In response to widely held concerns about the state of our nation's schools, corporations have increasingly focused their philanthropy on education. Despite significant investment, the challenges facing public education continue to grow. Corporations need more powerful strategies that maximize both the impact of their investments in education and the return on investment for the corporation.

The Institute for Strategic Investment in Education (ISIE), presented by the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Business-Higher Education Forum, is a groundbreaking symposium convening Harvard faculty and senior corporate and private foundation staff to improve the effectiveness of philanthropic investment in PreK-12 education.

At this inaugural institute, faculty from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard Business School, and Kennedy School of Government, detail the key levers of school reform and how corporations can use these to advance district-wide improvement efforts.

Through a case-based curriculum, the institute provides the tools to:

• Make high-leverage and high-impact investments to improve education at the district level

• Implement data-driven improvement plans

• Collaborate more effectively with partners in your local community

During this three-day program, participants work with Harvard faculty and leaders in the field of corporate philanthropy in education to explore how district-wide school improvement efforts can be more effectively supported through philanthropy.

Program Format
Utilizing the case method pioneered by the Harvard Business School, the institute focuses on strategic, high-impact investments in PK-12 education that maximize student achievement and college readiness.

Specifically, the levers of school reform and how they can boost district-wide performance on key metrics are outlined. Case studies are supplemented by panel discussions with corporate executives, superintendents, and private foundation staff who have successfully fostered district-wide improvement efforts.

Program Schedule
The institute begins with an opening reception on Thursday, April 3 and concludes on Saturday, April 5. The Institute for Strategic Investment in Education is designed as a cohesive learning experience; participants are expected to make a full-time commitment to the program and remain through the closing discussion.

Participant Profile
Institute for Strategic Investment in Education is specifically designed for senior level corporate philanthropy staff and select leaders from private foundations. The program is ideally suited for those hoping to gain the knowledge and tools to make more strategic investments in education, regardless of the level of investment.

Faculty

Robert Schwartz • Educational Chair, ISIE; William Henry Bloomberg Professor of Practice; Academic Dean, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Schwartz oversees the school’s current academic programs and chairs the interfaculty steering committee for the Executive Leadership for Educators Program, a Wallace Foundation-funded initiative to strengthen leadership and management of urban school districts and state education agencies.

He has extensive experience with grant making initiatives and has directed the education grantmaking program for The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Stacy Childress • Lecturer of Business Administration, Harvard Business School

Childress studies entrepreneurial activity in public education in the United States, including the behavior and strategies of leadership teams in urban public school districts, charter schools, and nonprofit enterprises with missions to improve the public education system.

Allen Grossman • Richard Light, Walter H. Gale Professor of Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Grossman’s current research focuses on leadership and management in public education, the challenges of measuring nonprofit organizational performance, and managing multi-site nonprofit organizations.

James Honan • Senior Lecturer on Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Honan's teaching and research interests include financial management of nonprofit organizations, organizational performance measurement and management, and strategic planning. He is a faculty member in multiple executive education programs for educational leaders and nonprofit administrators.

Christine Letts • Associate Dean for Executive Education; Lecturer in the Practice of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

Letts has extensive experience in private and public management. Her teaching focuses on nonprofit leadership and philanthropy, and her current research includes the impact of donor behavior and funding models on nonprofit organizational capacity.

Additional faculty to be announced.

General Information

Registration and Additional Information
The comprehensive program fee of $2,700 includes tuition, all instructional materials, refreshments, an opening reception, and most meals.

Registration is accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and is acknowledged upon receipt. The program fee is due within 30 days of registration.

Accommodations
A limited number of hotel rooms convenient to the institute facility are available at a discounted rate. Travel and accommodations are the responsibility of the individual participant.

The Charles Hotel
$319/night plus tax
Reduced rates are available until March 6, 2008.
Reservations: 800.882.1818 or www.charleshotel.com
Reference ‘ISIE' or ‘Institute for Strategic Investment in Education’ when placing a reservation.

Cancellation Policy
Cancellations must be made in writing. Full refunds will be granted until March 1, 2008. Cancellations between March 2 and March 14 will be subject to a $500 administrative fee. Cancellations after March 14, 2008 and no-shows are subject to full payment.

The Harvard Graduate School of Education reserves the right to change faculty or cancel the program at its discretion. In the unlikely event of program changes, the school is not responsible for non-refundable travel arrangements or other planning costs incurred.

Further Information
Please contact us at 800-545-1849 or ppe@gse.harvard.edu