Advisors

Since 2017, Jorge A. Aguilar has been superintendent of the Sacramento City Unified School District, the 13th largest school district in California with nearly 43,000 students, more than 4,700 employees, a budget exceeding $528 million. Under his leadership, the graduation rate increased to 85.9%, up 3% in one year. The district has also created a historical data-sharing agreement with all of the region’s major higher education institutions to identify and address the challenges preventing students...

Carl A. Cohn is a clinical professor emeritus in the School of Educational Studies at Claremont Graduate University and was formerly the director of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence, a state agency established by Governor Brown and the State Legislature to advise and assist school districts on their academic performance. He is also an advisor to Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE). Before his tenure at Claremont, he served as superintendent of schools in...

Glen Harvey was chief officer (CEO) of WestEd since June 1997 and led the agency’s transformation to a mission-driven and quality- and impact-focused agency until July 2023. Under her leadership, WestEd emphasized performing the highest quality research-based work to promote excellence, achieve equity, and improve learning for children, youth, and adults. Harvey ensured that WestEd produced significant and positive impact, especially for those children and their families in greatest need. To meet the diverse needs...

Michael W. Kirst is professor emeritus of education and business administration at Stanford University and a co-founder of Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE). He is a longtime education advisor to former California Governor Jerry Brown, who four times appointed Kirst president of state board. In this position, Kirst was instrumental in reshaping education policy and finance in California, overseeing the new academic standards and assessments in math and English language arts, the new science...

Ted Lempert is the president of Children Now, a national research and advocacy organization based in Oakland. He is lecturer in the Political Science Department at the University of California, Berkeley. Lempert was previously the cofounder and chief executive officer of EdVoice. He has been a California State Assemblymember representing San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and he has served as chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee and cochair of the Joint Committee to...