What Navigating a Bank Run Taught Me about Crisis Management
By Melissa Wu, Education Pioneers CEONote: this post originally appeared on LinkedIn. Two Thursdays ago, I was wrapping up my workday at Education Pioneers on a positive note. After an energizing planning meeting with my senior leadership team, I shifted to mom-mode and picked up my two children from their afterschool program. We were discussing details for my […]
Meet Our 2023 Summer Fellows!
We are thrilled to introduce our 2023 Summer Fellows! These rising leaders, 80% of whom identify as people of color, officially joined our nationwide network of leaders last month and are using their skills to address urgent priorities facing the education ecosystem. Our Fellows are collectively reaching more than 1.3 million students across Chicago, Texas, Washington, D.C., the […]
Embracing Accessibility: Key Takeaways for Disability Pride Month
Ellery Robinson is a 2022-2023 Education Pioneers Impact Fellow at the U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Technology (OET). As a previous special education teacher and parent advocate, Ellery supports the OET Team on accessibility. Embracing Accessibility: Key Takeaways for Disability Pride MonthBy Ellery Robinson Disability Pride Month is a time to reflect on the significance of […]
Impacting 1.9 Million Students Across Illinois
This Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we are reminded of the value and importance of inclusion of the AAPI Community in education. A recent report issued by The Asian American Foundation and LAAUNCH, found that one-third of Americans “cannot recall a significant Asian American historical event or policy.” 2022 EP Summer Fellow Alum […]
Applications Now Open for 2023 Impact Fellowship
The K-12 sector is no stranger to challenges. As we recover from pandemic disruptions and confront the myriad of cascading obstacles affecting schools and their communities, this is a critical moment. My college cross country coach always told us to “run through the hill” to keep momentum through the crest and into the downhill. It […]
Announcing EP’s 2022-2023 Impact Fellowship Cohort
We are proud to announce our 2022-2023 EP Impact Fellowship cohort. A collective of creative problem solvers, data analysts, and strategic project managers, the Impact Fellowship includes 32 rising leaders who are serving 27 organizations that together reach 4M+ students nationwide. Read on to learn more about the impact they’ll make and what they’ll learn. #WeAreEP 2022-2023 Education […]
Education Pioneers 2022 Annual Report
Dear friends, After two long years of disruption, students, parents, and educators are grateful to reclaim many aspects of classroom normalcy. But they’re also exhausted as they confront the stark realities of steep learning loss, widening inequities, and lingering trauma. The sector faces immense adaptive challenges in this moment, from staffing shortages to resource management. […]
2022 Summer Fellowship Impact Report
We are thrilled to celebrate our 2022 EP Summer Fellows. Exclusively hosted in Chicago after a pandemic-driven national pause, this year’s Summer Fellowship included 15 rising leaders who served 11 organizations that collectively reached 1M+ students in Chicago, across Illinois, and beyond. Read on to learn more about their work and learning. #WeAreEP 2022 Education Pioneers Summer Fellows Hasana Abdul-Quadir […]
Announcing Our COVID Recovery Fellows
To realize the promise of systems transformation during the long road to COVID recovery, K-12 organizations need exceptional leaders beyond the classroom to lead implementation, drive change management efforts, and monitor effectiveness. That’s why EP has once again brought flexible, senior-level capacity to K-12 systems grappling with an evolving pandemic. Today, we’re proud to announce fifteen […]
Announcing Our 2022 Summer Fellowship Cohort
Today, we’re announcing a new cohort of general management talent: our 2022 EP Summer Fellows. Exclusively hosted in Chicago after a pandemic-driven national pause, this year’s Summer Fellowship includes 15 rising leaders who have chosen to apply their talents to urgent priorities facing the education ecosystem. Together, they are serving 11 organizations that collectively reach 1M+ students […]
Applications Now Open for 2022 Impact Fellowship
“Our hardest and most important work lies ahead. It’ll be what we are judged against. […] As educators and leaders, we’re either closing educational opportunity gaps or making them worse with the decisions we make in the coming months and years.” – Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona Right now, the path ahead of K-12 feels […]
EP COVID Response Fellowship Briefing
What leadership and general management talent does the K-12 sector need to meet the challenges of COVID-19? That’s the question Education Pioneers set out to answer when we first conceived of the COVID Response Fellowship in April 2020. At the time, we knew there would be an urgent response to the crisis, as well as a […]
Announcing Our 2021-2022 Impact Fellowship Cohort
