Eric.ed.gov – From the Classroom to Washington: Einsteins on Education Reform

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars was delighted to host a group of current and former Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellows as they celebrated the 20th anniversary of the fellowship program. Outstanding math and science teachers in America’s K-12 schools, the Einstein Fellows spend a year (or sometimes two) working on Capitol Hill or in the science related offices of several federal agencies. The 1990 cohort of Einstein Fellows was part of a growing national concern about the performance of Americas K-12 schools and the lagging performance of American students in mathematics and science. Now, 20 years later they continue to be a part of a growing federal role in seeking excellence and equal opportunity in the nation’s schools. The road to effective education reform has been long. Many past efforts will continue to shape the debate around national standards and education reform. The Einstein Fellows have been active in learning from and building upon past education reform as well as helping to shape new policy as the United States moves forward in the hopes of improving the K-12 school system. This report presents a brief history of five decades of education initiatives that have formed a basis on which the Einstein Fellows have built their own efforts at reform. Their professional lives have been affected by a series of reforms; reforms that have both shaped and been shaped by their professional experience. Appended are: (1) Policy Recommendations on the 20th Anniversary of the Einstein Fellowship; (2) H.Res. 1322–Celebrating the 20th Anniversary; (3) Panelists and Featured Guests; (4) Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellows; and (5) Sponsors and Supporters. (Contains 4 figures and 3 tables.)