| As nation's capitol, and one of the countries most | | | | Teachers and administrators of Washington D.C. |
| watched districts, the Washington D.C. Schools are at | | | | Schools appreciate the CEP for helping both parents |
| the forefront of controversy and change. Declining | | | | and professional educators make sense of the various |
| enrollment, voucher programs, and curriculum changes, | | | | opinions of public school success and needs. |
| have all been hot topics in Washington D.C. Schools | | | | Many of the topics that the Washington D.C. Schools |
| over the past few years. One of the benefits of | | | | struggle with, like exit exams and racial gaps, are |
| attending school in the capitol city is that it's where | | | | unraveled and examined by Jennings' organization. |
| decisions are made. | | | | Washington D.C. Schools have to face the realities of |
| Two of the biggest players in determining what | | | | the No Child Left Behind Act and its implications. The |
| Washington D.C. Schools experience are the | | | | CEP has tackled that issue, which is impacting every |
| American Educational Research Association (AERA) | | | | public school in the nation. |
| and the Center for Educational Policy (CEP). According | | | | School reform issues tend to be largely influenced by |
| to its mission statement AERA is "a national research | | | | politics at both a local and national level. For |
| society, [that] strives to advance knowledge about | | | | Washington D.C. Schools, they are caught in the |
| education, to encourage scholarly inquiry related to | | | | crossfire of both. As local leaders strive to meet |
| education, and to promote the use of research to | | | | needs with initiatives like the Master Education Plan |
| improve education and serve the public good." | | | | that overhauled curriculum standards, and the Master |
| Located in D.C. the organization is comprised of over | | | | Facilities Plan that is bringing buildings up to code, having |
| 25,000 educational researchers, professors and | | | | a local think tank evaluating their steps can be helpful. |
| educational think tanks. The research performed by | | | | Washington D.C. Schools are watched closely by |
| AERA and the reports they publish impact the | | | | some of the most knowledgeable and experienced |
| Washington D.C. schools on many different levels. One | | | | educators in the nation. |
| way is through their association with the CEP. | | | | Jennings experience prior to founding the CEP included |
| The CEP is also a D.C. based advocate for public | | | | serving as general counsel for the US House of |
| schools. Recently Jack Jennings, president and CEO of | | | | Representatives' committee on Education and Labor |
| the Center, received the 2007 AERA Distinguished | | | | where he participated in debates about the Vocational |
| Public Service award. Jennings earned the honor | | | | Education Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Act. |
| because of the research and application of school | | | | He is also the founding editor of Education Week and |
| reform issues and policies the center provides. | | | | Teacher Magazine. |