Amidst a pivotal moment for student learning and recovery, we’re proud to announce the 49 rising leaders who join the 2021-2022 EP Impact Fellowship — one of our signature programs. This cohort of 49 is more than twice the size of last year’s cohort — growth that exceeded even our own expectations, and a proof […]
Education Pioneers 2021 Annual Report
Dear Friends, There are so many lessons from the turmoil of the past 18 months, but I keep coming back to one: leadership is so often the catalyst that can turn crisis into opportunity. In our schools and communities, we can’t wait to react; we need to have the right leaders in the right place […]
COVID Response Roundtable: The Evolution of K-12 Pandemic Response
The 2021-2022 school year is in full swing across the country — and while it’s become a national priority to accelerate learning and get students back in the physical classroom as much as possible, it has remained a complicated endeavor in the age of COVID-19. The Delta variant continues to surge, vaccines remain unavailable to […]
COVID Response Roundtable: Front-Line Insights on K-12 Pandemic Response
When the history books look back on the 2020-2021 school year, they’ll paint a picture of an education sector in crisis: triaging remote learning with efforts to re-open schools and classrooms safely, battling widening opportunity gaps for students of color, and navigating the emergence of a vaccine that is still not approved for youth. Throughout […]
Better Than It Was Before
The end of the school year is quickly approaching, and focus is quickly turning towards summer learning and the work ahead to accelerating student learning next school year. It’s clear that schools, systems, networks, and education organizations want to maximize the opportunity and unprecedented funding available to reimagine student learning. A year of disrupted learning […]
Convening the EP Network for Virtual Agents of Change
We’re gearing up for EP’s first-ever national Agents of Change event on Wednesday, April 7. Typically a local in-person event planned by regional Alumni Boards, Agents of Change is an opportunity to celebrate and learn from community leaders and fellow Alumni who are advancing transformation and systemic change on behalf of students and families. While […]
Ace Your Impact Fellowship Application [Infographic]
EP is looking for 40+ diverse data analysts and strategic project managers to serve the education sector during the 2021-2022 academic year as school systems across the nation embark on important learning recovery intiatives. The Impact Fellowship is an opportunity for aspiring changemakers to grow as a leader with the powerful combination of a 10-month work placement that advances […]
Applications Now Open for the 2021 Impact Fellowship
Twelve months ago, when the COVID-19 virus was just emerging, none of us could imagine where we would be today: school systems still navigating how to re-open and stay open, communities still struggling to ensure residents have basic necessities. Where will we be twelve months from now? With growing vaccine availability and promise of recovery […]
Announcing Our COVID Response Fellowship Cohort
Nine months into the pandemic, schools continue to face unprecedented challenges in equitably serving students and families. Recent analysis from the NWEA shows that student achievement in math has dropped 5 to 10 percentage points, with even larger declines for students of color. With half of students missing year-over-year testing, researchers fear that results may […]
Education Pioneers 2020 Annual Report
Dear Friends, It is with pride and gratitude that we share our 2020 Annual Report. 2020 was an unprecedented year for us as a nation. And it’s impossible to separate EP’s work and mission from the traumas of an unrelenting global pandemic, a difficult reckoning with racial justice, and a highly divisive political climate. Leadership […]
Announcing Our 2020-2021 Impact Fellowship Cohort
We are proud to announce the new 2020-2021 Education Pioneers Impact Fellowship cohort — a group of 23 rising problem solvers, data analysts, and strategic thinkers who aspire to make a difference for kids and communities. They join EP’s existing network of 4,500+ leaders who work outside the classroom to enable student and teacher success […]
EP Impact Fellowship 2019-2020 Wrap-up Report
EP’s second cohort of Impact Fellows began in Fall 2019. Over the course of their EP Fellowship the world changed and they pivoted with purpose, demonstrating not only the adaptive leadership skills they were learning and building during their leadership development programming but also their commitment to education. While their experience began in person, COVID-19 […]
Black Women and Education, Interrupted
Education is the civil rights movement of our time. Positive education always causes elevation (PEACE). Those two mottos guide every professional decision I make. From working with children in Brownsville Brooklyn, Flushing Queens, and the Mississippi Delta to building Thompson Education Consulting (TEC), an education consulting company with clients across the country, those thoughts live […]
Building Back Better Starts Now
