Winning the Ed Reform Conversation

Reform is reshaping the landscape of public education, converting a stale and outmoded system designed for centuries past and converting it to a 21st century model designed around the learning abilities of students.

Student-centered education policies have little chance to succeed without the support of parents, educators, business leaders and community members. How we talk about reform, how we deliver our messages, and with whom we communicate will make a big difference when it comes to winning the education reform conversation.

To provide guidance to policymakers and lawmakers, ExcelinEd is offering an online course titled: Communications Boot Camp: Winning the Ed Reform Conversation.

 In this self-paced course, participants will learn how to identify target audiences, use social media, develop effective messages and communicate with the media. The course will help participants learn to:

Reform is reshaping the landscape of public education, converting a stale and outmoded system designed for centuries past and converting it to a 21st century model designed around the learning abilities of students.

However, reform is under attack by those vested in the traditional model of an unaccountable education bureaucracy.

More than ever, reformers have to enter the public debate and make the case for their cause in clear, concise terms. We must get out of our data-centered comfort zone and make compelling arguments why reform is necessary for our children and for our country.

We must make education reform accessible to the public, specifically those most invested in education – parents and teachers.

Instructors include Katie Harbath, Global Politics and Government Outreach Manager for Facebook; Aaron Lichtig, Head of Industry for Google; and Alia Faraj-Johnson, a Senior Vice President for Hill+Knowlton Strategies and the longest serving communications director for former Governor Jeb Bush.

The course contains five modules – each taking about an hour to complete – and begins today, March 31. Registration is free for this and other courses from ExcelinEd’s EdPolicy Leaders Online initiative.

We look forward to your participation.

mooc image1 

About the Author