Everyone: An Advocate

We are excited to announce that IEL has launched a new capacity-building suite of services, Everyone: An Advocate. We have listened to your feedback and developed IEL’s Everyone: An Advocate^TM (EAA) to provide learning opportunities for those interested in expanding their capacity to advocate for the issues that matter the most to their children, families, and communities.

EAA offers multi-modal opportunities for IEL and our Coalition for Community Schools networks to increase their policy and leadership capacities through both free and fee-based choices.

Overview:

Free: Monthly Policy by the People Updates – stay in the know on the latest federal education policy updates (running Sept through June)
Free: Register for quarterly cross-cutting education policy webinars. Join us for the first webinar of the year, Understanding Policy Solutions to Address Chronic Absenteeism, on October 9^th from 2:00-3:00 pm ET. You can also save the dates for our future quarterly webinars:
- December 11, 2024: Ed Policy in the New Congress
- Feb 12, 2025: Understanding Appropriations and the Federal Budget
- May 14, 2025: Using Data in Policy Advocacy
Asynchronous Online Modules ($100): Participants will learn how to build a coalition, use data to create policy solutions, and employ advocacy tools and tactics to their policy goals. These modules will be made available on-demand starting this winter.
Policy by the People Synchronous Modules ($250): Participants can dig deeper into the root causes of systemic inequities, learn about policy and coalition building, and receive coaching and peer-to-peer learning on developing and strengthening their advocacy strategy. These modules launch in November. Apply to participate in the synchronous modules by October 31st. The Policy by the People Modules will take place from 2-3:30 pm ET on the following dates:

- - November 13, 2024
  - January 15, 2025
  - February 26, 2025

Washington Policy Seminar (early bird of $745 ends December 31, 2024): We invite you to the 61^st annual Washington Policy Seminar (WPS), your front-row seat to inside the Beltway, federal education policy, and national trends. WPS, once the capstone experience of IEL’s Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP^TM), is now open to all IEL and our Coalition for Community Schools’ networks. During this three-day, in-person conference, participants will engage with policy and education leaders from across the country through plenaries, skill-building workshops, innovation sessions, networking events, topping it off with a Hill visit to Congress.

Launch Details:

Monthly Federal Education Policy Updates: Coming to your inbox this September
Quarterly Cross-Cutting Education Policy Webinars: This series starts October 9^that 2:00 pm ET. Register for the first webinar, Understanding Policy Solutions to Address Chronic Absenteeism, now!
Asynchronous modules coming this winter!
The Policy by the People Synchronous Modules launching in November. Apply to be a part of the exciting program here by October 31^st.
The 61^st annual Washington Policy Seminar (WPS) registration opens this November – stay tuned!

The content provided in Everyone: An Advocate^TM is designed for the U.S. policy and advocacy process. Additionally, all costs associated with accessing the Everyone: An Advocate are provided in U.S. currency and should be paid accordingly.

Learn more:

EPFP History: Almost 60 Years of Developing the Leaders for Education We Need

The Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP) has evolved over time since its creation in 1964 with funding from the Ford Foundation. The program began as a response to the explosive growth of the federal government’s role in education as a result of the enactment of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and related legislation. The transformed role of the federal government generated a need for education professionals in the states who understood the content of legislation, the policy process, and the complex changes that state systems were undergoing as a result.

EPFP alumni

There are over 10,000 alumni across 50 states! The Education Policy Fellowship Program is pleased to offer continuous learning and professional development opportunities to alumni and partners.

EPFP Impact

Evidence from national assessments confirms that EPFP Fellows become informed and skilled leaders and a part of a network that provides long-term benefits to their careers.

Thank you for this opportunity - this experience has made a personal and professional impact on my world."

like the group's diversity - in many facets - the type of work, background, experiences, and perspectives. It was great to learn from my peers and the external presenters."

“I loved the structure and progression of the curriculum. The speaker sessions were very inspiring and informative in the same time. I loved also the networking and experience exchange. I regret in a way for not having taking full advantage, by not always able to attend all of them.”

This is a great program that, in my opinion, all school administrators should participate. This program afforded me the opportunity to see how districts across the state and country deal with similar concerns. It also raised my awareness of how schools in rural areas struggle to obtain what most of us would consider normal school supplies."

"I applied to this program hoping to gain a better understanding of how policy affects my work in a school district. My expectations were well-exceeded and due to my local cohort and the Washington Policy Seminar, I am planning to pursue a career change to the policy side of education work."