Summer is typically “time on” for education leaders and school staff who need to advance critical work ahead of the next school year. As June rolls around this year, little is typical. Students have been out of school buildings for months and planning for a potential return to learning in the fall amidst the continued […]
Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter. We are outraged by the recent racially motivated murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Tony McDade — and by the countless other acts of violence and injustice that have occurred over the course of our country’s racist history. Today and always, Education Pioneers stands in solidarity with the Black […]
10 Application Tips for the EP Impact Fellowship
The Impact Fellowship is a comprehensive professional and leadership development experience that offers data-focused strategic professionals an opportunity for: Leadership Development: Learning and leadership development opportunities alongside a group of like-minded peers, with a focus on adaptive and inclusive leadership Professional Network of Connections: Access to and participation in a broader network of leaders having impact throughout […]
Alums Across America / EP Roadshow 2020: Memphis
EP is on a mission to mobilize and catalyze our national network of now more than 4,500 Alumni. With more than 70% of them continuing to work in education following their EP Fellowship and 30% holding senior roles at their organizations, they are a serious segment of the talented and influential professionals working to transform […]
Education Pioneers 2019 Annual Report
Dear Friends, It is with great pride that we share our 2019 Annual Report. This was a pivotal year for EP, an inflection point to position us for an even stronger future. We are excited to share the story of our journey with you. Thank you to those who have contributed to our impact along […]
Chicago Agents of Change: Celebrating A Decade of Impact
Photo credit: Duo Tang On June 14, EP Alums, supporters, and friends of EP Chicago gathered at the University Club of Chicago to celebrate 10 years of impact in Chicago and honor 10 EP Alums for their continued contributions to the Chicago education sector. In 2009, EP launched in Chicago. The first cohort was 20 Fellows; […]
In the Company of the Inspired
This post originally appeared on Medium on May 7. The little ones crawled over me with eyes innocently wide, unable to hold back their gasps. “Not Norman!” they echoed. Not Norman! I looked up from the pages of the children’s book in my hand, stepping out of body for a moment to appreciate the absurd love […]
Black History Month: Stories that are Inspiring, Challenging, Changing, and Informing Us
At Education Pioneers, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is one of our core values and a core part of our work both internally and externally. DEI is the work we do, the experiences we have, the organization we want to build, and the world we want to live in. It isn’t just our core mission—DEI […]
EP Alum Sweethearts, a Valentine’s Day Blog
On this Valentine’s Day, we’ve gathered just a couple stories of EP Alum sweethearts who share a passion for education and equity. Enjoy! We know there are more out there — leave a note in the comments and we’ll share yours next year! Barry Tyler Jr. (2017) & Erin Tyler (Liedell) (2017) How did you meet? We […]
EP’s First Cohort of Impact Fellows Kicks Off
Ten months ago, we announced the newest EP Fellowship program: the Impact Fellowship, a leadership development program targeted at exceptional data analysts and strategic project managers. This fall, we’re thrilled to welcome 45 Impact Fellows across the country, who all began their local programming in October. Over the next 10 months, Impact Fellows will be […]
Q&A with 2018 EPic Chicago Alum Adam Zmick, Co-Founder of Gardeneers
This past June, EP Chicago’s Alumni Board hosted its annual Agents of Change event spotlighting EP Alumni who work every day to ensure equity in education. As a part of the event, ONE EPic Chicago Alum is selected in honor of their work and dedication, and receives $1,000 to advance their professional development or to […]
Bay Area Alumni and Champions Celebrate Scott Morgan
It started with an idea fueled by passion and people. Fifteen years later, Scott’s vision of Education Pioneers continues to catalyze a network of thousands of Fellows, Alumni, Partners, and champions to make the education sector more equitable through leadership. Alumni and champions in the Bay Area gathered to thank Scott for 15 years of […]
Recalling EP’s ‘Best Week Ever’
As Scott Morgan, Founder of Education Pioneers, stepped down as CEO earlier this month, he has been sharing some reflections and memories from his 15 years of leadership at EP. In that spirit, here is a story he shared from EP’s first year. We celebrate EP’s birthday each year on June 16, the anniversary of […]
In Celebration of Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month
May is Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month – a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the U.S. on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, […]
