What We Do

What is Public Education Network?
Public Education Network (PEN) is a national organization of local education funds (LEFs) and individuals working to improve public schools and build citizen support for quality public education in low-income communities across the nation.

Our Mission
To build public demand and mobilize resources for quality public education for all children through a national constituency of local education funds and individuals.

Our strategic plan seeks to elevate public education to a pre-eminent position in the public arena, and re-establish its place as the prime public institution fundamental to a democratic and civil society.
 

PEN supports this effort through:
•	High-quality information around school reform
•	Local, statewide, and national policy support for local school reform efforts
•	Grants to member local education funds for selected reform efforts
•	Technical, leadership and organizational management assistance
The network members are:
•	501(c)(3) organizations
•	All in high-poverty areas (urban and rural)
•	Working with, but independent from, their school districts
•	Professionally staffed, with boards frelective of their community
•	Committed to whole-system reform and to ensuring a high-quality education for all children.

The network members advocate:
Accountability	PEN members advocate for accountability - they expect measurable results from those who participate in local public education.
Involvement	PEM members advocate form community involvement - they help put the "public" in public education.
Resources	PEN members generate resources - they facilitate investment in public education from private, public and philanthopic sources.
Excellence in Public Education	PEN members advocate for exvellence in public education - they are independent organizations that work with public schools to make a difference for all students.
Improvement	PEN members advocate for improvement - they encourage innovative practices and programs that make public education better.