Our Mission: Inform and influence Georgia leaders through research and non-partisan advocacy to impact education policies and practices for the improvement of student achievement.
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Applications are now being accepted for the 2013 - 2014 class. Here is the form with instructions. Deadline is May 31. Congratulations to the Class of 2012! The 21 Fellows graduated in ceremonies conducted at Georgia Power headquarters in Atlanta, May 16. Paul Bowers, President and CEO of Georgia Power and Georgia Partnership Board Chair, challenged the graduates to take the torch of leadership they gained in the class and to use what they have learned for the betterment of the state's public education system. Fellow Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva, Executive Director of Project Grad, Inc., who was chosen by her classmates to give the address, reflected on the year spent and new knowledge and tools gained. Here is a portion of her speech: Speaking of the inspiration provided by the program she said, "Beyond the speakers, the experiences also forced us, through formal and informal interactions, to fully stow away or at least until the next break, our Blackberries and iPhones to take advantage of and really focus on the rare opportunity to consider and negotiate issues of public policy. "We dissected these issues in large group settings, in colloquy, in small group interactions, while on retreat (who can forget the horse driven sleigh and "Snowflake") and most recently on Capitol Hill. "So my esteemed classmates of 2012, the stage has been set. The inspiration, motivation, and the challenges we must address have already been provided through the program. Our vociferous expressions of passion and conviction about educational issues, affirm and confirm that we were indeed inspired, motivated, and sometimes catapulted toward action... "Let's move on from these nine months, then... doing what some may dub the impossible, advocating for what many may characterize as the improbable, but always doing what we know is necessary on behalf of children and adult learners, the world over." After honors were provided, Georgia Partnership President Dr. Steve Dolinger closed the evening. He reminded everyone that when the Partnership made the commitment to bring the national program to Georgia in 2008 we weren't sure how it would be received. The first four classes have had more than 20 applicants and the program provided to the participants has been painstakingly put together to ensure the biggest possible professional value and reward. He said the Georgia program is rated "the best" of the 12 state EPFP programs. Dolinger said each class seems to get better and planning is underway for the 2012-2013 class which will begin in September. What they said about the 2011-2012 program: Chata Spikes, Associate Professor, Fort Valley State University - "Personally, now, I'm better prepared to be an education advocate. I have a better understanding of how and why parent involvement is pivotal in the life of students and the longevity of the school... "Professionally, I can now drive home the importance of why educating our youth is not just a job for teachers and principal -- it's for everyone. I can now inform my students at Ft. Valley State University that they too can have a major impact on improving Georgia's educational system... "EPFP is the training ground for Georgia's state leaders, educators and business partners. The program provides a road map that will guide interested persons to ideas and methods that will help improve the areas that need improvement and enhance the areas that are working." Mark Peevy, Former Executive Director, Georgia Charter School Commission - "On a personal level, EPFP provided me the opportunity to expand my own knowledge of the educational policy landscape in Georgia and to grow my understanding of the challenges facing our state. The program also allowed me to expand my professional network in the education policy arena here in Georgia and I was able to connect with other policymakers in a way that will ensure more collaborative work in the future... "The overall value of the program is in building a cadre of knowledgeable education policy experts who understand the challenges we're facing in Georgia and who are able/willing to do the hard work of solving them together. The program brings these folks together, helps develop a common understanding of the issues, and then challenges each group of Fellows to solve them as they move forward in their careers."
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Education Policy Fellowship Pgm
Kelly Henson, Director of Georgia’s Professional Standards Commission, makes a point at the last 2013 colloquium. Henson was joined by Kristin Bernhard (left), Gov. Deal’s Education Policy Advisor, and Amy Mast, Director of the Alliance of Education Agency Heads.
