPLP) Description

Program Mission

To engage state education policy program alumni in collaborating with peers across state lines to further enhance the knowledge and skills that support the development, adoption, and implementation of public policy to improve educational opportunity for all.

PROGRAM GOALS 

1. To advance to the strategic level the knowledge and skills acquired previously in state-level education policy programs.
2. To nurture and expand networking relationships among senior fellows across the Consortium states.
3. To increase awareness of, and engagement with, education policy initiatives, and implementation practices in the Consortium member states.
4. To better understand the complexity of school district (LEA), state, and federal education policy development, implementation and impact.
5. To enhance strategic leadership skills and develop the political sophistication necessary to successfully influence policy development, adoption, and implementation at the local, state and national levels.

2024-25 Program Structure for a Consortium of Up To 30 Fellows 

• In 2024-25, create one Consortium cohort of up to 30 Senior Fellows. The year-long program will include:
  
• Six monthly three-hour Zoom meetings held on Thursday mornings 
• In-person Washington, DC symposium at the Melrose Georegetown Hotel to be held September 19 and 20, 2024
• The completion of a written Policy Analysis document and oral presentation by collaborative groups each with 3-4 cross-state participants 
• Optional plenary or state-specific Senior Fellow sessions
  
  

Admission Process

Individuals who have completed a state-level education policy program or institute will be invited to participate in the 2024-25 Advanced EPLP. Invitations to participate will be sent by state Advanced EPLP coordinators on or before June 30, 2024.   

To be considered for admission to the program, applicants who intend to request employer support will be required to submit a signed Supervisor Authorization Form committing the employing institution to provide release time and remuneration for the program fee and/or the in-person Symposium travel and expenses.

Program Fee & Estimated Expenses for the In-Person Symposium

The program participation fee for 2024-25 is $1,750.00. The program participation fee covers the six Thursday Zoom sessions and the Washington Symposium. Transportation to Washington and the Melrose hotel costs ($219.00 per night plus local taxes) of the Washington Symposium are the responsibility of the Senior Fellow.

AEPLP Program Activities for 2024-25:

Content Theme: “Finding ‘Common Ground’ in our Educational Policy”

1.   Symposium on Federal Education Policy, September 19-20, 2024

• Thursday, September 19: Opening Symposium reception, dinner, and program (2:00 to 9:00 pm EST)
• Friday, September 20: Symposium sessions (8:15 am to 3:30 pm Eastern)

2.   Thursday Zoom Conversations

Note: Thursday Zoom sessions will run from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm Eastern.

• October 10: What is the Purpose of Public Education? (Bob & Lisa)
• December 5: Balancing the Roles of Federal, State and Local Policymakers and the Tensions Between Policymakers and Education Practitioners (Chad and Tyson)
• January 16: Leadership for Promoting Civil Discourse (Dan & Debbie)
• February 27: Legal, Moral, and Ideological Issues Related to Educational  
• Equity and Opportunity (Ron)
• April 10: Senior Fellows present their policy analysis projects (Lisa & Tyson)
• May 1:  Year-end Synthesis: Will We Find “common Ground?

3.   Team Policy Analysis Project

• Completed by cross-state collaborative groups of 3-4 Senior Fellows. 
• Part 1: Due on or before December 5, each team will submit  to the coordinators a one paragraph description of the proposed project policy focus and its likely state level intended audience.
• Part 2 Deliverable: An “external-facing” written policy analysis and policy proposal with actionable recommendations. Due: February 27, 2025
• Part 3 Policy Advocacy. Each member of the team will meet either in-person or on Zoom with a state legislator or lobbyist to present the policy proposal and actionable recommendations.  Due: on or before April 10, 2025
• Part 3 Team Presentation. Oral team presentation reporting on the policy advocacy session with the state legislator or lobbyist.  Due: April 10, 2025.

Criteria for Successful Completion of the Program

Senior Fellows will receive a certificate of completion after participating in all the following Program activities: a) all six Thursday Zoom meetings; b) the in-person Washington Symposium; and c) the active participation in the group education policy analysis project. An exception to this criteria may only be granted with the approval of the AEPLP program coordinators.

ADVANCED EPLP STATE PROGRAM COORDINATORS

Kansas/Missouri

• Tyson Elbert (Founder & Executive Director, AdvocacyBuild, LLC)
• Dr. Kenny Southwick (Executive Director, Cooperating School Districts of Greater Kansas City)

Massachusetts

• Dr. Chad d’Entremont (Executive Director, Rennie Center for Education Policy)

Minnesota

• Dan Loritz (Senior Fellow and President, Center for Policy Design)
• Dr. John Ward (Senior Fellow, Center for Policy Design)

New York

• Lisa Davis (Education Policy and Governance Consultant)
• Dr. Robert Monson (Retired, formerly Senior Lecturer & Program Coordinator, Education Leadership Program, Teachers College, Columbia University)

Ohio

• Dr. Deborah Morin (Director, Center for Educational Leadership, Cleveland State University)

Pennsylvania

• Ronald Cowell, J.D. (Founder & Senior Fellow, Education Policy & Leadership Center)

APPLICATION 2024/2025 OPENING MAY 15th 2024