Smart List: 40 Advocacy Orgs Making a Difference

Getting Smart is acknowledging people and organizations making a difference with a series of back to school top 10 lists. During August we will run about 40 ‘best of’ lists, not in order, not exhaustive, just people we appreciate.

Today we are recognizing 40 great policy and advocacy organizations. These groups put students first, set the path, and lead the conversation.

Equity Advocates

• Achieve: national leader in college & career readiness

• America Achieves:capacity development for quality education

• Center for American Progress: thoughtful progressive voice

• The Center for Education Reform: advocates for options

• Democrats for Education Reform: promotes fundamental reform

• Education Trust: exposing & attacking the achievement gap

• Foundation for Excellence in Education: student access to quality options

• Stand for Children:‎ network of state groups attacking the gaps

• Students First:‎ advocates for what works

• Policy Innovators Network: convenor of state advocacy orgs

Digital & Competency-Based Learning Advocates

• Alliance for Excellent Education: sponsors of Digital Learning Day

• Competency Works: online community for mastery-based learning

• Christensen Institute: the disruptive innovation folks

• Digital Learning Now!: a framework for forward leaning state policy

• International Association for K–12 Online Learning: best source for online and blended

• Learning Accelerator: supporting high quality blended learning

• Software & Information Industry Association: tech integration, STEM, and role of private providers

• Consortium Of School Networking (CoSN): district IT folks

• State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA): state edtech directors

• Evergreen Education Group, the Keeping Pace: assist school admins to effectively implement online and blended learning

Policy Resources

• 
Center on Reinventing Public Education: leader on portfolio strategy

• Common Core State Standards Initiative: the source on common expectations

• Council of Chief State School Officers: where state superintendents find out what’s up

• New America Foundation: forward leaning progressive shop

• Fordham Institute: thoughtful conservative voice

• Education Council: federal and state policy advisors

• Bellwether: education consultants

• Public Impact: consultants that created Opportunity Culture

• National Council on Teacher Quality: comprehensive reform agenda

• Student Achievement Partners: free resources to achieve the Core

State Advocacy Organizations

• ConnCAN, CT

• MinnCAN, MN

• League of Education Voters, WA

• Fordham Institute, OH

• Colorado Succeeds

• Foundation for Florida’s Future

• Rodel Foundation of Delaware

• State Collaborative on Reforming Education, TN

• Advance Illinois

• EdVoice, CA

Who did we miss?  Who would you add?