idealist.org

Education Pioneers (www.educationpioneers.org) is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to train, connect, and inspire a new generation of education leaders dedicated to transforming our educational system so that all students receive a quality education. Founded in 2003, Education Pioneers mobilizes talented students from top Graduate programs to pursue high impact careers in the education field and achieve the following objectives:
1. Develop a pipeline of talented leaders from multiple disciplines who can significantly improve student outcomes in urban schools
2. Increase the capacity of existing schools, districts, and education ventures to operate as high-performing organizations
3. Build a national network of education leaders and reformers.

OUR PROGRAM
Education Pioneers operates a rigorous 10-week summer program where high-achieving graduate students in business, education, law, policy, and other disciplines (“Fellows”) intern with effective schools, districts, and education organizations (“Partners”). Fellows work on challenging projects for Partners and also convene as a cohort for five full-day training sessions to address critical education issues, two weekend retreats as well as other fellowship events.

Education Pioneers piloted its Fellows Program in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2004 and expanded the program to Boston in 2005, New York in 2006, and Washington, DC and Los Angeles in 2007. In 2008, Education Pioneers plans to open a new site in Chicago and expand to two cohorts in New York and San Francisco. Our goal is to place approximately 200 participants in the 2008 summer Fellows Program.

There are currently ~200 alumni of the Fellows Program. The Fellows Program will continue to grow each summer and by 2010, the Education Pioneers network will include over 1,000 alumni who will drive significant change as education leaders in urban centers across the nation.