Click here for a list of the Public Education Foundation Task Force Members
Implementation strategy
Establish a public-education foundation that serves as seed money for innovation rather than supplemental funding for schools, organized with the purpose of supporting those initiatives that:
- · create a passion for excellence, community support and positive change within the school systems.
- · build strong school leadership.
- · are supported by measurable data and attainment of critical results based on improved student achievement.
- · support excellent professional development of teachers.
Why should we commit to this strategy?
- § Because it is an ongoing and flexible regional strategy. The foundation would be governed by a neutral and independent board of directors that serves as an advocate for regional excellence in education, as well as a catalyst and source of seed money for innovation toward excellence.
- § Because communities are no better and no less than their school system.
- § Because public-education foundations around the United States have had a tremendous impact on education and, therefore, on their respective communities (e.g., economically, etc.).
- § Because it provides the opportunity to address the five other strategies that were also investigated by the Education/ Curriculum Goal Team: curriculum mapping, leadership and professional development, parental involvement, model schools and benchmarking school systems. Implementation of these strategies through the foundation can also have a tremendous impact on the nine-county region.
What action steps do we need to take to implement the strategy?
Form a Task Force to do the following:
- solicit guidance from other public-education foundations and the Public Education Network (a national network of local public-education foundations).
- develop a funding strategy and recruit the initial seed money.
- develop an organizational plan and legal structure for the foundation
- recruit the board of directors.
Assemble a board of directors; its first actions will include:
- · implementing the funding strategy.
- · recruiting the professional staff for the organization.
- · guiding the beginning of the foundation’s operations.
Who can lead the implementation effort?
The Task Force will lead the implementation effort. It should have a high-profile chairperson whose name is synonymous with education and who has the clout to bring in funds. It should also have a vice chair(s) to focus on both long-range purpose and the best organizational structure to achieve that purpose.
What will it cost to implement the action steps and the strategy?
The goal is to reach a fund size of $10 million with annual grant-making and program costs of at least $1 million.
What should Nine Counties. One Vision. do next?
Form the Task Force.