School is in Session with Nation’s Pioneer and Leading Advocate for Reform
Taught by Ed Reform Founders, Unique Program Begins Today
Press Release
Washington, D.C.
February 2, 2015
A course designed by the founders of education reform to pass the history on to subsequent generations is formally in session today, a result of years of development and decades of experience by The Center for Education Reform (CER), and its founder, Jeanne Allen.
“It’s hard to explain the thrill of finally being able to convey the context of reform through the lens of those who were there,” said Allen, who also serves as senior fellow at CER. “The 50 scholars selected as the inaugural cohort are uniquely positioned to learn and lead for that reason. With history as their guide, the possibilities for accelerated reform are endless.”
Using the QLearn Mobile technology platform created by Qualcomm for the nation’s leading universities, the first foundational course, The Decline and Fall of the U.S. Education System – The Development of a Movement, takes students on an accelerated look at the past 25 years, from the actual conversations that shaped A Nation at Risk, through the lens of the governors and advocates who shaped the nation’s first choice laws, through the courts, to the battle for standards as first envisioned by state leaders, and beyond. The ten weeks will see students study original source documents, participate in synchronous and asynchronous activities and achieve, with success, a certificate that permits them to continue through a formal EdReformU™ graduate program, which will be developed for course credit and provide recognition to institutions who employ or wish to hire these individuals that have the foundational knowledge necessary to engage in substantive education reform efforts.
“The Center’s rich and varied experiences are often overlooked in the increasingly busy reform space,” said CER president Kara Kerwin. “Having lived the history over the past 15 years in various positions at CER, I can attest to the richness of the lessons that live in its repositories, that will now be available to enrolled students and as a result, the institutions they touch.”
In addition to weekly sessions with Allen, lessons with adjuncts will augment the readings, and original videos and communications that tell about each chapter in history.
“Learning from the past successes and failures of the education reform movement greatly enhances the prospects of future reformers,” said Allen. “We are looking forward to using this experience as we develop the next eight courses.”
The 50 enrollees in EdReformU’s first cohort hail from almost every state, represent those in the business community as well as local, state and federal legislative offices. Educators, students, new advocates and leadership from some of the most prominent organizations in education round out the diverse cohort.
“Since its founding in 1993, the work of CER has bridged the gap between policy and practice to transform K-12 student outcomes,” said Allen. “EdReformU™ takes this mission to the next level, utilizing twenty-plus years of experience to bridge the gap between the pioneers who came before and shook up the status quo and those fighting to ensure reforms continue to make America’s schools work better for all children.”
Accomplishment in the ten-week course will be recognized with a certificate and entitle those individuals to the subsequent coursework that is delivered. The opportunity to obtain Masters level credit is under discussion with numerous selective universities.
Click here to learn more about EdReformU™. To get on a list for future application periods, contact cer@edreform.com.