EP’s Next Chapter & New CEO
I have some big news to share with our Education Pioneers (EP) community: After nearly 15 years as EP’s Founder and CEO, I’ve decided the time is right for me to step down and pass the torch to a new CEO. My last day at EP will be June 30. Who’s next to lead EP? […]
Celebrating the Trailblazing Spirit of EP Alumni for Women’s History Month
At Education Pioneers we invest in leaders because they embody our organization’s founding belief that talented leaders and managers can scale successful solutions for the education sector to impact millions of children nationwide. For Women’s History Month, we celebrate EP Alumni who are trailblazers in education – with a focus on Alumni who are entrepreneurs […]
In Celebration of Black History Month
At Education Pioneers, we aim to embody the spirit of our core values, one of which is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It is important that we honor and continue to celebrate the contributions and commitments of diverse individuals in our world who are doing extraordinary work, inspiring new generations of leaders, and dedicating their lives […]
2010 EP Alumna Dena Simmons interviews 2009 Alumna Leniece Brissett for a feature in Psychology Today
EP Alumnae, Dena Simmons and Leniece Brissett, discuss pushing beyond our comfort zone in hiring and ensuring greater equity in education.
Advancing Equity in Education: Education Pioneers’ Impact Fellowship
In this Q&A with two Education Pioneers leaders — Melissa Wu, Chief Program Officer and Sara Guderyahn, Vice President, Partner Strategy and Engagement — we dive into why EP has launched the Impact Fellowship and its vision to accelerate educational excellence and equity for all students. Editorial note: Melissa Wu became CEO of Education Pioneers in June 2018. EP: […]
Catching Sight of What I Can Achieve: My Summer as a Fellow
This past summer I was an Education Pioneers Summer Fellow. What does that mean? To me, it means I gained incredible insight and experience collaborating with and learning from a diverse and courageous group of people who are ready to positively impact the field of education. I was drawn to Education Pioneers as an organization […]
Book Challenge: Five Must Reads for Fall
Working in education, especially for an organization whose mission is to help black and brown, low-income students, it’s key to educate myself on the systems that perpetuate our students’ circumstances. This is where books on these specific topics can be used as professional and personal development. From systemic issues in education to social justice […]
Accelerator Cities: Four Places to Support Equity and Boost Your Career Like Nowhere Else
If you want to create equity and effect meaningful change in public education, take civil rights leader Bryan Stevenson’s advice: Get proximate. Get close to people and communities – and stay close. There are four particularly important and unique cities to get proximate and make your mark: New Orleans, Memphis, Kansas City, and Tulsa. At […]
Education Pioneers Teams with the American Institutes for Research to Examine our Impact on the Education Sector
To address the structural inequities that perpetuate the opportunity gap and affect low-income students and students of color, Education Pioneers is building a network of leaders and partners in education who can reimagine systems of schools nationwide. As Education Pioneers (EP) has been building a leadership movement to transform public education for nearly 15 years, […]
EP and American Institutes for Research: Extraordinary Change Requires Extraordinary People
EP teamed up with the American Institutes for Research (AIR) to determine if we are meeting our mission to recruit, connect, and advance more diverse, transformative leaders into the education sector. AIR also examined how EP Fellows and Alumni persist in the education sector as they grow their careers. In September 2017, AIR reported on […]
Education Pioneers Stands with Dreamers
Photo by Aaron Burson on Unsplash Education Pioneers stands with the 800,000 Dreamers and is saddened by the President’s decision to end the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program. EP recruits, develops, and connects professionals from diverse backgrounds with education roles to solve problems from outside of the classroom so ALL students and teachers succeed inside of […]
Charlottesville: Sharing Resources and Reflections
Dear EP Fellows, Alumni, and Friends, The brazen acts of hatred, bigotry, and violence by white supremacists in Charlottesville last weekend disgusted me personally, and were a horrific reminder of how much work we must do to break down the systems and structures in our nation that perpetuate inequality, inequity, and racism. Education Pioneers, and […]
Calling all Private Sector Pioneers: Make an Impact from Right Where You Are
This is an unapologetic call to action aimed squarely at the Education Pioneers Alumni who are currently working in the private sector. I’m making the call because I am one of you, and we are needed. I see the same mailings that you do. The ones that tout the fact that over 70% of Education […]
