Education|Evolving is a Minnesota- based group of thought leaders in education reform. E|E leaders have been instrumental in innovations such as open enrollment and school choice, the nation's first charter school law, and teachers as owners of professional partnerships, which are responsible and accountable for managing schools.
E|E works to convince those who make and influence policy that America's success depends on creating radically different and better ways for young people to learn and for teachers to work.
Jon Schroeder provides administrative coordination and staff leadership to the Education|Evolving project, drawing on his experience as co-founder and director of the Charter Friends National Network (CFNN). From 1996 to 2003, CFNN served as an informal network of more than 75 charter support organizations in all the major charter school states. In addition, CFNN launched initiatives on accountability, facilities financing, special education and federal policy development. CFNN also played a major role in the design of the early national charter conferences sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, as well as co-founding National Charter Schools Week. These and other activities have now been assumed by the new National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. Jon serves on the Alliance’s board of directors and executive committee and chairs its policy committee and also serves on the policy committee of the National Association of Charter School Authorizers.
Jon is a veteran Minnesota policy analyst and former journalist. He served in several senior positions during ten years on the staff of former U.S. Senator Dave Durenberger, where he also played a major role in crafting legislation that created the federal charter school grant program. He also held positions with the Twin Cities Citizens League and Scholarship America and is a former editor and publisher of the Grant County Herald in Elbow Lake. He has a BA degree in political science from Macalester College in St. Paul.