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The Forum on the Future of Public Education

The Forum on the Future of Public Education strives to bring the best empirical evidence to policymakers and the public.

The Forum draws on a network of premier scholars to create, interpret, and disseminate credible information on key questions facing P-20 education. The Forum pursues original research and facilitates collaboration between researchers and policymakers to examine the pressing issues shaping the future of public education. Key constituencies of the Forum include scholars who influence research, policy and practice; policy makers and policy making bodies at all levels; members of the media who influence public opinion; foundations, organizations, business groups and others who support, criticize and advocate for reform; and citizens who make choices about education for themselves and their children.

America is witnessing a drastic redefinition of the policies and practices associated with “public education.” Too often, discussions around the future of public education are strong on passion but short on actual evidence. The Forum for the Future of Public Education is filing that gap by building a resource of objective, research-based insights on key educational issues. We are establishing an open venue- a true public forum to debate controversial and consequential policy issues that will shape American’s future.

CoE Course Project Allows Students to Explore Campus and Community Connections

Jun 28, 2016, 09:26 by Shana Riddick
Among other things, this Education at Illinois website shares students' experiences volunteering in local communities and how those experiences are shaping their growing identities as future educators and practitioners.

During the 2016 spring semester, 13 UIUC students, enrolled in EPS 199: Community Engagement, participated in a university-community engagement initiative that resulted in the production of a dynamic website. The website shares their experiences volunteering in our local communities and how those experiences are shaping their growing identities as future educators and practitioners. In addition to chronicling their own journeys, the students also hoped that the website could serve an additional purpose, namely as a resource for university students interested in volunteering with local community organizations and/or learning more about trends and topics impacting the nation's public schools. 

The students enrolled in EPS 199 worked very hard to construct this website. The process began with brainstorming website pages. It then turned to determining data sources and collecting all of the information presented on the website (which included interviewing CoE faculty and current educators in the field). Finally, it concluded with rounds of editing. With the guiding hand of their course instructor, they produced a resource that will hopefully be of value to collectives outside of this class.

VIEW THE SITE