As evidenced by a seemingly endless list of controversies– from Common Core to teacher evaluations, from charter schools to alternative teacher certification programs – modern U.S. education policy has become the subject of intense public focus. A new generation of education advocacy groups has emerged with the aim of influencing that policy at the local, state, and federal levels. These new groups, heavily funded by reform-minded philanthropies, are reshaping the dynamics of education politics. But are these groups truly influencing public policy? And if so, how strongly and through which channels?
On December 10, the Brown Center on Education Policy at Brookings will release its report, “Measuring the Influence of Education Advocacy: The Case of Louisiana’s School Choice Legislation,” which introduces a new method for accurately studying the influence of advocacy efforts. Report author, Brown Center Director Grover “Russ” Whitehurst, will present this new method as well as findings from the report’s case study, which measures the influence of advocacy on the passage of Louisiana’s school choice legislation.
The presentation will be followed by a panel discussion featuring representatives from leading advocacy organizations, as well as the funders of such programs and the lawmakers who have been on the receiving end of their efforts. After the program, panelists will take audience questions. This event will be live webcast.
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