New Institute Will Enhance Public Education in Pa.
The Institute for Educational Governance and Leadership promises to enhance children's education through thought leadership and research.
Annville, PA (05/22/2018) — Pennsylvania's 500 school districts grapple daily with complex issues of educational quality, safety, equity, and oversight. A new partnership-the first of its kind in Pennsylvania-will provide vital research and thought leadership to inform the policies and decisions that define children's education in the state.
The Institute for Educational Governance and Leadership (IEGL) has been established by Lebanon Valley College, CM Regent Insurance Company, CM CARES (Church Mutual Insurance Company Foundation), Pennsylvania Public Education Foundation, and the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. IEGL will be a statewide resource for accurate, timely, and credible information about public education, its governance, and its importance in Pennsylvania.
"IEGL represents a unique partnership among an institution of higher education, a private sector company, and an association," said Nathan Mains, PSBA executive director. "It will leverage PSBA's existing leadership in providing relevant training and information to public school decision makers."
Housed at Lebanon Valley College and under the leadership of a director soon to be appointed, IEGL will provide up-to-date data and analyses on education finance, governance, equity, and leadership issues. An equity summit will be held October 16 to help school leaders develop plans and programs to address educator equity, social-emotional learning, community and family engagement, and more.
"This collaboration between such successful and distinct organizations will benefit students and educators across the state," said Lewis E. Thayne, LVC president. "We look forward to the innovative research, expertise, and cutting-edge white papers that will come out of IEGL."
An array of stakeholders will benefit from IEGL's work, including school directors and other policymakers, educators, community leaders, parents, and anyone concerned with public education in the Commonwealth. Grants from CM CARES Foundation and the Pennsylvania Public Education Foundation are providing funding for this 14-month pilot program.
"The knowledge gained from this partnership will allow us to educate our customers and equip them with the tools they need to develop safer, cost-effective approaches to the risk control issues they face every day," said Richard V. Poirier, Esq., president and chief executive officer of Church Mutual Insurance Company.
About CM CARES, the Church Mutual Insurance Company Foundation
Established by Church Mutual Insurance Company in 2016, CM CARES, the Church Mutual Insurance Company Foundation, supports charitable, educational and religious causes that improve the human condition. For more information, contact us at CMCares@churchmutual.com.
About Lebanon Valley College
Lebanon Valley College is a private, coeducational college in Annville, Pa. The College offers more than 40 undergraduate majors plus self-designed majors and a range of minors, concentrations, and pre-professional options, as well as graduate degree programs in athletic training, business administration, music education, physical therapy, science in STEM education, and speech-language pathology.
About Pennsylvania School Boards Association
PSBA is a nonprofit statewide association of public school boards, pledged to the highest ideals of local lay leadership for the public schools of the commonwealth. Founded in 1895, PSBA was the first school boards association established in the United States.
About Pennsylvania Public Education Foundation
The Pennsylvania Public Education Foundation (PPEF) is a nonprofit 501c3 established to promote excellence in public education. By providing grant and scholarship opportunities to Pennsylvania public school students and leaders, we strive to pave the way for new opportunities and innovations that lead to the ongoing success of school districts across the state