Around and around we go at 700 Broadway, Denver, CO; the picturesque
location of the Education
Commission of the States. The latest is that Piedad Robertson is planning
to step down from the helm of ECS. Things are beginning to get scary for ECS,
the 40 year old education policy center that serves states and is primarily
funded by state compacts.

                                                                         


Recently, high level analysts resigned noting the lack of leadership, see a
previous post here.
In addition, it seems at least, that staffing levels around ECS have been down
lately, and no positions are presently listed on the ECS employment pages. This
is likely a reflection of funding levels, which, mostly, have been down.



The Education Week article
on the issue states that ECS will reconsider the "essence of its
mission." Speaking as someone who has served at ECS in the past, I at
least feel ECS needs to get back to being a general resource for states, on all
education related issues, and forget some of the special interest projects and
institutes ECS is currently devoting resources toward. These projects and
institutes serve only small parts of the education community, such as Gov.
Huckabee's Arts and Education Initiative, which in tight financial and testing
times, is simply out of touch and does not inspire states to continue to pay
for ECS’ services.



But, more than anything, ECS needs leadership. The kind that Frank Newman
offered ohh so long ago. But who will take the job? Who can right the ship? ECS
needs to find someone who can inspire states and can serve as a resource for
all education entities. Anyone can run an organization, what ECS needs is
someone who can organize all the running into a steady march towards
education's future.