August 29, 2012 CONTACT: Ethan Gray FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Phone: 317-450-8443 E-Mail: egray@themindtrust.org

NATIONAL NETWORK OF CITY-BASED EDUCATION REFORMERS RELEASES REPORT DETAILING LESSONS FOR TRANSFORMING K-12 EDUCATION

Profiles of 3 organizations provide powerful lessons for city-level education change INDIANAPOLIS, IN – A national network of organizations that support education innovation and reform today released a report detailing how city-based organizations can help transform K-12 education across the country. The report – co-authored by the Cities for Education Entrepreneurship-Trust (CEE-Trust), a network of 27 city-focused non-profits, foundations, and mayors’ offices, and Public Impact, a national education policy and management consulting firm – profiles three high-impact city-based organizations that are making significant strides to reform their education systems, and identifies a core set of lessons learned for leaders in other cities. In“Kick-Starting Reform: Three city-based organizations showing how to transform public education,” the authors profile New Schools for New Orleans, The Mind Trust in Indianapolis, and the Skillman Foundation in Detroit, describing each organization’s unique approach to driving local reform efforts. Through interviews with staff, board members, and local stakeholders the authors provide an in-depth look at how well-resourced, well-networked organizations in cities across the country can be the catalysts behind transformational education reform. The concluding recommendations are relevant to any civic leaders interested in driving systemic reform of K-12 public education. “The three organizations we profile are some of the most successful change agents in the education reform space,” explained Ethan Gray, The Mind Trust’s Vice President and Director of CEE-Trust. “Their ability to raise resources, attract talent to the sector, invest in innovative programs and create an overall ecosystem that supports education reform hold many lessons for leaders across the country.” The three organizations featured in the report are all members of the CEE-Trust network, which serves as a vehicle for city-based education reform champions to share lessons learned, identify common challenges, and develop partnerships across cities and states. “The goal of ‘Kick-Starting Reform’,” says Gray, “is to shine a spotlight on the unique role these organizations are playing in their communities and show leaders in other cities what it takes to really get results for kids.” For more information about CEE-Trust or to download a copy of the “Kick-Starting Reform” report please visit www.CEE-Trust.org.

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