The Big Picture, New Perspectives, and a Promotion
The UP Education Network is a nonprofit school management organization that oversees in-district school turnaround in Massachusetts. Recruitment of talented, mission-oriented educators is critical for the organization’s success as it works to rapidly transform chronically underperforming district schools. One of the organization’s key leaders in recruiting new talent is Tarah Mohika, who took a manager […]
9 Resources to Read that Paint the Picture of the Education Sector Right Now
Our work in education on behalf of 50 million young people has never mattered more. Here are nine resources to check out and get up to speed: Education Pioneers: Can’t Miss Summer Reads for the Social Justice Minded (with more resources!) Education Week: Advocacy Groups Urge DeVos to Rethink Approach to Civil Rights Washington Post: […]
12 Days of the EP Fellowship’s Career Track
Looking for a meaningful career change? Your expertise and skills could be in high demand in education’s non-teaching leadership careers. Through the Education Pioneers Fellowship’s career track we’ll help you find the right role, the right knowledge, and the right connections to ensure you thrive. But first, you have to apply. The clock is ticking. […]
Education’s Data Imperative: How to Master Data to Better Serve Students
Editor’s note: In 2015, Education Pioneers assessed a report by Mathematica Policy Research that discussed the challenges of data use in education, how to address those challenges to harness the power of data to better serve students, and the impact of our Pioneers. Today, education organizations continue to make progress in using data, and challenges […]
Black History Month: Shine A Light On Our History In A Lasting Way [+ Book Giveaway]
This month, as we celebrate and honor Black History Month, we at Education Pioneers want to hear from you. We also want to share some resources with our community. >> How do you honor and celebrate Black History Month? Tell us below. We’re giving away copies of Bryan Stevenson’s book, Just Mercy, with our EP community in […]
The best side dish to go with your Kansas City BBQ? Public education.
There’s a constant debate happening in Kansas City around which barbecue joint is the best. At every local meeting that I’ve been to, I’ve been the outsider from Chicago, and each person has an opinion about which restaurant I should sample while I’m in town. This barbecue debate is something that everyone is passionate about […]
Committed to Leading Change in Education? Start in Kansas City
As passionate and capable education change agents, we face a tough decision: where should we work? Should you go where you’re most familiar or comfortable? Or should you go to the place that needs you? For those of us who want to make change in education, we should push ourselves to those places that need […]
Changing the World and Having a Hell of a Good Time in New Orleans
In this Q&A, EP Alumnus Josh McCarty, Managing Director of Communications at New Schools for New Orleans, talks about the moments of joy in his work, the city’s unrelenting focus on continuous improvement, and why the Crescent City just might be the right place for you if you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and […]
Education Pioneers Alumni Help Bring School Choice to Washington, DC
Just a few years ago, parents in Washington, DC faced a complex and confusing process to find the right public schools for their children. Parents had to navigate 54 different application deadlines, according to Education Pioneers Alumna Maura Marino (left, EP Fellow 2007). For instance, District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) operated a lottery for out-of-boundary […]
100 People of Newark gallery features EP Alumna, Joy Lindsay and EP staff, Tashiah Singleton
Joy Lindsay, 2013 EP Alumna, and Tashiah Singleton, Manager of Learning Programs at EP, are featured in the 100 People of Newark gallery showcasing a collection of Newark residents who have made outstanding contributions to the community. The gallery is a project of the 100 People Foundation and the PSEG Foundation in celebration of the […]
3 Reasons Why You Should Take the Leap and Apply to the EP Fellowship
As an EP Fellow, I had an incredibly transformational experience. Choosing the EP Fellowship was the right choice because it gave me a chance to turn my firmly-held beliefs about fairness and opportunity into a career. If you’re considering taking the leap — and considering a new city to make an impact — here’s why […]
Considering the EP Fellowship? Four Ways to Ace Your Application
The Education Pioneers Fellowship is competitive. Period. Every year, we get thousands of applications for hundreds of opportunities to work with our Partner organizations. Fellowship admissions are selective because we seek the very best talent, with the right combination of experience, expertise, drive, and passion. The high-stakes work our Pioneers lead and contribute to demands […]
EP Announces Opening of Application for Fellowship’s Summer Track
