School of Thought: 11 Education Activists for 2011
By ANDREW J. ROTHERHAM
With budget cuts looming, and with more states considering radical changes to teacher tenure and other important policies, 2011 looks to be a big year for education, for better or for worse. Here are 11 reformers poised to shake things up even more in these tumultuous times. These activists are political and apolitical, working to change schools systems from within and without, and can be found in the for-profit, nonprofit and governmental sectors. Some are big names in the education world, others are more behind-the-scenes players. But what they all have in common is the potential to change how Americans think about education and how kids experience school in 2011 - and beyond.
Full List: KEY PLAYERS
1. Shaking Schools Up in an Already Tumultuous Year
2. Michael Bennet: The Senator
3. Steven Brill: The Writer
4. Jeb Bush: The Adviser
5. David Coleman: The Architect
6. John Deasy: The Superintendent
7. Jonah Edelman: The Activist
8. Kristin Richmond and Kirsten Tobey: The Foodies
9. Wendy Kopp: The Teacher Trainer
10. Diane Ravitch: The Convert
11. Michelle Rhee: The Radical
Kristin Richmond and Kirsten Tobey: The Foodies
They're not the first people to try to improve the quality of school lunches, but the Kristin/Kirsten duo is the first to successfully couple good intentions with a serious and sustainable business model. And 2011 looks to be a banner year for their company, Revolution Foods, which provides healthy (and tasty) school lunches to low-income students in cities on both coasts. Even in this economy, a company that sits at the intersection of three hot issues - education reform, child nutrition, and sustainable and local agriculture - is a good bet. Revolution Foods was also a big winner in the child nutrition legislation that Congress recently passed, which, starting next year, will expand the federal school lunch program and promote healthy food in schools. Another sign of the company's growing cachet? President Obama just appointed Richmond to his White House Council on Community Solutions, which is tasked with mobilizing local resources to solve social problems.
