Public Education Network (PEN)

Legacy collection

In 2012, Public Education Network (PEN) closed its doors after 21 years. PEN was a network of local education funds (LEFs) -- community based organizations in high poverty school districts across the United States -- that continue to work with their school districts and communities to improve public education for the nation's most disadvantaged children.

At the national level, PEN raised the importance of public engagement as an essential component of education reform. It brought the voice of LEFs and the communities they represent into the national education debate. Finally, PEN gave voice to the essential nature of the connection between quality public education and a healthy and thriving democracy.

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Case Study: Teacher Compensation Mobile Area Education Foundation (MAEF)

November 7, 2007

In the spring of 2001, the Mobile Area Education Fund (MAEF) began a concerted and unprecedented effort to organize and engage the public. What began as a project to support a tax referendum to fund education in the county became a way of life for MAEF and the citizens of Mobile. It was at this time that MAEF launched a public campaign (Yes We Can) to inform the citizens of Mobile about an upcoming referendum that would tax the people of Mobile to support education in the county. The campaign was successful, and on May 15, 2001, for the first time in 41 years, the people of Mobile voted to support this tax.

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