What is EPFP? The Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP) is a national professional development program sponsored by the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) that provides potential leaders with the knowledge and networks to advance the core issues of education policy. Each participating state has autonomy over its program. It is an initiative of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education and is co-sponsored by the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University and the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach at the University of Georgia. The program connects potential educational leaders with one another to build the capacity for our state to raise the bar for student learning and achievement. The program addresses the need for an education leadership development program in the state to provide potential leaders with the knowledge and networks to advance the core issues of education policy. It serves as a critical resource for individuals, organizations and the state to increase the knowledge about education policy and linkages between policy and practice. Ultimately EPEP seeks to improve the chances of children and youth to succeed. The Class of 2012-2013 has entered the final two months of their Fellowship. They are now preparing to present their group projects leading up to their May graduation. This group of Fellows, like others before them, has "raised the bar" with their energetic engagement in the programs. This is an exciting group: Meet the current Fellows! 2012-2013 Activities Colloquium 7: Final meeting of the year. Last group policy projects were presented. Afternoon session: A Conversation with the Alliance of Education Agency Heads (AEAH). (May) Guest speakers: Amy Mast, AEAH Director; Kristin Bernhard, Governor Nathan Deal's Education Policy Advisor; and Kelly Henson, Director, Professional Standards Commission. Annual Trip to Washington D.C. to attend The Institute for Educational Leadership National Policy Seminar was conducted in April. Colloquium 6: Presentation of Group Policy Projects and Moving Forward: Higher Education and Workforce Readiness (April) Guest speakers: Dr. Josephine Reed-Taylor, Deputy Commissioner, Technical College System of Georgia; Brandee Tate, Office of Educational Access and Success, University System of Georgia; and Kristen Laarhoven, Director of Programs, Governor's Office of Workforce Development. Colloquium 5: High-Performing & Effective Schools: What Do They Look Like? How Do We Create Them? (March) Guest speakers: Morning session - Jill Joplin, Director of Communications, KIPP Metro Atlanta and Mini'imah Shaheed, Founding Principal, KIPP STRIVE Primary - KIPP Metro Atlanta: How Does a Charter School Achieve Excellence? Colloquium 4: Education in a 'Flattening' World: International Comparisons of Teaching and Learning (February) Guest speaker: Dr. Beheruz Sethna, President, University of West Georgia - Preparing Our Students for a "Flattening" World. Film presentation, 2 Million Minutes, followed by discussion of the film and Tony Wagner's The Global Achievement Gap book. Colloquium 3: Critical Linkages to Education: The Connection and Intersections of Policy Sectors (January) Guest speakers: Taifa Butler, Georgia Budget and Policy Institute - Why Health, Housing, and Criminal Justice Matter to Education; Carol Naughton, Purpose Built Communities - Housing Stability: How Housing Policy Influences Child Outcomes; Camile Smith, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Susan Bertonaschi, Director of Health Promotion, Annie E. Casey Foundation - Atlanta Civic Site - The Health and Well-being of Georgia's Children: Increasing Access to Health Care and Improving School Readiness; and Sharon M. Hill, Executive Director, Georgia Appleseed Center for Law and Justice - Reforming the Juvenile Justice System to Improve Children's Lives. Colloquium 2: School Funding and Finance: Following the Money Stream and Toward a Better Understanding of Policymaking (November) Guest speakers: Dr. Carolyn Bourdeaux, Associate Professor. Associate Director - Fiscal Research Center, Georgia State University Andrew Young School of Policy Studies - The Big Picture of Georgia's Public Budget; Dr. Dennis Fordham, former teacher and public school superintendent - QBE from A to Z: Public School Funding 101; Fran Millar, Georgia State Senate, Chair, Education and Youth Committee and Marcus Downs, Director of Government Relations, Medical Association of Georgia - Toward a Better Understanding of the Policymaking Process in Georgia. Question and asnswer sessions and group discussions followed the presentations. Colloquium 1: The Demographic Landscape of Georgia (October) Guest speaker: Mathew Hauer, Governmental Services and Research, Center for Applied Demography, University of Georgia - The Impact of Changing Demographics on Georgia's Education System. Discussion followed on "The Five Georgias: What Policymakers Need to Know" and "Demographics as Destiny?" More About EPFP The participants in the program, the Fellows, are chosen through a rigorous selection process to ensure a cohort of broad-based, multi-cultural leadership. The inaugural class of 20 Fellows began in October 2008. A typical class consists of representatives from such as:
What are the Requirements? The Fellows commit nine months and concentrate on three program strands: public policy, leadership, and professional networking. They remain in their full-time positions and use their work environment as the context for examining important leadership and policy issues in Georgia. What are the Personal Benefits? The program provides Fellows with a unique personal development laboratory for applying new insights and for cultivating new skills. The participants will hear and discuss education policy with the most respected policy makers in the state and nation. At the end of a year, EPFP Fellows will be better informed, more skillful advocates for sound public policy. What are the Benefits to Georgia? With the implementation of the EPFP, the Georgia Partnership, the Andrew Young School of Public Policy, and the Office of the President for Public Service and Outreach at the University of Georgia cultivate strategic leaders who have the capacity to advocate for and create sound public policy to improve public education. Ultimately, EPFP seeks to improve the chances of children and youth to succeed. Application Process The application process for the 2013-2014 class will open in late spring. It will be announced here. If you would like to be informed when applications are being accepted drop us an E-mail. For More Information Dr. Dana Rickman, Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education Policy and Research Director, 404-223-2462.
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