This fall is an exciting time at Education Pioneers as we kick off recruitment for the 2017 Education Pioneers Fellowship and work to improve equity and opportunity for U.S. students. In launching recruitment for the Education Pioneers Fellowship, we are excited to announce that applications are now open for our 2017 Fellowship’s summer track. We look […]
Creating Communities of Excellence: Q&A with Derwin Sisnett
Derwin Sisnett asks big questions: How can we create a whole community of excellence? And how do you anchor communities with high-performing schools? In his work as Founder and Managing Partner of Maslow Development Inc. and Co-Founder and Senior Advisor of Gestalt Community Schools, Derwin seeks to answer those questions by harnessing the power of […]
Can’t Miss Summer Reads for the Social Justice Minded
This summer, in addition to being an EP staff member, I also have the privilege of participating in our Fellowship programming here in Boston as an EP Fellow. Earlier this week I was talking to one of my new professional contacts (thanks to the Fellowship) about how we both found our latest Fellowship workshop so […]
Celebrating Pride Month: What We’re Chattering
At EP, our team is spread across the country. One of the tools we use to connect to each other daily is Salesforce Chatter. There, we give updates on our work, ask questions of each other, and share what we’re reading. This June, to honor and celebrate LGBT Pride Month, we at EP were excited […]
Championing Greater Good in Education through LGBTQ Inclusion
After the recent shooting in Orlando, I talked to friends about what happened that Monday at work. It was interesting that each of our organizations had a different response. A friend in a consulting organization said they were shown a video about gun safety. Neither of us could understand how that addressed the issue of […]
Celebrating LGBT Pride Month With a Heavy Heart
EP staff worked on these EP Pride logos last week with an idea to celebrate LGBT Pride Month. After the tragic events in Florida on June 12, we now offer these logos with much more somber feelings. This week, our staff is taking time to process the mass shooting and talk about what we can […]
Alumni Rock Star Round-Up: From Social Venture to Community Organizations, Pioneers are Reimagining Public Education
At EP, we’re always impressed by our Pioneers. The work they do, their commitment and dedication to changing outcomes for underserved students—that’s the stuff that keeps us at EP doing the work we do to help support and grow their careers. And it’s a heck of a lot of fun for us to see the […]
5 Things that Education and Social Sector Organizations Don’t Know about Hiring Talent that Hurts Them
Need a rock star on your team? Someone with a particular background, skills, or experiences? Someone who can tackle your mission-critical work or move it forward in a way that you can’t right now? And wouldn’t it be nice if he or she loved burrito Tuesdays, bagel Fridays, or whatever your organization’s specific brand of […]
College Access Starts Early: How Breakthrough San Francisco is Leading the Way
Two years ago, during EP’s 10th anniversary celebration, a brave high school freshman named Tomicia stood at a podium in front of hundreds of people and talked about dissecting a cow’s eye. She also talked about learning debate skills, going on an outdoor education trip, and meeting inspiring mentors. The educational experiences she’d had—including attending […]
Doubling Down on Talent: Education Pioneers’ Important Evolution
There’s no silver bullet to transform education in the United States. But any promising strategy for “what” we do requires that we get the “who” right. At Education Pioneers, we focus on the “who.” All day. Every day. We know that providing a pipeline of exceptional talent for the education sector will reinvigorate, create, and […]
EP Alumni Working to Solve the Missing Piece of EdTech
EP Alumni Aarti Bhatnagar and Dan Runcie Technology holds tremendous potential to engage students in the classroom, ignite their curiosity, and connect their outside-of-school experiences with those at their desks. But if students simply can’t access technology in the classroom, what good is it? Nationwide, nearly two out of three schools—or 40 million students—lack high-speed, broadband […]
In Defense of Mission-Driven Zealots
Recently, the New York Times article about Amazon’s “bruising” workplace made the rounds at Education Pioneers. I’ve spent my career in education, but a lot of what I read about professional life in a tech behemoth sounded familiar. I recognized the best and worst of mission-driven cultures that I’ve seen in certain, though not all, […]
Building Culture By Getting Out Of The Building
Culture isn’t a decree from on high. It can’t be implemented with the simple swoosh of the CEO’s hand. Instead, it has to be built by and for the entire team it represents. Rather than having executives write handbooks, we should empower teams and individuals to interpret and define the essence of an organization’s culture. […]
Do We Know How to Drive Radical Change in Education?
Photo Credit: Joshua Rothhaas Note: This post originally appeared on LinkedIn. Educating every single child in our country exceptionally well shouldn’t be a radical idea. But to realize success for all students, we must upend an educational system that currently provides the most opportunity to those who need it the least, and gives the least opportunity […]
Entering Education Field Can Prove an Exciting Path
NOTE: This Op-Ed originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. Most of the graduates of the class of 2015 have yet to settle into their first job out of college, but they’re entering the workforce at an interesting time. With a recovering economy and ever-changing technology, they have options for work and jobs that didn’t exist only […]
From Contributor To Leader: 3 Common Challenges New Managers Face
NOTE: This piece originally appeared on Idealist. Moving from individual contributor to first-time people manager is a big jump. In fact, it’s the most difficult transition you’ll face in your entire professional career. But making the leap successfully pays off. The people who get it right can contribute two to three times more than those who don’t. Talk about social […]
5 Critical Questions for a Powerful, Meaningful Career in Education
Note: This post originally appeared on LinkedIn. For the past seven years, I’ve had the privilege of supporting hundreds of Education Pioneers leaders to find powerful, meaningful careers across the education sector in school districts, charter school organizations, nonprofits, education venture capital organizations, and more. As I’ve counseled people, some have had a clear sense of […]
3 Reasons Why You Should Take the Leap and Apply to EP’s Analyst Fellowship
As a current EP Analyst Fellow, I’m in the midst of an incredibly transformational experience. And while I don’t yet have the benefit of hindsight, I know choosing this program was the right choice. If you’re considering taking the leap, here’s why I think you should. 1. A little discomfort can be a great thing. […]
ASU+GSV Reflections: EdTech Can Be Both a Disrupter & Equalizer
Note: This post originally appeared on LinkedIn. The desert winds that blew through last week’s ASU+GSV Summit 2015 in Scottsdale, Arizona carried new perspectives and insights on education technology. For me, the most notable was how the viewpoint on technology has shifted even in recent years: from a possible solution to our country’s public education challenges to a critical tool or […]
To Achieve Education’s Complex Work, Capacity Matters
In Las Vegas, many leaders (including EP Alumni) are doing whatever it takes to help the city’s students thrive. As Chief of Staff and External Relations for Las Vegas’ Clark County School District – the fifth-largest public school district in the country that serves more than 300,000 students – I saw firsthand how hard our […]
Education Pioneers Q&A with Analyst Alumna Vi Nguyen
Vi Nguyen once thought that her success story was the norm. When she was nine years old, Vi and her family emigrated to the U.S. from Vietnam, and Vi enrolled in Des Moines Public Schools in Iowa as an English-as-a-Second-Language student. With help and guidance from teachers and counselors, Vi thrived and went on to […]
Alumni Rock Star Round-Up: From Mobile Apps to the World’s Most Innovative Companies, EP Alumni are Transforming Education
EP Alumni are making powerful change in our country. Among our thriving community of leaders, here are just a few recent, high-profiles successes of pioneers who have been recognized for their innovative and important work on behalf of students. We’re proud to share their accolades. EP ALUMNAE INNOVATE WITH TECHNOLOGY TO HELP MORE LOW-INCOME STUDENTS […]
The Data Imperative, Part III: Harnessing the Power of Data
Editor’s note: This week, EP is posting a three-part series about challenges of data use in education from a recent report from Mathematica Policy Research, how to solve those challenges, and how we can harness the power of data. In Part I of this series, we talk about challenges in using data in education. In […]
The Data Imperative, Part II: Solving Education’s Data Challenges
Editor’s note: This week, EP is posting a three-part series about challenges of data use in education from a recent report from Mathematica Policy Research, how to solve those challenges, and how we can harness the power of data. In Part I of this series, we talk about challenges in using data in education. Big […]
The Data Imperative, Part I: Challenges Along the Way
Editor’s note: This week, EP is posting a three-part series about challenges of data use in education from a recent report from Mathematica Policy Research, how to solve those challenges, and how we can harness the power of data. Read Part II and Part III. Data is no longer the new kid in school. While […]
Betting on Future Leaders in Las Vegas
When EP Alumna Erica Mosca (Graduate School Fellowship 2011) made Las Vegas her home, it wasn’t the lure of luxe nightlife that attracted her. Instead, it was the opportunity to open students’ eyes to possibilities beyond the Strip. In Las Vegas, it’s common for students to choose to join the tourism industry after high school. […]
Alumni Profile: Christopher Ruszkowski, Chief Officer, Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Unit, Delaware DOE
There’s incredibly meaningful work happening across the country to transform American public schools for all students. Just ask Christopher Ruszkowski. “It’s happening in big cities like the Bay Area, D.C., New Orleans, Denver and Houston,” he said. “It is and can also be happening in smaller cities and rural area like Wilmington, Albuquerque, Nashville and […]
EP Celebrates First-Generation College Students
Increasing the number of diverse leaders in education, and especially first generation college-goers, has always been a key priority at Education Pioneers. Of the more than 2,000 Alumni in our network, nearly 20% are the first in their family with a bachelor’s degree. To celebrate these leaders, and to help inspire the next generation, EP […]
Be Personal, Be Passionate, Dare Greatly: 3 Themes from the 2013 Analyst Fellowship National Convening
This November, I attended the Analyst Fellowship National Convening in San Francisco, along with 84 of my peers, Education Pioneers staff, and guest speakers. The event included three days of enlightening keynote addresses, opportunities for networking and professional development, informal interactions between Fellows, and even an improv session – but more on that later. I […]
Analyst Fellows Convene to Discuss Nashville Prep Charter School and School Choice
In late January, the Southern region Analyst Fellowship cohort convened in Nashville, Tennessee to discuss issues surrounding change management and innovative ideas in education. Several distinguished education professionals from the Nashville area met with the Fellows to discuss the space for innovation and change in education organizations nationwide. Among these guests was Ravi Gupta, the […]
EP President Frances McLaughlin Writes for Education Week About Cage-Busting Network Performance
Cage-Busting Network Performance Guest blogging this week is Frances McLaughlin, President of Education Pioneers. Education Pioneers is a national nonprofit with a bold vision to transform education into the best led and managed sector in the U.S. to ensure that all students receive a high-quality education. To fuel this vision, Education Pioneers is working to […]
EP Alum Scott Gaiber Writes for Education Week about Transforming a SFUSD Middle School
From Rick Hess’ “Straight Up” Blog on Education Week Guest blogging today is Scott Gaiber, Director of Recruitment and Human Capital Support for the San Francisco Unified School District, a Pre-K to 12th grade district that serves over 55,000 students in approximately 140 schools. Scott manages a team that provides district-wide recruitment and staffing support, […]
EP Alum Shannah Varon Writes for Education Week About Hybrid Education Leadership
Originally published on Education Week: Cage-Busting: Hybrid Leadership Guest blogging this week is Shannah Varón, Executive Director of Boston Collegiate Charter School (BCCS) in Dorchester, Massachusetts, a school ranked first in the state for the math MCAS exam, with 100% of 10th grade students scoring Advanced on the test. For nine consecutive years, BCCS graduates have […]
Analyst Fellowship Community Project: The Secret to Surpassing Your Fundraising Target: 8 Easy Steps
After we had our plan in place for the Student Consultancy Program, we quickly realized that we needed a way to finance our program. We needed to raise money to cover the costs of instructional materials, a final reception after the students’ final presentation, and prizes and gifts to the students and judges for their […]
Analyst Fellowship Community Project: Turning Vision into Reality
When asked by Education Pioneers to think of a project that would give back to the community, I considered my own dreams and experiences. As a daughter of Vietnamese refugees, one of my most prominent dreams from childhood was to attend college. Fortunately for me, I was able to turn my dream into a definitive […]
